A STUDY OF TITLE III, HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, AND AN EVALUATION OF ITS IMPACT AT SELECTED PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COLLEGES APPROVED: Graduate Committee: Dean of the]Graduate" School Gupta, Bhagwan S., A Study of Title III, Higher Educa- tion Act of 1965, and. an Evaluation of Xts Impact at Selected Predominantly Black Colleges. Doctor of Philosophy (Higher Education), December, 1971, 136 pp., 4 tables, bibliography, 66 titles. In the past half-century, comprehensive studies have been made by individuals and agencies to determine the future role of black institutions in American higher education. Early studies concerning black higher education suggested ways to improve and strengthen the black colleges; however, it was not until the year 1964 that major legislation, in the form of the Civil Rights Act, was passed. The purpose of this study was to describe the passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and to evaluate faculty development programs at selected black institutions in light of the objectives and guidelines established for the use of Title III funds. To carry out the purpose of this study, six questions were formulated. These questions dealt with (1) the eligibility requirements for colleges and univer- sities, (2) the Title III programs related to faculty development, (3) criteria to be used by institutions for selection of faculty members, (4) enhancing the chances for black institutions to compete with predominantly white institutions, (5) the effects of the programs in terms of short-term gains versus long-term gains, and (6) the insti- tutions ' ability or inability to take full advantage of opportunities provided under Title III. The population for this study included twelve black institutions in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The inter- view technique was used to collect the data. The data were also collected from the files of the U.S. Office of Educa- tion. The analysis of data involved summarizing responses . to interview questions and data submitted by the institu- tions to the U.S. Office of Education. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) All twelve institutions under study meet the eligibility require- ments. (2) There are four programs that lend direct or in- direct support to faculty development. These are the Visiting Scholars Program, the Professor Emeritus Program, the National Teaching Fellowship Program, and the Faculty Development Program. (3) There are no definite criteria established by the U.S. Office of Education to be used by developing institutions for selection of faculty members under the fellowship program. (4) The funds provided under Title III have given black colleges a better chance to com- pete with other institutions. (5) The programs under Title III have had an impact on both a short-term and a long-term basis. (6) The black institutions have taken advantage of the opportunities provided under Title III with certain restrictive factors: limited funds available for the developing institutions, differences between amounts author- ized and amounts appropriated for the Title III programs, financial inability to employ full-time coordinators of Title III programs, changes in personnel in the U.S. Office of Education and in the institutions, and problems associ- ated with the changes in guidelines, application forms, and procedures from year to year. A STUDY OF TITLE III, HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, AND AN EVALUATION OF ITS IMPACT AT SELECTED PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COLLEGES DISSERTATION Presented to the Graduate Council of the North Texas State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By Bhagwan S. Gupta, B.A., M.A., M.B.A. Denton, Texas December, 1971 . TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ...... V Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of the Problem Purposes of the Study Questions for Which Answers Will be Sought Basic Assumptions Limitations The Instrument Procedures for Collection of Data Procedures for Analysis of Data Summary II. A "REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND' SUPPLEMENTAL DATA 14 The Historical Background of Federal Aid to Education The Passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965 The Provisions of the Act Related Studies III. COLLECTION OF DATA AND PRESENTATION OF . ' FINDINGS 54 Development of the Initial Interview Questionnaire Selecti-on of the Jury Panel Construction of the Final Questionnaire Conducting the Interviews Presentation of Findings Objectives and Guidelines of Title III Historical Development of Institutions Under Study Presentation of Findings as a Result of the Present Study in Page • IV. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Ill Summary Conclusions Implications Recommendations APPENDIX . 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY ' 132 IV LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. Comparison of Average Salaries for Academic Ranks for the Academic Years 1966-67 and 1970-71 (Interview Questions 21 and 22) . 98 II. Title III Funds Approved or Fiscal Years 1966 through 1970 r by Institution ..... io; III. Amounts Authorised and Amount s Appropriated under Title III for the Fiscal Years 1966 throug h 1970 . lo: IV. Percentages of Full-Time Faculty Members Holding Master's and Ddctoral Degrees by Institution for the Years 1967, 1968, and 1969 104 v CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Most'of the twelve institutions under study had their origin in the missionary movement of the northern churches and in the .land grant legislation first enacted in 1862. At least five times in the past half-century, comprehensive studies have been made by individuals and agencies to deter- mine the future role of black institutions in American higher education. •In 1917, the Phelps-Stokes fund sponsored a study of these institutions (4). In 1928, Arthur J. Klein of the U.S. Office of Education completed a similar study and recom- mended ways to strengthen and improve these colleges (5). In 1942, the staff members of the U.S. Office of Education completed a comprehensive survey of the higher education of blacks (2). In 1960 and again in 1962, the concerned administrators and educators - indicated their vital interest by contributing to two special issues in the Journal of Negro Education on the role of Negro colleges. These special issues included a study of the role of private .Neg.ro colleges (7) and a study of public Negro institutions (8). In 1965, Earl J, McGrath completed a study of 123 black institutions and reported some specific suggestions of ways to improve and strengthen the existing black colleges and universities (6). He made this suggestion: None of the predominantly Negro colleges should be allowed to die until their present and prospective students can be fully assured of better educational opportunities elsewhere (6 , p. 6) , In discussing the condition of black colleges in 1965, McGrath felt that the most serious weakness stemmed from recruitment and retention of qualified faculty members who were growing professionally (6, p. 110). In his opinion, until these colleges and universities .are able to seek, retain, and develop faculty members, most of their other problems can only be abated temporarily. These problems are related to better curricular offering, instruction, and achievement (6, p." 111). He recommended that the following measures be taken to overcome such weaknesses: Programs to help strengthen the faculties in the predominantly Negro institutions, such as graduate fellowships, faculty exchanges, and summer institutes, deserve extensive additional support from foundations, corporations, individual; philanthropists, and state and federal bodies (6 , p. 123) . In light of the importance and need for the existence of these predominantly black colleges, it became imperative to strengthen and to improve the academic programs of these existing institutions in order to meet a need which even • now could not be met without them. In the last decade, these black institutions have re- ceived their major financial support from private sources such as the Ford Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson Faculty Fellowships Program, the United Negro College Fund, the Danforth Foundation, religious denominations, individuals, and several other sources. However, the black private church-related institutions are still in dire need of finan- cial support in order to provide the type of education that is needed to bridge the gap between the preparation of stu- dents coming from segregated schools and the students coming from predominantly white public schools. Even though early studies concerning black higher edu- cation suggested ways to improve and to strengthen these existing colleges, it was not until the year 1964 that major legislation such as the Civil Rights Act was passed. The passage of the Civil Rights Act, while it was not specifi- cally an educational legislation, proved to be central to the enactment of other major bills that have been passed since 1964. During the period from 1963 to 1969, the follow- ing major bills were passed: The Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, The Vocational Education Act of 1964, The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and The Higher Education Act of 1965. -The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 introduced many uncertainties regarding the future role of these insti- tutions. This act not only meant equal opportunity for the black, but it also meant a threat to the very existence of the black institutions. In light of this act, the educators faced a new problem of whether these black colleges would be discontinued as predominantly black institutions/ or' whether they would be completely closed due to lack o.f financial support from private sources as well as public appropriations and from the lack of enrollment. On November 8, 1965, President Johnson signed Public Lav.7 89-329, the Higher Education Act of 1965. For the fiscal year 1966, Congress.provided five million dollars to imple- ment Title III of PL 89-329. These funds were.to be used for both cooperative programs and national .teaching fellow- ships (1) .