(HBCU) Success Advisory Board Meeting July 28, 2020 1:00 Pm – 2:30 Pm CST Agenda
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Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Success Advisory Board Meeting July 28, 2020 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm CST Agenda Adoption of Agenda Approval of Minutes, December 17, 2019 Meeting Chairwoman’s Report THEC Staff Report Agenda Item I. Mobilizing the HBCU Advisory Board to Respond to COVID-19 II. Advancing Public Awareness of TN HBCUs Adjournment TENNESSEE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISION MINUTES OF THE HBCU SUCCESS ADVISORY BOARD Winter Meeting December 17, 2019 Director Brittany Mosby called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. Member PRESENT ABSENT Mr. Spruell Driver X Mrs. Laschinski Emerson X Dr. Sharon Gentry X Ms. Sandra Long X Mr. Doug Magee X Ms. Deidre Malone X Mr. Damon Rawls X Commissioner Van Turner X Dr. Fallon Wilson X Ex-Officio Members PRESENT ABSENT President Logan Hampton X Interim President Carol Johnson Dean X President Forest Harris* President Kevin Rome* President Keith Lindsey X President Glenda Glover X President James Hildreth X *Joseph Watkins attended on behalf of Dr. Kevin Rome Demetria McCroskey attended on behalf of Dr. Forest Harris. Other attendees: Mike Krause, executive director, THEC; Betty Dandridge Johnson, chief academic officer, THEC; and Dr. Chris Davis, chair of LeMoyne Owen College Board of Trustees OPENING REMARKS Director Brittany Mosby announced that without a quorum present, the order of the meeting would need to be adjusted. Presentation and approval of the advisory board bylaws and election of officers will be rescheduled for a conference call at a later date. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Dr. Brittany Mosby provided an update on several HBCU Success programs at THEC, including: • The 2019 HBCU Summer Bridge Program grants. A report with information about each institution’s program and overall budget was provided. Dr. Mosby remarked that the programs had shown great early success, with above average retention rates for the summer-to-fall transition. Further data on various outcomes measures will be available in the spring. In October THEC hosted a summer bridge symposium and invited HBCUs as well as staff from UT Chattanooga, East Tennessee State University, Jackson State Community College, and the University of Memphis. Overall attendance and reception of the summit were very positive, with requests to reconvene soon. A request for funding has been included in the state higher education budget for FY2020. • The HBCU Success website has been revamped and is now live for sharing. Board members were encouraged to share the link with their networks. The website will be updated with most recent news, as well as reports and research conducted for HBCU Success. • The FUTURE Act and Title III Funding. Dr. Mosby provided a brief overview of the federal statutes that authorize funding for HBCUs under the Higher Education Act of 1965. Tennessee HBCUs receive nearly $20 million collectively under Parts B and F of the Title III statute. The recently passed FUTURE Act made permanent the authorization for funding under part F; and simplified the FAFSA by removing 22 questions from the form. The FUTURE Act also makes it easier to share information between the IRS and US Department of Education, so that verification for income based repayment plans is easier for student borrowers. After extensive discussion on Part F and its implications particularly for preparing HBCU students for the future of work, the board agreed to produce a report on the state of STEM-related innovation among Tennessee HBCUs, highlighting collaboration and 21st century competencies. Dr. Wilson and Ms. Long will lead this effort. Dr. Mosby also proposed supplementing the report with all current Title III activities, in order to leverage funding in other areas. A meeting of Title III Coordinators will be scheduled for 2020. • 2020 Joint Day on the Hill. The date February 25, 2020 has been reserved at the Cordell Hull State Office Building. HBCU Success will have student poster presentations, a summer bridge program display, and a panel of HBCU presidents for the day’s events. AGENDA ITEMS I. HBCU Statewide Scholarship Proposal Present members engaged in discussion about who and how to best serve students with an HBCU scholarship. Dr. Wilson, Dr. Johnson Dean, Dr. Davis, and Mr. Watkins pointed out various issues and concerns that students have with meeting financial requirements, particularly for low income, first generation students. Ms. McCroskey also mentioned the overwhelming burden that FAFSA verification has on both students and financial aid administrators. Dr. Johnson Dean recommended focusing on students in their final semesters who are unable to complete their degree programs because their funding has run out. Dr. Mosby informed the board that she would write a proposal, taking into accounts the suggestions and concerns raised by the board. The proposal would be shared with board members, presidents, and financial aid officers for further input. The earliest such a proposal could be considered would be FY2021. II. Tennessee HBCU Consortium Dr. Mosby reminded the board that Tennessee statute makes reference to an HBCU Consortium, made up of all seven institutions across the state. However in practice, such a collective does not exist. Dr. Mosby provided two examples of consortia: the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) and the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA). The floor was then open for discussion about what benefits of membership would be attractive to the consortium. Emergent ideas that the board requested follow up research on were: cross registration and articulation (for example pathway from Lane College to Tennessee State University for nursing), an online course and program collaborative, a trustee training summit, and a study abroad program. NEXT MEETING Dr. Mosby advised the board that the next scheduled meeting would be April 21, 2020; followed by a meeting on October 20, 2020. Dr. Mosby also reminded the group to be on the lookout for an email scheduling a phone conference in January to adopt the bylaws and elect officers. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Agenda Item: I. DATE: July 28, 2020 SUBJECT: Mobilizing the HBCU Advisory Board to Respond to COVID-19 ACTION RECOMMENDED: Discussion BACKGROUND: In June 2020, THEC staff distributed a survey to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) presidents, provosts, and chief operating officers pertaining to campus response to COVID-19 and their on-going challenges and needs. Responses were received from Fisk University, Lane College, Knoxville College, and Tennessee State University. The responses to this survey are summarized below, along with supplemental information from peer institutions and other sources. American Campus’ Immediate Response Baptist College In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in early 2020, all Tennessee Fisk University HBCUs suspended in-person instruction and residential occupancy by April 1, 2020 and moved to an online/virtual format for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. Knoxville Preparation and capacity for online instruction varied considerably across campuses. College Lane College Instruction was delivered both synchronously and asynchronously, largely at individual instructor’s discretion. Many campuses use Microsoft products, including LeMoyne Owen Office365 and Teams to facilitate remote learning and convening. Learning College Management Systems (LMS) used by Tennessee HBCUs include Canvas, Blackboard, Meharry and Brightspace. Prior to COVID-19 disruption, only one campus reported 100 percent Medical of faculty teaching at least one online course in a previous semester. The median College value across all institutions ranged from 20-30 percent of faculty members. Tennessee Institutions provided support for faculty through professional development and State instructional design staff employed by the institution. All institutions indicated a University desire for access to a repository of available resources (such as technology, pedagogy, and student support). For those institutions that surveyed students, between 30 to 60 percent of students did not have reliable access to high speed internet once off campus. Several campuses have begun sourcing and purchasing equipment and data plans for students as plans for the fall semester evolve. Institutions have also indicated that a wide variety of technology platforms outside of enterprise purchases were implemented during the spring semester, including Zoom, Skype, YouTube, TopHat, Facebook/Instagram Live, and GroupMe. Fall 2020 Operational Plans Operational plans for the fall 2020 semester vary significantly across Tennessee’s HBCUs. Many institutions are considering multiple options, dependent on the most recent local and state public health guidelines. Based on survey responses, plans can be classified into one of three broad categories. Plan Description In-person Resume the fall semester in person, on campus with the whole student body. Semester schedule adjusted to remove any breaks and to end prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. Health/safety measures include mandatory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), temperature checks, social distancing, diminished occupancy in classrooms and residence halls, increased sanitation and hygiene protocols. Hybrid/Staggered Only a portion of students return to campus at any given time. Online learning for those students not on campus. Semester schedule adjusted to remove any breaks and to end prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.