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Focus THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Leadership at HBCUs As a Chronicle of Higher Education individual subscriber, you receive premium, unrestricted access to the entire Chronicle Focus collection. Curated by our newsroom, these booklets compile the most popular and relevant higher-education news to provide you with in-depth looks at topics affecting campuses today. The Chronicle Focus collection explores student alcohol abuse, racial tension on campuses, and other emerging trends that have a significant impact on higher education.

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istorically black colleges and universities have a special mission to educate African Americans, and they face many challenges in doing so. Their students are disproportionately from low-income families and are often academ- ically underprepared. The colleges themselves have limited financial resources. Strong, inspired leadership is Hneeded to help the institutions thrive and, sometimes, even survive. The seven articles in this collection look at the issues that presidents of historically black institutions must contend with, including problems that are common to many colleges and others that are particular to HBCUs.

Walter Kimbrough’s Higher Calling 4 Black colleges need someone to carry their banner. This pastor’s son is stepping up.

Feud at Florida A&M Has Echoes of Governance Issues 12 at Other Black Colleges Experts wonder if governing boards at HBCUs may be particularly prone to overreach.

Retired HBCU Presidents Start Search Firm 14 for Black-College Leaders The new firm hopes to help solve historically black colleges’ leadership woes.

With Faculty Diversity on Everyone’s Radar, 17 HBCUs Worry About Losing Scholars College officials say they can make a convincing case for faculty to stay where they are.

Why an HBCU Leader Felt Compelled to Speak Out 19 on Race and Policing John S. Wilson Jr. hopes his experience can inform a new generation of black men.

Lessons From an HBCU’s Demise 21 The pressures that forced Saint Paul’s College to close are not unique. Black Colleges, Teetering on the Brink, Must Chart a New Path 22 State disinvestment and scandals have jeopardized the institutions’ future.

Cover photograph of Walter M. Kimbrough Jr., president of Dillard U., by Alyssa Schukar for The Chronicle Cover photo by Eric Thayer, The New York Times

22 R e ining In Fr at e r ni t ie s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / s e p t e mb e r 2017

By ADAM HARRIS

n an overcast day in February, Wal- Mr. Kimbrough, the president of Dillard Univer- ter M. Kimbrough Jr. stepped off a sity, approached the visit with a sense of cautious plane in Washington, D.C., for one of optimism. Here was an administration that had the highest-profile meetings of his pro- said glancingly little about higher education during fessional career. the campaign, making HBCUs an early target for OThe Trump administration had invited the lead- support. It was the kind of overture that black-col- ers of more than 60 historically black colleges and lege leaders had hoped for under President Obama. universities, Mr. Kimbrough among them, to a But the opportunity came with plenty of risk. White House “listening session” with Betsy DeVos, The invitation was an unexpected move by an un- the newly appointed education secretary. It was an predictable administration. Only a small number unprecedented opportunity for HBCUs, long ig- of black people had supported Mr. Trump, who nored in the public conversation about higher edu- rose to political prominence by questioning the le- cation, to tell the nation why they mattered. gitimacy of the first black president and seemed to

During a trip to Chicago, Walter Kimbrough meets with administrators at Urban Prep Academy, a charter school. He also spoke, one on one, to several students about their college plans.

ALYSSA SCHUKAR FOR THE CHRONICLE appeal consistently to white nationalism during also needed a spotlight. Once they had a spotlight, his 2016 campaign. they needed someone who was willing to step into Still, black colleges rely on money from the fed- it. eral government, and right now they needed more Mr. Kimbrough, a 50-year-old pastor’s son who of it. The Dillard president was looking forward to goes by the Twitter handle HipHopPrez, isn’t shy telling Ms. DeVos why. of the stage. He harnessed the frustration over the He never got to talk, and she hardly got to listen. DeVos visit, honed it into an argument for black Instead, in a last-minute surprise, the chancel- colleges, and took that argument to NPR, CNN, lors and presidents were pulled into the Oval Of- The New York Times. “I hate that people feel — fice. There, they posed for a photograph with Mr. that the students feel — a sense of betrayal,” he Trump. Almost immediately, the picture went viral told a Times reporter. on social media: Rows of HBCU leaders flanked The meeting “was a great opportunity to help a beaming president while a White House advis- the new secretary,” he said. But it was also a er, Kellyanne Conway, her feet on the Oval Office chance to press a case to the country. In an opin- couch, looked down at her cellphone. The optics ion column later that week, Mr. Kimbrough found were bad. The visit began to look like a bizarre fi- the silver lining of an otherwise trying trip: It had asco. On historically black campuses, students and professors were furious. You got played, many of them said. Few black college leaders were eager “You don’t want to be to talk about the meeting in its imme- diate aftermath. Mr. Kimbrough was the young president an exception. In an essay posted online later that day, the Dillard president gently chid- who messes it up for all ed the White House. “There was very little listening to HBCU presidents to- the young presidents.” day,” he wrote. Then he laid out what he would have said if given the chance. He wrote about the Pell Grant program, and why preserving and expanding it was pulled black colleges out of the shadows. good not just for black colleges, but for all of high- “With this new platform, allow me to reintro- er education. duce you to HBCUs,” Mr. Kimbrough wrote. “We Overnight, Ms. DeVos created another stir. In an are uniquely American.” Education Department news release, she claimed that black colleges were pioneers of school choice wo institutions, perhaps more than any — a favorite talking point of the charter-school others, loom large in the black communi- champion. Black-college advocates quickly re- Tty: the church and black colleges. Both have butted the secretary’s assertion: After all, the in- served as beacons for hope: Churches built a com- stitutions were born to serve black Americans who munity for families that had been fractured by had been shut out of higher education. slavery. Black colleges offered the promise of up- Mr. Kimbrough was again among the few ward mobility to members of that community. HBCU presidents to speak out, and he kept his eye Walter Kimbrough Sr., a dynamic young pastor on the ball. Sure, he admitted, the remark rubbed with a knack for building strong black churches him the wrong way. But he was more troubled by out of the ruins of abandoned white ones, moved another line in the same press release, which sug- his family to Atlanta in 1972. The city was rapid- gested that boosting financial support to black col- ly changing. Catalyzed by desegregation efforts, leges wouldn’t be a top priority of the Trump ad- white people had fled in droves. Maynard Jackson, ministration. “This has to be a funding issue,” he the first black mayor of Atlanta, would be elected told The Chronicle. a year later. In the national conversation about higher educa- Mr. Kimbrough was assigned to Cascade Unit- tion, black colleges often languish in the shadows. ed Methodist Church, a struggling church with a Critics question not just their relevance but their membership of fewer than 100 in 1974. The pastor, necessity. The civil-rights battle has been fought a graduate of the historically black Morris Brown and won, the thinking goes; if black students can College, set out to rebuild, visiting 30 to 40 local attend any college, why do black colleges need to schools a year, doing community service, forming exist? relationships, making a name for Cascade Unit- Not enough people knew why they were still im- ed. Marjorie Kimbrough, his wife, had taught him portant. the value in working with children. “When parents They needed federal money desperately, but they can see that their children are happy, that’s where

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 5 they want to be,” the elder Mr. Kimbrough said. into dire straits. There were the financial issues: His son, Walter Jr., was by his side, watching unpaid bills and an investigation into the poten- and learning. At 11 years old, Walter Jr. was deliv- tial improper distribution of federal financial-aid ering speeches during Sunday services. Congre- funds. And a more fundamental issue: The college gants suggested that he grow up to be a preacher was struggling mightily to recruit and keep stu- like his dad. He pushed against those expecta- dents. tions. His father supported him. A week into the job, he was already daunted by By 1985, Cascade had grown to roughly 2,000 its breadth. “You don’t want to be the young presi- members, and Walter Jr. was salutatorian of Ben- dent who messes it up for all the young presidents,” jamin Mays High School — named for a black-col- he says. People were watching to see how he per- lege icon, the former president of Morehouse Col- formed. “If I did well, it would open the door for lege. He had options, including Clark Atlanta Uni- other people.” versity, a black college where his mother would He called a guy whom he knew would under- later teach philosophy and religion. But he wanted stand: his dad. Early in his career, Walter Sr. to be a veterinarian. The University of Georgia had been named the first black pastor of Calvary seemed like the best way to achieve that goal. Methodist Church in Chicago as it was undergo- The institution had been forcibly integrated only ing a racial transformation. At first, he wasn’t sure in 1961, but that didn’t dissuade Mr. Kimbrough, he was up for the task. It had made him angry at whose mother had graduated Phi Beta Kappa God. His wife, Marjorie, whom he had met during from the University of California at Berkeley. He seminary, emphasized the importance of trials and knew what he was getting into. But two decades tribulations. of integration had not solved two centuries of ra- “If you started at an easy place,” he recalled her cial hostility. When black students petitioned for telling him, “and later on in your ministry, you an African-American cultural center, the student went to a tough place, you wouldn’t be able to han- newspaper ran an editorial cartoon saying that dle it.” they already had one: the basketball court. Walter Sr. passed that advice to his son. “This is “I’m one of the few who survived,” Mr. Kim- a blessing,” he told him. “You’re really going to be brough told a group of black high-school students able to show what you can do.” on a recent recruiting trip. “And I use the word Philander Smith’s young president got to work. ‘survived’ deliberately.” His personal touch, honed from years of watching A lifeline was Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraterni- his parents tend to their congregations, became a ty founded in 1906 as a refuge for black students calling card. He invited students to text him. He at Cornell University. Mr. Kimbrough became stu- popped up at the teams’ away games and checked dent assistant vice president for the fraternity’s in personally with student athletes. When a group Southern region. of students needed to get to a conference 445 miles Something tugged at him. He had grown up fol- away, he gave them a ride. The college’s retention lowing his father to church; the children of May- and four-year graduation rates improved. By just nard Jackson and the civil-rights leader Andrew about all measures, the institution’s stock was ris- Young came to his neighborhood to play football. ing — and so was Mr. Kimbrough’s. He was her- Now he found himself embedded in another strong alded as a fresh voice in higher education. black community, meeting regularly with universi- In 2012, another black college affiliated with the ty presidents and leaders of industry. United Methodist Church came calling: Dillard Perhaps he could be one of them too. University, in New Orleans. Mr. Kimbrough, once intimidated by the pros- r. Kimbrough earned a doctorate in pect of protecting the legacy of black colleges, was higher education and, after stints at Emo- now certain he could handle the pressure. He’d Mry, Old Dominion, and Georgia State Uni- complained to his father years earlier about the versities, he landed his first job at a black college task. His father called it a blessing. — vice president for student affairs at Albany State “And he was exactly right,” he says. University. He became an expert on fraternities and hazing. He published Black Greek 101, which hilander Smith’s issues weren’t unique to quickly became the go-to book on the culture of the college. They were broadly indicative of black fraternities and sororities. Pthe challenges that plague many of the 107 Then Philander Smith College, a small black col- black colleges today. The sector is often dogged by lege in Arkansas affiliated with the United Meth- criticism. Many institutions struggle with limited odist Church, needed a new president. The college finances; many others face questions about how thought Mr. Kimbrough was the right fit. well those finances are managed, as well as the At just 37 years old, Mr. Kimbrough had be- quality of the education they provide. come the leader of a black college. Philander Smith Diversity pushes by predominantly white insti- was once a gem among HBCUs, but it had fallen tutions have exacerbated dwindling enrollments

6 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 ALYSSA SCHUKAR FOR THE CHRONICLE When he speaks to high-school students, Walter Kimbrough emphasizes the individual attention and care that historically black colleges can provide, compared with large universities.

at many black colleges, driving some HBCUs to more than just themselves. Black-college leaders admit more international and nonblack students. are regularly called on to talk about black-college Graduation rates have lingered near the bottom of issues. Black colleges, however, are not just a pa- the barrel. Many black colleges have made strides rochial offshoot of higher education; they are an in correcting these issues, and several posted en- integral part of it. They have been among the first rollment gains this fall. But in many ways, the to grapple with thorny issues — the line between most challenging problem confronting black col- campus safety and free speech, the scourge of fra- leges is a matter of public perception — a sense ternity hazing, the fight to secure funding, and the that, in an era of integration, they’re less relevant need to rethink enrollment strategy — that tend to than they once were. pop up later on across higher education. Black colleges tend not to appear in the news “There is a diversity of experiences” within unless there’s bad news — there’s not enough mon- black-college leadership, Mr. Kimbrough says, ey, the students aren’t graduating, or they’re at risk “and we can talk about a range of higher-ed is- of losing their accreditation. So leaders of the insti- sues that aren’t HBCU-specific.” If black colleges tutions are often reluctant to speak to the media. stand to benefit from adopting a more-public pro- Why be a party to yet another narrative of failure? file, there are also a lot of things that other sectors Yet the absence of their voices has allowed others could learn from them. — lawmakers, pundits, potential students — to fill the void with their own perceptions of the sector. nspiration is a funny thing: Sometimes you Many people now view black colleges as aloof — find it; sometimes it finds you. One way or an- doomed, even. Not enough are sure of their contin- Iother, Walter Kimbrough Jr. kept crossing paths ued significance. with Benjamin Mays. The few presidents who have fashioned roles as Mr. Kimbrough was born in Chicago in 1967. national spokesmen tend to stand out: David Wil- Months later, Mays resigned as the president of son at Morgan State University, Michael Sorrell at Morehouse College after a term of 27 years. Mays Paul Quinn College, and Mr. Kimbrough, among was, by any definition, a heavyweight: He has been them. “The people on the ground need to speak,” identified as the “intellectual conscience” of the he says. And, he adds, they need to speak about civil-rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr.,

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 7 who attended Morehouse, called Mays his “spiritu- not so young anymore. The once-37-year-old col- al mentor.” lege president now looks the part, his hair dotted Mr. Kimbrough’s eyes light up when discussion with specks of gray. He acknowledges that he’s not turns to Mays. “People don’t talk about their col- on Mays’s level, but he wants to be. lege president like that anymore,” he says. “I don’t think we speak out enough on our is- Mays’s mentorship of the civil-rights era’s most sues,” he says. If we don’t advocate for our institu- enduring icon is part of what appeals to Mr. Kim- tions, who will? brough. “The man with the dream attended an Listen to Mr. Kimbrough as he speaks about the HBCU and was inspired by his college president to legacy of Benjamin Mays, and it’s not hard to see address the social injustices of his time,” he wrote the contours of an argument about what it takes in an op-ed. to lead a black college in 2017. Plenty of the sec- But beyond the mentoring, he admires the late tor’s leaders have some of the community-building leader’s fearlessness and resolve to speak hard aplomb of Walter Kimbrough Sr. — including Wal- truths regardless of criticism. Mays’s autobiog- ter Sr. himself, who took over the reins of Gammon raphy was titled Born to Rebel. He was a prolif- Theological Seminary this year. But few fit the ic writer — a fierce critic of white liberals who mold of Benjamin Mays. claimed to support civil rights but didn’t fight for Black colleges need a shepherd to tend to the them, and a passionate advocate for nonviolence flock and an outspoken proselytizer to reach be- even as black militants derided that approach as yond it. They need a personal touch and national passive and unrealistic. advocacy. Mays described his outspokenness not as a bid Mr. Kimbrough believes he can do both. But for attention but as a calling. “I have never done that’s a tall order. anything for the purpose of being honored, to have my name on the front pages of the newspapers,” or Walter Kimbrough, taking up the Roger Wilkins, a civil-rights icon in his own right, mantle of leadership often means issuing recalled Mays saying. “I have done what I believe I Fchallenges to his own community. was sent into the world to do: worship my God and In 2009, when the Associated Press inter- serve my fellow man.” viewed Mr. Kimbrough about graduation rates Mr. Kimbrough met Mays once, when he was at black colleges, the Philander Smith president young. Now Mays is gone, and Mr. Kimbrough’s said his sector had gotten “lazy.” The graduation

Walter Kimbrough heads for his flight after visiting a high school in Chicago. He admits that his busy schedule keeps him away from his family more than he would like.

8 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 ALYSSA SCHUKAR FOR THE CHRONICLE rate at the colleges was four percentage points Klan was running for U.S. Senate, and Dillard lower than the national graduation rate for black had previously pledged to host a debate among students. “That was our hallmark 40, 50 years the candidates. Mr. Duke barely qualified for the ago. We still say, ‘Nurturing, caring, the presi- debate by polling at 5.1 percent — a tenth of a per- dent knows you.’ That’s a lie on a lot of campuses. centage point over the threshold. That’s a flat-out lie.” That angered some in the community. One president told him that his comments could make fund raising more difficult. In another instance, Mr. Kimbrough held the “He asked the students Obama administration’s feet to the fire. The significance of Barack Obama’s election was not to consider what was lost on Mr. Kimbrough — in fact, his young son’s middle name is Barack. But when the administration made moves that disappointed black-col- best for them. Did they lege leaders, tightening requirements for Parent PLUS loans and arguing that they were setting need professors who families who couldn’t afford them up for failure, Mr. Kimbrough shared a different opinion. He invoked “The Questions,” a track by the looked like them? hip-hop artists Mos Def and Common. “If I had ID, I wouldn’t need ID,” he said, echoing one of Perhaps so.” Mos Def’s lines. If the families had money, they wouldn’t need the loan. He noted missed opportunities by the Obama administration on several other occa- Against his convictions, Mr. Kimbrough ex- sions. So when President Trump was elected in plored whether he could back out. No luck. He be- November, Mr. Kimbrough surprised many peo- lieves that a university is the ideal location for a ple by arguing that Trump’s election was “a tre- debate, he told The Advocate, but he didn’t want to mendous opportunity to launch a renaissance of be stubborn and not explore all of his options. He black colleges” — if the colleges were willing to also suggested that the polling that allowed Mr. work for it. Duke to participate may have been rigged. But he wasn’t carrying water for the new ad- The debate came, and this time the response ministration, either. Two days later, more than was different. Students fumed; several people pro- 100 college leaders sent an open letter to the pres- tested. A small group broke into the auditorium ident, urging him to take a forceful stand against and was briefly detained. Police arrested six peo- “harassment, hate acts, and violence” committed ple, one a Dillard student. Protesters said officers in his name, many of which were taking place on had pepper-sprayed them. college campuses. Mr. Kimbrough was one of a Mr. Kimbrough was harshly criticized for the handful of black-college presidents to sign. Later, university’s handling of the incident. The campus he admonished President Trump for condemning police should not have been allowed to use force, black athletes who chose to kneel during the na- said Dillard students and outside sympathizers; tional anthem. they certainly should not have been allowed to use pepper spray. Meanwhile, Mr. Kimbrough found r. Kimbrough says his job is to protect himself rebutting claims that his students were the speech. And he practices what he preach- primary agitators, leading some critics to argue Mes — even when it makes his students that he should have taken more responsibility for angry. When he was president, Philander Smith his students’ involvement. invited Ann Coulter and Charles Murray to speak The incident confirmed for Mr. Kimbrough that at his “Bless the Mic” campus lecture series. Ms. higher-education leaders could learn a lot from Coulter drew boos when she said that the crack ep- black colleges, if only they would pay attention. idemic “has pretty much gone away,” according to “The anguish over Duke’s simply being present on the Associated Press. But by and large, the event the campus,” he later wrote, “should have been a went off without major flare-ups. wake-up call.” But protecting speech can eventually put a pres- If you looked at Dillard, you could have fore- ident in hot water. That’s what happened when seen the protests over controversial speech that another controversial speaker landed on Mr. Kim- later roiled the University of California at Berke- brough’s doorstep this past November. ley or Middlebury College. “It signaled that we He didn’t plan for David Duke to speak on his were in an era when rational dialogue and debate campus. The former grand wizard of the Ku Klux had been abandoned for the high of in-your-face

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 9 A map at Urban Prep Academy encourages students to think beyond Chicago.

10 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 confrontation,” he wrote. “With social media as Dillard. Make sure you email me, Mr. Kimbrough an accelerant.” told him; his wife, the pre-law adviser, would love that. Several students stuck around for one-on-one ow Mr. Kimbrough travels the country chats. He handed them business cards, told them making that point. He’s a frequent panelist to email or call him with questions — or, of course, Nin discussions of free speech, a guy who can find him on Twitter. deliver a message from the front lines. The role is It’s not often that the president of a university one of many that have Mr. Kimbrough’s schedule comes to visit you in person, Tim King, founder and bursting at the seams. The Dillard president freely chief executive of Urban Prep, told the students. admits that it’s a lot to handle. And it often means All the more reason to consider an HBCU, Mr. spending less time with his family than he would Kimbrough said. like. He tries to take his children, Lydia and Benja- n hour later, Walter Kimbrough Jr. was min (named for Benjamin Mays), with him as of- standing just outside the security check- ten as possible. They were supposed to accompany Apoint at Chicago’s Midway airport, leaning him to Chicago late last month but, the president upon his just-small-enough-to-carry-on luggage, joked, they’d been “acting up.” So he was alone in his dark suit offset by a striking lime-green tie. His the city for a little over 12 hours to visit a campus flight back to New Orleans was scheduled to take of Urban Prep Academy and speak to graduating off in an hour and a half, which gave him a chance seniors. to finish the bottle of tea he had just purchased. A flight delay prevented him from making it Free speech was again on his mind. James B. into Chicago until after midnight, but by the time Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau he arrived at the high school the next morning he of Investigations, had been heckled earlier that day looked fresh and enthusiastic. during an appearance at Howard University’s con- He was ushered into the gym where students vocation. Mr. Kimbrough was reminded of anoth- had congregated for their morning address. Mr. er recent speech gone awry, when students turned Kimbrough took out his phone, snapped a picture, their backs on Ms. DeVos during a commencement and uploaded it to Twitter. “I’m at Urban Prep to- speech at the historically black Bethune-Cook- day — first time visiting,” he wrote. Students came man University. Ms. DeVos should absolutely be up and introduced themselves to the president, invited to speak on black-college campuses, Mr. who greeted them warmly. Kimbrough was explaining, just not at graduation, He enjoys these visits, no matter how brief. when the accomplishments of students should be Later, during a presentation, Mr. Kimbrough controversy-free. told the students — all young black men — to con- A woman approached. She recognized the presi- sider what was best for them. Was it the major uni- dent. “Dr. Kimbrough,” she said. versity, where they may be one of 1,000 in a lecture He turned and smiled, offering a warm greeting. course? Or was it the smaller university, where Years earlier, she explained, Mr. Kimbrough had they can get individualized attention? Did they spoken at the school she worked at. He had left an need professors who looked like them? Perhaps so, impression. There was familiarity in his responses, he said. like a pastor greeting a congregant he faintly Mr. Kimbrough pointed to Carmela Myles, one knows. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she of his former students at Philander Smith, who departed. He returned to his tea. was in the room. Ms. Myles had enrolled at the There was a lot of work to do. Before his flight, Methodist college after seeing the president at her there was a conference call for a Southern Associ- own high school years earlier. She is now a regular ation of Colleges and Schools accreditation com- guest at Thanksgiving with Mr. Kimbrough, his mittee he serves on. On the plane, he’d knock out wife, Adria, and the children. “I was in town, and another opinion column on fraternity hazing. The she said, ‘I need to come and hang out,’” the presi- next morning, he would attend a funeral for the dent said. “That’s very important in terms of rela- parent of a campus employee. tionships.” He headed toward the checkpoint, tossed out his One student asked about the pre-law program at bottle, and breezed through security.

Originally published on October 22, 2017

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 11 Feud at Florida A&M Has Echoes of Governance Issues at Other Black Colleges

By KATHERINE MANGAN

bitter feud be- historically black colleges, tween Florida describes what the board A&M Univer- demanded of Ms. Mangum sity’s president as “a blatant example of mi- and the chair- cromanaging.” Among oth- manA of its Board of Trustees er things, the board wanted culminated on Friday in the the president to meet with chairman’s stepping down the board chairman every and the president’s narrowly week for three hours. hanging on to her job. But the turmoil has STEPPING INTO TURMOIL raised questions that are reverberating beyond the Ms. Mangum became boundaries of the public, Florida A&M’s president in historically black institu- 2014. The university had tion. Among them: endured several years of turmoil and falling enroll- n When does a board’s in- ment following, among oth- volvement in day-to-day FLORIDA A&M U. er things, the 2011 hazing Elmira Mangum, a former vice president matters devolve from death of a drum major of for budget and planning at Cornell U., responsible oversight to the marching band, Robert became president of Florida A&M U. in micromanaging? Champion. The university’s 2014. Her relationship with the board n Are historically black accreditor had recently lift- there was strained almost from the start. institutions, which of- ed its probationary status, ten face unique en- imposed in part because of rollment and financial financial mismanagement, challenges, particularly but the university’s credit prone to boards that overreach? rating had still dropped. n Are male-dominated boards more likely to At an institution that was struggling to regain challenge the authority of female presidents? its footing, Ms. Mangum’s background as vice n Does a president who publicly criticizes the president for budget and planning at Cornell Uni- board, as Elmira Mangum did when she ac- versity was widely welcomed. Almost from the cused Florida A&M trustees of “mudslinging” start, though, her relationship with the board was and conducting a “witch hunt” against her, de- strained. In addition to questioning financial deci- serve some of the blame when relations fray to sions, board members criticized her travel spend- the point of breaking? ing and scrutinized her day-to-day activities. And they accused her of failing to communicate with Experts on historically black colleges and uni- them on key decisions. versities are divided on whether the tensions at Ms. Gasman, who has served on the boards of Florida A&M reflect governance problems specific two historically black colleges, said the dysfunc- to HBCUs or might have cropped up at any college tion at Florida A&M could make it even harder for with severe financial challenges. the institutions to recruit leaders. “I had a presi- Marybeth Gasman, a professor of higher educa- dent of an HBCU call me and ask who is going to tion at the University of Pennsylvania who follows be willing to work at an HBCU when a top finan-

12 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 cial administrator at Cornell can’t even be success- Mangum are any different from those at any other ful,” Ms. Gasman said. financially struggling college. Trustees at Florida A&M say they’re just doing He serves on the board of the Cooper Union for their job. They have accused Ms. Mangum of im- the Advancement of Science and Art, in New York properly spending thousands of dollars on renova- City, which has been embroiled for years in con- tions of her university-owned home and have ques- troversy over board governance and other issues. tioned a bonus paid to a top administrator with Five Cooper Union trustees resigned in June after public money. Ms. Mangum has said that the ren- a battle involving the board’s decisions to end free ovations were under way when she took office and tuition and to dismiss the president. that the problem with the bonus had been fixed. “When you have financial and oversight prob- On Friday, Rufus Montgomery submitted his lems, the board has to become more involved than resignation as chairman of Board of Trustees after it would otherwise,” Mr. Taylor said. And when a two votes to fire Ms. Mangum narrowly failed. He financial crisis looms, “everyone is trying to decide had supported the effort to fire her. who’s at fault, and there’s a lot of finger pointing.” Mr. Montgomery said in a written statement that Shared governance, he said, used to refer main- he was resigning his chairmanship immediately be- ly to interactions between administrators and the cause his relationship with the president was “bro- faculty. Now bottom-line-focused boards are in- ken and irreparable.” He remains on the board. serting themselves more into issues that used to be Later that day, the board’s vice chair, Kelvin the purview of presidents. Lawson, said board members were “recommitting In Florida A&M’s case, the board had a re- ourselves to a conciliatory approach.” sponsibility to scrutinize the president’s travel as Ms. Gasman sees some similarities to the way well as other spending, Mr. Taylor said. And Ms. another female president of a historically black Mangum bears some responsibility for the tension, college has struggled with her board. he said, for publicly lambasting the board. Last year, when Gwendolyn E. Boyd became pres- Ms. Mangum declined to comment beyond a ident of Alabama State University, her employment statement, issued by a spokesman, saying that she contract included a provision that Ms. Gasman sees looked forward to helping the university excel and as an indication of how female presidents are often planned “to focus on our performance metrics, treated at HBCUs. “For so long as Dr. Boyd is pres- work plan, and strategic planning.” ident and a single person,” the provision reads, “she What’s needed, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Cotton shall not be allowed to cohabitate in the president’s agreed, is better training on the rules of engage- residence with any person with whom she has a ro- ment for presidents and their boards so that dis- mantic relation.’” putes like the one at Florida A&M don’t spiral out It is highly unlikely, Ms. Gasman said, that a of control. single man hired as president would face a similar Being more open to change is one key, Ms. Gas- requirement. man said. Many historically black colleges cling to At Florida A&M, Ms. Mangum has also faced tradition, she said, and resist leaders who say that requirements that some find demeaning. big changes are necessary to make the institutions Raymond D. Cotton, a lawyer in Washington viable. who specializes in representing university presi- Two years ago Morgan State University’s Board dents and boards of trustees, described as “ridic- of Regents voted to remove its chairman, Dallas R. ulous” requirements that she meet for three hours Evans, after he led a controversial move to fire the a week with the board chairman and have some president, David J. Wilson. top administrators, including the general counsel, Among other things, Mr. Wilson had pushed to report to the board rather than to her. The board create a strategic plan for Morgan State, as well also asked her to send them weekly updates. as to put more emphasis on research, according to “They’re treating her like she’s in first grade,” local news accounts. The board voted to deny Mr. said Mr. Cotton, who represented Ms. Mangum in Wilson a contract extension, but later reversed it- her initial contract negotiations at Florida A&M. self and extended his contract. In an email to The Chronicle this week Mr. Wil- WHEN BOARDS STEP IN son said that he enjoys “a respectful and effective relationship” with his board and that what oc- Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and chief exec- curred in the past “is part of the past.” utive officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which represents public HBCUs, doesn’t Update: Ms. Mangum agreed to step down as believe the tensions between the board and Ms. president of Florida A&M in September 2016.

Originally published on October 25, 2015

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 13 Retired HBCU Presidents Start Search Firm for Black-College Leaders

By LEE GARDNER

ow do you strengthen historically black colleges and universities? By strengthening the pipeline of administrators to run them. At least that’s the solution being taken up by a group of retired presidents of historically or predominantly black institutions. On Tuesday four former presidents are to announce the found- Hing of TM2 Education Search, a firm dedicated to identifying and placing candidates for top administrative posts at HBCUs. TM2 , which is connected to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, will be the first executive-search firm focused exclusively on HBCUs, and it arrives at a critical time. Many historically black institutions struggle to maintain enroll-

John Garland, right, and Sidney Ribeau are among the four retired HBCU presidents starting an executive-search firm for black college leaders. “We understand how lonely these jobs can be,” says Mr. Garland. “And we also understand how important it is to have someone who you can call on for advice.”

14 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r eT.J. duc KIRKPATRICK/REDUX at ion / no FOR v eTHE mb CHRONICLE e r 2017 ment, and public HBCUs face dwindling state sup- Higher Education Leadership Foundation, estab- port. Such pressures compound the challenges for lished last year. But talent-spotting and mentoring leaders, and have contributed to “fairly significant have been ad-hoc activities for many in the HBCU turnover of leadership in the black-college com- community, and TM2 offers a chance to add “a lit- munity,” according to John W. Garland, a former tle structure” to such efforts, Ms. Yancy says. president of Central State University and executive chairman of TM2 . Mr. Garland and his colleagues hope to re- verse the trend by recruiting solid candidates “You can’t be like for HBCU leadership positions, and by offering guidance, and a sounding board, for up to a year for the new presidents and other leaders whom the stork and just TM2 places. “We understand how lonely these jobs can be,” he says. “And we also understand drop the baby and how important it is to have someone who you can call on for advice.” TM2 also plans to work with boards of trust- leave it to flounder ees to help them understand what they should be looking for in candidates, and to set realistic ex- on its own.” pectations for new leaders. That promises to be an important aspect of the firm’s services, given the number of bitter feuds between boards of trustees and new presidents at historically black institu- Walter M. Kimbrough, president of Dillard Uni- tions in recent years. If conflicts do arise within versity, agrees with the need for a firm like TM2. the first 12 months, “we can be a third party to me- Many executive-search firms don’t spend enough diate that discussion,” Mr. Garland says. time “understanding the culture of the campus Joining Mr. Garland at TM2 are Sidney Ribeau, before they even go into the search process,” he a former president of Howard University; Dorothy says, a problem not limited to searches at HBCUs. Cowser Yancy, a former president of Shaw Univer- That failing sometimes leads to finalists who may sity and Johnson C. Smith University; and Wayne bear impressive résumés but who don’t make good D. Watson, a president emeritus of Chicago State matches for the college in question. “You can see it University, which is a predominantly black institu- coming a mile away,” he says. “This person isn’t go- tion, although not an HBCU. ing to last, because they don’t fit with the culture The nonprofit firm had initial financial support of the institution.” from, and shares office space with, the Thurgood Clashes between boards and new presidents Marshall College Fund. (The fund declines to say at HBCUs have become a staple of headlines. how much it provided to help start the search-firm Three years ago, for example, Morgan State effort.) University’s Board of Regents tried to remove its president, David J. Wilson, after just three ‘THE RIGHT QUESTIONS’ years. Mr. Wilson kept his position, though Dallas R. Evans, chairman of the board, lost The need for a search firm that focuses on his. Last fall Elmira Mangum, named presi- minority-serving institutions has been a topic of dent of Florida A&M University in 2014, sur- discussion in the HBCU community for years, vived a similar challenge. Rufus Montgomery, according to Ms. Yancy and others. While many chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, companies offer executive-search services to col- stepped down in the aftermath. leges, they are rarely deeply engaged with the It’s not just boards with whom presidents clash. HBCU community, she says, and “you don’t see a Willie D. Larkin, the third president of Grambling lot of diversity in terms of the principals and the State University in the past five years, received a folks involved in the searches.” vote of no confidence from the Faculty Senate last HBCUs not only have a different culture than month, after just seven months on the job. majority-serving institutions do, she continues; Mr. Kimbrough says the retired presidents in- they might also differ in how they view prospective volved in TM2 , given their decades of experience, leaders. “We might look at the preparation level are more likely to “know the right kind of ques- differently,” she says. “We might look at the skill set tions to ask” during the search process. And they differently.” A commitment to improving histori- are more likely to be candid with boards about cally black institutions could outweigh more-tra- what the hiring process should be. A seasoned ditional administrative résumé bullets. HBCU leader may be able to tell a board that “this A handful of organized efforts have sought to is the kind of leader that your institution needs, improve the pool of black leaders, including the but that means that you’re going to have to oper-

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 15 ate a different way,” will be recruiting for Mr. Kimbrough says. leadership roles in an “I don’t think there’s environment where en- ever enough push- rollment competition back on the board to and, especially, wan- say, ‘You’re part of the ing support for public problem.’” institutions will make Such transitions can financial worries a con- be especially difficult tinuing fact of life. He and painful when a hopes TM2 can “iden- new president suc- tify some people who ceeds a longtime lead- have been successful er, says Ms. Yancy. But in this rapid de-escala- that’s one reason TM2 TM2 tion of state resources.” emphasizes not just Wayne Watson and Dorothy Yancy, two of the new Mr. Garland, the identifying nascent executive-search firm’s co-founders. “We’re looking executive chairman, leaders but also sup- for people who are prepared to come in, roll up their says that he and his porting new leaders sleeves, and take our institutions to the next level,” colleagues all kept up in their early months. Ms. Yancy says. with the new wrinkles, “You can’t be like the and new dilemmas, stork and just drop the in college leadership. baby and leave it to flounder on its own,” she says. “It’s not like we’ve stepped away from the presiden- cy and sat around and done nothing,” he says. He NEW CHALLENGES also acknowledges the potential challenge of find- ing and recruiting rising administrators at a time The principals of TM2 face more challenges when traditionally white institutions are eager to than deepening the talent pool. Marybeth Gas- expand their hiring diversity. Competition against man, director of the Center for Minority-Serving majority-serving colleges is something HBCU Institutions, at the University of Pennsylvania, leaders “see every day, in everything that we do,” applauds the effort the presidents behind TM2 he says. are making, and the experience they bring to it. But HBCUs have long depended on students, But she notes that the job of college president has faculty members, and administrators who place changed in just the past few years — social media foremost importance on the value of their mission. alone has complicated it immensely — and that the “Everybody who has talent is not dying to go work veteran presidents might benefit from consulting for a majority institution,” says Ms. Yancy. “We’re with some sitting presidents. looking for people who are prepared to come in, Mr. Kimbrough agrees, though he says future roll up their sleeves, and take our institutions to HBCU leaders face even bigger challenges. TM2 the next level.”

Originally published on March 1, 2016

16 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 With Faculty Diversity on Everyone’s Radar, HBCUs Worry About Losing Scholars

By KATHERINE MANGAN

f a predominantly white university with a Marshall College Fund, which represents public stepped-up diversity agenda comes trolling HBCUs. for talent, Walter M. Kimbrough knows he “There are more than 5,000 higher-education may have trouble competing with the money institutions in the U.S., of which only 100 are it can offer. HBCUs,” Mr. Taylor wrote in an email. “If just IBut as president of Dillard University, a histor- 10 percent of the majority institutions decided to ically black institution in New Orleans, he says he aggressively recruit minority faculty, the HBCU can make a convincing case for his faculty mem- community could be decimated, particularly when bers to stick around. In fact, he thinks the protests it comes to young scholars.” that have swept campuses across the nation, calling attention to the lack of diversity and the chilly MOVES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS? racial climates at many universities, could work in his favor. Some of the splashiest new commitments to di- It’s likely that one of the most lasting effects of versity are coming from the wealthiest universi- the protests will be the commitments many insti- ties. tutions have made to significantly expand their Last month Yale University announced plans minority-faculty ranks. Student activists on many to put $50 million toward diversifying its faculty campuses put diversifying the faculty toward the top of their lists of demands. Given the paltry production of new black doctoral recipients, that means many colleges will be “Working at a competing for scholars on other campuses. “There will be pressure for some schools to raid HBCUs predominantly white for everything — students, faculty, staff, even presidents,” Mr. Kimbrough wrote in an email. But what they lack in wealth and resources, institution can be quite HBCUs like his make up for “in quality of life, service to community, and an appeal to serving those stressful, dealing with with the most need,” he wrote. It’s unlikely that Ivy League institutions, which tend to hire professors with similar pedigrees, will microaggressions and be recruiting heavily at historically black colleges and universities. feeling invisible to my But as the pressure to diversify extends through the ranks of higher education, poaching at HBCUs could be an “unintended but predictable conse- colleagues and quence,” according to Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Thurgood students.”

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 17 over the next five years. Brown University plans nority achievement. to spend $100 million over the next 10 years on n Marc Lamont Hill, a high-profile black schol- diversity efforts that it expects will double its pro- ar and television commentator, left Columbia portion of minority and other underrepresented University last year for Morehouse College, faculty members, from 9 percent to 18 percent, by where he is a distinguished professor of Afri- 2025. Following a student-led sit-in, Brandeis Uni- can-American studies. versity announced plans that it expects will double its number of underrepresented-minority faculty The attention to concerns about campus racial members by 2021. climates, Mr. Kimbrough said, creates an opportu- Public universities are also feeling the pressure nity “for HBCUs to become poachers too.” to hire more minority professors, and to hang on News accounts have described how, much like to the ones they have. their students, black professors have experienced After seven years at the State University of New racism, “be it the subtle comments from white stu- York at Binghamton, Robert T. Palmer joined dents surprised they are the professor or that they Howard University, a predominantly black institu- possess a Ph.D., to the more blatant name calling tion, in August, as an associate professor of educa- and the like,” he wrote. “So are they being set up to tional leadership and policy studies. go into hostile environments of colleagues and stu- “For me and some of my colleagues, working at dents who think they are simply quota hires?” a predominantly white institution can be quite Shuffling scholars is a short-term solution to a stressful, dealing with microaggressions and feel- long-term problem, according to Bernard J. Mila- ing invisible to my colleagues and students,” said no, president of the PhD Project, which encourag- Mr. Palmer, who studies minority-student access es students to pursue doctorates in business-relat- and retention, especially at historically black col- ed fields and helps connect them with programs. leges. “After a while, those things take a psycho- “We’re trying to increase the applicant pool to logical toll on you.” doctoral programs,” he said. “If you don’t do that, At Howard, he said, “I feel like I matter. I feel you’re in a zero-sum game.” like my research matters. That’s something you He said he would be interested to see whether can’t put a price on.” some universities that have announced plans to Other high-profile black scholars have bailed out bring on minority faculty members as visiting pro- recently from their predominantly white institu- fessors end up extending many tenure-track offers. tions. They include: Otherwise, he said, what they’re doing “has been likened to renting diversity.” n Fred A. Bonner II, a noted education schol- ar whose research focuses on black men, left Update: Mark Lamont Hill left Morehouse in 2017 Rutgers University to join the faculty at Prai- to become a professor of media, cities, and solu- rie View A&M University. The Texas institution tions in the Lew Klein College of Media and Com- gave him an endowed chair and a center on mi- munication at Temple University.

Originally published on December 8, 2015

18 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 Why an HBCU Leader Felt Compelled to Speak Out on Race and Policing

By FERNANDA ZAMUDIO-SUARÉZ

AST WEEK, when po- based on the tragedies in Baton lice officers shot and Rouge, Falcon Heights, Dallas.” killed two black men, I ended up thinking that I Alton Sterling and had to do a little more than just Philando Castile, a a letter to our students because Lnational debate about race and I opened the article with a per- policing intensified. Then, when sonal experience that my broth- a black gunman killed five po- er and I had with the police back lice officers at a Dallas protest, in ’84 that was jarring to us. And that debate took on an even it could very well have turned greater element of tragedy. out the same way it did for Phi- Through it all, most college lando Castile in particular. presidents have remained qui- We were stopped for no rea- et. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., KENDRICK BRINSON FOR THE CHRONICLE son that was apparent to us. president of Morehouse Col- John S. Wilson Jr., president of And because we had gotten lege, is an exception. Morehouse College: “More of that talk by our parents and The leader of the historically us should, on campus and off needed it, we ended up driving black men’s college in Atlanta campus, communicate values that away. But it didn’t have to be wrote a personal essay in The will encourage more Americans that way. Huffington Post about an inci- to pursue a better, loftier vision of That’s why I said, “Let me dent, decades ago, in which he America.” write a little bit more about this and his brother were stopped and see if I can add a little more by police officers while driv- and better perspective for not ing from Princeton, N.J., to Cambridge, Mass. Mr. just our students, but for the wider community.” Wilson describes the incident as humiliating. But Q. As the president of an HBCU, did you feel an because his parents had spoken with him about added responsibility to speak out? what to do if he was stopped by the police, he writes, he was “fortunate enough to survive.” A. I absolutely feel an added responsibility be- In wake of this month’s shootings, Mr. Wilson said cause the Morehouse brand and the Morehouse he felt an additional responsibility to tell his story. tradition have us engaged with the most critical Mr. Wilson was executive director of the Obama issues in the nation and in the world. And we ob- administration’s Initiative on Historically Black viously have a tradition in improving American Colleges and Universities before taking the top job society. at Morehouse, his alma mater. He spoke to The There’s little question that the nation and the Chronicle on Thursday about his essay and how world want to hear from Morehouse. I tend to have he thinks higher-ed leaders can contribute to the my hand on the pulse of what’s happening now. Black Lives Matter movement. The conversation The other reason why I felt a sense of duty and has been edited for length and clarity. devotion about this is because, for the first time since I can remember at least, there was an ex- Q. Why did you write an essay about black men tremely upsetting response. That response in Dal- and police relations? What motivated you to las was strikingly at odds with the nonviolent tra- speak out? dition at Morehouse College. Obviously our most A. This was my second kind of outreach since all famous graduate was Martin Luther King Jr., who of the trouble started last week. The first thing I was about peace and justice. And that’s why in my did was I wrote a letter to all of the students at article I quoted Dr. King on that very point. Morehouse. And I just said, “I can only imagine On the other hand, anger about Baton Rouge that you’re as disturbed by this as I am, and your and Falcon Heights is natural. It’s very logical. perspective on how to negotiate your future just Its very appropriate. But as a Morehouse man, became a little more difficult as you think about it it’s what you do with your outrage that counts the

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 19 most, and we encourage our men to follow the tra- can-Americans have had to endure. dition: Register it constructively, and then get back While we can all see the tragedy in what hap- to the business of making yourself a better man pened in Dallas, that’s an aberration. Let’s hope it and a better force of good. stays that way. Q. This fall, will you change the way you talk Q. But what do you hope students will do about about activism? Do you expect to see a new this? wave of activism on campus? A. Intelligent, effective Morehouse-style protests. A. There’s always an active engagement of More- And there are two levels. One is through activ- house students in what’s going on today politically, ism, but the other is: After the activism, get back socially, economically. Activism by Morehouse stu- in class and engage in the life of the mind and let dents is a norm. We are going to engage on this in- your life, personally and professionally, speak to stitutionally when they return. these issues. We, I guess for almost 150 years, have done an Q. Do you feel that college presidents, faculty, institutional version of “the talk.” That is to say, we academics need to be more outspoken about have educated our men about the best ways to pro- the Black Lives Matter movement or about the ductively and safely negotiate this world — not just recent violence? You’re one of the first campus “the talk” as it relates to the police. leaders to really speak out about this. We kind of agree with the Black Lives Matter movement that “the talk” should not be necessary. A. Those of us who lead colleges and universities It should not even be possible that your life should have to realize that we are in an ideal position to be in danger in an encounter with a policeman in influence the outlook and decision of tomorrow’s America that is routine, like a traffic stop. leaders. A disproportionate number of African-American Given that, I think more of us should, on cam- men lose their lives in encounters with the police. pus and off campus, communicate values that That is in fact outrageous. What we saw last week will encourage more Americans to pursue a bet- were two particularly outrageous examples of that. ter, loftier vision of America. And in this case an But here’s where we go with that outrage at America where this kind of tragedy becomes less Morehouse. Whether or not there are hateful and and less likely. homicidal policemen in America, we still want our I think the conversation in the country about young men to conduct themselves in all situations gun control is one where our work on campus in a respectful, dignified, and courteous way. can really be critical and informative. President Obama is right. There have been far too many Q. What else do you hope your students do? tragedies, and we need some legal and social-poli- A. What we have to do — and what I think the cy solutions that will make a difference. Now what Black Lives Matter movement and similar move- are those? I think some of them are obvious, some ments are about — is work hard to change out- of them are not so obvious. comes. There’s a lot of meaningful conversation that I The protest that has been launched since last think can and should happen on our campus, on week — the peaceful protests, I should say, because the campuses around the country, about what to Dallas is a disgraceful aberration ... On one level do about this problem, and that will surely happen I want to suggest that what happened in Dallas is at Morehouse College. shocking and obviously very rare. What has been Q. Do you mean from a research standpoint happening in this country in encounters between or having students think differently about gun policemen and African-American and other minori- control? ty males has been shocking for a number of years, and one could reasonably have expected some kind A. You have to be engaged in a set of dialogues of bizarre retaliatory act far sooner than now. about social change in this country and the policy I was a little nervous after what happened in infrastructures required to make a difference in South Carolina with Clementa Pinckney [a South social behavior. Carolina state senator and clergyman who was The work of improving this society, and causing one of nine black members of the Emanuel Afri- America to fulfill its highest ideals — that work con- can Methodist Episcopal Church killed at a prayer tinues. We need more and more Americans to be meeting] because that was particularly jarring. determined to continue that work. And I can assure What we saw there was an extraordinary response, you that that Morehouse tradition will continue. where families of the victims within 12 to 24 hours were forgiving the murderer. That’s more akin to Update: President Wilson was dismissed by More- what we’ve seen after senseless tragedies that Afri- house’s Board of Trustees in April 2017.

Originally published on July 15, 2016

20 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017

OPINION Lessons From an HBCU’s Demise

By BENJAMIN TODD JEALOUS

his fall, as college campuses open off top teachers, and watched enrollment numbers their doors to the bustle of students, one fall back to near-1888 levels. Last fall, Saint Paul’s historically black institution will remain opened its final academic year with just over 100 silent. In the old colonial town of Law- students before shuttering its doors for good. renceville, Va., Saint Paul’s College has Saint Paul’s demise should serve as a wake-up Tshut its doors after more than a century of opera- call to those who care about the future of tion. The college had fallen on hard times in recent HBCUs. For more than 175 years, the institutions years, and it serves as a canary in the coal mine for have played a crucial role in African-American other historically black colleges and universities advancement. HBCUs make up just 3 percent of that face an uncertain economic future. the nation’s colleges and universities, but produce Saint Paul’s College was founded in 1888 by my 50 percent of black public-school teachers, 80 grandfather’s uncle, James Solomon Russell. A for- percent of black judges, and 40 percent of bac- mer slave who died an archdeacon and university calaureate degrees awarded to black students in principal-emeritus, Russell understood the trans- science, technology, engineering, and mathemat- formative power of education. He opened Saint ics, the STEM fields. Martin Luther King Jr. was Paul’s Normal and Industrial School with few- a Morehouse man; Thurgood Marshall studied at er than a dozen students and a mandate to train Lincoln University and Howard University School teachers. Over the next 125 years, the school be- of Law; Oprah Winfrey attended Tennessee State came a hub for education University. training in the region, However, even the producing many teachers wealthier HBCUs are in Virginia and neighbor- Like so many struggling financially. ing states. Morehouse College was Many of the students recently forced to fur- who attended Saint Paul’s other HBCUs lough some of its staff, over the years were the and Clark Atlanta and first in their family to at- in underserved Hampton Universities tend college. The vast have both announced majority came from poor budget shortages. This families. The school even communities, June, a Howard Univer- offered a child-care pro- sity trustee, Renee Hig- gram for single parents Saint Paul’s was ginbotham-Brooks, wrote enrolled in classes. Like an alarming letter about so many other HBCUs a lifeline. Howard’s “genuine” finan- in underserved commu- cial trouble. nities, Saint Paul’s was a The recession only lifeline. partly explains this cri- The recent recession hit sis. Part of the reason Saint Paul’s especially hard. Like many is political. In 2011 the Department of Edu- HBCUs, the college lacked a wealthy donor base or cation tightened the standards for its Parent strong endowment that could help it weather the PLUS federal loan program. The program has financial storm. Faced with mounting bills, col- historically been an important service for par- lege officials closed the child-care program, laid ents of HBCU students, who are more likely to

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 21 need financial support. students that do not have to be repaid. Accord- The new standards have had a devastating ef- ing to a UNCF study, 42 percent of all HBCU stu- fect. In the 2012-13 school year alone, the volume dents come from families with incomes lower than of Parent PLUS loans to HBCU families dropped $25,000. More than half qualify for Pell Grants. by 36 percent, according to an analysis by The HBCUs are only as strong as their students, and Washington Post. Parents of 28,000 HBCU stu- their students often need significant financial sup- dents were initially denied loans under the stricter port. An expansion of the Pell Grant program will standards, causing HBCUs as a whole to lose $150 help support historically black colleges and, for million in expected revenue. many first-generation college students, help dis- This slow bleed will continue as long as the rupt generations of family poverty. tighter standards are in place. As the president of Historically black colleges and universities like UNCF, Michael Lomax, has recommended, the Saint Paul’s College are an integral part of Afri- Department of Education should find a way to can-American history, and they need to remain an preserve financial aid instead of undercutting the integral part of our country’s future. As we write students it is supposed to serve. Meanwhile, it is Saint Paul’s obituary, we must not allow other col- encouraging to see that the department is allow- leges to suffer a similar fate. Let us recommit to ing families with small-scale debt — black, white, James Solomon Russell’s vision, which mirrors the or otherwise — to become eligible for PLUS loans larger vision of the HBCU community: a school for through an appeals process. every student, a lifeline for every dream. The loan program is only one part of the solution, however. Congress should also increase funds Benjamin Todd Jealous was president and chief for Pell Grants, financial subsidies for low-income executive of the NAACP from 2008 through 2013.

Originally published on September 9, 2013

Black Colleges, Teetering on the Brink, Must Chart a New Path

By RICHARD D. LEGON and ALVIN J. SCHEXNIDER

n the 1970s, Marvin Gaye’s classic hit substantially fewer African-American profession- “What’s Going On?” spoke to a generation als, Ph.D. holders, and researchers. deeply affected by war and urban discon- Yet almost daily we read something — often tent. Today, that same question may be raised negative — about HBCUs, and the implications amid unsettling news reports about some of for these once-vaunted institutions cannot be de- Iour nation’s historically black colleges and univer- nied. Jackson State, Alabama State, and South sities. The seemingly endless flow of stories illumi- Carolina State are but a handful of universities in nates troubling issues that threaten the distinctive the public spotlight, and more recently Southern educational experience of the nearly 300,000 stu- University has garnered attention regarding a sex dents of all races attending these iconic institu- tape, allegations of selling grades, NCAA rules in- tions, almost three-fourths of whom are studying fractions, and a warning from its accrediting body, at public colleges and universities. the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Unequivocally, HBCUs have earned their right- The public and assuredly the alumni have every ful place in higher education, producing outstand- right to ask: “What’s going on?” Here are a few an- ing graduates in every discipline and profession. swers: No group of institutions is more responsible for providing first-generation African-American stu- n Declining enrollment dents access to higher education, and few are as n Underperforming institutional and board successful in setting high expectations and pro- leadership viding a nurturing environment that leads these n Sharp reductions in state funding students to attain a degree. Without them there n Obsolete business models would be no African-American middle class, and n Uncertain federal funding

22 l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion / no v e mb e r 2017 n A dearth of future leadership talent tive risk begets a culture of failure and leadership is n Inadequate financial support from alumni compromised, and where students become almost n Intercollegiate athletics scandals secondary to the interests of state and institutional leadership. When challenges are most severe, the Saddled with chronic and historic inequities, risk of inaction becomes the greatest risk of all. benign neglect, inept leadership, resistance to Today’s higher-education institutions have a change, a reticence to proclaim their value, and way to go to reclaim the public’s support, which demographic shifts, some public HBCUs especial- perhaps necessitates a turning of the dial in state ly are at risk — and so are the students they enroll. investment for public institutions — especially col- Unless they find ways to reinvent themselves, these leges and universities. But when the most fragile colleges risk becoming marginalized, placing their of institutions become their own worst enemy, it sustainability and reputation in jeopardy. Some of becomes that much more challenging to reclaim these institutions can hang on for a long time, im- the public’s support. High-profile mistakes and pervious to change, languishing and enduring a bad choices by some are too easily assigned to all slow, agonizing decline. by those who are looking for additional reasons There is a second threat — politics — that argu- to create further doubt about HBCUs. It’s a high- ably may be the biggest peril to some public black risk game that needs to be changed if we are truly colleges. In a number of states, those HBCUs have committed to the legacy — and to the future — of become political pawns, even outplacement cen- these essential colleges and universities, and to ters for powerful legislators and alumni. Some the students who see their own future on the cam- legislators come down the hardest on institution- puses of these very special places. al performance while ignoring their own com- The organization that we serve, the Association plicity in reducing funding and curtailing options of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, for growth and innovation. While policy makers has for many years worked with HBCU presidents should hold state colleges and universities to ac- and governing-board members to strengthen count, policy leaders should balance representa- their collaborative leadership and confront busi- tive oversight with personal interest. Ultimately, ness-model challenges that are most directly af- legislative overreach often strips away the most fected by effective decision making. Our commit- essential value of all: institutional autonomy. The ment to work with these and other higher- degree of political influence may vary from state to education institutions remains an organizational state, but its significance is unmistakable. priority; however, merely sustaining an institu- It is clear that state disinvestment in public high- tion’s status quo is substantially different from de- er education has had a more significant impact on veloping meaningful and longer-term operational HBCUs than on other public colleges and universi- sustainability. Errors in judgment and misman- ties. It is also clear (and perhaps counterintuitive) agement can’t always be blamed on the past, and that enrollment declines among these institutions leadership must take seriously its obligation to the are in part driven by their own historic success and future. In short, effective governance is a sacred societal progress. But outmoded business models, commitment to mission and to state priorities. antiquated implementation of technology in ad- Black colleges and universities, despite their ministrative processes and academic-program de- challenges, are indispensable to shaping and con- livery, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining tributing to our nation’s potential. HBCUs de- talented faculty are putting some of our most im- serve to thrive and not simply survive. Regretta- portant institutions at the greatest risk. bly, some may be at heightened risk, but where We need to be realistic about those instances possible we must make every effort to help those where failed leadership and the politicizing of that seek meaningful change to chart a new path these institutions have resulted in a failure of mis- toward sustainability. We can do no less to honor sion and resultant damage to reputation — per- the women and men who established these institu- haps the most fragile of any institution’s sacred tions. And we must do more to preserve opportu- values. In today’s increasingly skeptical environ- nities for future generations. ment for all of higher education, HBCUs are often at greatest risk. We need to stop dropping chum Richard D. Legon is president of the Association in the water for those with a questionable commit- of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges ment to the role of HBCUs. Confronting these is- and serves on the board of Spelman College. sues head on will most likely cause the public criti- Alvin J. Schexnider is a former chancellor at cism and devaluing of this sector to subside. Winston-Salem State University, a senior fellow We have seen too many examples in public at the Association of Governing Boards of Univer- HBCUs where future opportunity loses out to dis- sities and Colleges, and the author of Saving Black ruptive internal politics, where focusing on nega- Colleges (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).

Originally published on July 18, 2017

no v e mb e r 2017 / t he chron icl e of highe r e duc at ion l e a d e r s hip at historically b l a c k c ol l e g e s 23 THE CHRONICLE of Higher Education®

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