Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were originally founded to provide the educational opportunities that other post-secondary schools had denied to black Americans. Today these schools face new challenges, and how they respond is shaped in large part by the men and women at the helm. Ten HBCU presidents speak out in this volume, addressing the fundamental issues confronting minority higher education. They discuss the historical role of black colleges; the current mission of HBCUs; and the effects of diversity programs, minority recruiting goals and globalization. Other topics include the impact of technology on college classrooms and the priorities and challenges in fundraising and development. Each chapter is devoted to the comments of one of the ten educators, and each includes a brief professional biography. An appendix includes profiles of historically black institutions.

In December 2008, Georgia state senator Seth Harp ignited controversy when he proposed merging two historically Black colleges with nearby predominantly white colleges to save money. Less than a year later, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour sought to unite Mississippi's three predominantly Black colleges. These efforts kindled renewed interest in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the nation and the globe. In this study, HBCU officials and faculty attempt to identify the challenges that HBCUs face, explore the historic origin of HBCU management systems, and identify models of success that will improve the long-term viability of the HBCU. By analyzing HBCUs within a larger framework of American higher education and the cultural context in which HBCUs operate, these essays introduce a new paradigm in the quest to ensure that HBCUs continue to play an important role in the education of Americans of all races.

HBCUs are facing increasing challenges with funding, accreditation, enrollment, retention, and graduations rates. It is imperative that the future leaders of these unique institutions of higher learning pay attention to past mistakes in order to innovate and respond. This book focuses on positioning HBCU leadership for the future.

Despite the declaration that we are living in a “post-racial America,” multiple recent events in which Black lives were prematurely ended have sparked a racial reckoning within the United States. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions with a long history of addressing racial disparities and injustices whose relevance is being recognized in light of these recent events. It is essential to give voice to those who represent the ongoing challenges, aspirations, and impact of HBCUs in the 21st century in upholding their collective mission to educate students of color who were historically excluded from institutions of higher education. Contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the 21st Century focuses on the role of HBCUs in contemporary American society as diverse and inclusive environments that continue to positively impact historically excluded students. The voices of faculty, students, and administration are included to highlight the innovations and contributions of HBCUs in the areas of scholarship, teaching, and service. Covering topics such as BlaQ Lives Matter, community activism, and self-advocacy, this premier reference source is a valuable resource for sociologists, higher education administration, graduate programs, faculty and administrators at HBCUs, students and educators of higher education, libraries, government officials, activists, non-profit organizations, researchers, and academicians.

Creating New Possibilities for the Future of HBCUs brings together over 20 higher education scholars with more than 150 years of combined professional experience to critically examine the current contributions of and future directions for our nation’s 101 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The book breaks new ground on Black colleges and offers hope and optimism for charting their future despite shrinking investments in higher education, declining enrollments, and eroding public confidence in the value of a college degree. The book was written to tell the truth, to right (or “[re]write”) past wrongs about HBCUs, and to shift our collective gaze from the uncertain, shaky past of a select few to a far more promising future for all based on insights from contemporary empirical research. Each chapter addresses a particular aspect of higher education as it relates to HBCUs, documenting the undeniable legacy of Black colleges, their current challenges and untold successes, blended with findings from recent empirical studies—both quantitative and qualitative—that clearly create new possibilities for the future of HBCUs. This volume was developed to break new ground on often overlooked and understudied terrain in higher education scholarship. Organized into three major sections, the book includes chapters focusing on HBCUs as institutions and a small, but consequential, segment of the higher education enterprise. Section Two consists of 6 chapters addressing the experiences of HBCU students, paying close attention to issues of intersectionality, heterogeneity, and race/ethnicity, to name a few. A third, and final, section turns much-needed attention to HBCU personnel, including campus administrators, college presidents, and faculty. Rich in its coverage of culture, facts, and past history, this new book offers much to those interested in charting new possibilities for the future of HBCUs.

A relevant and practical book for the Nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) leadership and administrators, HBCU faculty leaders and researchers that want to uncover the ways and means for cultivating success within the HBCUs longitudinally.

Survival of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities as edited by North Carolina A&T State University Chancellor Emeritus Edward Fort, conceptualizes the strategies, strategic planning energies, and delivery systems which might be of assistance to HBCU's as they continue to survive in this age of uncertainty. Its insightful chapters, as penned by Fort and a number of his colleagues (including former Presidents and Chancellors of Black campuses) are data driven and experientially based. The challenges encountered by the HBCU leaders are described as multiple and include fiscal accountability and the continued need to assist the public schools as related to the twin problems of the achievement gap and Clark's "Cult of Cultural Deprivation." The author and his colleagues outline viable strategies geared to address these challenges. The latter represent but two of a number of other challenges confronting HBCU's. These include, but are not limited to (1) enrollment competition with majority institutions, (2) cultivation of alumni support, (3) the garnering of fiscal equity via such avenues as increased federal agency and foundation/corporate support. Considerable space is devoted to the critical issue of institutional leadership. Here, strategies and delivery systems are explored as associated with the HBCU leader's aggressive determination to provide the best possible crucible of learning for students attending the institution. The issues of fiscal accountability and its ever-present spectra of prospective gloom and doom lurks as an enemy to be constantly confronted. Many pages are devoted to the conceptualization of prescriptive strategies, which can be applied to present day campus situations. Leaders of historically black campuses can benefit from these writings as these institutions constantly face the heartache of state revenue shortfall, private university funding sources evaporation and the demoralizing impact of cut backs in program, capital construction, and scholarship support. Creativity protocols are described in detail and forward moving processes poised for prospective success enunciated. Navigating the problem of K-12 economic inequality and its impact upon HBCU's is also explored, as well as the need to enhance "leveraging" for federal support, including the United States Department of Agriculture. Ultimately, alumni support is vigorously support, as an HBCU leadership must.

Though scholars have explored various topics related to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), little empirical research has critically examined the increasingly changing racial demography and social diversity of HBCUs and their impact on HBCU stakeholders. This volume provides meaningful context and initiates discussion on the increasingly changing diversity of HBCUs. It: • offers new information that will help HBCUs be more intentional about creating an inclusive campus environment for all enrolled students, • discusses the experiences of LGBT, Latino/a, and other minority students enrolled at HBCUs, and • examines myths and historical contexts of HBCUs. Aside from the practical implications provided herein, the volume also provides salient context for researchers and policymakers interested in the diversification of HBCUs. Given the range and the depth of the issues covered, it is a must read for anyone interested in HBCUs in general and student success within these institutions specifically. This is the 170th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Higher Education. Addressed to presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other higher education decision makers on all kinds of campuses, it provides timely information and authoritative advice about major issues and administrative problems confronting every institution.

This book focuses on the significant role that professional education programs play at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and these programs’ impact on society. Chapter authors discuss the contexts and experiences of students who have attended these programs, including their relationships with faculty, research opportunities, professional growth, personal enrichment, and institutional support. Taking into account social supports, identity development, and doctoral student socialization patterns, this book sheds light on what development and status of such professional education programs mean for future research and practice, while emphasizing issues of race, oppression, and marginalization.