Diverse Issues in Higher Education January 11, 2011 Commentary: Sweep Around Your Own Front Door by Portia H. Shields Fifteen Harvard students walked out of an economics class when the faculty member posited that 99 percent of the poorest of the poor, defined as those at 50 percent or less of the official poverty level ($5,570 for an individual and $11,157 for a family of four) were suffering from economic envy and concluded that inequality hadn't increased in the United States. This is occurring at a time when 1 in 15 Americans are considered the poorest of the poor and the same time that those fortunate enough to attend college, leave with an average of $20,000 in loan debt. At Alabama A&M, for example, the average debt was $32,000, while at prestigious Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., the debt level was only about $8,000. The question I ask us to consider together is where do HBCUs stand on these issues of ever pressing concern? Our rich TSU legacies reflect an understanding of what it took to succeed post-Civil War and beyond. These institutions' founders knew that the effects of racism, poverty and ignorance were major detriments. Therefore, and without waiting for others to fix the problems, they put significant systems in place including quality instruction, strategies for economic survival, workforce preparation including walk, talk, dress and etiquette; keys to progress all. Students enrolled, absolutely hungry for knowledge and willing to do what was asked to benefit themselves, their families and society. Thus, is it not just as important to ask: What systems have HBCUs put in place to empower students to take charge of their future in a society such as this? President Obama stated the imperative with: "Providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America's economic future," and he was speaking to all of us who head school systems and colleges. To help, he sought to increase funding for financial aid, reduced loan interest repayment to a 10 percent cap and provided funding for improving education from pre-school to college levels. These resources are critical because HBCU rates of college completion range from a high of almost 80 percent to single-digit lows, with the average range at 42 percent. When accounting for income levels of those able to attend college and meet entrance requirements, Black students' graduation rates at Historically White Institutions range from 95 percent down to about 68 percent. Of greatest importance is the fact that fewer African-American students are eligible to attend college due to inferior K-12 preparation, fewer role models in their families, the esteem to seek college as viable and lack of means. And, it also is known that those who enter HBCUs experience greater financial hardships than those who go to HWIs. Still, rates of college attendance overall for Blacks and graduation, especially for Black women are rising. Herein lie the basis for the question posed above. Once we get them in, we have an obligation to do everything possible to get them out - with degrees in hand, opportunity for post-graduate study and gainful employment. African-American males are particularly vulnerable. According to the Wall Street Journal, the jobless rate for men between 25 and 34 years old without a college degree is 14.4 percent. The picture is worse for younger men 22.4 percent for high school graduates ages 20-24. Finally, the latest Pew Report found that young Black men without a high school diploma fare even worse. The report stated: Black men, in particular, face enormously dim prospects when they fail to complete high school. More than one-third (37 percent) of Black male dropouts between the ages of 20 and 34 are currently behind bars - three times the rate for Whites in the same category. This exceeds the share of young Black male dropouts who have a job (26 percent). Thus, as adults in their 20s and early 30s, when they should be launching careers, Black men without a high school diploma are more likely to be found in a cell than in the workplace The report suggests that one way to help individuals avoid crime is to ensure that they get the education they need to land good-paying jobs that can support a family. Added to our collective mission to prepare the nation's leaders regardless of race and income, is a recent mandate in some states that ties public university funding to graduation. Then, to raise the bar even higher, some states have eliminated remedial courses at universities, proposing instead, to send students who need remedial help to community colleges, which are more affordable. One of my colleague presidents suggested that taking tuition from unprepared students is immoral. I think immorality lies not in taking them in but in allowing them to leave without giving our best efforts, including those that worked in the early 1900s. Some HBCUs have formal programs aimed at African-American males, women's initiatives, pre-college programs, their own high schools and utilize all available federal and state resources. Others, without formal or funded initiatives offer tough love and high expectations followed by critical tutoring, mentoring and esteem building. Allow me to posit that what we have to do now is well within our historical domain-much more with less. To their credit, our HBCUs have designed a series of compelling complete college initiatives, which are comprehensive, social, culturally based, experiential and personal for addressing the needs of their students and have quantifiable data to show success for the efforts. In addition, our schools offer a number of summer initiatives for children 3 years old to college level and beyond. They have invested in dual degree programs with community colleges and high school/college programs. Our institutions possess the knowledge, experience and talent that, if administered cooperatively, could prove profoundly useful. America espouses this as a nation where anyone can be successful given adequate educational resources and equal opportunity. According to all available data, in whatever form it is presented, the missing link for the African-American and at risk male populations is a good education, which makes opportunity unequal for them. Do you think it can be agreed that the lack of academic preparation of students affects the ability to succeed in college and, therefore, affects HBCUs more than any other? Most important, however, is the positive outcome for those who graduate despite inadequate preparation at entry. Somehow, our students do well, and represent our institutions on Wall Street as well as main street, General Motors and Nissan, the entertainment industry, health professions and in the school systems, to name a few. Our efforts matter and the data prove it. Therefore, rather than bemoan the sad state of education for at-risk youngsters of every age; rather than wait for other colleges and universities to pick up the mantle to improve opportunity for African-American males and other children of poverty; rather than wait for the government to give HBCUs a bigger financial hand; and, rather than place blame on the children themselves, or their parents, can we simply come together and make a passionate investment in our institutions' future through research based and data driven initiatives? Now is the time for us to decide what it will take to increase college attainment at our institutions and commit to those urgent tasks. I have three in mind that I would like us to discuss and invite you to offer additional ideas: * We have identified summer programs offered at HBCUs throughout the states. What if we formed a collaboration, utilizing faculty researchers, to track these students to determine where the service needs remain and assess efficacy of all of our efforts? * We are having conversations about initiatives for African-American males and at risk populations on our campuses. Some excellent programs are in place for students of all ages and their parents. Others can be expanded and some need to be created. Only four universities in Tennessee have such programs. Should we come to the forefront and assume the lead in our states? Should we not share information on successful investments so other schools would not have to start from scratch? * What would you think about establishing charter schools for African-American males and at-risk school children on our campuses? Doing so would require all departments to work directly with children and our students to mentor them so they can see college as possible. Some institutions of higher learning already have begun investing in such possibilities for youngsters characterized nationally as the most difficult to teach and the most vulnerable to failure. I am asking us to gather in academic colloquy to discuss these and other initiatives where collectively and cooperatively HBCUs would invest in growing our own, starting in pre-school and advancing to university level by sharing resources and making joint proposals to foundations and federal funding agencies. I believe these groups are waiting for our plan and collaboration will only strengthen our eligibility. What is unique about HBCUs not only matters, but has potential to change the world. However, charting the course in either of these three directions or any other will require a unified HBCU effort that will imbue children as well as college students with a greater sense of independence and purpose and offer them a protected place to learn, achieve, succeed and ultimately, be a beacon for those coming behind. Who will, if not us? Where will progress occur, if not at our institutions? How will we serve our mission in these hard economic times, if not cooperatively? Let those who agree step forward and accept the mantle of leadership, in its full measure. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.