For over 100 years, black colleges and universities have be gaining momentum in society. Questions have risen whether this rise is helping or hindering the educational growth of the students in the 21st century. Since their institution in the early nineteenth century, the goal of HBCU’S has been, “dedicated to the enrichment and advancement “of the African American populace (Holfester). Dating back to the Jim Crow Era, HBCU’s have been the minorities way of gain post-secondary education. And, just as they are acclaimed for their achievements in educating the minority nation, they are criticized for ever changing ways. Black colleges find they constantly must prove their relevance in the educational system unlike their predominantly white counter …show more content…
The purpose behind HBCU’s is the success of a minority class. For the past one hundred years, they have been meeting this purpose. There are an estimated three hundred thousand students that attend historically black colleges each year. Eighty percent of these students are African American (Lomax). HBCU’S produce a disproportionate amount of African American scholars with college degrees. They majority of this minority class who have found success in society, can be tied to HBCU’s. Statistical data taken form the National Center for Education Statistics reports that HBCU’s produce, “one-third of all African American baccalaureate degrees in mathematics… two-fifths of African American degrees in the natural science, …. 50 percent of all African American public educators, 70 percent of the nation's African American dentists, and nearly 50 percent of all African Americans who pursue graduate or professional education” (Brown, 11). The numbers are rather staggering and prove the misconceptions about the lack of professional success false. The problem is, this advantage is one that can only be claimed by a minority group. It is easy to overlook the numbers of success from these schools because they do not serve a dominant group. Inferring from the data, one could …show more content…
They theorize that HBCU’s have more disadvantages to them then predominantly white institutions, and their relevance is rapidly declining. The arguments proposed find HBCU’s to have poor management, high debts, “poor quality of faculty, inadequate degree programs, campus infrastructure, and declining student enrollment” (Holfester). These are major disadvantages that opposers find with HBCU’s. Because of low funding and federal and state support, HBCU’s are often overlooked by high quality professionals. This has also led to faulty equipment and facilities and an inability for these schools to budget accordingly. Most HBCU’s are also located in the south, and racial discrimination during the time of development has place most of these institutions in harsh neighborhoods. Many of the disadvantages that people find with HBCU’s are of no fault on the institutions part. These institutions are given very little help, and are struggling because of what they were created to do. That is to serve the minority class. If these schools were treated like other schools, they could perform better and gain access to better facilities. If HBCU’s were not constantly trying to defend their reason for being, these schools would not have as many problems as they do
“College campuses are not dominated by widespread racial/ethnic segregation and the racial/ethnic clustering that does occur isn’t impeding intergroup contact.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner). Throughout the essay, the writer continues to provide facts and sources on the information that diversity is not a problem on college campuses. She quotes evidence that states that college students are getting a “variety of positive educational outcomes that result from being educated in a diverse environment.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner).
Stewart’s essay “The Field and Function of Black Studies”, he implies that black history is dominated by continuing challenges by its critics and the weak attachment of many scholars to the black studies movement and to black studies units even when the research of such scholars examines the black experience (pg. 45). Statistics show that 70.2 percent indicated that the number of full-time faculty members who have appointments outside black studies and another academic units is stable, proving the fact that black studies has established a beachhead in higher education. This statistic demonstrates how things have been stable in terms of growing the teachings of black studies, which causes challenges. A challenge that can be seen from this issue, is the lack of financial support available to faculty and students. Small budgets are provided to Black Study departments at many universities, therefore, making it difficult to purchase materials and hire more educated, experienced staff
In the 1960s black student unions were created as a stepping stone for African Americans everywhere to voice their social concern and culture on college campuses everywhere. The black student union created in September of 2015 on Post University’s Campus was created to address pressing social issues in the black community while bridging the gap between all races through education. Through the use of planning and strategic management, the possibilities of success of the black student union becomes endless.
The exchange of views whether a student should attend an HBCU or a PWI has been a topic of discussion for some time now. Whether you attend an HBCU or a PWI you go for one purpose and that purpose is to get your education. So who says because someone goes to a predominantly black school they will not get the same education a person gets that goes to a predominantly white school ? Or vice versa. Many people have some sort of idea that by attending a Predominantly White Institution(PWI) one will receive a higher level of education but that is not truly always the case. Most individuals are under the impression that simply because of your skin color you have to attend that type of school. That is the problem with this case just people see it as one should attend the college with individuals who are like you but not keeping one 's education in mind.
Obtaining higher education is regarded as the ultimate symbol of status in the United States (US). Access to a college education in this country is seen as an expression of academic excellence and can provide access to unlimited possibilities. In the US, Ivy Leagues are considered the elite and represent the most powerful ideogram of educational opportunity. According to the National Center for Education Statistics [NCES] (2012), from 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the percentages of both master's and doctor's degrees earned by females increased from 1999–2000 to 2009–10 from 58 to 60 percent and from 45 to 52 percent. The NCES report (2012), found that in 2009-10, of the 10.3 percent Black students who earned Bachelor degrees; 65.9 percent were women. Of the 12.5% of Black students who earned Master’s degree in 2009-10, 71.1 percent were women; and of the 7.4 percent of Black students who earned doctoral level degrees (this includes most degrees previously regarded as first-professional, i.e. M.D., D.D.S., and law degrees), 65.2 percent were women (NCES, 2012)...
African- American males have been underrepresented among college students and degree earners for years, however the reason for this is often misconstrued. The percentages of white high school graduates “In 1998-2000 had jumped to 46. However, only 40 percent of African-Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in the same age group were attending college” (McGlynn, Angela Proviteira). The question then to pose, is why minority students are not succeeding in college compared to Caucasian students, “Only 47% of Black male students graduated on time
Introduction This paper examines the struggle African American students are more likely to face at a predominantly white institution (PWIs) than at a historically black college or university (HBCUs). Each author has his or her own take on this hypothesis; most of the author’s studies suggest that African American students have a hard time adjusting to an environment at a PWI (Littleton 2003). However, African American students at HBCUs tend to be at ease with their learning environment. Though many of the author’s agree with one another, there are other authors whose studies come to the conclusion that race is not a factor in college education anymore. That being the case, on average, the African American population is approximately four percent at PWIs (Littleton 2003).
As cliché as it sounds, it is true that many African American students come from very harsh and poverty stricken environments. They tend to go to under resourced schools as well that do not provide the proper knowledge for them to further their education. And even worse, these schools tend to be segregated since they are usually in the harsher parts of a neighborhood. Sadly, it’s the segregated schools are one of the main reasons why black students decide not to go on to pursue a higher education. According to "The Way Out of the Black Poverty Cycle", a black student that attends an integrated suburban school is six times more likely to graduate compared to a segregated under resourced school. An African Americans family structure and the opinions of family members affects if their decision to further their education as well. Many African American children grow up un...
Clearly, HBCUs provide several benefits to African-American students. Not only have they helped to combat the cycle of discrimination that minority students experienced before the civil rights initiatives of the 1960s, but they strive to provide a warm, supportive and inclusive academic environment that addresses African-American college students as a whole person. Additionally, HBCUs are increasing their efforts to ensure that higher education is accessible, affordable and achievable for individuals with unique socioeconomic challenges. Despite obstacles, historically Black institutions will continue to play a vital and significant role in the fabric of higher education.
“Nationally, more than one-quarter of the students in the 1930s were black. Yet they received only about one-tenth of the total education revenues. Many Americans believed that African Americans were simply not capable of excelling in school” (“The 1930’s education…”). For colored women, it was more difficult to prove their abilities than any other race. For example, Asian women were not affected as much simply because their skin color was closer to that of a white’s than a black person. As black women were treated unequally in the education department, white women have also struggled in getting a higher education. “They gave young women a chance to gain the same kinds of education as their brothers without having to spend much of their time and energy fighting the prejudice they would have faced at male-dominated institutions. At the same time, they provided a proving-ground in which college administrators, professors, and students could demonstrate that women could flourish intellectually while remaining healthy and ladylike.” (“The Value
...cannot be broken, knowledge that cannot be taken away, and opportunities that students never knew were available. It is an honor to receive top notch education and even more of an honor to receive it from an HBCU. Legacies are made at HBCUs and parents are made proud when their child becomes alumni of the same college that they once attended. Parents want to know that their child is receiving the one on one attention from the professors and they want their child to feel the same love away from home that they feel at home. A loving and caring support system is what one will find at an HBCU and parents can feel secure in knowing their child is getting exactly what they paid for. Attending an HBCU is an experience like no other and an experience that every African American should have the opportunity to experience. If given the opportunity, why not attend an HBCU?
The issue of whether HBCU’s are still needed have been occurring constantly in today’s nation. HBCU’s have been in existence for almost two centuries now. Their principal mission is to educate African Americans, and they have. HBCU’s graduate more than 50% of “African American” professionals and public school teachers. But, HBCU’s have been facing challenges such as their decrease in diversity, financing, and graduate rates which has caused a speculation of their importance in today’s communities. I believe that HBCU’s are still needed.
In 2006, an article was published by three doctoral students, (Tricia Seifert, Jerri Drummond, and Ernest Pascarella) at the University of Iowa, highlighting a research study undergone by the three concerning the role of institutional types, with emphasis on historically black colleges (HBC’s) in African-American students’ experiences. The findings, as published in the Journal of College Student Development showed that students who attend HBC’s report greater levels of good practices than their peers at other institutions of higher education. These findings suggested a greater emphasis on the teaching of students, as defined by the mission statements of these particular institutions.
It is that time of the year, high school seniors graduate with hunger in their eyes looking forward to the ‘real world’. Waiting to hear their names be called and ready to start a new chapter, college. College, a place where scholars are made and one is exposed to widening their knowledge. A place known to be the best four years of your life, to find your circle of true friendships. However, there is one concept that is not mentioned during the tour or pamphlets, it is also a place where there is institutional racism. According to mic.com in 2013 Georgetown University’s center on Education and the Workforce, “white students are still overrepresented in the nation’s 468 elite institutions. Even though many white and minority students are unprepared
Before 1965, higher education institutions were mostly populated by white males from upper and middle families. Blacks and other minorities were prohibited from attending colleges due to the prevailing discrimination attitude. Women, unfortunately, also had limited access to higher education because of their lower social statu...