Ebony Towers in Higher Education: The Evolution, Mission, and Presidency of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

by Ricard, Ronyelle Bertrand; Brown, M. Christopher, II; Foster, Lenoar

• ISBN13: 9781579222741
• ISBN10: 1579222749
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-11-30
• Publisher: Stylus Pub Llc

Summary

What is the purpose of black colleges? Why do black colleges continue to exist? Are black colleges necessary? Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are at the same time the least studied and the least understood institutions of higher education and the most maligned and the most endangered. This unique study examines the mission of four-year HBCUs from the perspective of the campus president, as a foundation for understanding the relevance and role of these institutions. This is the first research to focus on the role of presidents of black colleges; is based on extensive interviews with fifteen presidents; and takes into particular account the type of campus environments in which they operate. Unlike community colleges, women's colleges, men's colleges, and Hispanic-serving colleges, Black colleges are racially identifiable institutions. They also vary significantly in, among other characteristics: size, control (public or private), religious affiliation, gender composition, and available resources. Although united in the historic mission of educating African Americans, each black college or university has its own identity and set of educational objectives. The book examines how presidents define and implement mission in the context of their campuses, view the challenges they face, and confront the factors that promote or hinder implementation of their missions.

Author Biography

Ronyclle Bertrand Ricard is Coordinator of the University-Wide Self-Study at Howard University. She previously served as the Coordinator for Research and Professional Development at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education M. Christopher Brown II is Professor and Dean of the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Introduction	p. xv
Understanding Black Colleges	p. 1
Black Campus Populations	p. 19
Profiles of Selected Black Colleges	p. 43
Mission Matters at Historically Black Institutions	p. 69
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same	p. 103
References	p. 113
Four-Year, Historically Black Colleges and Universities	p. 121
Predominantly Black Colleges and Universities	p. 127
The Research Framework: A Note on Method	p. 131
About the Authors	p. 145
Index	p. 147
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