States Push Back

The Department of Education's rule restricting student access to CARES ACT emergency funds is under fire. Courts in Washington and California blocked the Department from enforcing it. The rule excluded several groups from eligibility including: students enrolled in exclusively online programs on March 13, 2020, students who have defaulted on student loans, veterans on the GI Bill, students who had made insufficient academic progress, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients, and some of the participants in the Second Chance Pell program. In an apparent rebuke, the mayor of Chicago said her city will distribute its own cash to undocumented students and others blocked from receiving federal emergency aid. Read about it on the Washington Post website.

 

High Court Rules on Sex Discrimination

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ employees from discrimination. In doing so, the high court has redefined its definition of sex to encompass both gender identity and sexual orientation. It is believed the ruling will impact the Department of Education's Title IX rules. Read about it on the Inside Higher Ed  website.

 

States Move to Block Title IX

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia filed two lawsuits aimed at blocking updated Title IX rules from going into effect August 14, 2020. Read about it on the Bloomberg website.

 

Pandemic Worsens Racial Inequities in Education

The pandemic and economic recession has impacted low-income and minority families disproportionately, making it more difficult for them to afford college. Former Education Secretary, John B. King, Jr., called upon Congress to double the size of Pell Grants and forgive some student debt. Dr. Logan Hampton, president of Lane College, made a similar case before a Senate committee earlier this month. Congressman Bobby Scott, chair of the House's Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing on the pandemic and worsening inequities. Dr. Makola Abdullah, president of Virginia State University, also appealed to Congress on behalf of land grant HBCUs. Read about it on the NBC12 website.

 

Mixed Views on Fall Plans

The Chronicle of Higher Education is keeping a list of colleges and universities' plans for the fall. Reopening, complicated by the sheer number of variables that need to be considered, is even more difficult for HBCUs. Dr. Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College addressed some of the dangers in an article in the Atlantic. In the HBCU Digest, Dr. Roslyn Artis maintained that after weighing the risks, reopening was the correct option to offer students who face housing and food insecurity and lack internet access and computers. Read about it on the Chronicle of Higher Education website.

 

Jurisdiction Over Religious Colleges Clarified

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has adopted a three-part test to determine when it has jurisdiction over religious schools. If the college or university holds itself out to the public as a religious institution, is nonprofit, and has a religious affiliation, the NLRB will assume no jurisdiction. This supersedes using consideration of the role faculty played in creating or maintaining the institution's religious environment. Using the new criteria, some recent complaints are likely to go unheard. Read about it on the JD Supra website.

 

Expansion of Agricultural Work

West Virginia State University has begun demolition and rehabilitation of the former West Virginia Rehabilitation Center in Institute, West Virginia. The University acquired the property in 2014. It will house its Agricultural and Environmental Research Station and Extension Service. The University is expanding programs focusing on agricultural science, agribusiness, and agricultural economics. Read about it on the West Virginia State University  website.

 

CARES Act Unfair to Minority-Serving Institutions

An analysis by Excelencia in Education found the formula used to distribute Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds was unfair to institutions that enroll higher percentage of part-time students. Roughly half the students at Hispanic-serving institutions are enrolled part-time. Read about it on the Inside Higher Ed  website.

 

Portal Opened for Gift Reporting

The Department of Education launched an online portal for institutions of higher education to report foreign gifts and contracts. Several institutions are under investigation for underreporting. A recent report authorized by congress found most universities were compliant in record keeping, tracking, and reporting and addressing violations, but needed guidance in areas like training, risk assessment, and internal audits. The portal is intended to facilitate compliance. Read about it on the Federal Student Aid  website.

 

Partnership to Address Health Disparities

In association with American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Howard University is developing tech solutions to address elder health care needs in medically underserved communities. The Howard University College of Medicine's 1867 Health Innovations Project and the AARP Innovation Labs will focus on the needs of individuals who have chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, genetic disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Read about it on the Howard University  website.

 

HBCU Important to COVID Recovery

Dillard, Xavier, and Southern University at New Orleans were featured in a Kresge Foundation website article on the importance of HBCUs in New Orleans' COVID-19 recovery. Read about it on the Kresge Foundation  website.

 

Foundations Will Support Higher ED

Five foundations have agreed to commit $1,700,000,000 to support nonprofits including institutions of higher education. The participating foundations are: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the W. K.  Kellogg Foundation, the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. They have pledged to help nonprofits, which have been hit hard by a decline in contributions. Read about it on the Diverse Issues in Higher Education  website.

 

Kentucky Institutions Form Alliance

Simmons College and Kentucky State University signed a letter of intent committing to cooperate on degree programs, asset mapping, community resource development, and athletic initiatives. Recently, the institutions were tapped to assist the state recruit black teachers. Read about it on the Courier Journal  website.

 

Borrowers Sue DeVos and Mnuchin

A class action law suit was filed against Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. At issue is the continued seizure of student loan borrower's tax refunds during the pandemic in spite of orders from Congress and the president to stop. Read about it on the Forbes  website.

 

Students Sue NCAA

Counsel representing student-athletes advised congress not to grant The NCAA an antitrust exemption. They also filed an antitrust suit against the NCAA seeking to strike down the organization's anti-compensation rule and secure damages for past NIL use without compensation. Read about it on the Pew Charitable Trusts  website.

 

Mississippi Flag Gone
In response to college athletes' formal request, the NCAA had revised its policy to prevent championship events from being played in states where the confederate flag is displayed prominently. However, it wasn't until Kylin Hill vowed he would not play until the flag was removed that the legislature voted to remove the flag. Read about it on the Mississippi Today website.

Income Sharing for HBCU Students 

Vista Equity Partners CEO, Robert F. Smith, announced the development of an income sharing agreement program for HBCU students. The Student Freedom Initiative will lend money to students in the STEM fields. Borrower repayment will be income-based. The program launches in 2021 with initial funding from Fund II Foundation. Read about it on the Inside Higher ED  website.

 

Foundation's Grants Will Support Students 

The Andrew W. Mellon foundation awarded two grants to Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). The JCSU Cultural Studies programs will receive $500,000 to expand courses in Africana, cultural, gender, and global studies. An additional $110,000 will be distributed as emergency grants to support students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation also awarded $110,000 to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania to assist in supporting its returning students.

 

Financial Boost for Spring Grads

Frank and Laura Day Baker announced a $1,000,000 gift to Spelman College to establish a scholarship for graduates. The initial award will be put toward paying spring semester tuition balances for almost 50 graduating seniors. Read about it on the Spelman College  website.

 

Excellence in Research Awards

National Science Foundation's HBCU program granted a $929,241 three-year award to Florida A&M University School of the Environment Professor Henry Neal Williams, Ph.D. The award supports a multi-institutional investigation into the effect that predatory microorganisms have on other populations of bacteria. Professor Williams, the lead investigator, will work with researchers from Florida State and Virginia Union Universities and with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Read about it on the Florida A&M University website.

 

Data Science Scholarship

Fisk University and Asurion announced the launch of a data science scholarship program. The Asurion Data Science Scholarship at Fisk will provide $10,000 annual scholarships, internships, mentoring, and academic development opportunities. Read about it on the Fisk University website.

 

Restoration Effort Advances

Phase II of rehabilitation of Livingstone University's historic Andrew Carnegie Library will resume this month. The work includes an HVAC upgrade that will facilitate the preservation of key African American archives and memorabilia. The work is funded through a grant from the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund. Read about it on the Livingstone University website.

 

To the Rescue 

HBCUs of all sizes are partnering with government, private businesses and foundations to assist students and provide testing, food, and other services to their communities in the wake of the pandemic. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is running a mobile testing site in South Los Angeles. In addition to working on an antiviral drug, Meharry Medical College runs three testing centers. Howard University College of Medicine is providing testing for D.C.'s underserved neighborhoods. Florida A&M University processes hundreds of COVID-19 tests per day at its stadium in Tallahassee. Alabama State University opened a testing site to ensure residents of nearby William B. Paterson Court Housing Community have access to testing. Delaware State University galvanized alumni, community leaders, and corporate partners to provide food, computers, and financial assistance to students in need of help. Paul Quinn College extended its community outreach and is offering food assistance and COVID testing in Dallas, an area of Texas hit hard by the virus.

 

Scholar Honored 

Dr. Michelle Samuel-Foo has been named a Founders Memorial Award winner. The award is one of the highest bestowed by the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Samuel-Foo is a member of the faculty at Alabama State University. She will receive the award at the ESA's annual meeting. Read about it on the Alabama State University website.

 

Alumni Celebrated

Jackson State university announced that two of its alumni, educator Dr. Walter L. Reed and actress, Ms. Mara Hall will be inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame this fall. Reed has served as an educator, administrator, coach, and athletic director over his career. In addition to working as an actress, Hall has served as a teacher, writer, producer, and musician. They will be officially inducted in September in Atlanta. Read about it on the Jackson State University website.