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Loyalty & Respect
Turnover at Historically Black Colleges Creates Openings for New Style of Leaders
At least 15 of the nation's 104 historically black colleges are looking for new presidents at a time when many of those institutions are seeking to redefine their missions and modernize their operations.
The large number of vacancies at black colleges is largely due to the rising demands of the job and the strain that the economy has put on the institutions, said John S. Wilson Jr., executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
"Everybody wants more from presidents," he said, including students, faculty members, and members of governing boards. In addition, President Obama's goal of increasing the nation's college-completion rate is putting more public pressure on historically black colleges, which in general have had lower graduation rates than traditionally white institutions.
Despite the challenges, the openings should be seen not as a crisis, but as an opportunity for governing boards "to set a new direction and tone for what executive leadership means" at historically black colleges, said Mr. Wilson, who has repeatedly called on the institutions to improve their performance and send a more positive message about the role that they play in higher education.
Money Troubles
Many historically black colleges are facing existential questions about their future. The colleges enrolled practically all African-American students 50 years ago but now attract only a small fraction of those students. Meanwhile traditionally white institutions have sought to recruit black students to improve diversity on their campuses.
At the same time, the economic downturn has been particularly hard on black colleges, most of which have smaller endowments and lower rates of alumni giving than majority-serving institutions. Those already meager resources have been stretched thin during the downturn because of the financial needs of black students, who tend to come from poorer families than white students.
The mounting economic challenges appear to be taking their toll on presidents of historically black colleges. "Yeah, I'm tired. I need to relax and refresh," said Julianne Malveaux, who is resigning after five years as president of Bennett College. "Had I not left, I would have asked for a leave of absence," she said.
"To everything there is a season, and my season is done," said Ms. Malveaux, who counts a $21-million capital campaign and the campus's first new construction in 28 years among her key accomplishments.
While Ms. Malveaux chose to leave, several other presidents of black colleges have been urged to step down in recent months as their institutions struggle with financial and other difficulties.
Hazel R. O'Leary, president of Fisk University, announced last month that she will leave her post in December, more than three years after alumni began calling for her resignation. Fisk was already in financial trouble when Ms. O'Leary became president in 2004, and the university has been entangled in a long-running court battle over attempts to sell a portion of its valuable collection of 20th-century art, donated by Georgia O'Keeffe, in order to raise money.
In December the university's accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, put Fisk on probation, giving the institution a year to fix its finances.
Accreditation problems are plaguing two other black colleges that are searching for presidents. Cornell Thomas, named president of Jarvis Christian College in 2009, resigned from his position just weeks after the college was placed on warning by the Southern Association in December.
Robert L. Satcher, president of Saint Paul's College, resigned last year, a few months after the Southern Association put the institution on probation for a second consecutive year.
Read more here
At least 15 of the nation's 104 historically black colleges are looking for new presidents at a time when many of those institutions are seeking to redefine their missions and modernize their operations.
The large number of vacancies at black colleges is largely due to the rising demands of the job and the strain that the economy has put on the institutions, said John S. Wilson Jr., executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
"Everybody wants more from presidents," he said, including students, faculty members, and members of governing boards. In addition, President Obama's goal of increasing the nation's college-completion rate is putting more public pressure on historically black colleges, which in general have had lower graduation rates than traditionally white institutions.
Despite the challenges, the openings should be seen not as a crisis, but as an opportunity for governing boards "to set a new direction and tone for what executive leadership means" at historically black colleges, said Mr. Wilson, who has repeatedly called on the institutions to improve their performance and send a more positive message about the role that they play in higher education.
Money Troubles
Many historically black colleges are facing existential questions about their future. The colleges enrolled practically all African-American students 50 years ago but now attract only a small fraction of those students. Meanwhile traditionally white institutions have sought to recruit black students to improve diversity on their campuses.
At the same time, the economic downturn has been particularly hard on black colleges, most of which have smaller endowments and lower rates of alumni giving than majority-serving institutions. Those already meager resources have been stretched thin during the downturn because of the financial needs of black students, who tend to come from poorer families than white students.
The mounting economic challenges appear to be taking their toll on presidents of historically black colleges. "Yeah, I'm tired. I need to relax and refresh," said Julianne Malveaux, who is resigning after five years as president of Bennett College. "Had I not left, I would have asked for a leave of absence," she said.
"To everything there is a season, and my season is done," said Ms. Malveaux, who counts a $21-million capital campaign and the campus's first new construction in 28 years among her key accomplishments.
While Ms. Malveaux chose to leave, several other presidents of black colleges have been urged to step down in recent months as their institutions struggle with financial and other difficulties.
Hazel R. O'Leary, president of Fisk University, announced last month that she will leave her post in December, more than three years after alumni began calling for her resignation. Fisk was already in financial trouble when Ms. O'Leary became president in 2004, and the university has been entangled in a long-running court battle over attempts to sell a portion of its valuable collection of 20th-century art, donated by Georgia O'Keeffe, in order to raise money.
In December the university's accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, put Fisk on probation, giving the institution a year to fix its finances.
Accreditation problems are plaguing two other black colleges that are searching for presidents. Cornell Thomas, named president of Jarvis Christian College in 2009, resigned from his position just weeks after the college was placed on warning by the Southern Association in December.
Robert L. Satcher, president of Saint Paul's College, resigned last year, a few months after the Southern Association put the institution on probation for a second consecutive year.
Read more here