Some Historically Black Colleges See Declining Enrollment





Bengal E said:
To me there are a lot of factors concerning this issue, once I held the militant viewpoint that some of you hold about this being a black vs. white issue, but now I see that not it at all. There are a lot of different factors, some of it may be as simple as folks don't know. Not everybody knows about HBCUs. Even some who attended have different viewpoints as adults. And definitely I would be very surprised if folks have the ideoligies of you, NT. Folks ain't going that deep. Mostly it's probably an economic issue. What you can afford and what will your child get out of it. It's just that simple. If GA Tech is giving my child a scholly and A&M ain't, then odds are he's going to GT. Because I can't afford to send him to A&M. And I'm an HBCU grad. Now imagine when this situation comes up in a 1st generation college household. They don't have any ties at all.

Bottom line is our universities need more exposure. We as caring alumni have to get out there and talk up our schools, bring our schools in and make people aware of our jewels. We're still sitting back on this "you're black and you should be at an HBCU attitude" or you're in a Black HS so come to a Black college mentality that we are overlooking a large segment of the population. We have to expand our parameters. We have to have the programs that are comparable to the PWC's (which we do) and we have to let the students and parents know that our ice is just as cold. In some cases that's a hard sell, in some it ain't. It's a problem when I'm in GA and I see more recruiters from the West than I do from a HBCU here in state and that's all over the country.
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Well said frat........ I know some folks who have had to make the same decision with their kids and they were HBCU grads. The PWCs came with the money and the HBCUs did not. It is a hard situation to be in. Your heart wants them to attend a HBCU but your mind tells you that you have to do what is best for your kid. All black kids don't belong at HBCUs. Some just need to go to other schools. It depends on their needs.

Also being a hiring manager at times I also know how some companies think now. They are not all enamored with every HBCU or PWC. They are looking at students from these so called top programs no matter who they are. I have fought that battle with HR folks a many day to continue to recruit HBCU talent since our HBCUs often are not ranked which is unfortunate. Some companies actually think they can get diversity from these PWCs. You'll be surprised at how many think like that especially once you leave the South where at alot of our HBCUs are located.

So kids today have to really think about where they are going to go to school depending on their major. I love SU to death......but if I had a kid that needed to major in say broadcasting/mass comm...... I wouldn't advise him/her to go to SU because I did or any HBCU( exceptions may be JSU and Howard who have good program in that major) if he or she had a scholly to Syracuse or Northwestern who have these outstanding and recognized programs in that major. That is how you start getting to know the right people in your field by going to some of these schools. Especially a hard to find a job in your field such as Mass comm/Journalism. Most of my friends who majored in that at SU are not in radio, tv or at a newspaper. It has nothing to do with white is better. It is all about the connections as some folks have posted.

Believe me, black folks better tell their kids that you need more than just black connections......you need white, asian, african, jewish, etc....... The workplace is being more and more global. We need to educate the young folks on this and you don't have to kiss arse. That actually only works so long. It is all about being progressive and making some things happen. Black kids today have to explore all options whether they are going to a HBCU or PWC.
 
ALPHA3 said:
Your thinking is the direct opposite of what Dr.King was speaking about during his speech. The fact that black kids can attend these once forbidden schools shows just how far we as black folks have come. It shows that black kids can score a 26 on the ACT and get a free ride just like the white kids. It also shows we can excel in the classroom and end up on the Dean's List and graduate with high GPA's. I don't think people are forgetting the past, but becoming trailblazers for our future. Don't get me wrong some black folks are guilty of what you're saying, but for the most part many look at it as an acheivement.
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Why are we bringing MLK into this discussion. I don't need acknowledgement from people outside of my race to my justify actions. Folks just don't want to deal with the real issues of inequities. Our schools

HAVE NEVER

been on par with their white counter-parts facility wise but still kids were able to get jobs in their major and excel. But we as a people

ALWAYS

gotta be comparing what we have to Uncle Charlie.

MY point is if they didn't want us their why beg. Why attend and weaken our higher educational infrastructure. We have the resourses and choose to squander them on everything but education. And what are we left with. Jacked up facilities at HBCUs. So we have created this cycle of having sub-standard institutions, not providing proper support, running to the white man to attend his universities, and have the nerve to be saying HBCU'st lack this and that. We will never learn. :smh:

Some folks never take into consideration that black folks exist who actually functioned in a multi-racial and multi-cultural educational enviroment prior to college. So Attending an HBCU is a sincere choice. They normally live in areas where HBCU's DON'T EXIST so they would be inconvenienced if they choose to attend. And when they arrive are totally in awe when they hear all the negative comments regarding the school from actual students and faculty. "If I would have had score this or that on the ACT, I would have went to college with whitey". That's some backwards azz logic. Be glad yo azz got a chance rather than none at all. Folks need to have there kids involved in programs that expose them to different races and culture way before college if they care that sincerely about them being able to network outside of our race. It also would help you take them to a museum or two. Exposing them enviroments outside of their neighborhood would help a whole lot to let them no that the world contains races other than black and white.
 
northern tiger said:
Why are we bringing MLK into this discussion. I don't need acknowledgement from people outside of my race to my justify actions. Folks just don't want to deal with the real issues of inequities. Our schools

HAVE NEVER

been on par with their white counter-parts facility wise but still kids were able to get jobs in their major and excel. But we as a people

ALWAYS

gotta be comparing what we have to Uncle Charlie.

MY point is if they didn't want us their why beg. Why attend and weaken our higher educational infrastructure. We have the resourses and choose to squander them on everything but education. And what are we left with. Jacked up facilities at HBCUs. So we have created this cycle of having sub-standard institutions, not providing proper support, running to the white man to attend his universities, and have the nerve to be saying HBCU'st lack this and that. We will never learn. :smh:

Some folks never take into consideration that black folks exist who actually functioned in a multi-racial and multi-cultural educational enviroment prior to college. So Attending an HBCU is a sincere choice. They normally live in areas where HBCU's DON'T EXIST so they would be inconvenienced if they choose to attend. And when they arrive are totally in awe when they hear all the negative comments regarding the school from actual students and faculty. "If I would have had score this or that on the ACT, I would have went to college with whitey". That's some backwards azz logic. Be glad yo azz got a chance rather than none at all. Folks need to have there kids involved in programs that expose them to different races in culture way before college if they care that sincerely about them being able to network outside of our race. It also would help you take them to a museum or two. Exposing them enviroments outside of their neighborhood would help a whole lot to let them no that the world contains races other than black and white.
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segregation send help
 
unknown1 said:
segregation send help
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Don't hate because I love my


RACE!!!!


Yaw need to stay away from that clorox. Like I already said, some folks don't grasp the concept of being exposed to diferent cultures prior entering college. And I wish they would stop making it so obvious. :smh:
 
northern tiger said:
Why are we bringing MLK into this discussion. I don't need acknowledgement from people outside of my race to my justify actions. Folks just don't want to deal with the real issues of inequities. Our schools

HAVE NEVER

been on par with their white counter-parts facility wise but still kids were able to get jobs in their major and excel. But we as a people

ALWAYS

gotta be comparing what we have to Uncle Charlie.

MY point is if they didn't want us their why beg. Why attend and weaken our higher educational infrastructure. We have the resourses and choose to squander them on everything but education. And what are we left with. Jacked up facilities at HBCUs. So we have created this cycle of having sub-standard institutions, not providing proper support, running to the white man to attend his universities, and have the nerve to be saying HBCU'st lack this and that. We will never learn. :smh:

Some folks never take into consideration that black folks exist who actually functioned in a multi-racial and multi-cultural educational enviroment prior to college. So Attending an HBCU is a sincere choice. They normally live in areas where HBCU's DON'T EXIST so they would be inconvenienced if they choose to attend. And when they arrive are totally in awe when they hear all the negative comments regarding the school from actual students and faculty. "If I would have had score this or that on the ACT, I would have went to college with whitey". That's some backwards azz logic. Be glad yo azz got a chance rather than none at all. Folks need to have there kids involved in programs that expose them to different races in culture way before college if they care that sincerely about them being able to network outside of our race. It also would help you take them to a museum or two. Exposing them enviroments outside of their neighborhood would help a whole lot to let them no that the world contains races other than black and white.
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Isn't the overall subject dealing with race indirectly. IMO people have the right to send their children to any school they are PAYING for! It doesn't matter to me if that damn school was asian, just as long the kid is getting an education.
 
northern tiger said:
Why are we bringing MLK into this discussion. I don't need acknowledgement from people outside of my race to my justify actions. Folks just don't want to deal with the real issues of inequities. Our schools

HAVE NEVER

been on par with their white counter-parts facility wise but still kids were able to get jobs in their major and excel. But we as a people

ALWAYS

gotta be comparing what we have to Uncle Charlie.

MY point is if they didn't want us their why beg. Why attend and weaken our higher educational infrastructure. We have the resourses and choose to squander them on everything but education. And what are we left with. Jacked up facilities at HBCUs. So we have created this cycle of having sub-standard institutions, not providing proper support, running to the white man to attend his universities, and have the nerve to be saying HBCU'st lack this and that. We will never learn. :smh:

Some folks never take into consideration that black folks exist who actually functioned in a multi-racial and multi-cultural educational enviroment prior to college. So Attending an HBCU is a sincere choice. They normally live in areas where HBCU's DON'T EXIST so they would be inconvenienced if they choose to attend. And when they arrive are totally in awe when they hear all the negative comments regarding the school from actual students and faculty. "If I would have had score this or that on the ACT, I would have went to college with whitey". That's some backwards azz logic. Be glad yo azz got a chance rather than none at all. Folks need to have there kids involved in programs that expose them to different races in culture way before college if they care that sincerely about them being able to network outside of our race. It also would help you take them to a museum or two. Exposing them enviroments outside of their neighborhood would help a whole lot to let them no that the world contains races other than black and white.
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:read:

:tup:
 
I will have to take some time out to read the article.

In thinking about this topic, I wonder how many deans, department heads and president actively recruit. Or I wonder if they just sit back, wait and watch. I wonder how many go out and promote or sell their colleges and universities. Basically, there are too many adminstrators at our schools who are too passive (and lazy) in their thinking when it comes to running our schools.
 
I recently graduated from JSU and it was a fantastic experience in terms of the culture and how the professors treated the students. I would recommend the university to high school grad. But on the other hand when you compare what larger state schools offer in terms of class and majors to an HBCU, it's a little upsetting because you wonder why don't HBCUs offer more options. I know most HBCU students will agree that administration is suspect at best and they really don't have the students interest in mind when it comes to finanical aid, housing and job placement.
Now, I been to almost every HBCU campus and have had the chance to talk to some students of those schools and the majority of them said they wish their school offered more and challenged them more in the classroom and had better learning facilities. I'm not saying that going to the large state school is a better option than an HBCU because I believe it does not matter what school you go to.
But I believe that some, not all parents pressured their children into going to an HBCU because they have to because their black, or the parents went there, or they should because the have a good band. That's crap. Students and parents need to research and ask questions when deciding what school is right, whether it is a large state school or an HBCU.
 
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