New York – During a two-day conference that drew dozens of university heads, thought leaders and more, Dr. Norman Francis, president of Xavier University of Louisiana, stressed that American research universities must do a better job of engaging minority students in scientific research as well as provide internships and other career-building opportunities, in order for schools to maintain their global preeminence.
Francis made his remarks as an attendant of a discussion group at the TIME Summit on Higher Education, which brought together a cohort of leaders to discuss ways to garner more esteem and public dollars for basic research. Francis’ discussion group was charged with tackling the issue of preparing the next generation of faculty researchers and teachers.
As one of the few Black university leaders to attend the summit, Francis, who noted that large numbers of the next generation of college students will be African-American and Hispanic, said it is crucial that those students be educated in the sciences.
“If we don’t educate them in the sciences, to say nothing about all American youngsters, we’re not going to have the kind of legacy that we’ve had in this country for a long time,” Francis said.
Francis continued, saying research universities could learn a lot from his institution’s work in providing research opportunities for undergraduates. He noted that NSF recently ranked Xavier as No. 5 in the nation for baccalaureate institutions that produce African-American PhDs in the physical sciences and No. 1 for the number of African-American PhDs in the life sciences.
“If undergraduates get an opportunity for research, there’s an 80 percent chance that they’re going to go on to the graduate schools,” Francis said. “What I would ask you as you look at the next generation is look to providing internships for minority students at the undergraduate level, especially during the summer time.”
