Black-and-Brown Listed?
Colleges’ removal from magazine’s ranking leaves some confused, disappointed
By Pearl Stewart
DURHAM, N.C.
For North Carolina Central University, the news was gratifying. Known for its ability to transform disadvantaged students into successful professionals, NCCU welcomed the national publicity and recognition. So when Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine placed the institution at No. 49 on its list of the 100 best values in public colleges, the press releases started flying.
“We released the information to our local and national media contacts, a total of 60 media outlets, and we put an article on our Web site,” says Sharon Saunders, Chancellor James Ammons’ special assistant for public relations. NCCU’s student newspaper, ran the story on its front page, and an article appeared in the Durham Herald-Sun.
Administrators on other campuses were mounting similar publicity campaigns as a result of their positions on the list, but for NCCU and two other historically Black institutions, the rankings were especially significant. For the first time in Kiplinger’s six years of compiling the list, three historically Black colleges and universities appeared in its Top 100. North Carolina A&T State University was ranked 94, and Elizabeth City (N.C.) State was 96.
