Scholars who study HBCUs must pursue data sovereignty and develop new ways to evaluate the social and economic impact the institutions have on society.
That was one of the key takeaways from an online panel Wednesday that kicked off the HBCU Research Network Virtual Conference hosted by the HBCU Center Research Network at Howard University.
Dr. Natasha K. McClendon, director of the Center of Excellence for Black Women in STEM at Spelman College, urged conference attendees not to become dependent on big firms or the federal government to produce the data needed to gauge institutional performance.
“We can collect our data and create some data sovereignty for ourselves so that we're not dependent on if IPEDS comes out or not, if they're holding the economic data hostage,” McClendon said in reference to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, a federal database that tracks various outcomes, such as graduate rates and institutional finances.
McClendon also urged attendees to value what they learn in communities. As an example, she touted “The HBCU Effect,” a 2022 report she co-authored for the United Negro College Fund, which found HBCU alumni reported “overwhelming satisfaction” with their HBCU networks and workforce experiences.
McClendon made her remarks during a “sister scholar circle” conversation on advancing Black women’s research leadership in HBCU research and policy.
