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Section: Opinion

African-American

Miseducating Black Students as a Form of Educational Malpractice and Professional Betrayal

Professional malpractice in education is a reality and it must be interrogated. Our field is not exempt from accountability; what we do can truly save lives.

September 14, 2020

Racial and Social Justice Is the Work of College Student Educators

Since our founding in 1924 by six women employed as job placement officers who were dissatisfied there was no network for women working in colleges, the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) has represented student affairs professionals across higher education. Fast-forward to the Civil Rights Movement, student affairs and ACPA were again among the first to […]

September 14, 2020

African-American

The Crisis of the Underrepresented Leader: Three Considerations

The rift between underrepresented leaders and those we lead, some of whom also happen to be underrepresented, is not confined to politics. In the academic sphere, I have both an active role and a front-row seat to the spectacle, as an African American dean of one of the University of Richmond’s five schools, who serves under a president who also happens to be Black. Worse than “we can’t tell,” words not fit for print have been used to describe each of us, in earshot and otherwise.

September 11, 2020

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African-American

I, Too, Experienced Police Brutality

There is a deeper connection between me, Jacob Blake, and Daniel Prude beyond our shared names. I, too, am a Black man. I, too, have resisted arrest. I, too, have been brutalized by law enforcement during a mental health crisis.

September 11, 2020

Community Colleges

Steps Beyond Statements: Presidential Leadership in Building a Case for Inclusive Excellence

To say we live in interesting times is a vast understatement. The confluence of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic upheaval, combined with the structural racism and the ensuing race-related tragedies that continue to plague our nation, has created a “perfect storm” of conditions shining a glaring light on the inequities in our society. Community college presidents are in the eye of this storm, and it is critical for us to demonstrate a commitment to eradicating racism and supporting social justice and, more importantly, to set forth a strategy to effect reform and achieve inclusive excellence.

September 10, 2020

We Must Not Leave Nontraditional Students Behind as COVID-19 Forces Colleges Online

In just a matter of weeks, millions of students will be attending college online and yet few traditional schools are adequately prepared. America’s higher education industry is wading into a minefield—it is difficult to effectively support students when the very instructors and administrators they rely on are also in unfamiliar territory. But the risk of failure will be even greater for a variety of marginalized student groups like minorities, first-generation students, transfer students, and others. As classes resume, schools must devote special attention to these groups.

September 8, 2020

Coach John Thompson, Jr. in Retrospect

Coach John Thompson, Jr. died on August 30, 2020, at the age of 78. He redefined college basketball and challenged stereotypes of black masculinity and mental aptitude. ESPN host Michael Wilbon calls him a mentor and a master teacher. Thompson’s journey began on September 2, 1941, in the segregated housing projects of Washington, DC’s Anacostia neighborhood. Thompson found solace and his identity on the basketball court in junior high and the local Police Boys Club. He went on to play center for Archbishop John Carroll Catholic High School, leading them to three city championships between 1958 and 1960. His athletic prowess earned him a scholarship to play for Providence College.

September 8, 2020

Distance Learning and Cultural Capital

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City—the largest school districts in the country—have announced plans for remote instruction and modified schedules in the fall. Despite acknowledging that, in some places, the measure is necessary to tame coronavirus transmissions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres sounded an alarm to the “generational catastrophe” caused by ongoing school closure. While the negative impact of online classes on school-age children has been largely discussed, much of the higher education community has not fully yet considered the detriments of distance learning to college students.

September 3, 2020

Navigating the COVID-19 Landscape: Strategies for Mature Citizens

Like many mature and retired citizens, a year ago I was making plans for using some of the funds I had squirreled away for visiting places on my bucket list, and for escaping the predictably cold winters in the Midwest where I live. Little did I know that my plans would not only be put on hold, but that they might be completely abandoned, due to the devastating effects of the coronavirus sweeping the world. While listening to health experts, several things quickly became clear.

September 3, 2020

Practicing What You Teach: Making Space for Social Justice Conversations Among Faculty

As we kick off the academic year, we offer five suggestions for modeling a practical approach to social justice education.

September 2, 2020

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How Institutions Can Better Respond to Campus Hate Crimes

As we gear up for what is likely to be the most challenging, start of the academic year we’ve ever seen, we must be vigilant and equipped to respond to incidents involving hate and/or explicit bias. With the persistence of our country’s sociopolitical unrest, coupled with a looming presidential election poised to cause greater dissidence, we should expect the tension to continue on our campuses.

September 2, 2020

What Do Sporting Boycotts Tell Us About Ourselves?

The decision to boycott has been coupled with questions about what NBA players and other professional athletes are going to do next. The boycotting, however, needs to be framed as a greater cultural moment that is reflective of American shortcomings rather than asking athlete to carry the mantel for social activism.

September 1, 2020

Privilege of the Academic Job Search

Having recently started as a postdoc at Duke University, I had time to reflect on my job search process last year. While my final year of my Ph.D. was undoubtedly a challenge, including finishing a dissertation, teaching full-time, and leading our graduate student government, among other items, the job search was, undoubtedly, the most traumatic part of my final year. I am not alone; indeed, research has found that doctoral students’ well-being decreases during their program.

September 1, 2020

Renbarger Baylor

Higher Education’s Obsession With Conferences Put to the Test

Last Spring, I was excited to attend the annual meeting for one of large professional organizations in my field. It was set to take place in a city I’d never visited, and I don’t have the time or resources as a graduate student to travel, so this was a great opportunity. My mentor and I were invited to present a paper at the conference which meant I had access to funding from my university to go. Having attended another large conference the previous fall, I had a pretty good idea about the expenses related. Thankfully, I didn’t need to get new formal wear, but I did have to figure out how to pay for everything else. Yes, I had a spreadsheet.

August 31, 2020

African-American

The RNC’s Diversity of Thought or Just Misleading?

Clarence Henderson is a proud, self-proclaimed HBCU grad and a civil rights protestor from the ‘60s. He was also used by the Republicans last week at its convention to perpetrate another half-truth about the Republican Party. And every time it happens, it’s important that someone chime in to correct it.

August 31, 2020

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African-American

The Black Professor at Historically White Colleges and Universities

While many still refuse to acknowledge the presence and destructive impact of racism, there is a growing multi-racial movement that is challenging the points of view, values and policies that perpetuate racism. However, among the places where racism can be present and remain largely unchallenged is at historically White colleges and universities.

August 30, 2020

African-American

Representation is Power: Why Exploring What Black Children Watch Matters

With streaming platforms such as Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu rising, children have access to cartoons, films, and television shows from every generation. While the amount of media access for children is increasing, it is becoming more challenging to monitor what children consume daily. With these challenges in consideration, the images that children are processing daily remain a crucial topic of discussion.

August 27, 2020

Race and Higher Education in Virginia

I remain fascinated by how the higher education landscape has changed. Madison College now is highly competitive James Madison University. The former Northern Virginia campus of the University of Virginia now is George Mason University. Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University — essentially commuter schools three decades ago — have undergone major transformations.

August 26, 2020

WSSU 2013 photo