This week, the American Institute for Boys and Men released the findings of a landmark study, “HBCUs at a Crossroads: Addressing the Decline in Black Male Enrollment,” by DJ Windsor, Richard Reeves.
The researchers used data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to conduct the study on the enrollment of Black men at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The study found that the percentage of Black male students at HBCUs has decreased from 38% in 1976 to 26% today. It also highlighted that the decline in Black male enrollment is influenced by factors such as inadequate K-12 preparation, a lack of Black male teachers, and financial barriers.
Furthermore, the study revealed that while overall enrollment at HBCUs has decreased by 11% since 2010, the decline in Black male enrollment is more pronounced at 25%.
However, there has been an increase in enrollment among Black men since 2020, although the total number of Black male students remains below pre-COVID levels.
The study also pointed out significant variation among HBCUs, with only 20 out of 101 HBCUs having a Black male enrollment share of 40% or higher. It also highlighted the challenges faced by a new cadre of HBCU presidents.
This June, North Carolina A&T State University announced that James Martin II, an accomplished civil engineer who has led engineering and STEM initiatives at three large public research universities, had been elected chancellor by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Martin’s appointment began on August 15. During his career, Martin accumulated decades of experience as an engineering professor, institute director, dean, and leader of science initiatives at major public universities, including Clemson University and Virginia Tech. He has promoted academic innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and improved organizational culture. He will now lead the nation’s largest historically Black University on a trajectory to become a top-tier research institution, termed “Research 1” by the Carnegie Classification, which categorizes universities by their levels of research activity.
On August 19, the Benedict College Board of Trustees announced a seven-year contract extension through June 2031 for the college’s 14th and first female President and CEO, Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis. Since she arrived in 2017, Artis has propelled Benedict College forward. Benedict’s Environmental Engineering Program earned ABET accreditation, distinguishing it as one of only two HBCUs in the nation and the only HBCU in South Carolina with an accredited program. Academic programs have been reimagined and aligned to prepare students for high-demand fields such as Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Environmental Engineering, E-sports, Entrepreneurship, and Business Administration.
Earlier in the year, Grambling State University announced that the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors had named Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr as the 11th President of Grambling State University. He has a wealth of experience as a 2006 Grambling State grad and former SGA President. In addition, he served as the chief operating officer at the university from 2016 to 2021 before his most recent position as executive vice president & chief financial officer at Maryland Institute College of Art.
This week, Grambling State made history as the first HBCU in the U.S. and the only institution in Louisiana with a Digital Library. Grambling plans to have a Maker’s Space, 3D imaging, and 3D printers soon.