Opportunities and Challenges at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Opportunities and Challenges at Historically Black Colleges and Universities grapples with the strengths and challenges that historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) face as the nation's demographics change. Gasman and Commodore with their contributors focus the role HBCUs play in populating and creating pipelines for faculty of color, college administrators of color, and graduate students of color. They also highlight ways in which HBCUs can address the areas of retention, alumni giving, and media relations. Illuminating the major topics that are pertinent to HBCUs and their place in American society, they range from the growing diversity on HBCU campuses to class and elitism issues to study abroad and honors programs. The authors seek to provide a deeper understanding of many major issues in higher education while focusing on the HBCU context and the commitment of HBCUs to equaling the higher education playing field.

Marybeth Gasman is Professor of Higher Education in the Graduate School of Education, and Director of the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Felecia Commodore is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. She works as a research assistant at the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

Introduction; Marybeth Gasman and Felecia Commodore
1. Black Colleges, Media, and the Power of Storytelling; Quinton Stroud
2. Spelman College: A Case Study of Student Retention Strategies; Sakinah I. Rahman
3. The Crisis: Decreasing Male Enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Matthew Nelson and Phillip Scotton
4. Three Layers of Underrepresentation: Academic Pipeline Issues for African Americans; Ufuoma Abiola
5. White Faces in Black Places: HBCUs and the White Faculty Experience; Atiya Strothers
6. HBCU Young Alumni: Paying it Forward; Brandy Jackson and Jacqueline Amparo
7. Expanding the HBCU Legacy: Enrolling and Supporting the Rising Latino Population; Paola Esmieu and Andrew Martinez
8. Beyond the Fifth Quarter: The Influence of HBCU Marching Bands; Yuland Essoka
9. Study Abroad at HBCUs: Challenges, Trends, and Best Practices; Sarah Mullen
10. LGBT Centers on HBCU Campuses: Bowie State University; Joseph Barone
11. Leveraging Honors Programs at HBCUs; Channing Johnson and Tyree Williams
12. Black Greek Fraternity Experiences on Predominantly White and Historically Black Campuses: A Comparison; Dennis Daly
13. Black Lesbian Identity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Alexandra Iannucci
14. Not in My Backyard: Puritan Morality v. Puritan Mercantillism and its Impact on HBCUs; Tiffany N. Decker
15. Searching for Whitley Gilbert: Pluralism, Belles, Bourgeoisie Activism and Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Christian Edge
16. A Place at the Table: Etiquette and Invalidation in the Quest for Cultural Capital at Spelman College; Tiffany Decker