HBCUs
from page Al
models for HBCUs, includ
ing state and federal appro
priations and program sup
port. The panel was open to
the public and held in die
Campus Hall of the Donald
Julian Reaves Student
Activities Center.
"This was about not
only empowering the stu
dents but also empowering
the communities around
these HBCUs," Sedwick
said. "Everyone has been
very receptive and they are
enjoying the content."
Panelists were Dr.
Corey DB. Walker, dean of
the school's College of
Arts, Sciences, Business
and Education, Dr. Melissa
Harris-Perry, politics pro
fessor and executive direc
tor of the Pro Humanitate
Institute at Wake Forest
University, Ay ana D.
Hernandez, associate vice
chancellor for University
Relations at North Carolina
Central University, and
Douglas A. Wilson, former
political director for the
N.C. Democratic Party.
"Historically, black col
leges remind us of the seg
regated history of higher
education as well as the
necessity of developing
every individual's right to
think. We also tout the
ways that historically black
colleges have educated
African-Americans dispro
portionately in light of seg
regation," Walker said.
"We've done that because
of the belief that African-,,
Americans, all Americans
and indeed all people, have
the right to control their
own intellectual, material,
political, social and cultural
destiny."
With the recent news
that South Carolina State
University could potential
ly be closing for two years,
the topic of funding was an
important one with the
panel, especially after
being asked if funding for
low-income students has
crippled HBCUs.
"I think that the prob
lem we have with funding,
from a political stand
point, is that the majority of
HBCUs are in the South,
where state houses and sen
ates are controlled by the
Republican Party. What
I've noticed is that there
tends to be a lack of atten
tion from the House and
Senate because a lot of
these folks are not connect
ed to HBCUs," Wilson
said.
The measure is far from
law, but its approval by a
three-member House of
Representatives subcom
mittee that oversees state
appropriations for higher
education has caused the
nation to pay attention. The
two-year- suspension could
negatively impact enroll
ments and create even
more financial problems
for the university. What
many supporters of the
measure are saying is that
the effort will provide a
clean slate for the universi
ty by firing all of its
trustees, administrators and
faculty members this sum
mer. while allowing stu
dents who are enrolled on a
scholarships to attend other
public institutions of
HBCU.
According to data from
the U.S. Education
Department, 14 percent of
students graduate from the
university within four years
of enrolling, and the six
year rate is 36 percent.
I feel like there are
some really hard stats
around many HBCUs and
graduation rates. Those
tough statistics are part of
what allowed open-ended
attacks on those HBCUs
for the purpose of closing
doors. I think as we make
cultural arguments we have
to be really cognizant,
aware and capable of
addressing those ques
tions," Harris- Perry said
about how HBCUs should
push back against online
colleges and focus instead
on their on campus experi
ence to help off-put gradu
ation rates. "The story is
that government money is
going toward the schools
that are failing to graduate
these students. That is
what's being said. There
are these narratives that can
be made about the four
year graduation rate."
Students from
Elizabeth City State
University attended the
session and faced the same
threat as SCSU currently
does a year ago. The
University, which will cele
brate its 125th anniversary
on March 6, faced closing
in the spring (2014) after a
provision was included in
the preliminary Senate
budget that would have
allowed the UNC Board of
Governors to conduct
research into whether or
not to close the institution.
The news sparked out
rage among supporters,
members of the Legislative
Black Caucus and alumni,
who quickly generated a
petition to keep the doors
open, even though the col
lege has seen a large drop
in admissions over the past
five years.
School officials have
blamed the falling enroll
ment on tougher admis
sions standards.
The Senate later voted
unanimously to remove the
budget provision.
Sophomore Class
President Ajanae Willis
knows all too well bow that
type of information can
impact students and their
learning experience.
"The attacks came as
devastating. Yes, our
school was in a transitional
state, just like S.C. State,
but the fact that people who
claim to support higher
education can try to attack
these universities when
they've played a part in
putting us in those situa
tions is not OK," Willis
said. "They've played a
major role in affecting the
demographics of our uni
versity, just like S.C. State.
The very fact that those
who claim to support us
could actually think of
something like that (look
ing at a study to close the
school), was a very rude
awakening."
Willis said that the fact
that the two schools, in dif
ferent states, are going
through similar situations
shows that there is a need
for the summit and unity
throughout all HBCUs.
"We need to air our
issues, learn from other
schools and to be apart of
the progress for unity for
African-American educa
tion. When ECSU was
under attack, the most sup
port we got was from
HBCUs," she said. "Our
sister schools do care about
us and it's so important for
us to be on one accord. We
need backing from schools
that understand our demo
graphics and our future
goals as black people. We
need schools that are going
to understand that."
Sedwick hopes that die
conversations continue on
a yearly basis.
"There is nothing like
working in community.
That's something we've
lost over the years," she
said.
"... We need to be hav
ing these conversations
more between ourselves,
communities, legislators
and institutions."
i,
(L-R) Panelists at the
2015 North Carolina
HBCV Political Action
Summit held at WSSU
oa Feb. 12 were Dr.
Corey DJ1. Walker of
WSSU; Ayana D.
Hernandez of North
Carolina Central
University; Douglas A.
Wilson, former political
director for the N.C.
Democratic Party; and
Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry
of Wake Forest
University.
Pbao b) Chaad Davu
Hanes selected as
Forsyth County
delegation leader
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
Rep. Edward Hanes Jr.,
in his second term in the
N.C. House of
Representatives, has been
selected to co-chair the
Forsyth County
Delegation.
He joins Sen. Joyce
Krawiec in leading the del
egation for the 2015
long/short session. Hanes
and Krawiec replace Rep.
Donny Lambeth and retired
Sen. Earlene Parmon.
"I appreciate the confi
dence of the party to pass
on the leadership mantel to
me in partnership with
Senator Krawiec. Our del
egation has done a tremen
dous job of working
together to represent the
interests of Forsyth County
in the General Assembly."
As delegation leader,
Hanes' main responsibility
will be to coordinate the fil
ing of prescribed pplicy
requested by municipalities
in Forsyth County. Hanes
hopes to use this opportuni
ty to enhance the delega
tion's reputation in Raleigh
as a strong unit.
"We saw some
instances of severe dissent
on the floor between mem
bers of neighboring delega
tions that simply didn't
serve the best interests of
the body or their districts"
Hanes said. "We're com
mitted to working our dif
ferences out privately and
agreeing to disagree when
necessary to move the peo
ple's business forward."
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every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing
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Annual subscription price is $30.72.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636
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