HBCU The Series
By Dr. MeShonya Wren-Coleman
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have been the hub for nurturing students from all walks of life, but especially those who are coming from poverty-stricken areas, first-generation, and those with low standardized test scores, preventing them to pursue degrees at predominately white institutions. Even though the foundation of HBCUs were built on integrity and the desire to educate those who wanted to pursue a life beyond mediocrity, it frightens me that our HBCU’s have gotten away from ensuring the education of those who attend but are selfishly desiring to see how far those in administration can climb the ladder.
Today, over 228,000 students attend HBCUs, but how many actually graduate and secure job positions upon graduation or even continue their education by enrolling into graduate school. Having over 20 years in higher education and being a HBCU graduate from Rust College, I have seen the decline in recruitment and retention with HBCUs well in advance of the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Several reasons factor into mind when I think about this decline. Yes, so many well-known individuals have graduated from a HBCU and it’s too many for me to start naming, but how many are actually giving back to their institution and how many are telling their story about their undergraduate experience and how it impacted their lives? Many of these schools cannot keep up with the predominately white institutions because of the lack of state/federal funding and limited alumni donations. Due to that lack, campus infrastructure deteriorates, resources are limited, and scholarships become scarce.
But what if every graduate from every institution donated $100 per year? That would mean that each school would receive a minimum of $1,000,000 per year based on 10,000 graduates giving financially. Having that commitment annually from alums would definitely assist with securing a cushion for financial needs when the school has to allocate finances for campus emergencies and resources for the student. An HBCU Day of Giving should be held at least twice a year so that alumni from all schools can give to their institution of higher learning. A strong advertisement and support mechanism will surely grow the efforts of alums giving back.
Students gravitate to individuals who show genuine concern about their holistic growth. Just imagine having an entire campus who shared that same authenticity. Something I have seen and not heard is the poor customer service provided on many of our HBCU campuses. As higher education administrators, faculty and staff members, we must embrace the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as we would have them to do unto you.” I have always been an advocate for premium customer service being provided. The service that I provide trickles down to the service I receive, my family receives, etc. In others words it becomes a ripple effect. Sometimes, we lose students simply because of how they were treated at the institution. Whether it was an unanswered voicemail, email, or just no one answering the phone at all. Then there are those who have the “I’m too busy for you” expression on their face once a student walks into their office. Believe it or not we all get pre-occupied and busy on our campuses, but we can never get too busy for our core purpose which is the student.
It’s often said that retention is everybody’s business. Well, guess what? It is. From having a smiling face from the maintenance staff to having lunch with the president in the café. Every office on campus should have a welcoming atmosphere. It should be the campus that makes students want to come and learn. It should be the campus that once students graduate, they tell others about their great experience and why they too should attend. The students who graduate who are now alumni are your greatest marketing tool. Who can recruit better for you than those who have actually had a collegiate career with you?
Longevity with administration and not having consistent turn overs also makes a significant difference. An administration that had leadership for over 10 years or longer tends to have a stronger foundation and growth within the institution. A level of trust is established among the students, parents, and community when familiar faces are seen on a regular basis. Relationships grow when you have a team that grows with you and supports you. There are 10 HBCUs ranked as the top ten institutions among their sister schools. Why is that? It’s because of the consistency. There are a few that didn’t quite make the cut, but they have leaders in position that are striving to set the example for all HBCUs.
It boils down to making sure that those who have gained knowledge and growth from a HBCU take a stand and not let any of them fall due to a lack of funding, poor leadership, and not meeting students where they are. Step up and take a stand for our HBCU, your HBCU, by not allowing those to just establish a name for themselves but are actually there to carry on the traditions of these institutions in which they were founded. Our foreparents founded these colleges and universities so that we could dream, succeed, and give back. So, stop talking about it and become a part of the solution.
