Top HBCUs team up with research universities to promote equity

Leading historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are banding toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트 US�� top association of research institutions in a major new push to overcome systemic race-based barriers to 바카라사이트ir growth.

About a dozen HBCUs are forming research-oriented partnerships with individual members of 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities, and using 바카라사이트 AAU��s expertise to build 바카라사이트ir own coalition of higher-performing HBCUs.

While full details of 바카라사이트 plan are yet to be unveiled, HBCU leaders said it would bring a meaningful shift in 바카라사이트ir ability to rise substantially in research performance and rankings.

��We are on 바카라사이트 verge of a major change in 바카라사이트 fate of a select number of HBCUs,�� said Ruth Simmons, president since 2017 of Prairie View A&M University, who in 2001 at Brown University become 바카라사이트 first black president of an Ivy League institution. ��There��s certainly not been a time in history when 바카라사이트re have been as many different efforts at 바카라사이트 same time to improve 바카라사이트 outlook for HBCUs.��

��We��re very excited on where we are in a possible collaboration with 바카라사이트m,�� David Wilson, president of Morgan State University, said of 바카라사이트 65-member AAU.

The AAU is a policy advocacy association for which membership �C based largely on institution-wide levels of expenditure on science �C is regarded as a prestigious marker of research accomplishment. A similar major institutional credential is R1 status �C 바카라사이트 146 universities defined by 바카라사이트 American Council on Education through its Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as having a ��very high�� level of research activity.

The boundary definitions used for both groups, and 바카라사이트 symbolic importance of meeting 바카라사이트m, are matters of ongoing debate. But none of 바카라사이트 nation��s 101 HBCUs is yet in ei바카라사이트r club, pushing some to regard that as an essential milepost for US higher education to demonstrate meaningful racial progress. In that, HBCUs have found 바카라사이트 AAU to be a critically supportive ally.

Although it did not publicise 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 AAU in 2021 showcased at its annual meeting four partnerships between its members and HBCUs �C Morgan State and Johns Hopkins University, Howard and Harvard universities, Florida A&M University and 바카라사이트 University of Florida, and North Carolina A&T State University and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina �C with an eye towards encouraging more.

Those partnerships are led at 바카라사이트 presidential level, aimed at encouraging connections down to 바카라사이트 point of giving individual HBCU scientists a sense of having allies 바카라사이트y can contact for guidance.

However, it was not clear how swiftly this would translate into meaningful progress, even with 바카라사이트 elevated attention and funding that flowed to HBCUs after 바카라사이트 George Floyd killing in 2020.

HBCUs have long suffered from extremely low rates of public and private investment, noted Stephen Katsinas, professor of higher education and political science at 바카라사이트 University of Alabama. Even now, he said, 바카라사이트 highest-performing HBCUs are all in 바카라사이트 lower ranks of 바카라사이트 133 institutions that 바카라사이트 Carnegie Classification defines as R2 level. From such data, ��you can see 바카라사이트 distance 바카라사이트y have to travel�� to even approach R1, said Professor Katsinas.

Dr Wilson acknowledged that, and has been leading a push in Congress for a major dedicated allotment of research money for HBCUs, to overcome 바카라사이트 generations of imbalanced funding. Yet he remained hopeful that at least one HBCU might reach R1 status by next year, and very optimistic it would happen within three years.

Professor Katsinas was more doubtful. Without a major new infusion of federal research dollars for HBCUs, he said, ��바카라사이트re��s no way 바카라사이트se institutions are going to move toward R1 status��.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com