SECTOR NEWS
Bloomberg is giving Johns Hopkins $150 million to diversify science PhD programs
Now, because of a $150 million gift from Mike Bloomberg announced Tuesday, the private research university based in Baltimore plans to expand access to PhD programs in science, technology, engineering, and math. The money will fund a recruiting and talent-development initiative targeting students in the STEM fields from historically Black colleges and other minority-serving institutions. (Washington Post)
Higher Education Leadership Foundation announces 12th institute founded to strengthen HBCU leadership pipeline
The Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.) announces its 12th Inspire Institute—the Lambda Mu Cohort, which prepares higher education administrators for service at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The four-day Institute begins Thursday, June 3, and will convene through Sunday, June 6, on the campus of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. This is convening combines the 11th Inspire Institute—the Lambda Cohort which was rescheduled due to COVID-19 and the Summer 2021 Institute.
Over 40 executives and higher ed administrators from institutions across the country will participate in the Inspire Institute. The institute focuses on ethos in leadership, crisis management, executive presence, the executive search process, higher education finance, and strategic planning from current and former HBCU presidents. (HELF)
HBCUs battle multimillion-dollar backlogs as Congress debates help
To help universities catch up, a bipartisan group of lawmakers recently began work on the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. Still under development, the legislation would assist HBCUs in securing both public and private funding for repairs, renovations, and equipment procurement. North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams is among the sponsors.
N.C. A&T’s director of planning, design, and construction, Bill Barlow, said trying to secure funding for infrastructure projects is not as easy as finding a new building.
“The projects that we’re talking about, they aren’t pretty projects,” he said. “When someone is riding around campus and if there’s $50 million in our infrastructure system, folks don’t see it.” (Spectrum News)
Inside the attempt to rebuild the MEAC
The future of the MEAC has been a hot topic in HBCU sports for years, especially in the last 18 months. With three schools leaving the conference in July, the 50-year-old league is trying to keep things in place.
As has often been the case in the conference’s history, it is looking at Division II HBCUs to push forward.
The league has two of them – one from the CIAA and the other from the SIAC — in its sights. Both Kentucky State and Virginia State have looked into the possibility of moving up to Division I and the MEAC. It also has another school that is already Division I that allegedly wants in very badly. (HBCU Gameday)
INDUSTRY NEWS
Report: US loses $956 billion every year due to inequality in education (Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce)
Ten things you should know about the new $39.6 billion in higher education relief funding (Forbes)
State auditor: Calbright has to get better or shut down (Cal Matters)
As university campuses reopen, remote work could take many forms (EdScoop)
