The school has received a $50,000 grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation to provide Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarships to four students who are the first in their families to attend college.
Each student will receive $12,500 in scholarships over four years, according to a press release from the soft drink company.
The grant is part of $4.3 million in first-generation scholarships awarded this year by Coca-Cola.
The business and finance committee of the school’s board of trustees approved On Friday the 2013 fiscal budget, including the tuition increase.
“We did not want to increase, either,” Alabama A&M President Andrew Hugine told the trustees, who were reluctant to approve the increase. “But you’ll notice the increase is very, very small.”
Trustees asked if there wasn’t 5 percent elsewhere in the budget that could be cut to avoid a tuition increase.
“Can I find 5 percent in the operations that I don’t have to put this burden on students?” Norman Hill, chair of the business and finance committee, said the university administration should ask themselves.
The answer was a collective “no.”
It’s the third straight year Alabama A&M has raised tuition. However, the 5 percent spike is the smallest increase. In 2010, tuition jumped 23 percent. It rose 9 percent last year.
Hugine said the school has cut personnel extensively to reduce costs and was not in a position to make further cuts.
“We have reduced and reduced and reduced to the point right now where that, in physical education, they don’t have things to work with, like baseballs or footballs, because we have reduced so much in terms of operating expenses,” Hugine said.
The full board, which attended the finance committee meeting and heard the presentation, will make a final vote on the budget — including the tuition increase — at the June 22 meeting.
Finance director Ralph Johnson, in outlining the budget in committee meetings, pointed to several factors that contributed to the tuition increase. Alabama A&M’s state appropriations were cut 4 percent by the Legislature, Johnson said. Also, meetings with departments across campus put spending under scrutiny.
The tuition increase will bring an additional $1.6 million to the school, based on an enrollment of 5,000 students, Johnson said.
Hugine said all areas were in need.
“We have science classes that are lacking in the equipment they need. The question is, ‘How much can you continue to reduce and still offer a product at the university?'”
Hugine went on to say the 5 percent tuition increase was the “minimum we could do in order to be sure we continue to offer a quality program for the students at Alabama A&M University.”
Overall, Alabama A&M’s operating budget for 2013 rose 1.3 percent to $106.4 million. The 2012 budget is $105 million.
In other business, the board during a special-called meeting authorized the administration to take out a $3 million line of credit. It’s intended to help fill gaps between the school’s financial obligations and the receipt of state funds.
The trustees also heard a presentation of an audit of the school’s 2011 financial records. Alabama A&M received a clean audit from the firm of Banks, Finley, White & Co. The audit classified the school as a “low-risk auditee” that places Alabama A&M in a more competitive position to receive funding, auditors said.
“The university is trending in the right direction,” said Odysseus Lanier, president pro tem of the trustee board. “The cash balance is up and the expenses are going down.”
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1. Karen Allison of Elizabeth City, N.C. 2. Marceya Beale of Ahoskie, N.C. 3. Juanita Baum of Elizabeth City, N.C. 4. Gwendolyn Cooper of Edenton, N.C. 5. Tremmell Davis of Jacksonville, N.C. 6. Kawana Hall of Elizabeth City, N.C. 7. Tasheba Johnson of Elizabeth, City, N.C. 8. Nashauna Jackson of Elizabeth City, N.C. 9. Tiffany May of Elizabeth City, N.C. 10. Jasmine J. Moore of Charlotte, N.C. 11. Vanessa Parchment of Elizabeth City, N.C. 12. Nikia Reid of Elizabeth City, N.C. 13. Imani Shaw of Durham, N.C. 14. Sherry Schodt of Elizabeth City, N.C. 15. Felicia Smith – Fayetteville, N.C. 16. Alice Spragin of Elizabeth City, N.C. 17. Jasmine Spruill of Creswell, N.C. 18. Amber Stanley of Southern Shores, N.C. 19. Tiara Watford of Ahoskie, N.C.
The Pi Psi Chapter of Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work was established at ECSU on Feb. 15, 2010. In April 2010, the chapter held its first induction ceremony with 13 members. In April 2011, 21 new members were inducted. With this year’s induction of the 19 new members, ECSU has added a total of 53 students of excellence to the prestigious honor society in just three years.
The speaker for the induction ceremony was Dr. Velma B. Blackmon, director of the ECSU Honors Program. Advisors to the honor society chapter are Tommy Cox, lecturer, and Deborah Riddick, assistant professor, both in the social work program.
Officers for the 2011-2012 academic year: Selita Taylor-President Konstance Costen – Vice President Sandra Sawyer – Secretary Shanteessee Davender – Treasurer Karen Allison – Activities Coordinator Referenced from ECSU
In this video, join students and faculty as they discuss the highlights of their trip. Students learned how to enhance the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Washington Metropolitan area to do business internationally while also learning about international business opportunities. Faculty had the opportunity to further develop teaching and research skills.
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program was developed to initiate and enhance future business, trade, and cultural exchange opportunities between African Americans and students at Historically Black Institutions. The grant allows the students of Bowie State to learn more about international business while also providing the opportunity for the BSU business program to be internationalized. Referenced from BSUNews
The plan calls for Lincoln University to occupy the Gordon Education Center, which currently houses the Coatesville Area School District’s alternative education program. The company that operates the alternative education program will vacate the building in July of 2013. However, Lincoln University anticipates opening offices and offering select courses to area businesses in January of 2013, before taking complete control of the building at mid-year.
“We’re excited about it. It’s going to be a win-win for all of us,” said Jennings, who received a standing ovation upon announcing the plans. “It’s going to be a full-fledged campus. It’s going to have everything that the main campus has.”
Jennings says the Coatesville campus of Lincoln University will initially house three programs: a nursing program, the business and entrepreneurship program, and a hotel, restaurant, and tourism management program. Lincoln University also plans to offer continuing education courses at the Coatesville campus.
The two-day summit will focus on: Developing active, dynamic grassroots advocacy networks organized and led by primarily by people living with HIV & AIDS, their allies, and loved ones; Prioritizing HIV & AIDS advocacy and policy issues and developing plans that influence decision makers to implement effective strategies that lead to improving health outcomes, decreasing new HIV infections, and protecting the civil/social rights of people living with HIV & AIDS; Joining the ‘We Can End AIDS‘ mobilization at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC and creating local events that focus on front-burner HIV & AIDS issues; and Utilizing AIDSVote in Arkansas and the Southeast United States.
The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) is a diverse, exciting coalition of people living with HIV & AIDS, their advocates and their loved ones. The mission of the Campaign To End AIDS is to bring issues of those living with HIV/AIDS to the attention of those in power and demand that they exert the political will to help resolve them, and eventually work to stop the epidemic once and for all.
For more information about the summit or inquire about booth rentals, contact Letsie Bass at (870)575-7105 or bassl@uapb.edu.
The Staff Development Award is part of the annual Blackboard Catalyst Awards program. Recognized at both the program and individual level, winners are acknowledged for implementing effective and creative ways to support faculty that went beyond a help desk. Several of the highlighted programs shared and created course content for entire program usage, leveraged tools effectively to internally support programs and provided innovative training methods for faculty and staff. UDC was recognized for its robust and effective professional development efforts and attention to high quality standards for online course development.
The Blackboard Catalyst Awards program annually recognizes and honors innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where teachers and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology.
Dr. Harkness says “this award is a meaningful recognition to the hard work of the staff in the Center for Academic Technology and the faculty dedicated to distance education at the University of the District of Columbia.”
“We applaud the Blackboard Catalyst Award winners and their accomplishments,” said Ray Henderson, Chief Technology Officer and President of Academic Platforms for Blackboard. “Their work represents some of the most innovative thinking in education today, and offers great models for how technology can help shape an improved education experience. We congratulate the award winners for their leadership, creativity and passion that is clearly evident in their work.”
Dr. Harkness, who serves as Assistant Dean in UDC’s Center for Academic Technology, will be honored alongside other Blackboard Catalyst Award winners during BbWorld®, Blackboard’s annual user conference to be held in July in New Orleans, La.
Blackboard is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard’s solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online.
For a complete list of Blackboard Catalyst Award winners please visit: http://blackboard.com/catalyst
Oak Ridge Associated Universities selected UMES as its 27th minority institution at its annual meeting in March themed, “STEM Education—Making a Difference by Changing the Focus of the Conversation.” The consortium has worked for over 50 years to cultivate mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships involving academia, government and industry that will enhance the scientific research and education enterprise of our nation.
“Building institutional capacity through ‘smart partnerships’ can lead to advancements in science education and research,” Cathy Fore, director of collaborative initiatives in ORAU’s University Partnerships Office, said at a recent site visit to UMES. “Scientific collaboration leads to joint initiatives that are beneficial to all involved.”
As a nonprofit corporation, ORAU also manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for the U.S. Department of Energy. ORAU directly supports the energy agency’s national agenda and creates opportunities for collaboration through partnerships with other federal agencies, the academic community and industry. The Institute focuses on scientific initiatives to research health risks from occupational hazards, assess environmental cleanup, respond to radiation medial emergencies, support national security and emergency preparedness and educate the next generation of scientists.
Through Institute programs, Fore said, the ORAU supports the missions of filling the pipeline of future science and engineering leaders and increasing minority representation in science and engineering degree programs. ORAU is also a key partner with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, both located in Tennessee.
Dr. Ali B. Ishaque, associate professor of natural sciences at UMES and the university’s liaison to ORAU, will coordinate efforts by the university to take full advantage of what the consortium has to offer.
“Faculty and students can vie for and be awarded grants for travel to federal facilities to conduct research among scientists, participate in summer internships and other opportunities,” Ishaque said. “Faculty development and research collaboration is also a part of membership in ORAU.”
For UMES, membership also means another step toward receiving Carnegie re-classification of the university from a master’s focused institution to that of a doctoral research university.
“It is a prestigious designation,” Ishaque said. “It demonstrates to the academic community that each year the institution is engaged in research activity that produces and sustains the awarding of significant numbers of doctoral research degrees across disciplines.” Read Full
Despite darkness, potential instability of buildings and crowd-control challenges, the emergency official promised rescue workers, first responders and security personnel will remain on site looking for more people from the plane and surrounding area.
“We will not leave until every body is recovered,” Sidi said.
The Dana Air flight from Abuja crashed at 3:43 p.m. (10:43 a.m. ET) into a building in the Iju Ishaga neighborhood just over 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north from the edge of the city’s airport, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
Sidi said that one building was “totally destroyed,” though several others in the densely populated area were affected as well. The state-run Voice of Nigeria news organization reported that a manufacturing building, a block of six apartments and a church suffered at least some damage.
Fires broke out in at least three buildings after the crash, said Labaran Ahmed, a rescue officer with the national emergency agency.
“There were so many people, you had to push through people to walk,” recalled Pearl Ezeokeke, who was at the scene.
Even nine hours after the plane slammed into the earth, Sidi described “crowd control (as a) big challenge.” But by 1:30 a.m. Monday, the Nigerian official insisted the situation was “all controlled” and that the greatest difficulty then was sifting through the heavy debris.
Femi Green-Adebo described how, in the middle of an otherwise nice Sunday afternoon, he heard a “loud explosion” and then ran outside and saw “smoke.”
‘It was so hot, we couldn’t get close,” he told CNN iReport. ‘I just kept thinking about the people, if there as anyone in there.’
The fires made it difficult for people to see what was happening, as well as to breathe. Orange flames shot up in spots as late as 7 p.m. Sunday. Five hours later, Sidi said fires were no longer burning and the scene was under control.
“There was … so much (smoke) that, my eyes, I couldn’t see beyond where I was standing,” Ilori Olayide told CNN.
Amongst the crowd of civilians, witnesses reported seeing police, firefighters and security personnel. Patrick Abbah, from the national emergency management agency, said, “Everybody is present — it’s all hands on deck.”
A statement from his office noted that the incident came the same day that two church bombings in northern Nigeria killed at least 15 people and wounded 38 others, according to Red Cross spokesman Andronicus Adeyemo.
“President Jonathan assures air travelers in the country that every possible effort will be made to ensure that the right lessons are learned from the tragic loss of valuable lives in today’s plane crash and that further measures will be put in place to boost aviation safety,” the statement from Jonathan’s office said.
Airplane disasters are nothing new for Nigeria. The deadliest came in July 1991, when all 261 on board a Nigerian Airways airliner died after its landing gear caught fire shortly after takeoff in Saudi Arabia en route to Nigeria, and the plane went down. About 225 people were killed in two crashes that occurred within two months of each other in late 2005.
And on Saturday, a Boeing 727 cargo plane operated by Nigerian-based Allied Air took off from Lagos and landed at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. But it didn’t stop on the runway, barreling through a fence and onto a street, where it hit a passenger bus and killed 10 people, officials said. Ghana Aviation Authority sources said they suspect brake failure may have contributed to that crash.
Dana Air, the airline behind the flight involved in the next day’s crash, began operations in November 2008. The company has since become “one of Nigeria’s leading airlines,” according to its website.
While no specifics have been released about the plane that crashed, Dana Air said its fleet consists of Boeing MD-83 aircraft. Boeing’s website notes that such planes can carry between 155 and 172 passengers, cover up to 2,504 nautical miles and have a fuel capacity of 7,000 gallons. Read More CNN
Tuskegee University President Gilbert L. Rochon praised the addition to the campus, and said the building is part of the university’s ongoing efforts to help improve agricultural studies and the livelihoods of farmers in the Black Belt region. He mentioned recent groundbreakings on the Black Belt Family Farm Fruit and Vegetable Marketing and Innovation Center in Selma, Ala., and the Carver Integrative Sustainability Center on campus.
“We’re privileged with this triad of facilities that all have a link with agriculture. All have a link to science and have a link with the new Ph.D. program in agricultural and environmental engineering,” Rochon said.
The building is expected to be completed by May 2013. The architects are Turner Associates of Atlanta and the builders are Brasfield and Gorrie, also of Atlanta. The project manager for the building construction is C&R. The project is estimated to cost more than $13 million and the LEED-certified building will also feature many energy-efficient mechanical and plumbing elements such as a rainwater harvesting system that will collect water for landscape irrigation and motion sensors that turn off lights when rooms are not in use.
The building will have state-of-the-art technology features such as data connections and wireless Internet throughout the building, and rooms with video conferencing capabilities. Also, the building will have “super labs” that can accommodate up to 48 students at the same time.
“We’re in the construction phase of one of the most creative and innovative science buildings that has been designed by our firm in the last 35 years,” said alumnus Cubell Bain of Turner Associates.
The building is named after the late James Henry Meriwether Henderson, a Tuskegee professor and administrator who spent more than 50 years at the university. He came to Tuskegee in 1945 and taught botany and plant physiology. He also served as head of the biology department, chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and director of the Carver Research Foundation. Henderson died in 2009.
The ceremony was moderated by Walter A. Hill, dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences. The program included remarks from former students of Henderson such as Louis Maxwell, Macon County Commission chairman; and retired Maj. Gen. Charles E. Williams, chair of the university’s board of trustees. Henderson’s widow and members of his extended family were also present at the ceremony.
One of Henderson’s four children, Edwin B. Henderson II of Falls Church, Va., shared some memories of his father’s attention to detail and dedication to science and serving his community.
“I am sure this will be an example and a symbol of his life here at Tuskegee,” Henderson said about the project. Referenced from Tuskegee
Virginia State University (VSU) has entered into an agreement with Charles City County and the city of Franklin public schools to offer college courses to juniors and seniors at Charles City High School and Franklin High School. These localities represent the eighth and ninth city or county system with which VSU has signed a concurrent enrollment agreement.
Under the terms of the program, qualified high school students may enroll in university courses through VSU. The courses will be taught at high schools, but course curricula, syllabi and tests will be identical to those used at VSU. Grades earned will be considered dual credit for high school and VSU. Should the high school students matriculate to VSU, their transcripts will reflect both the college credits and earned grade point average.
Concurrent enrollment students, and their teachers, are encouraged to utilize VSU resources and facilities. Students will be issued VSU identification cards so they can access the University’s library and laboratories. Some classes and tutorial sessions will be held on campus and VSU faculty will assist high school faculty in teaching the courses.
There is currently no tuition charge to the students taking concurrent enrollment courses. Textbooks are usually purchased by the high school system hosting the classes. Through the program, students typically enter college with close to a semester’s worth of credits, resulting in savings of several thousand dollars.
In addition to Charles City and Franklin, VSU has concurrent enrollment agreements with Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex counties and the cities of Petersburg and Richmond. The university is pursuing similar initiatives with school systems in Hampton Roads.
“These partnerships epitomize ‘win-win’ collaborations between secondary schools and higher education,” said VSU President Keith T. Miller. “They allow high school students to get a leg up on their college education, both academically and economically. Meanwhile, VSU is able to share its human resources and technology with our public schools. Regardless of whether the high school student ultimately enrolls at VSU, he or she is more prepared for success at the college level.”
“We welcome Dr. Thompson to this new role and believe that he has the expertise to help us fulfill our goals for the College of Pharmacy,” said FAMU Provost Larry Robinson, who also serves as vice president for Academic Affairs. “Through the years, Dr. Thompson has played a major role in making pharmacy a flagship program for this campus, the state, nation and world. We have great expectations.”
Thompson has worked in COPPS since 1981 when he was hired as an assistant professor of pharmacy practice. He was promoted to associate professor in 1987 and became a full professor in 2001. In 1996, he became assistant dean for Clinical Affairs. In this position, Thompson provided leadership and administrative oversight for the pharmacy practice division instructional centers in Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Tallahassee.
“I am delighted and honored to be the dean of the illustrious College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,” said Thompson. “We will continue to provide an atmosphere of academic excellence, research superiority and service, which is the focus of our mission.”
Thompson’s research has focused on HIV therapeutic management and he has made more than 100 presentations at professional meetings on the topic.
He has received several awards including the Clinician of the Year award from the Florida Pharmacy Association in 2005. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he earned the bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and the PharmD.
He starts his tenure as dean on June 8, 2012, at a salary of $175,000. Referenced from FAMU
The Rangel Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who seek careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. The Fellowship will provide each recipient with approximately $90,000 in benefits over a two-year period to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs.
The award recipients were: Kelly McCray, a native of Decatur, Georgia, who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2009 with bachelor’s degrees in English and Greek; Charlotte Young, a Columbia, S.C.-native, who graduated from the School of Communications in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism; and Sheena Hall, of Richmond, Indiana, a May 2012 candidate for a bachelor’s degree in political science.
As part of the Rangel program, the recipients will work for members of Congress on issues regarding foreign affairs this summer. In the summer of 2013, the fellows will receive overseas assignments from the U.S. Department of State. They will work in a U.S. Embassy to get hands-on experience with U.S. foreign policy. Upon completion of the fellowship, the three will become U.S. diplomats.
“We are thrilled to have Charlotte, Kelly and Sheena join the program,” said Patricia Scroggs, director of the Charles B. Rangel program. “Each has demonstrated impressive achievements in their academic careers at Howard University. I have no doubt that they will excel in graduate school and make important contributions to promoting global peace and prosperity as U.S. diplomats.”
Kelly McCray was a Laureate scholarship recipient at Howard University, president of the Sterling Allen Brown English Society, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. During the fall of 2007 she studied abroad in South Africa, and during the summer of 2008 she was a participant in the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program. In 2009, Kelly was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in Chiang Rai, Thailand. After completing her Fulbright Scholarship, she remained in Thailand for an additional year and a half working as a public relations and information officer at Mae Fah Luang University. Read Full
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — At the conclusion of its Thursday evening (May 24, 2012) dinner celebrating the 11-year presidency of Ruth J. Simmons, the Corporation of Brown University made public a recent resolution: The section of Brown’s original 1770 Providence Campus once known as the “lower campus” or Lincoln Field will “be henceforth and in perpetuity known to all as The Ruth J. Simmons Quadrangle.”
“The last eleven years have been a remarkable time of change for Brown. So much has happened during this decade plus, and throughout it all the constant has been the exacting, inspiring, and inspired leadership of our president,” said Brown Chancellor Thomas J. Tisch as he prepared to read the Corporation’s resolution. “The wisdom, the compassion, the integrity, the work ethic, and the vision that the 30 members of the search committee saw in her in 2000 has been a blessing for all things Brown. Ruth, we will be in your debt for many years to come.”
The Corporation chose the lower campus for its celebratory dinner and as an appropriate honor for President Simmons because it has important historic and symbolic significance. All four academic disciplines have facilities on Simmons Quadrangle: physical sciences (planetary geology, Lincoln Field Building), social sciences (sociology, Maxcy Hall), arts and humanities (Leeds Theatre, Ashamu Dance Studio), and life sciences (Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Metcalf Lab). It is bounded to the west by Sayles Hall, site of many historic occasions including Simmons’s introduction as 18th president-elect, and to the east by Soldiers Arch. It is also one of the two parcels of land that formed the original College Hill campus in 1770. Read Full
The City of Winston-Salem has valued the 17,000-seat stadium at $10 million. WSSU officials said the student fee increase would raise $7.5 million over the next 20 years.
The increase would add another $110 to the bill of full-time students, raising total student fees to $2,100 a year.
“We can’t go to the state and say, ‘Would you buy us a football stadium?’ It has to come from auxiliary sources, and those sources have historically been student fees,” said Owen Cooks with WSSU.
A bill that would authorize the stadium’s purchase is currently heading through the General Assembly. If passed, a deal could be ready to be signed by the fall.
The student fee increase would be implemented this fall as well.
For the neediest students, university officials said it would provide financial aid to pay the student fee.
Besides being the home for WSSU football, it is also home to the longest-running weekly races in NASCAR.
Regardless of who owns the stadium, racing will continue at Bowman Gray for the duration of a 20-year lease, which was signed in December.
Race promoters said they don’t plan on charging parking fees to cover the proposed sale.
Read more: wxii12
