Abstract
The paper focuses on presenting strategies about the problems that are present in the historically black colleges and universities. Strategies like funds allocation from the local public, training and development programs for the students and awareness campaigns for the student groups in the colleges and universities. Strategies for improving this situation are presented in the paper.
Introduction
The paper will be discussing about the problems associated with the historically black colleges and universities and how can proper strategies help these colleges in overcoming these issues. The most uncomfortable reality about these colleges that are known as historically black colleges and universities H.B.C.U.s were very popular and had monopoly. People wanted to enroll their children in these colleges and universities. But this is not a reality today because these colleges and universities are now struggling to compete with the elite universities of the world and the country.
The best universities among these universities are Howard that has struggled to maintain this position. They have recruited the best people from the world and recruited the best graduated for teaching their students. 60 % of the applicants from the world were recruited by Howard among these recruits the university took the best individuals who stood high on tests like SAT math and had reading scores higher than 1190. This can be taken an example to prosper in future and strategies for H.B.C.U.s can take lessons from them (Brooks and Stark, 2011).
The main concerns of these colleges and universities are not just about the quality of the education but also about the problems like drugs and Aids in these institutions. Lack of awareness and communication with the students has led to these big problems. Other concerns and issues regarding the criminal activities that are present among the students of these institutions will be discussed in this paper.
Problems Associated With These Colleges and Universities and strategies to resolve them
As discussed in the introduction these institutions face many problems that are developed because of some root issues that will be discussed in detail in this section. The biggest problem is about the federal loans that are presented to the students. Funding by the government is week or limited in this side. Allocation of the resources is not proper that can be explained as the main problem. Majority of the students of these institutions are dependent on the scholarship and merit based funding that is not present in these institutions.
The economic conditions of blacks in the region are not average and students that have the aim to attain higher education are left behind because of these issues. These students when not given proper attention can be distracted and develop habits that are not beneficial for future. Society as a whole can be affected when these young students are misguided and ways of crime are opened for them. When earning money become so easy by snatching, robbery and extortion these students get attracted towards these crimes and problems are created (Gault, 2014).
Mullins, 2013 has also discussed the issue of funding in these colleges as a major root cause of all the other problems that are associated with the Black colleges and universities. Problems like funding, management and recruiting are present that have lowered the reputation of these institutions. Parents are concerned about the reputation of these institutions because the future of their children is at stake. The biggest issue is both the recruitment of talented staff that is needed as professors and teachers in these colleges and universities. When the level of education is lowered down then the scores of the students will fall at a fast rate. It is stated that today less than 15% of the black class attends these institutions.
Experts agree that there is still hope for the black universities and colleges and they can serve as a potential resource of elements in boosting the economy of the country. Little attention towards this sector can help these students and institutions for the country. Education sector is a prominent factor of boosting economy of the country. Some changes are required by the government and the faculty of these institutions. They need to break some cracking eggs that are not beneficial for the future. When these elements are countered properly and given attention then these problems that are addressed above can be resolved (Anon, 2014).
New business model needs to be developed by these institutions. The major strategy that is needed for the development of a new business model is about the partnership with other institutions and sectors of the government. The problem of funds allocation can be resolved by following the recommended strategies. Proper attention can be taken from the investors towards this sector by following these strategies:
- Development of campaigns that portray the amount of efforts drawn by these colleges and universities. These campaigns must be conducted in the local area with using local citizens in the campaign. This will connect the public with these colleges and universities and they will start allocating the funds.
- Talent of the students of these colleges and universities must be depicted on public platforms. Students are talented at these colleges and universities and they can be compared with other students of white schools.
According to the trustees of the institution they believe that more than 3000 students are enrolled in these colleges that have no other resort so they get enrolled in these colleges. According to one of the board members of Howard tough strategic decisions need to be taken by the colleges to retain the position in the market along with upgrading the position.
Private donations for these colleges and universities have been an issue. According to a study the biggest problem was about the recession and its impacts on these black colleges which have in return received lowered or no funding from the government and private sector. The black colleges founded by the act HBCUs received far less amount of funds than other white schools and colleges that were developed at the same year and on the same act.
Without the funding the schools cannot go for the extracurricular activities like art, drama, music, sports etc. These activities are necessary for the development of the students. This development is stopped for black students because of the lack of financial resources at the institutions.
More than 16000 students at the school are forced to find some additional financial sources for the colleges so they can participate in the activities of the school and college. The students from these colleges and universities are coming from the families that have lower income and are struggling to strive in this tough economy (Cook, 2008). About 34% of the students attending the colleges of black are coming from a background that has low income. This is the major issue that is developing to grow as a serious issue in the institutions of the black market. The main element of biasness can be observed that is present in these institutions and can be observed by the allocation of the resources. The allocation of the resources in white schools and colleges can be seen clearly that is not fair. Private and government funding in the white colleges are much higher than that of black schools and colleges (Rivard, 2014).
The following strategies are used by the historically black colleges and universities that are explained under:
- Collaboration with 400 colleges and universities are conducted with the black colleges and universities. Students of the black colleges and universities are now being compared with other students of the white colleges and schools.
- Events are conducted like drama activities and sports events are conducted by the college officials so people can come and visit the site and education level of the black colleges and universities.
- Training and development programs for the faculty of these colleges are introduced. These training and development programs will make sure that new courses are added in the curriculum of these universities and colleges.
- Tests and courses that are being taught at other schools and colleges of the country will be taught to the students of black colleges.
- Skills that can be helpful for the students of these colleges and universities will be introduced in the curriculum for the development of the students.
Along with this soft skills can be introduced as a course for the students. These skills will not only help the students in developing the personalities, it will also help them in their personal lives. It can be observed that majority of the black students are from a poor background and have problems in their personal lives. Skills like communication and anger management can help them in their personal lives. These skills will groom their personalities and they will become an effective part of the society (Aldridge and Young, 2003).
The other problems like historic problems of the black are about the segregated higher education systems in the country. History serves and provides evidence that the allocation of resources in these areas of black has been biased and the quality and availability of the resources in the areas have always been poor. Academic facilities of these institutions have been poor from the beginning but the level of talent and hard work the faculty had drawn at that time made these colleges compete with other colleges and universities of the country but now that situation has changed. The salary pools of the teachers in these areas have been very poor because of the funds that are allocated by the government.
According to a study the graduates and other qualified professionals have been demanded by many sectors of the population and when these sectors demand some quality professionals they pay them with good salaries. When the professionals are given good salaries they do not like to come at the side of the teachings. Poor salaries of teachers have resulted in not attracting the best pool of candidates for these black colleges and universities (Brook, 2009).
Another problem that is present in these colleges and universities is about the growing HIV and AIDS in the students of the colleges and universities. The basic risky situation is present for the areas that are near the colleges and universities. The dieses are spreading in the locality. The main black population is having the dieses of HIV and AIDS and the main reason of this spread of virus is because of the lack of education and proper knowledge about the virus. Sexually transmitted dieses are common in these colleges and universities and reputed families are not willing to send their children to these colleges and universities (Martinique, 2006).
According to a research conducted the decision making process at these colleges and universities has been changed from the past. Respondents were used in the study to collect data about the impact of the current decision making process in the black colleges and universities. The results of the interviews concluded that previous decision making process that involved every stakeholder group in the process was efficient.
Results also indicated that the decision making process in the past was effective and it can be proved by looking at the statistics of the colleges and universities and number of students that were being enrolled in these colleges and universities. Objective of every stakeholder were fulfilled that developed the reputation of these institutions. This is not present in the current decision making process of the institutions (Dumas, et al. 2014). This can be taken as an example for developing the strategies for future.
Decision making process that involved every stake holder should be used in the current system of these institutions. Objectives of the parents of the children are about the safety and academic level of these institutions. Parents need to be communicated about the introduction of new courses and skill development programs for the students that will take these students to another level.
Another strategy for the students can be about the reviewing of the system of these institutions. Proper punishments and fines need to be introduced for illegal activities. Use of drugs and sexual matters need to be addressed clearly by the faculty of the colleges and universities. Students that are found with any illegal matter, weapon or dieses like AIDS will be dismissed by the location of the college and university. Punishments like these will develop a sense of fear among other students that will help in determining boundaries for other students. During the premises of the university no such activity explained above will be notified. Doctors will be hired in the faculty of these colleges and universities so they can give health elated information to these students along with check the status of every student.
For resolving the issues of AIDS the college faculty will develop programs for creating awareness among the students and the society. Campaign of AIDS will be developed by the students of these universities and will be publicized in different black colonies and areas. This will help in creating the brand image again and will develop a connection with the members of the society.
The awareness campaign will communicate about the consequences of this disease and how can this disease be prevented. Measures will be discussed with the students and course of awareness for these dieses will be introduced. Teachers will be given instructions that they need to highlight the key features of this dieses and how can this dieses be prevented. Students will be communicated by using the e-learning methods.
Collaborations with other universities and colleges will help the black colleges and universities in the following ways: students of both colleges and universities will interact with each other. This interaction will bring new competition among the two colleges. Extracurricular activities between the two different colleges and universities will develop the skills and talents of black college students. A level of competition will rise that will give birth to growing level of academic status. Students will feel confident and will want to prove themselves among other classes of the society. This will motivate the staff and the students of these colleges to increase the bar and level of courses that are being taught at these colleges and universities.
Conclusion
Apart from all the issues and problem like lack of funding opportunities and spreading of AIDS in black colleges and universities there is still hope that is present in the eyes of young students. Blacks have always been treated partially by the government of the country and other civil citizens but today the issue is racism is not present with that impact. People today do not consider black and white are different they consider them as the same citizen like white or other minorities of the country.
Apart from all these situations the paper will highlight several strategies that will be beneficial for these institutions for future. Hope is present for these institutions and with proper administration and efforts by the faculty of the institutions along with proper funding by the government can lead to develop the situation. The situation can be improved and this will be discussed in this paper. This can be taken as an opportunity and as an advantage by the black colleges and universities. Strategies are developed and presented in this paper that will help in resolving the issues. Funding from public institutions can be done and collaborations and partnerships with other schools and colleges can be done. This will help in determining about the level of education and courses that are conducted at other universities.
Addition of other courses in the curriculum and communication about the Dieses AIDS in these colleges and universities will surely help in eliminating these issues. This paper has detail analysis of the problems that are present in the black colleges and universities. Recommendations after conducting research of other schools and colleges are provided for the black colleges and universities so effective work can be done.
Reference
Aldridge, D., & Young, C. (2003). Out of the Revolution: The Development of Africana Studies. Lexington Books.
Brooks, F., & Starks, G. (2011). Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO.
Brook, R. (2009). Racial Justice in the Age of Obama. Princeton University Press.
Cook, D. (2008). An Analysis of Factors Associated with Historically Black Colleges and universities. ProQuest.
Dumas, B., Jones, C., Mbarika, V., Landor, J., & M. Kituyi, G. (2014). Decision-Making Practices of Presidents at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States of America. Global Advanced Research Journals, 3(3), 50-56.
Gault, C. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/education/edlife/a-historically-black-college-is-rocked-by-the-economy-infighting-and-a-changing-demographic.html?_r=0.
Mullins, D. (2013). Historically black colleges in financial fight for their future. Retrieved from http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/10/22/historically-blackcollegesfightfortheirfuture.html
Martinique, G. (2006). Utilizing student organizations at historically black colleges and universities in the rural south to facilitate hiv/aids education.
Rivard, R. (2014). Fighting for Survival. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/24/public-hbcus-facing-tests-many-fronts-fight-survival
Utilizing student organizatons at historically black colleges and universities in the rural south to facilitate hiv/aids education. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.campuspride.org/tools/outreach-to-historically-black-colleges-universities/
