Bossip | Gossip for the Hardcore | Black Celebrity & Entertainment News

education reform and easier state/fed assistance. not to mention HBCU’s need better instructors.

I didn’t go to an HBCU, but it’s still sad to hear about the situation

Well this would be a far cry for the correct appropriation of stimulus money, but certainly a deserving cause.

I know that Tom Joyner is doing his part, but a lot of alumni need to start digging in their pockets, myself included.

The Talented Tenth could afford to have better memories of their School Daze. Too many of us start making dough and forget all about the struggle.

oooh. 1st.
Now back to my soap box. HBCU’s need to get more/better assistance from government. They need to attract bettor instructors/professors which means they need to provide better compensation for those that choose to become faculty at HBCU’s. HBCU’s need to work very hard at remaining accredited. There is a ton more shit they can do to remain viable educational institutions but frankly after getting my degree from one, I put the place far behind me.

And I don’t know about all of the HBCUs, I’m really just an expert on one: The Mecca.

Howard Unversity has some of the best professors in the game. The cosmopolitan city of DC keeps the big names happy, and I believe that is the major difference for the Bison.

^^^^ Tru Dat @ DICooper

Yes it has happened to me … and a friend..DARN YOU SCHOOLS AND LOANS AND AMERICA!!! wE CANT GET IN TO SCHOOL CAUSE OF MONEY!!!

Yeah, not all HBCU’s produce alum that can afford to give back to the institutions.
Sadly, more than a few may have to close. In order to keep most of them up, it’s going to take a concerted effort from some of the more successful HBCU’s possibly loaning the small institutions instructors or money in order to remain competitive or some type of government incentives to teach at those troubled institutions.

Wow!! I attended an HBCU (UAPB) It’s sad to see that these institutions are having these struggles. The experience of going to an HBCU has it’s up’s and down’s but I’m not going to elaborate and crank up any arguments. I hope things get better

Proud graduate of a HBCU (Xavier University of Louisiana- #1 in placing African American Students into Medical Schools and #1 in producing African Americans with degrees in the Physical Sciences ((sorry for the promo lol)) ).

I support HBCU’s and I hope that all schools public and private can pull through this w/o having to make drastic changes that will hurt the schools in the long run.

I aint surprised, some HBCU’s dont handle their funds correctly. I know I went to one. To those who are a victim of the times, I am sorry, but other money loitering HBCU’s got what they had coming…

Its the same in the UK after our greedy incompetent politicians make us pay. So then they have to bus in graduates when they have wasted resourses (uneducated citizens).

@ jena

How true, I was shocked at how many faculty members have been removed for skimmin of the top at my former school

I am a Freshman at Hampton University and yea it ain easy.. Im sittin here now tryna figure how imma get here next year. It would be greatly appreciated if we as students could get support from other sources…

I went to an HBCU. I would be crushed if this recession takes a heavy toll on HBCU’s.

This a highly unfortunate situation for these students. I’m hoping that this will not ruin their pursuits of ultimately attaining diplomas. As a new parent I started stacking money away for my son as soon as he was born 6 months ago just because of the rising case in intuition. Well to the students that is on this thread best of luck and stay focused.

I’m thinking that this is the only thing worth posting about today.

*rising cost in tuition.*

It is time for these Universities to reinvest back into their university and tap the alumni base for more funds.

The alumni base is saying just show me where you are using the funds.

CAU CHARGE TOO DAMN MUCH FOR NOTHING. I KNOW PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WENT TO CLARK AND THEY DIDNT GET ANYTHING BUT A HUGE BILL AND NO JOB. SOME EVEN MODEL T-SHIRTS FOR BOSSIP. LOL. ITS REDICULOUS YOU CAN GO TO A BLACK SCHOOL IF YOU WANT BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY LIKE ALOT OF MY GOOD FRIENDS TOLD ME YOU GET BEAT OUT OF A JOB BY ANOTHER PERSON BLACK OR WHITE WHO WENT TO A MIXED SCHOOL. I FEEL THEIR PAIN BUT THE SCHOOL ISNT AFFORDABLE AT ALL.

I attended a HBCU and loved it. It serves its purpose for our community its soo sad to read this.

These institutions should step their game up. Then they wouldn’t have these problems. I thankfully did not attend an HBCU!

I went to Penn state which is obviously not a HBCU, I know the main reason they don’t lose any money is because 1. tuition is risen every year (which is why a lot of the minority students i started with didn’t graduate and ended working after freshman or sophmore yr) and 2. their alumni donate a hell of a lot of money. Now I know that not all HBCU’s always produce the millionaires, but every little bit helps. I know since I graduated, I get at least 3 calls a semester from PSU asking for money or some fundraiser. They also have a banging Alumni association, with chapters all over the U.S. I think they also need to work on their image, because I know a lot of the minority students that went to school with me didn’t go to an HBCU b/c of “what looks better on paper” Sad but true. W/ the exception of Howard, a lot of students get turned off of HBCU’s b/c they want to have a better chance in the workworld. Myself included, I always wanted to go to an HBCU, but got shut down by my parents b/c they wanted what looked better on paper for me. Don’t get me wrong tho, I LOVE my Penn State, I bleed that Blue and White!

hbcus….thats nigga shit.
thats not the way of the world people.

I am also a proud alum of Fisk University, which produces more Black PH.Ds than any university in the country

We unfortunately have been hit hard by this recession/depression. But like 143 years before, Fisk University is managing to survive.

HBCUs are important to the history of this country and provide an opportunity for a great education.
I don’t think HBCUs brag about ourselves enough so I don’t think people are aware of how much we mean to the development of the Black Middle and upper class.

Fisk is a private school, which means we don’t get a lot of government assistance. We depend on corporate grants and alumni giving. And the school is VERY expensive. I don’t know what it is now but it was $24,000/ year when I was in school and a most of the students pay with loans and scholarships.
But the education was invaluable. And I consider myself a success and very lucky to have been blessed to be a Fiskite. Alumni who have also been hit hard, have to dig deep an realize we are what we are and have what we have, thanks to the education we recieved at our HBCUs. GIVE, GIVE, GIVE!

Outside of Howard, Hampton, Spelman, FAMU, Fisk, Xavier, and Morehouse (and I’m not even impressed by these schools but at least they have strong recruiters come to campus)…I don’t see why HBCU’s exist, honestly the level of talent they let in is minimal and the return on investment isn’t that great, black students would do just as well going to some no-name, non-competitive mainstream university than going to a no-name, non-competitive HBCU. It’s 2009, not only do I feel these institutions are no longer necessary, but I also feel they hamper students’ abilities more than aid

I too, attended an HBCU and I have had my shares of ups and downs too (Im sure we can all tell some stories) but the problem here lies on several reasons but Im going to go with my main two.

1) Compared to larger institutions who receive large donations from their alumni, HBCU’s often fail at this. Some HBCU’s look toward key African American figures (Oprah, The Johnson Family, etc.) to literally help bail them out (often times, at the LAST minute). They try to match the money and most times fail in doing so. HBCU’s should look at other resources in bringing in more money through corporations (big and small) and branch out.

2) Now, with that said, I too have seen where faculty (even at my school) have skimmed funds from the school. I saw it with my own eyes while I was an undergraduate and I agree with Jena4rmthablock, bg and Mr. Cool (previous posts above). I can speak for myself and say that I often wonder where the funds from alumni and donors are being used. I work hard and would love to put money back into the Chemistry department (I was a chemistry major and we needed new equipment, lol!) but its sad when you know that funds will not be used accordingly.

After graduating from a non-HBCU I can attest that white schools are completely overrated and expensive. The professors are arrogant as hell in additon to the student body thinking your on a sports scholarship. I went to a HBCU my freshman year, but transferred for financial reasons only; I learned more from my professors and admin the first year than the remaining three at the white school. A few Black students sprinkled around campus means nothing to me. My top ranked white school did’nt propel my decorated resume to the front of the HR line by any means, Black is Black.If you think employers care about where you graduated from think again, it doesn’t matter. Support our HBCU’s $50 a month won’t kill ya pockets.

They should consolidate the HBCU’s. They would still serve their purpose if there were 50, one in every state, instead of 180 located mainly in the south.

To the person who said CAU charges alot for nothing, I’m a proud CAU grad- 3 years out of school and I’m doing pretty well for myself. I can say the same for a majority of my friends who also graduated from CAU. Perhaps if your friends paid attention in class, actually absorbed the knowledge being given to them as opposed to being eye candy for online gossip sites then they would have jobs too.

I didn’t attend a HBCU, but I always support their efforts to maintain a level of education that seeks to empower and create successful black men and women..Anyone that thinks that they are not on level with other institutions is pretty un-intelligent. Before blacks WERE ALLOWED TO attend Universities, Morehouse, Spellman and Howard (the black man’s Harvard) were the TOP schools in the country. I think we are richer and more diverse in having them…this too, leads to the organiztions of service (read blk fraternities and sororities) that help the local community but also support people trying to do more for themselves….

It’s a shame, that so many have swallowed the lie, of trying to get rid of and erase our institutions, that have lasted throughout the centuries….

they do need to update their funding and it needs to come from more than just Oprah or Bob Johnson…

BTW: “Bob Johnson”-(who I might add is an embarrassment to our race, I will NEVER forgive him for putting Barack on blast about drug use and trying to destroy Obama, in his quest to back Hillary.. with his modern day minstrel version of what black women and men should be- drug dealers and loose women, naked of course, dancing and shaking it to the videos:()….

@i dont care
“but I also feel they hamper students’ abilities more than aid”
And you know this how?

Of course I totally disagree.
I do agree that ALL (Black and White) colleges let in subpar students and make it too easy for people who aren’t college material.
White schools do it to fill a quota and get funding. Black schools do it because its necessary to provide the opportunity when no one else wil.

But among those are high caliber African American students. I was a National merit scholar and high SATs and after visiting Spelman, Tuskegee and several PWI (who offered me full rides unlike the HBCUs). I selected Fisk (a school I initially knew little about) after careful research.

I also feel like HBCUs KNOW that may public and inner-city high schools are subpar and give opportunities for talented students or students with potiential who would not get the opportunity AND support at a PWI.

At my small university, the professors were careful to let me know that in the technology field, I had to be prepared and because I was a woman and black I had to be doubly prepared and they were hard on me. And I was ready when I graduate to take on the world.
Would I have gotten that at a PWI? No.
And I take pride in making sure that another brother or sister has that same support and that same push I got.

All these institutions provide EDUCATION. And who would want to limit anyones opportunity to have an education, whether you care or not, or whether you think they are necessary are not?

If it wasn’t for HBCUs the poverty rate and earning potiential of African Americans would be even worse than it is now. How soon people forget….

Another day, another problem with a black college, I graduated from (SSU) Savannah State University and my brothers went to SCSU(South Carolina State University) and I would never let any of my kids go through with what we went through, Case closed

@blackonit!!!!-”hbcus….thats nigga shit.
thats not the way of the world people.”
________________________________________

your comment is in insult and I think you were refering to yourself, when you stated that’s “nigga shit”. Who are you to make such idotic comments? THEY WERE AND STILL ARE NECESSARY.

I wonder if you even, graduated from ANY school? I doubt it, especially from your lame comment:) So you probably wouldn’t see te stupidity of your comment. We need to preserve our institutions. Not all of us, want to be overcharged trying to run to Yale, Harvard or Columbia. Yes, the degress are worth more, if you make it through…However, I believe that you are more likely to graduate without owing so much in student loans and still can work in any field, at a higher level and they prepare you for dealing with those who often overlook us, when it comes to talent, education or just the fact that our skin has pigmentation, who also want the opportunity to limit our success…
There’s an underground too, you can still be quite influential and successful, in whatever walk of life that you may choose..

Yes, the need for HBCU colleges, will ALWAYS exist…

And thank God for that:)!

@ Pooty tang

Seems like you may have went to one of the smaller one’s as did I. One of the most frightening things that happens at these schools is what I like to call the “Homeboy System” which starts with placing under-qualified people in high postions because they have a long tenure at the school or may be classmates with other faculty, while in turn running out people who are really help the students get ahead in life. Change is like the plague in some situations and good people end up at larger institutions because that can’t take it even tho they love what their doing.

And you are so right about waiting till the last minute to ask for assistance when these problems have been coming to a head for months.

OK, there is a lot of HBCU haters out there. I was happy to attend a school where almost everyone looked like me and had the same goals. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college and still am to this day. I graduated over 10 years ago (wow). Whomever said that we don’t give back to our schools after graduation was correct. I am still paying student loans to this day, over $21K still due. How can I afford to give to the Alumni Association when I have the actual education to still pay for. When I pay that off, then I can give back.

@Hampton Grad
“I was happy to attend a school where almost everyone looked like me and had the same goals.”

EXACTLY! Folks don’t understand how important this fact is. Especially for kids who were made to feel like their were nerds or wierd for wanting to achieve and aim high. Another mentality we have to change in our community. But that’s another subject…

I agree with sdot. We do not give back to our HBCU’s once we’ve graduated. That’s how these majority-white institutions thrive mostly-ALUMNI SUPPORT! With the exception of Howard(The Black Harvard)and a few others, our HBCU’s do not get the million dollar grants from Microsoft, General Electric, etc. As Sallie Mae stated, if you could give $50.00 a month it will help. The majority of our people do attend HBCU’s and if they all fall on hard times we’re in trouble.

BTW, that “N” word comment was just a show of ignorance and proving the fact that we need these HBCU to teach respect of our culture and our people. You are truly ignorant. You probably no doubt said that to get responses….well, it worked. GO TO SCHOOL. Maybe $6/hour is all you you can accomplish right now..comment on HBCU’s when you’re earning over $60K, HOLLA!!

@CAU Panther

To the person who said CAU charges alot for nothing, I’m a proud CAU grad- 3 years out of school and I’m doing pretty well for myself. I can say the same for a majority of my friends who also graduated from CAU. Perhaps if your friends paid attention in class, actually absorbed the knowledge being given to them as opposed to being eye candy for online gossip sites then they would have jobs too.

—
FOR YOUR INFORMATION THEY DID PAY ATTENTION AND THE ONES THAT ARE EYE CANDY OR NEXT TOP MODLES WERENT THERE FOR THE EDUCATION. WE ALL KNOW THAT. IM TALKING ABOUT THE MANY WHO GRADUATED OUT OF MASS COMM AND BUSINESS SCHOOLS THAT WHEN THEY LEFT OUT GOT BEAT OUT BY SOME KID WHO WENT TO WHITE SCHOOLS . YOU MAY BE A EXCEPTION BUT HOW MANY OF YOU ARE THERE? WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS WHO WERE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE WHO DONT GET THE JOB CAUSE A KID BLACK OR WHITE WENT TO GA TECH. WAKE UP! THERE IS COMPITIION OUT HERE AND BLACK SCHOOLS DONT REALLY PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THAT. WHEN YOU LEAVE THERE AND GO TO WORK YOUR BACK TO BEING A MINORITY SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL COMPETE WITH THEM WHERE THEY GO. SOME TEACHERS IN HBCU’S ARE JUST AS ARROGANT AS THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS MAYBE WORSE. THE REALITY IS HBCU’S ARE A INCUBATED RATIONALE OF WHAT LIFE REALLY IS. FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE I KNOW WHO WENT TO CAU LEARNED HOW TO HUSTLE. ITS NOT A GOOD OR A BAD THING BECAUSE SOME NOW ARE SUCCESSFULL BUT I ALWAYS ASK THEM “COULDNT YOU HAVE GONE TO GA STATE AND GRADUATE AND BE EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL AND MOST OF THE TIME THEY SAY YES. CAUSE CAU HAD SO MANY DISTRACTIONS”. IM JUST SPEAKING FROM ANOTHER POV

their student loans are a big joke, thats why the middle and lower class are not enrolling in schools.

i bet the two year colleges are doing alright though

Aww, I feel really sad about the HBCU’s being under such finacial dire straits.

If I had the financial clout like those big money heavy weights I’d donate each HBCU, Tribal, communtiy colleges 15 million dollars each, seriously.

Opps, I meant financial.

I attend FAMU and I must say that even though we are deemed as the best, we lack major funding. I really hope this recession doesn’t back track us, for rattlers have come SO far.

I think it’s the student that must take it upon them selves to get out there, take your resume to various interviews, intern whether it’s a paid one or free one needs that hands on exerience.

Or start your own small company.

I read this article over the weekend and was saddened by it. . .

@i don’t care

“It’s 2009, not only do I feel these institutions are no longer necessary, but I also feel they hamper students’ abilities more than aid”

I couldn’t disagree more. I went to one of the schools you named for undergrad, and I met some of the brightest, driven, talented brothers and sisters anyone could meet. I’ve always said that my HBCU experience not only prepared me for grad school (and for the experience of being on a large, predominantly white campus), it prepared me for my adult life and the responsibilities that come with it. I grew as a person, as a woman, and was given the skills necessary to achieve the goals I set for my life. There was absolutely NOTHING about my undergrad years that held me back — They only propelled me forward.

I’ll also add that when I did arrive to grad school, most of my black classmates were fellow HBCU alumni from across the nation.

HBCUs absolutely have a purpose, a vast and storied history, and value to the thousands who have obtained a priceless treasure — A good education.

I’m a freshman in college right now. I go to a private school called Marymount university. Even though I don’t attend and HBCU, I support them because they have done so much for Black Americans when we couldn’t attend White colleges. I thought about transferring to Virginia Tech or U.VA a one point but they don’t have my major. Private institutions are very expensive. I wish the US government would take better strives in providing aid to universities.

@EXCUSE THE CAPS I AINT MAD………
I’m a Computer Science Major from an HBCU and I was highly recruited because of the CS Majors before me who did well at their corporations and were well prepared by the same professors I had. So when it was my turn, the assumption was I would be just as knowledgable and prepared.
And in my first interview I “blew them away”

Limit your point of view to what you know personally.
Don’t make blanket statements about ALL HBCUs unless attended all of them.

BTW, my friend who went to GA Tech with a CS Degree, is now a club promoter. He hated his job and didn’t do it well. So much for PWIs..LOL!

Hey I didn’t attend an HBCU either, yet I’d would lace these schools with some funding, for real.

@ Divine…I know because I did an exchange at an HBCU for a semester – Howard “the black man’s Harvard” *whatever @ that statement* and even there I was not impressed by the student body or the caliber they hold their students to. I was appalled by one student in my class who was in one of their graduate programs and could not put together a coherent paragraph to save her life (also a product of their undergrad), we had open-book multiple choice tests with sentences lifted entirely from the book, about 1/4 of the students in one of my classes dropped out becuase it had two 3-page papers over the course of an entire semester – i’m sorry, if this is what being at a top black school is about, then it isn’t about much!

i’m not saying that all non-hbcu’s are roses either, i feel that after a certain tier of schools, many colleges have negligible benefits, but most average state schools have better funding and opportunities than many small, backwood hbcu’s. additionally, the world is not black, nor is the us. we live and work in a multi-cultural, multi-faceted environment, coddling and babying african american students in a bubble of people who “look like me” does not prepare one to fully integrate into society and take advantage or various resources and networks.

@ sallie mae – if you really went to a “top ranked” school and took the necessary actions to be a competitive applicant, you should have been afforded more opportunities. no name brand is going to get you anywhere on name alone, your “top ranked” school didn’t fail you, you did.

@ hampton grad – a lot of students from elite schools have student loans and we still give back, that’s a cop out. if the entire alumni base would give 25-100 a piece a year, that would make for a significant impact. funny how they can instill it in yall to sing silly band songs and shake your asses at homecoming, but they cant get you to give $50 a year. skip one relaxer or buy one less pair of jordans and you can help your beloved HBCU’s

Wow…intelligent conversation on Bossip. I’m touched.
Everyone has their opinions on HBCU’s but the point remains. If they don’t get their act together, a good potion of them will be closing.
As much as I loved my experience at an HBCU, I doubt very seriously if I would encourage my kid to go there. MAYBE they could attend a larger more prominent HBCU but I’m still not 100% on it. Plus, I’m just not sure if a HBCU is still needed in this age.

@Sydney – I couldn’t have said it better.

Isn’t tuition at these universities really expensive? I mean, it would be wonderful to go to a HBCU but not so much if it’s about $5-10,000+ a year more than a state college.

@Divine

@EXCUSE THE CAPS I AINT MAD………
I’m a Computer Science Major from an HBCU and I was highly recruited because of the CS Majors before me who did well at their corporations and were well prepared by the same professors I had. So when it was my turn, the assumption was I would be just as knowledgable and prepared.
And in my first interview I “blew them away”

Limit your point of view to what you know personally.
Don’t make blanket statements about ALL HBCUs unless attended all of them.
—————————————————–
I GUESS U DONT KNOW HOW TO READ. I CLEARLY STATED THAT IT WAS FROM ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW. NOT ALL ARE LIKE YOU. ITS IGNORANT TO SIT THERE SELF RIGHTOUS AND ACT LIKE OUT OF THE 4000 THAT YOU CAME IN WITH AND 500 THAT GRADUATE THAT EVERYONE IS DOING JUST LIKE YOU. READ BEFORE YOU TYPE PLEASE. I WAS TALKING STRICTLY ABOUT CAU SO I DONT HAVE TO TALK ABOUT OTHER SCHOOLS.I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY! IF I DIDNT I WOULDNT HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT PERIOD. YOUR SO QUICK TO JUMP IN AND COMMENT AND TELL THE WORLD HOW GOOD YOUR LIFE IS BUT YOU DONT HAVE A DOLLER TO GIVE YOUR UNIVERSITY. KEEP YOUR COMMENT. OPEN YA POCKETBOOK THEN IF NOT YOU AINT DOING NOTHING. IF YOUR NOT REALIZING THAT THERE WERE MORE STUDENTS WHO DONT HAVE YOUR STORY THAN DO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF.YOU DIDNT TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMENT TO SOMEONEELSE BEFORE YOU PUT IN YOUR TWO CENTS…

@ I don’t care

point taken….See how a civilize conversation can change minds…I LOVE IT!!! Intelligent black people..YES WE CAN!!!!

I attended Florida A&M University and I must say it was an absolute pleasure and an honor to attend this institution. Every year FAMU and Florida State would have separate career fairs. Guess who attracted more companies to their career fair? If you said Florida State then you are sadly mistaken. As a proud chemical engineering graduate, not only am I the only engineer of color at my job, but I’ve managed to represent my school so well that my job is sending me to the Black Engineer of the Year conference to do some recruiting of other black engineers from HBCUs. So please don’t sleep on HBCUs and their importance to us as a people and this country.

told you so said:

“Wow…intelligent conversation on Bossip. I’m touched.”
————————————————————————————————–

Don’t get used to it. You know it’s just a matter of time before someone comes in here saying the following…
“I GotZ ME A EduCAshUN and THanGz”
“I dun no what u alls talking bout”
etc.
…just wait

Since others are on here saying what school they went to I will too…

I graduated top of my class at Monster University located in Loch Ness, Scotland. Top that!

FYI, below is a partial list of famous HBCU alumni:

In medicine, there are the former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, a graduate of Morehouse College, and Dr. LaSalle D. Laffall, Jr., the first black president of the American Cancer Society and a graduate of Florida A&M University and the Howard University College of Medicine.

@Loch Ness Monster
Not all the schools are expensive, but the top tier schools are up there in price but I think they are competitive with all universities.

If you stay in-state, the in-state tuition at a public school is cheaper, but IMO you get what you pay for.

Due to my major, I have paid for my education in earnings 10X fold already.
Unlike what seems to be popular belief about HBCUs, I was well prepared and ready to compete with anyone regardless of race.

We are also taught this is what our own people think low of HBCU. So we prepare twice as hard to prove everyone wrong.

The funny thing was, white folks and companies I interview with seem to be very impressed with me and my education. They are very knowledgable of what we produce. It was the black folks who have “attitude” about HBCUs.

@ Divine

You are so right about our own people being the ones bashing HBCUs. I have always had positive remarks about Hampton when I tell them I graduated from there. It is the crabs in the barrel mentality. We are the ones downing our own institutes…US News and World Report, Wall Street Journal and other reputable media outlets have great respect for our HBCUs, especially Hampton and Howard… OH BTW, Hampton is the REAL HU…DISCUSS!!

Below is a link with names of more famous HBCU alumni, such as Oprah, Thurgood Marshall, Barbara Jordan, Ronald McNair, and many others:

soulciti.com/hbcu/famhbcu.htm

@Hampton Grad

HIU. . .I love it, I love it, I love it. . .My HIU. . .I love it, I love it, I love it. . .

@i dont care- “I know because I did an exchange at an HBCU for a semester – Howard “the black man’s Harvard” *whatever @ that statement* and even there I was not impressed by the student body or the caliber they hold their students to.”
___________________________________________-

That was W.E.B. Dubois that stated tha Howard was the blk man’s Harvard. And if i am not writing a paragraph forma with correct grammar, forgive me, I am not concentrating or siting here with the intention of trying to ‘impress’ you…I hate blk folks like you..Ignorant as the day is long.

And I know your broke a– was not refering to me, can’t put a paragraph together, I do quite fine, and I bet as *knowledgable* that you are, are you self-employed or do you hold any REAL wealth? I would kindly advise you to STFU! I love ‘trash’ that KNOWS everything and everyone…:)

@EXCUSE THE CAPS I AINT MAD………

I GUESS U DONT KNOW HOW TO READ. I CLEARLY STATED THAT IT WAS FROM ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW. NOT ALL ARE LIKE YOU. ITS IGNORANT TO SIT THERE SELF RIGHTOUS AND ACT LIKE OUT OF THE 4000 THAT YOU CAME IN WITH AND 500 THAT GRADUATE THAT EVERYONE IS DOING JUST LIKE YOU. READ BEFORE YOU TYPE PLEASE. I WAS TALKING STRICTLY ABOUT CAU SO I DONT HAVE TO TALK ABOUT OTHER SCHOOLS.I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY! IF I DIDNT I WOULDNT HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT PERIOD. YOUR SO QUICK TO JUMP IN AND COMMENT AND TELL THE WORLD HOW GOOD YOUR LIFE IS BUT YOU DONT HAVE A DOLLER TO GIVE YOUR UNIVERSITY. KEEP YOUR COMMENT. OPEN YA POCKETBOOK THEN IF NOT YOU AINT DOING NOTHING. IF YOUR NOT REALIZING THAT THERE WERE MORE STUDENTS WHO DONT HAVE YOUR STORY THAN DO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF.YOU DIDNT TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMENT TO SOMEONEELSE BEFORE YOU PUT IN YOUR TWO CENTS…

I did take what you said out of context. After rereading, a statement you said, I thought was about all HBCU was about CAU. I apologize for that.
But, honestly no one is just GIVEN a job. You have to be ready and prepared.
As for my University and what I give, I give RELIGIOUSLY every month to my University. A portion of my pay check goes directly to Fisk.

I am thankful for what I have and was given.
My life is not “peachy keen” but I have more than most and a stable career. I have Fisk to thank for that. So I give more than a “DOLLER”.

@Hampton Grad

Did you see the latest U.S. News HBCU rankings, by the way?

@excuse the caps-”YOUR SO QUICK TO JUMP IN AND COMMENT AND TELL THE WORLD HOW GOOD YOUR LIFE IS BUT YOU DONT HAVE A DOLLER TO GIVE YOUR UNIVERSITY. KEEP YOUR COMMENT. OPEN YA POCKETBOOK THEN IF NOT YOU AINT DOING NOTHING. IF YOUR NOT REALIZING THAT THERE WERE MORE STUDENTS WHO DONT HAVE YOUR STORY THAN DO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF.YOU DIDNT TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMENT TO SOMEONE ELSE BEFORE YOU PUT IN YOUR TWO CENTS…”
______________________________

Do your thing!! I like that, put your money where your mouth is! Keep our most precious asset- the youth- growing, I hear you!:)

Love people like you!

Yeah, i saw that … it’s all RELATIVE!! LOL

ROCK THE BLUE AND WHITE!!

THAT WAS TO SYDNEY BTW!! HEY SYDNEY…

I LOVE MY HOME BY THE SEA!!!

Rock the blue and white. . .rock the blue and white. . .rock the blue and white. . .

Now stop. . .and let the seniors do it. . .

@Hampton Grad

*whispering*

Me, too Go Pirates!

Rock the blue and white. . .rock the blue and white. . .rock the blue and white. . . Now stop, and let the Alumni do it!!

@ I don’t care- WHat were your test scores? Did you pass the LSAT? What about pre-med or political science?

I bet on an off day with no sleep,I could beat your behind in the board room and anywhere else..I just hate blks, (like you) that have to start ish, just for the sake of it! Grow up!

We rae on a blog, have the time, I don’t go back to coreect or anything, I keep it moving, you can’t handle it. oh well, how about going to play in some real busy traffic? Take your degree and hurry, you might be able to get a happy meal for it:)

*standing up with arms up*

Rock the blue and white. ..Rock the blue and white. . .Rock the blue and white. . .Rock the blue and white. . .

Woo hoo! Force, here’s coming at ya. . .Woo hoo. . .Force, here’s coming at ya. . .

@ I don’t care

Yes I went to U. Penn c/o 04 major: architecture and urban design, I was responding to another post about being pressured to attend a university because it looks better on ‘paper’. No I didn’t fail I’m doing quite well. White schools are sterile and cold environments with plastic diversity. The only thing employers see is a Black woman or man period, not your diploma.

There would not be a Black middle class if HBCU’s did not exist… prove me wrong- I don’t Care

@Ayita…. I graduated from Marymount College.. one of the last Women colleges. I also chose MMC based on my major. Going to an all Black college was secondary to me. I do not regret my decision.
__
It is sad that some students may not be able to return to an HBCU, but at the ending of the day isn’t the education and degreee that you receive more important than seeing the same skin color sitting beside you in class??? Just a question?

@lala#1
“isn’t the education and degreee that you receive more important than seeing the same skin color sitting beside you in class??? Just a question?”

I don’t think the degree is the only thing but it is the most important thing. And SUCCESS it the ultimate goal.

For those who need the support, the skin color isn’t important but the connections, resources, understanding and care you can get because of the common background can also be just as important or invaluable to someone than just their degree.

I got it at my HBCU. My friends at PWI did not get that. We talk about it all the time.

Successful matriculation thru ANY institution is the ultimate goal. It really boils down to, what do you consider success? Is it simply a good job, or a rewarding relationship? What?

I can tell you I gained and what I value most is, the appreciation for the black experience in this country I gaind at my HBCU. And why I much reach out and help another brother or sister. I feel like it is my resposibility as a member of the “Talented Tenth”. I don’t think that is even discussed at PWI.

To each its own.

I really suggest people begin looking into trade schools.
4 year degrees now a days is equivalent to a high school diploma. The top pay for college graduate with no definitive major is around 35,000/yr.
If going to school is a step stone to getting a high quality, good paying job, you are wasting your time.
My husband has a 4 yr. degree from Central Michigan.
Graduated top of his class (yes, he’s black).
He got a job working at FORD making around $50,000.
He worked production and definitely earned his pay.
However, after 4 yrs. in he was offered a chance to get into their skills trade program.
My husband now is certified in tool and dye.
And makes at least double b/c he has a trade that not everyone can do. He is now considered a valuable asset to his company. And if he were to be laid off or fired, he could take his trade almost anywhere and get hired immediately.

I’m just saying, you could learn a trade in less time than a degree. Get job placement pretty quickly, make good money and have no student loans.

It’s just an alternative some may want to think about.

@ Divine. thanks for answering my question.. Such great comments on this thread today!! very informative info,,

@Not Being Funny
I think you have a point. I often say college isn’t for everyone. My dad always said that when he was in school, those who were not going to college were prepared for a trade. And black men (specifically) had skills to provide for their families in his day. He said this is the problem with education nowadays. If you don’t go to college, you aren’t preapred for much else. AND those who aren’t college material go to college and flounder. And Black men who don’t have a purpose in High School drop out. They aren’t learning a trade.
With a trade you can work for yourself, start your own busines or get a good job.
There is value in that college degree, but Trade school is not a bad option at all. I agree with that.

@Divine
I CAN APPRECIATE A PERSON WHO CAN SAY THEY WERE WRONG. I MUST SAY THAT SHOWS CLASS. I RESPECT YOUR OPINION. LIKE I SAID CAU WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FOR ALOT OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT I KNOW. THEIR WERE PLENTY WHO APPLIED THEMSELVES TO THE UTMOST BUT AT THE END OF THE WERE PASSED OVER. THE SCHOOL WAS NOT A SAFE ENVIROMENT WITH ITS OPEN CAMPUS THERE WERE MURDERS, RAPES AND DRUG DEALS GOING ON EVERYWHERE. IF SOMEONE SAYS IT DIDNT HAPPEN THEN THEY LYING OR THEY WERE SQUARE. I KNOW MORE PROMISING YOUNG MEN WHO TRAVELED THE WRONG PATH BECAUSE OF THAT ENVIROMENT AND THEY DIDNT HAVE ANY OF THOSE INFLUENCES AT HOME. BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAD THE WORLD AT THEIR FINGERTIPS BECOME OBJECTIFIED DUE TO THE ENVIROMENT OF THIRSTY NICCAS AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT BECAME STRIPPERS, MODLES, PREGNANT, JOBLESS. YES THIS IS PARTLY THEIR FAULT BUT FOR MOST GOING TO CAU ITS THIR FIRST TIME AWAY FROM HOME IN A HUGE CITY. THEY ARE IN A VERY INFLUENTIAL PERIOD OF THEIR LIVES AND CAU HAD MORE NEGITIVES THAN POSITIVES THAT THEY DIDNT SEE IN THE COLLEGE APPLICATION. THEIR WERE MORE THAN ONE DRUG DEALER IN ALL THE MAJOR DORMS (NOT NO NICKLE AND DIME ISH EITHER), DUDES PACKED GUNS TO CLASS BECAUSE FOLKS WAS GETTIN JACKED, PEOPLE HAD FOLKS WHO DIDNT EVEN GO TO CAU LIVING IN THE DORMS IT WAS SO LIVE BACK THEN, PEOPLE STRIVED TO GET JEWLERY AND CARS WITH STUDENT LOANS. IT WAS JUST REDICULOUS. AT ITS PEAK IT WAS LIKE A MUSIC VIDEO. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP IF YOU WERE THERE FROM 96-04 YOU KNOW WHAT IM TAKIN ABOUT. THOSE YEARS WERE CRAZY. PARTIES ON THE STRIP AND ALL THAT. TEACHERS PLAYED FAVORITES BECAUSE THEY PASSED JUDGEMENT ON FOLKS WHO AT THE TIME CAME ACROSS AS NONCONFORMIST. THEY ONLY HELPED PEOPLE THAT THEY LIKED IF THEY DIDNT LIKE YOU YOU WERE JUST LEFT OUT. ATLEAST THAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE. WHEN I WENT TO ANOTHER SCHOOL THEY LOOKED AT ME AS A INDEPENDENT THINKER AND STEERED MY TALENTS TO GREATNESS. SO MAYBE FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO WERE IN THAT MINDSET OR PIGION-HOLED INTO A NEGITIVE ALL WE WERE LEFT WITH WERE BILLS. I GOT MY KNOWLEDGE ELSEWHERE.

@ not being funny

That is so true, I watched a segment on 20/20 showing students (white) that went to school and took loans and things to pay for school. They graduated and had accumulated debt that was 2-3 times their salary amount, and some of their friends took up trades had much less debt and their specialized skills made them so valuable to the companies they worked for. It pains me to say this, but everyone who goes to college isn’t college material, but they feel the pressure to give it a chance and fail. Failing is one thing you can overcome but failing with a 40k in debt is a whole different monster

@always knew
THANKS

@Not Being Funny
A TRADE IS WHERE ITS AT EVEN WITH A DEGREE. IF YOU HAVE BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE.

All schools serve a purpose. Every institution has its share of issues. Black colleges are no different from any other black institutions. We have to support, with our own money, the things that have value to us. If you rely primarily on government funding, you run the risk of being in this position. As we’ve seen with Obama, it doesn’t take much to have an impact. Alumni should be giving. It doesn’t matter if it’s $20. If everyone gave a little something, many of these schools could afford to make up for some ofthe losses they are suffering. I challenge everybody on here to go to their alumni website and drop a couple dollars.

[...] BOSSIP: The Hard Knocks of the Recession are Banging on the Doors of Black Colleges [...]

@ always knew…i’m starting ish but yet you are the one who addressed me negatively twice? you hate people like me, but i’m the one being divisive? ok homie…and step your reading comprehension up, where in my post did i even remotely imply that the person who couldn’t put together sentences was you? don’t break your keyboard, it’s a recession

this is a conversation thus opinions will be stated. i am not impressed by HBCU’s, even the top one’s, that is my opinion. i harbor no ill feelings against those who attend them, choosing a college is a personal choice, but many hbcu’s are unnecessary and offer very little return on investment and compromise the quality higher education.

and who asks about whether someone passed the LSAT like all people are looking to become lawyers? btw, you cant fail the LSAT you can only get a high score or low score…did i pass pre-med or political science – wtf does that have to do with anything? pre-med isn’t a class, it’s an academic track…

just know i am doing quite fine for myself, 2.5 yrs out of a top undergrad i make more than double what the avg african american earns in the prime of their career.

@ sallie mae, no one is arguing about the past relevance of these schools, that would be asinine. what i am arguing, is that outside of about 6-8 strong HBCU’s, the rest really no longer offer a competitive value proposition nor do they offer compelling academic programs or challenge their students.

THIS DOES SUCK BUT IF THESE BLACK SCHOOLS WERENT’ SO GREEDY AND PUT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE BLACK STUDENTS, BLACK COLLEGES WERE IN BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPEN THEY START LOOSING THEIR CREDABILITY AND THEY DID NOTHING TO REVIVE IT EVEN HOWARD SADLY HAS FALLEN OFF IF YOU GET A DEGREE FROM HOWARD AND HE HAS A DEGREE FROM RUTGERS WHOSE GETTING THAT JOB. ITS A SHAME BUT HBCU’S SHOULD HAVE INTERGRATED AND STEPPED THEIR CORRICULUM UP OVER THE DECADES OR INSTEAD OF EXPANSION STAYED TRADITIONAL AND MADE IT HARDER TO GET IN THEIR SCHOOLS . THESE COLLEGES ARE STEREOTYPED AS PARTY SCHOOLS AND MANY BLACKS DONT HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEM ITS A SHAME BUT VERY TRUE .. MY BOYFRIEND GRADUATED FROM NORFOLK STATE BUT HE STARTED IN 1997 THE MINDSET WAS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT I MUST SAY FROM 2000 AND NOW ATLEAST FROM MY KNOWLEDGE THESE BLACK COLLEGES ARE NOT STEPPING IT UP ……

Not Jackson State..Im Going there in thee fall JSU Class Of 2013

I think before these HBCU’s select a president, they should make it mandatory for this person to have shown success in raising fund for a cause. The person should also have great leadership and willing to be accountable for how the funds are used.

A lot of potential alumni funds are not being tapped due to POOR LEADERSHIP at these institutions and the available funds are being missed managed. Someone earlier wrote a comment that would convince an average person to give back. Why can’t the President of these HBCU use a pitch like this or another good pitch to get the needed funds?

@ I dont Care

as a Howard Alumn I’m saddened that you think so lowly of my Alma mater and the black education system. But just to inquire about a little reverse racism, though I did not attend a “mixed” (ie majority white) school, I never heard no body saying ” UVA is soooo retarded because its 30 white guys in this class who are always smelling of kegs and sleeping in class with their shades”

Sure, not EVERY person in class is going to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but what black universities teach you is how to be a successful black professional in the world. And white institutions arnt equipped to do that. And, thats not saying that they are holding your hand…shit is tough. Life is real at an HBCU, if your papers arnt getting lost, faxes misplaced, grades disappearing. then it aint right..but it’s kinda like new york…”if you can make it there, you can make it anyway”

and per they wont take you anywhere. Let me tell you. White people are lazy. They want there negros and minorities, and they want authentic real ones. The number one place for major businesses to recruit is the Howard School of B. Why? Because there are plenty ripe for the picking..why search through the 2 located on marylands campus???

Some here have taken the opportunity to ride their high horses instead of talking about how to help the HBCU.
@ Not being funny. I am a grave digger and just doing fine. Its a matter of smartness and talent and being driven.
Black people being educated is the ultimate pass to good life are mistaken.
To be educated is to have an ability to comprehend stuff.
Thats why a Forestry Major becomes a customer rep of a bank over a dip.business applicant

If you can not afford an HBCU, maybe you should not be at college at that particular time. First things first… So go get a job, build you some money up, then make another go at it. It can be done.

Ohh yeah. Bills needs to be paid. I find college educated people arrogant

If you can not afford an HBCU, maybe you should not be at college at that particular time. First things first… So go get a job, build you some money up, then make another go at it. It can be done.
[I'm Re's husband, so don't respond to this post.]
And yeah, I know it’s a recession, but everyone is not supposed to be educated. It’s the way our system works. And talk about unfairness: Imagine if we had HWCU! Yeah, yeah, I know the deal, “hisstorically… blah, blah, blah!!” But doesn’t that just perpetuate the inequality. We need to all be American. Which means, fend for yourslf. 1.

If you can not afford an HBCU, maybe you should not be at college at that particular time. First things first… So go get a job, build you some money up, then make another go at it. It can be done.
[I'm Re's husband, so don't respond to this post.]
And yeah, I know it’s a recession, but everyone is not supposed to be educated. It’s the way our system works. And talk about unfairness: Imagine if we had HWCUs! Yeah, yeah, I know the deal, “historically… blah, blah, blah!!” But doesn’t that just perpetuate the inequality. We need to all be American. Which means, fend for yourslf. 1.

If you can not afford an HBCU, maybe you should not be at college at that particular time. First things first… So go get a job, build you some money up, then make another go at it. It can be done.
[I'm Re's husband, so don't respond to this post.]
And yeah, I know it’s a recession, but everyone is not supposed to be educated. It’s the way our system works. And talk about unfairness: Imagine if we had HWCUs! Yeah, yeah, I know the deal, “historically… blah, blah, blah!!” But doesn’t that just perpetuate the inequality. We need to all be American. Which means, fend for yourself. 1.

Yeah my heroes are people like Mike Tyson and 50 cents. My cohort and doing just fine. My funeral services carter to all. Even PHD corpse Once dead it doesnt really matter how you spent yourlife.

I never considered going to HBCUs. I dont like private schools because they are too expensive and arent worth it. California has a great higher education system that is dam cheap. In you are a black or latino low income student, you can spend your first two years at a Junior College and transfer to a UC or CSU and graduate without owing ANY money- provided you dont live on capmus. I understand living on campus is a fun expirience but I dont recommend anyone do it for more than a year.

The only way any school can really bring in money in is with their sports program. The only thing that will save HBCUs is by recruiting these brothers to play basketball or football because thats how all these “white school” get their money. Not research, not alumi donation, just a bunch of brothers selling enough tickets for the game.

I agree with I Dont Care.

I have to say, I go to Xavier University (yay), but finding money is hard. I heard about CAU, and that’s just so sad! The government really needs to get involved in HBCU’s and help out the cause! All we want is a good education!

i dunno… i came out of the state university of new york system undergrad, and a private institution grad (mixed)…

got a great education at a fraction of the cost of an hbcu…

woulda loved to attend one, but the expense was certainly an issue that kept me closer to home.

HBCU’S are Historically black yes, but they are not only ment for black people…. anybody can attend… As lon as thier is a demand for education HBCU’s are neccessary

To the person who went to Penn State:

Clearly you know nothing of which you speak. Many HBCU’s, Clark Atlanta University (whose Harkness Hall is shown in the picture) raised tuition EVERY year that I was there. In fact, state-funded institutions, much like your Penn State, are the ones more inclined to be granted tuition freezes or have tuition caps, or have differential tuition for every incoming class. So for you to make such a baseless statement without having done the proper research shows that your Penn State degree is useless.

And for anyone who believes that HBCU’s are no longer relevant. Shove it. There is no place on earth where you will gain the type of education and personal growth that an HBCU fosters. The excuse that the world isn’t like an HBCU is piss poor, the world isn’t like college PERIOD. All these HBCU haters seriously need to fall back. I have my degree and had the time of my life obtaining it.

It is important for our young Black minds coming out of high school to know that there are places in the world where they are loved, accepted and encouraged. My professors became members of my extended family when I became a Clark Atlanta Panther. I found great relief in knowing that people wanted to see me do well. I was never babied or pampered but pushed to my excel at my greatest capacity.

As long as there is a Yeshiva and Brandeis for Jews, Oral Roberts and Liberty for Evangelical Christians, and Brigham Young for Mormons, there should ALWAYS be a place for those within the African Diaspora at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

I’m confused by a few of the posts — Everyone is aware of the historical need for HBCUs, right? The doors to predominantly white colleges were not always open to people of color:

Before the Civil War, higher education for black students was virtually non-existent. The few, such as Fredrick Douglass, who did receive schooling, often studied in informal and sometimes hostile settings, or were forced to teach themselves entirely. Southern whites strongly opposed the education of black students, and formal education for blacks was only slightly more common in the North. Some schools for elementary and secondary training existed, such as the Institute for Colored Youth, a school started in the early 1830s by a group of Philadelphia Quakers. It was renamed Cheyney University many years later after becoming an institution of higher learning. College educations were also available to a limited number of students at schools like Oberlin College in Ohio and Berea College in Kentucky. Only two historically black private colleges, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and Wilberforce University in Ohio, existed prior to the Civil War.

In the years following the Civil War, with the 13th amendment’s abolition of slavery and reconstruction in the South, things were beginning to change. In 1862, senator Justin Morrill spearheaded a movement to improve the state of public higher education throughout the United States, putting an emphasis on the need for institutions to train Americans in the applied sciences, agriculture, and engineering. The Morrill Land-Grant Act gave federal lands to the states for the purpose of opening colleges and universities to educate farmers, scientists, and teachers. Although many such institutions were created, few were open or inviting to blacks, particularly in the South.

@Clark Atlanta University Alumna

Excellent post! I agree 100%.

“As long as there is a Yeshiva and Brandeis for Jews, Oral Roberts and Liberty for Evangelical Christians, and Brigham Young for Mormons, there should ALWAYS be a place for those within the African Diaspora at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

And I never heard anyone — ANYONE — say that the institutions you named were outdated, unnecessary, or discriminatory in some fashion.

@sydney
shut the f*ck up!!

Nigg3r college is an oxymoron.

thats sad

@ i don’t care

The school you attended didn’t teach you much about statistics. You’re describing a personal experience, which could have been an anomaly.

The FACTS are that although only about “17% of Black undergraduates attend HBCUs,” more than 1/4 of African-Americans who receive bachelor’s degrees receive them from HBCUs, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.

I DONT GO To a black college, university, Im hispanic, AND I go to Penn State but guess what? I couldnt afford this semester and now have to withdraw SMH. THIS IS AN ISSUE THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO HELP WITH, Im a hard worker, ive been workin since I was 16 and yet,you’d think some of my tax dollars would go towards my education but NO. This stimulus plan is going a little slow for me!! WE NEED MONEY NOW!

I love, I love, I love, my H.I.U.!

@Clark Atlanta Alum,

There is a difference between religiously orientated school and ethnic based schools. No one said HBCUs are discriminatory. No school can be. The problems with black schools is that they cant maintain themselves and the government isnt under any obligation to do so espeically when there are public schools that should come first when it comes to giving money.

I support public education because without it, this world quickly turn into a third world country within a few generations. We have to compete with Europe, China and India now. We cant continue to right historical wrongs at the expense of most of the people in this country.

So for those black people or any people who want to keep these HBCUs afloat, they have to do it with their money but the public purse belongs to the public.

@ BG: Yes I did attend a smaller, private HBCU.

I agree with your idea of the “homeboy system”. I cant tell you how many wonderful professors we lost over some foolishness. They were truly an inspriation and I will always remember them. Some of the faculty and staff at most of these schools should be removed so that qualified, talented and compassionate faculty/staff can come in and make a difference. You cant see change until you get rid of the bad apples.

@Clark Atlanta Alum,

One last thing, the same arguments you use to defend the existence of HBCUs can be said of smaller private schools or all girls schools or even smaller religious based schools.

“It is important for our young Black minds coming out of high school to know that there are places in the world where they are loved, accepted and encouraged.”

This is such bullshit. Univerities exist to teach kids not to cuddle them. At most schools, especially larger schools, every student is just a number. If black students really need all that they should join a fraternity or go to a smaller private school. These ethnic based schools are archiac and have run their course.

I never cared to go to a hbcu, it just never caught my interest. If I want to be around a whole bunch of black folks I can walk down the street. The prices of these colleges are so silly, it’s 2009! open the gates for everyone and get more money!besides only a few HBC actually have some good reps, the rest are sinking under the ground. I went to a well established public college for my BA and went to a private one for my masters. It’s not that big of a deal people, they just want to see the degree. My sister in law when agrue till she blue in the face because she claims HBCU were so great! whatever! they just want to see the degree and the quality of your work. Save your money and go to a public college!

I am a current student at Bethune-Cookman University, and i compltley agree that the HBCU’D need to change thee practices.I attend a school where the tuiton goes up 5,000 dollars every year, and it starts at 20,000! I am going broke striving for an education that supposedly will make me finacially stable. So you might ask, where is my scholarship? I would like to know as well. I have a 3.8 gpa majoring in biology and am a junior as weel. When asking for tuition assistance i was told that ” we don’t have any more money for scholarships.” But you manage to pay the sorry ass footbal team, basketball and baseball teams, and half of these fools can’t make a sentence!!!! HBCU’s are headed down a dark road, Cookman especially. I doubt that Ms. Mary Mcleod Bethune imagined her school has turned into a come to life Uncle Luke video.

THE STIMULUS PACKAGE SHOULD HELP

Hm, I definitely wanted to transfer to Clark Atlanta University.. My major would be Computer Science.. Looks like I need to rethink a few things..

I went to Texas Southern University for 1 year and got the hell out of there. Now I’m at University of Houston and so very happy I transfered. Personally, I feel that TSU (remember I’m only talking about what I experienced first-hand) what just way to trashy. The professors had no passion for teaching and the students had no passion for learning. The tuition was just too much for the quality of education, or lack there of, that TSU offered.
HBCUs really need to invest in better professors and better chancellors that have higher expectations and require higher GPAs for admission. That’s just my 2cents, I could be wrong. And let me just say that I do love the idea of HBCUs!! I plan on going to Howard University for law school, God willing!

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HBCU THAT IS AFFORDABLE U NEED TO ATTEND A NON-PRIVATE STATE OWNED….PRIVATE HBCU’S LIKE ANY OTHER PRIVATE INSTITUITION DONT REALLY GIVE STUDENTS STATE GRANTS AND ECT…THEY FUND UNDER THEIR OWN MONEY PER YEAR OR SEMES… SO IF THAT RUNS OUT U ARE FORCED WITH TAKING OUT LOANS… NOW IF U CANT GET A LOAN U R SCREWED…..PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE THE WORST!

Reading these comments is so sad. The majority of the comments were like the crab in the pot. We have forgotten for where we have come from. When HBCU was created that was the colored folk only option. HBCU has produced just as many great people as white universities. I attend both types of universities and would not trade my experience at the HBCU for nothing in the world. The difference in the education was in the HBCU, I did not have to waste 4 years knowing if I would like my major. My first year, I had to take introduction class and the professor told the class” If you can not pass this class than you need to change your major”. In the other university you can spend 2 years before you started in your major. That is a waste of time.

@Sandra,

Black folks dont have to live in a perpetual state of Jim Crowism. We are free to go to different universities and if these schools arent performing or serving the needs of students or people in the community, we should let them go.

Makes me glad I dropped out of J.C.. I realized early on that I wasn’t gonna amount to much more than the garden variety working stiff i.e. (PROLETARIOT), so to avoid the Christmas rush, I embraced my ceiling of mediocrity.

@ marquis de sade

lmao rotf

First, I’ll start by addressing the ignorance of “I Don’t Care.” Let me tell you why you’re ignorant, because you had a bad experience in a particular class, you decided to place a judgment on a total student population.

Howard University is not the black Harvard. You’re right. I went to Howard and will never call it the black Harvard again because that means we’re stating that being black is not alright, in fact, you have to be more like the white school to be acceptable. I don’t think so.

Howard University is filled with the best and the brightest, and the mediocre, too. In this sense, it’s just like any other University. (See George W. Bush and his alma mater.)

The problem that HBCUs are having is no different from most universities across the United States. It’s not a reflection of their performance but an example of the times and the impact of the recession.

The fact is some HBCUs could afford to close, and so could many other schools. That’s not a black thing. It’s a fact thing.

For some reason, students that are from all black environments have no interest in higher education at HBCUs because they don’t think fondly of themselves. How many times have you heard the excuse, “I see enough black people.” Meanwhile, these students go to majority white schools, and sit at the counter with all black students and join black organizations through self-segregation.

I grew up in a majority white environment. HBCUs didn’t bother to recruit from my school because they’d only have a chance of snagging maybe 1-3 students, but that did not stop me from signing up to experience life among people of color.

To matriculate with all black students and live four years of life where color was never a factor because, ya know what, nearly everyone was black. (Key fact: HBCU stands for HISTORICALLY black colleges and Universities, which means in the past it was mostly black. Check out the Howard grad schools, and you’ll find a HUGE asian and white population.) I didn’t have to worry about explaining things as the “black girl in class,” which means that I left school without a chip on my shoulder.

If you come to any event with me, you’ll find a hodge podge of friends of various races because Howard taught me to not be preoccupied with my race. Howard taught me to believe that my school is as good as anyone elses. Howard taught me what it taught thousands of African Americans before me: That we are and WERE leaders.

I don’t have to sit and argue about my blackness. I can simply BE, which is what an HBCU did for me. I have friends that are Investment Bankers, Journalists, Lawyers, Doctors, Executives, PR Professionals, Real Estate Professional, Actors, Graphic Designers that all walked off the campus of Howard University, and are all black. I can call a friend right now and ask for an HU professional in any industry… You know why that does me proud? It proves that we are not statistics. We are movers and shakers. Each day, my friends prove that there are successful, intelligent black people that are making the world turn.

But, they’re not my only friends. I live in the world. In the real world, as diverse as black people are, your career and activities will diversify your friendships. That means that you can NEVER play do over on the undergraduate college experience, and have the chance to meet more black professionals at one time than at a GREAT HBCU. But, you will have your whole life to be the minority and meet people that don’t look like you. People that will also become great friends, but can’t take away that MINORITY-NESS (Yes, I wrote minority-ness) that will affect you for the rest of your life.

An HBCU gave me something you can never get: History, education, intelligence and the ability to be me.

I attend a PWI and sometimes I wish I would have attended an HBCU. I cosign on Sandra’s comment that at a PWI they let you waste time because that’s exactly what happened to me. When I first came here, I majored in Interior Design, but didn’t even take my first Interior Design Studio course until the 4th semester.
I would also like to say that the social life is overrated. Many of the students ( I won’t say who, but I think many of us know) don’t know how to do anything at a social function unless there’s a beer keg present. The parties are just lame. Not that I have a problem with people drinking, but I’ve been to parties where people aren’t dancing and there isn’t even good music. It’s like they forget THERE ARE WAYS to have fun without being drunk.
One of the biggest reasons I believe HBCU’s are still relevant is that many white students assume the only reason you’re there or given a scholarship is because you’re black. for some reason it’s hard for them to see that it is possible for a black students to have higher SAT scores or GPAs than them. But what I find more interesting is that the same ones claiming that the black students are taking away slots from “more deserving” white students, will also complain about the fact that HBCU’s even exist. They don’t want you replacing the spot of what they believe belongs to a white student, yet they don’t like the idea of there being schools where the majority is black. It just reminds me that much of white America still has a problem with blacks having anything for ourselves. PWIs aim to be more diverse by having people from multiple backgrounds and cultures attend their schools. but for the most part, everyone still divides into their own racial group. And because of this, many students still graduate with the same mindsets they had about other people before they entered school. But on the other hand you have some black students who take greater interest in learning the culture and history of other peoples but have no interest in developing the knowledge they have about their own history. I feel there are some black students who would benefit from attending an HBCU and learning how rich our history and culture is. I feel that a PWI (unless you are majoring in African-American studies), you won’t learn much in the classroom about black history.

I enjoyed my three years at Spelman College. (I spent a semester in London, England and another semester at Yale University in New Haven. CT.) Spelman is a great college. I must disagree with all the blog post that suggests students are pampered or cuddled at HBCU’s. This was not my experience. However, just like at any private college, a lot of the children arrive here from sheltered backgrounds. These children either assimilate into the culture of Atlanta without getting steered by drugs, parties or the city or they parish. This isn’t just the case at HBCU’s as many of the post suggest. However, these issues exist anytime sheltered, smart, young men and women attend college in or close to a major city. Yale was plagued with drugs, spoiled brats, rapes and frat and “secret society” issues. Many of these kids at Yale had a lot of social and personality disorders due to the fact they were raised by nannies. I was roommates at Yale with a prominent senator’s daughter who had to make appointments to see her parents when they traveled to CT from their upstate NY mansion. She did a plethora of prescription and non-legal drugs and constantly questioned her sexuality. Another student’s father was an international artist and had painted portraits for several elite members of society. This girl dreaded going home for holidays due to the lack of attention given to her by her “famous” dad. In the first case the girl was bi-racial (white and black) and the second the girl was African American.
I had many male and female friends at Spelman, Morehouse and Clark and they did not have any of these issues with society or their parents. They also worked hard to accomplish goals; many of them currently own very successful businesses and have excellent careers with salaries around $125,000 plus per year. I left Spelman and became very successful. I would not trade the educational experiences for anything in the world. The classes: Minority Women Studies, African Diaspora and Sociology are all taught from a black perspective. This perspective and the discussions it ignites among young, gifted and black young men and women is impossible to immolate at a majority white college. So, to say that HBCU’s are unnecessary is a very false statement.
I almost forgot to mention Spelman has a 98% graduation rate. So, they must do something right. The path you take in life is not directly related to the college you choose, but the experiences you have at college will greatly affect your perception of the world. It is very important to visit a college prior to attending the college. Also, if you need another perspective spends a year at another university or abroad so you can formulate an educated opinion. I also think that the fortunate few like myself always give back to the university and attend university events. I know I see a lot of class members at homecoming events each and every year. Lastly, the importance of the college you attend highly depends upon were you live post college and the career path you choose. If you live in a large city on the West Coast (Arizona, Los Angeles, Las Vegas…) then where you attend college is not as important as the contacts you make or having a trade skill. Many people of the West coast work two-three jobs and have many skills. If you plan on living on the South East or East coast in a major city (Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, or Washington, DC…) then where you attend and grad school will matter in most career fields. The other alternative is just to open your own business after college and make it a non-issue. The bottom line is to look at the big picture and do the following: take in consideration your long term career aspirations, consult with the college financial department, set realistic financial goals per semester and attend a college where your loan will cover housing, books and living expenses. Needless to say all colleges especially HBCU’s need to re-evaluate their finances, scholarships and grant programs during this difficult time. It is appalling what happen at Clark, however we must take a stance so with the current economic issues we must assist our children in choosing a college that they can afford for four years. I hope the 300 students forced to leave Clark are seeking more affordable alternatives.

- I almost forgot to mention Spelman has a 98% graduation rate.-

It’s called the PASS/FAIL method, that’s used at most liberal arts educational facilities. HBCU’s are no exception.

Why does it ALWAYS have to be a (racial) issue – things JUST HAPPEN – no wonder the world can’t move on dealing with racial issues – too many people want to keep the hatred alive.

The thing I don’t understand is how Diddy can spend a million dollars on a party, Jay Z can do a free concert for Colinbine, 50 cent can give away a Ferrari to some white actor, yet they can not help these historical collages that need help. It’s really sad. I guess ice is more important. than the furure of our people. The money they donate can always be written as a tax write off anyway so whats the problem?

I was trying not to comment negatively on this post. But some people are just extremely ignorant. and naive to what’s out there. I have love for HBCU’s some of my closests friends graduating from some and are extremely successful, making over 80K a year. But to Hampton Aluma that put that my Penn State degree was useless, clearly whatever you took didn’t enforce your reading comprehension skills. I know it wasn’t Hampton, b/c I have friends who graduated from there and are successul. I never said that your schools didn’t raise tuition, I just said that’s one of the reasons that my school never lost money. so just like on an exam, please READ AND UNDERSTAND the question carefully before you decide to comment and post. and by the by, my Penn State degree has proven to be very useful as I am 23 and working at a prominent sports agency helping to sign some the nation’s top athletes to our agency, I won’t even be ignorant and make a comment about how much money I’m making, but let’s just say that I’m VERY comfortable right now ::smiles:: So no sweety my PENN STATE degree is NOT useless.

But I must also comment on this “I was happy to go to a school where everybody looks like me” mentality and going to a PWI doesn’t teach you as a Black student to be prepared for the real world. I pose this question, how can you be prepared for the real world if your not accustomed to it? Like I said, I have love for HBCU’s and I’m not saying everyone has this mentality, but to me it’s pretty unrealistic. Going to a PWI has taught me how to handle the real world. It taught me that sometimes, no, most of the time people will not look like me. Especially if I want a top position in a top company in a top city. I’ve had professors purposely try to fail me because I did not share the same views as them(OR LOOK LIKE THEM) and I made damn sure that I contested it and got my proper A that I deserved. And yeah people thought that I only got there b/c of some quota, which made me have to fight harder to to gain respect from professors and my peers. B/c of my time there, I now know how to handle myself in all situations with all types of people and going to a PWI prepared me for that because I had to experience it for four years. Now I’m not saying that just because you went to an HBCU that you haven’t experienced that and don’t know how to handle yourself in those situations, I’m just saying that before some of you start making negative comments on how PWI’s don’t prepare you for that life, think about it. We’re prepared because we’ve lived it.

Furthermore, instead of arguing about which institutions are better we should all be grateful and proud as hell that we got to attend higher education institutions and got that opportunity that a lot couldn’t have. I know I’m damn proud of my Penn State degree because I know how hard I had to fight to get it and I know how it will pay off, and how it already has. So instead of arguing let’s come up with a solution to get these schools more funding so they don’t run the risk of closing or losing their accredibility.

Well, what ever college one selects be it an HBCU, a local state college, career college, or community college,
it doesn’t matter just get your rump off the couch playing X-box and start school, lol…

And by the way Black colleges also accept non Black students, also.

“Black folk, put a book in your face.” Be it Howard, FAM, Princeton or UF.

Useless Penn State degree? C’mon… f*ckin be serious. NO degrees are useless unless they’re in fine arts I feel bad that more people than usual have to drop out of school for lack of funds. I feel worse for people that can’t EAT for lack of funds. This isn’t a new problem for us, though. Lots of times, we send our kids to school on a wing and a prayer, hoping that last loan comes through.

btw, why so many comments talking about how expensive black schools are as opposed to state schools? the two aren’t mutually exclusive, jackasses. ever heard of Jackson STATE?

I leave y’all chillun with this: keep your loans low and your earning potential high.

The Bully (HUx2)

Well don’t go broke attending school. lol…

You know it’s not just more Black people that should go college, but these trailer park type Whites should get off their lazy asses and enroll in school, seriously, lol…

[...] http://bossip.com/84982/the-hard-knocks-of-recession-are-banging-on-the-doors-of-black-colleges/ [...]

Let’s get our FUTURE GENERATION OF DREAMERS, LEADERS AND ACHIEVERS HOOKED ON HBCUs!

It only takes 1-2 decades to build up the campus facilities and staff. If parents and alumni work together TODAY…THE FUTURE CAN ONLY HELP TO BECOME BRIGHTER for 2028 and beyond.

Anyone recall Hampton Universities campus 20 years ago vs. 2010??????

WE CAN DO THIS!

http://www.WeALLstartsmall.com