Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough wrote in Inside Higher Ed this week about the need for college presidents to stop making statements on police violence against black people and to start doing substantive work on the issue.
HBCU think tanks and research institutes would be good laboratories for implementing these recommendations. We have a lot of small think tanks within the sector (i.e. Fisk's Social Justice Institute, Hampton's Center for Public Policy, etc) that are underfunded and un-recognized by the media. The framework is there. HBCUs can put pressure on all of these corporations sending out emails talking about "We stand with the black community." Ok, then fund this think tank.
Excellent point - and sometimes, it is not all about the corporate approach to supporting these. Are we asking alumni to give to these research centers? Are we using budgets to support even minimal activity or hiring of personnel? Are we aggressive about applying for grants from nonprofits and governmental agencies?
HBCU think tanks and research institutes would be good laboratories for implementing these recommendations. We have a lot of small think tanks within the sector (i.e. Fisk's Social Justice Institute, Hampton's Center for Public Policy, etc) that are underfunded and un-recognized by the media. The framework is there. HBCUs can put pressure on all of these corporations sending out emails talking about "We stand with the black community." Ok, then fund this think tank.
Excellent point - and sometimes, it is not all about the corporate approach to supporting these. Are we asking alumni to give to these research centers? Are we using budgets to support even minimal activity or hiring of personnel? Are we aggressive about applying for grants from nonprofits and governmental agencies?
Prairie View A&M is starting a think tank and integrating it into the curriculum:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/education/campus-chronicles/article/Prairie-View-A-M-to-launch-a-race-and-justice-15309642.php