Page 4B/The Battalion/Thursday, January 19, 1984
Black colleges here to stay, say educators
United Press International n sc v k million debt that * ■ • i .. r .,,.11 „— .. „ rc i„ui„ r c :
United Press International
/Vhen a Nashville, Tenn., gas
:ompany threatened last April
o cut off the heat at Fisk Univer-
ity because of an overdue
£ 170,000 bill, there was reason
or administrators of black col-
eges across the country to
ihudder.
One of the nation’s most pre-
higious predominantly black
ichools was in the fiscal cold with
a $2.8 million debt that
threatened to close its doors.
Some educators had been pre
dicting an end for the black
schools for years. But none had
ever failed.
In contrast, this month
ground was broken at private,
predominantly black Johnson C.
Smith University in Charlotte,
N.C., for a new $3.5 million
domitory.
TEXAS A&M
CAMPUS
CRUSADE
FOR CHRIST
Fisk’s problems, while not unre
lated to the times, are isolated
ones and the nation’s black
schools are going to weather the
recession, Reaganomics, and de
clining enrollments.
“The doubting Thomases sit
ting on the sidelines for 25 years
or more and speculating the pri
vate black schools are going to
die should give up that negativ
ism, realize these schools are
here to stay and get on board
positively,” said Christopher F.
Edley president of the New
York-based United Negro Col
lege Fund.
The fund set a fund-raising
goal of $28 million in 1983 for
42 black private schools and re
ports that it is hopeful of meetin-
when all donations from last
for college, a solid, affordable
college education.”
According to the U.S. De
partment of Education, there
are 103 tradiionally black accre
dited colleges and universities in
the country. Some 42 of them
are private, and nine-tenths are
located in the South or its border
year are m.
“While virtually all of the
A dynamic opportunity to
grow in your Christian faith.
schools have very tight budgets
and are engaging in belt tighten
ing, they’re making it,” Edley
said. “They will continue to
offer underprivileged students,
those with little capital re
sources, and students who have
attended high schools that
didn’t properly prepare them
states.
Many of the schools, the pri
vate ones in particular, live on
the brink of a financial quag
mire with one eye on falling en
rollments and the other on the
student aid and grant programs
proposed by the White House
and Congress.
Black college enrollment has
tripled in the past 20 years, but
the percentage of black students
attenditing traditionally black
schools has fallen by nearly one-
half. At the same time, competi
tion among major universities
for top black students has be
come intense.
Dr. Robert Albright, a for
mer U.S. Department of Educa
tion policy official who now
heads Johnson C. Smith, echoed
the sentiments of other adminis
trators saying situations like the
one at Fisk can be expected from
Harrington Room 108
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Thursday, Jan. 19th
7:00 pm
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“Meeting the Needs of Texas A&M
Today and Tomorrow”
Office of Development
Texas A&M University
610 Evans Library ?
845-8161 f|
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time to time. Edley said never
has one of his organization’s 42
members failed, but some have
looked over the edge.
Albright said the umbrella
organization, the Washington-
based National Association for
Equal Opportunity in Educa
tion, identifies four schools in
addition to Fisk that are facing
considerable financial difficul
ties. He said five to 10 others are
experiencing “trauma of some
kind.”
School officials are reluctant
to talk about their finances and
decline to name the schools since
adverse publicity hurts critical
enrollment figures. Fisk offi
cials, for instance, worked quiet
ly behind the scenes during
years of financial trouble, saying
little up front until the school
went in debt by $2.8 million.
"At any given point in time
we always have two or three-
schools facing financial difficul
ties that which could lead to pre
liminary closings,” said Ealey.
“But it has never occurred.”
There are a number of exam
ples. Knoxville College, found
ed by the Presbyterian Church
in 1875 in Knoxville, Tenn., was
unable to meet its payroll two
years ago and was on the brink
of closing. Enrollment in 1983
was up 19 percent over the pre
vious year.
“We were sort of like Chrys
ler,” said Knoxville President
Clinton Marsh. "If we had not
come along with some good
moves it could have reached a
state of financial collapse some
years ago.”
Albright said Johnson C.
Smith rode a rocky road several
years ago, but now operates in
the black. Many believe Fisk,
with renewed efforts, also will
its institutions come from fami
lies with less than $13,700 in
annual income. The average
annual income for the average
American college student is
$24,024.
Ninety percent of the stu
dents enrolled at the 42 Fund
institutions rely on financial aid.
The organization says its educa
tion is a relative bargain, with
tuition fees and housing costing
one-third less than the average
for private schools overall.
Because some members of
their constituency would have
‘'The doubting Tho
mases sitting on the
sidelines for 25 years
or more and speculat
ing the private black
schools are going to
die should give up that
negativism, realize
these schools are here
to stay and get on
board positively.” —
Christopher F. Edley,
president of the New
York-based United
Negro College Fund.
Vfer the Wildest
Spring Break Ever
survive.
While most civil rights groups
don’t give President Reagan
high marks, many black educa
tors feel the administration is
with them and that he believes
black schools are meeting a real
need of the underprivileged.
According to the United
Negro College Fund, nearly half
the 45,000 students enrolled in
problems surviving in the main
stream of higher education,
black college officials say the
small black private school has
found its place in the modern
educational system.
“Today’s challenge deals
essentially with even more fun
damental matters: assisting
young black men and women of
ability and promise to free them
selves of the self-stereotypes that
have been transmitted to them
by the American culture and
helping them to face the resist
ance that custom puts in the way
of their legitimate aspirations,”
said Fisk President Dr. Walter J.
Leonard.
Celebrate with Tropical Blend
'■ v:'’ :
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.
"Because of these goals,ali-
beral arts college catering toihe
unique needs of black student}
of talent is more important to
day than at any time in the his
tory of higher education.” 1
Reagan this fall issued]
White House “iniative” in whicji
he pledged support for the
schools and a belief they art
needed. But two years ago he
nearly dealt a fatal blow whenhc
proposed massive cuts in stir
dent aid and loans. Reagan re
versed fields, and now plans®
in aid to the middle-incomesttr
dents, while actually increasiti
the aid available to those neat
the poverty line.
"1 think he tried locuttht
money two years ago and intj
with such resistance from tht
entire academic communiijj
both black and white, that ^
backed away,” said Albright,
noting small private predomi
nantly while schools face matij
of the same problems as tht
black schools.
"But 1 really think there's a
change in philosophy. He be
lieves that people who can pat
their own way should.”
To illustrate the impact got-
eminent student aid has, tht
United Negro College Fund said
freshmen enrollment at in
member schools dropped by?
percent after Reagan
threatened student aid cult
Overall private school enrol
ment fell only 3.1 percent. |
Albright, who helped draft
policy in the Carter adininistn
lion, said the problem is in deal
ing with the bureaucraq itself
and not with the White House;
particularly in trying to gel
grants for capital improve
ments.
"The money is still flowing,'
said Albright. “It’s just harderic
get. You have to jump through
the hoops."
To deal with the enrollraea
problem, school administrators
say they must become more
competitive.
“With equal opportunity in
existence white schotudents ip
fill their classrooms,’' said Df
Walter Walker of Lemoynt
Owen College in Mempnis,
Tenn. “The top black studenu
are at a premium.”
He
Businesses
may receive
loans from
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United Press International
"On racks for your
convenience'
Mr
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V/SA
^ Shoe Box
AUSTIN — South Texas
businesses hard hit by Decern
ber’s record freeze may be eligi
ble for federal disaster loans of
up to $500,000, the Texas Eco
nomic Development Commis
sion said Wednesday.
Director Charles B. Wood
said his agency will provide tech
nical assistance in the form of
loan packaging for Rio Grande
Valley area businesses that qua!
ify for federal Small Business
Administration loans.
Wood said TF.DC workers
will be available at the Weslaco
Chamber of Commerce and ai
the agency’s temporary office in
Pharr to provide assistance.
iSSBi
Hidalgo, Willacy, Cameron
and Starr counties were de
dared federal disaster areas in
the wake of the freeze that des
troyed much of the Valley’sdt;
rus crop.
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~T~I • 11*9
This year whether it s
on the Florida Coast, Malibu Beach or
Padre Island, have the best Spring Break ever!
You and Tropical Blend, for a tan thats
deep, dark, and wild.
And to help celebrate good times, a special
tee-shirt offer!
....
•"h.' ‘vVirT - ’ • • A’ -X' 1 '- f< '•'ie- ?V- • V v ‘
■'Jr*
The official 1984 Spring Break Tee-Shirt
from Tropical Blend
An $8.00 retail value—yours for only $3.50
■ - - ' v • • r? \ ; • . - . .
Send this coupon with your name, address, zip code and check or money order for $3.50 to:
Requests must be postmarked by 2/10/84 for shirt delivery by 3/15/84. Offer
expires March 30,1984. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. Good only
in U.S.A. Make checks payable to: Plough. Inc. Please do not send cash.
Plough, Inc.
P.O. Box 377
Dept. TBTSO
Memphis, TN 38151
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
(Size) SM □
STATE
MEDD LG □
ZIP
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Please personalize with the following Spring Break location:
Ft. Lauderdale □ Daytona Beach □
Ft. Walton Beach □ Padre Island □
Unless a specific location is designated above, the tee-shirt will
be printed with only the Tropical Blend/Spring Break '84 logo.
(The Tropical Blend Tee-shirt is a black muscle tee-shirt in a
polyester and cotton blend. The design is multi-colored.)
Annual
Shoe 4 boot Sale
Sale Prices on Every
Shoe 4 boot in Stock
Dance Sports
Cloqs
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Lt. Wt. Hikers 9 6
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Also included Assorted Clothina , Housewares,
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Sale Ends Sat. Jan.Zl
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