Morris Brown College Partners to Prepare Students for Leadership Roles

Bloomberg posted a short video interview on February 26, 2021, "Morris Brown College Partners With CGI Merchant for Training Program." 

The interview features Dr. Kevin E. James, Morris Brown College President, and CGI Merchant Group CEO Raoul Thomas discussing a new partnership to prepare students for leadership roles with Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

Berry College Invites Retirees to Campus

Matt Kempner of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on a new senior retirement complex, "Georgia college invites elderly to retire on campus." Kempner interviewed campus administrators and students at Berry College for the article and notes that the "...college also provided seed funding for the complex, which will offer independent and assisted living housing, as well as a nursing care facility."

Berry College traces its roots to the founding by Martha Berry in 1902 when she founded a school for boys in rural Georgia. A program for girls was added in 1909. A junior college program was offered in 1926 and a baccalaureate program after 1930.

Berry College is also known for student work experiences and student operated enterprises.  The senior retirement facility will offer opportunities for student employment.  The college enrolls 2,110 students.

Power of Community-Based Learning: Colorado College and the Southern Poverty Law Center Partner to Help Immigrants

The Association of American Colleges & Universities posted "Partnering for Immigrant Freedom: Colorado College and the Southern Poverty Law Center," in the Campus Models & Case Studies section of their website.

The article highlights courses offered both on campus and in Georgia over several summers as part of a partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center.  Eric Popkin, associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at Colorado College, has taught many community engagement courses that give students a first-hand look at the immigration crisis. 

You can learn more about Popkin and his approach to community-based learning through a video posted by Colorado College, "An Activist’s Heart: Eric Popkin’s Unique Community-Based Learning Approach Gives Students an Inside Look at Immigration Issues."

Signature Programs and Small Higher Education Institutions

Lawrence Biemiller's interesting article appears March 11, 2018 in The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Can a Signature Program Save Your College?" He addresses the appeal of signature programs and references a number of smaller institutions.  

Programs at eight colleges and universities are highlighted by Biemiller in the article.  He also notes that conversations are occurring between the institutions as they learn from each other. 

Biemiller includes comments from presidents indicating that signature programs by themselves will not save institutions and that it may take a long time for visible payoffs from the investments of time or other resources.  He also quotes a president who argues that there are a limited number of big ideas and it is better to keep the focus on controlling costs and increasing net revenues.

Jeff Selingo, a well known author and columnist for the Washington Post, commented this morning via Twitter that the benefits from signature programs are likely to decline over time as they are copied by other institutions.

Series on HBCUs in the Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Atlanta Journal Constitution offers a series of articles and other resources, "HBCUs: A Threatened Heritage...a project studying the health of the country's historically black colleges and universities."  

Update:  Mary Schmidt Campbell, Spelman College president, posted a letter on the college website taking exception to the series, "SpelmanPresident Responds to the Inaccurate Portrayal of HBCUs by The AtlantaJournal-Constitution."  Campbell argues that the series served as a "...concerted and prolonged assault on historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)."

A sampling of the articles, databases, and podcasts linked from the initial AJC series page follow:

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  Tale of 2 HBCUs: One enjoying a boom, one fending off doom

  
  
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  Perilous times for black colleges

  Two years ago, Amelia Smith received the one thing she thought she always wanted – a blue envelope from Spelman College. She had been accepted to what many consider the finest black college in America.
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  Map and database: Comparing the health of HBCUs

  This map gives the location, size and vital statistics for each of 101 accredited historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). See below for a searchable database of the schools, including data from 2005 and 2010.
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  17 HBCUs that didn’t make it

  Several others, including Knoxville College, Barber-Scotia College and Morris Brown College, with only 55 students enrolled, remain open in name only after having been stripped of their accreditation.
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  A&T: An HBCU powerhouse rises in Greensboro

  It was the week before Thanksgiving, and Aggie Stadium was awash with blue and gold.
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  Morris Brown: How one of Georgia’s first HBCUs fell into bankruptcy

  Morris Brown, the first HBCU in Georgia founded by black people, has been open since 1881 but filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and currently has only 55 students enrolled. Moments from the school's history.
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  WATCH: Morris Brown is still open

  Despite losing its accreditation, Morris Brown College, a once prominent HBCU apart of the Atlanta University Center, is still striving to educate young adults. Here how two students came to the decision to attend the college.
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  Listen to their journeys on the AJC’s special podcast

  Historically black colleges and universities create moments that change lives, and the AJC is telling those stories with its “HBCU Journeys” podcast. 
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  WATCH: What it means to attend an HBCU

  The AJC asks alumni at Clark Atlanta University's 2017 homecoming why they chose to attend an HBCU and why they would recommend the experience.
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  WATCH: HBCU Journeys on iTunes Now

  Preview the AJC's newest podcast, "HBCU Journeys," as our reporters interview graduates and students of black colleges to learn what makes those historic schools unique.
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  WATCH: Five things to know about HBCUs

  Historically black colleges and universities are facing more challenges than ever. Here's a quick look at what's at stake for HBCUs.
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  6-year graduation rates at many HBCUs lower than 20 percent

  In analyzing federal data for an in-depth examination of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, the AJC found that the six-year graduation rates at 20 schools were 20 percent or lower in 2015.
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  Listen to the “HBCU Journeys” podcast

  In this ten-part series, our team of reporters Rosalind Bentley, Eric Stirgus and Ernie Suggs dig into the heart of what makes an HBCU experience so unique through candid interviews with graduates and students whose lives were changed by those historic schools.
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  HBCU alumni: Business, education and innovation

  Photos and bios: Graduates of historically black colleges and universities who have made their marks as educators, scholars, business leaders, scientists and innovators.
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  HBCU alumni: Arts, entertainment and sports

  Photos and bios: Historically black colleges and universities have produced some of this country’s most revered artists, entertainers and athletes.
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  HBCU alumni: Politicians and civil rights leaders

  Photos and bios: Historically black colleges and universities have produced some of this country’s most revered politicians and civil rights leaders.
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Consortia Offer Variety of Successful Models for Colleges and Universities

Nina Berler authored a guest column for Forbes on February 1st, "College Consortia: A Cooperative Model that offers Students Greater Value."  Berler focuses on activities of the: Five College Consortium, The Claremont Colleges, Atlanta University Center Consortium, and Quaker Consortium.

Another article on consortia was posted by University Business last March, "Better together: Colleges form academic alliances," written by Sherrie Negrea.  In addition to Five Colleges, Negrea offers information on several other consortia, including the: Pennsylvania Consortium for the Liberal Arts, Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education, and Colleges of the Fenway.

If you are interested in learning more about the possibilities for consortial relationships, consider contacting the Association for Collaborative Leadership (ACL).  ACL is dedicated to developing leadership capabilities and advancing collaboration in higher education.

ACL offers a listserv and links to a wealth of useful resources, tools, or events.

Interesting Approach for Financing Solar Panels at Agnes Scott College

Agnes Scott College is featured in Atlanta magazine for the novel approach used by the institution to finance placement of solar panels on the roofs of campus building.  The article, "Agnes Scott College leased its roof space for solar energy," provides information on how the institution solved a couple of problems.  The author notes that if small institutions would like to use solar panels, they will have a substantial outlay of funds and if they are non-profits, they will not be able to directly take advantage of programs using federal tax credits.  Agnes Scott worked with Georgia Power and private investors, who could access the tax credits and use depreciation for tax advantage. to finance the installation of solar panels.

Agnes Scott College is located in Decatur, Georgia and enrolls just over 900 students.

Embracing Wellness at Spellman College

Spellman College's new wellness center was featured by NACUBO's Business Officer magazine in the February 2016 issue.  Spellman vice presidents Robert D. Flanigan and Darnita R. Killian authored the article, "Wellness Center Promotes All Types of Fitness."  Brenda Dalton, Spelman's director of health services and wellness is also quoted in the article noting that data on students supported the new focus.

Flanigan and Killian note that the wellness center is part of a comprehensive strategy after Spellman decided three years ago to discontinue participation in intercollegiate sports.  The college decided that a new center and wellness curriculum, "Embracing Wellness for the Health of It," would reduce sedentary lifestyles.

Sustainability and Solar Power at Agnes Scott College

Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA announced that it is producing and selling solar power to Georgia Power.  The efforts are part of a larger sustainability initiative on the campus.  

Women's Colleges in Georgia

Katelyn Umholtz comments on Georgia's women's colleges for The Red & Black on July 24, 2015. After leading off with a review of the declining number of institutions, much of the focus of her article is on Brenau University in Gainesville, GA and how it is well-positioned for the future.

Weaving Program at Berry College Featured

The Rome News-Tribune has an interesting article on the weaving program at Berry College located adjacent to Rome, GA.  The program is part of Berry College's student work experience and student-operated enterprise programs.  Berry offers work opportunities for all students, though it isn't one of the eight institutional members of the Work College Consortium.

Berry College was founded in 1902 as a school for boys in rural Georgia.  A program for girls was added in 1909.  A junior college program was offered in 1926 and a baccalaureate program after 1930.  Berry enrolled 2,141 undergraduate students in the 2014 academic year.