Illinois Committee on Black Concerns in Higher Education
ICBCHE Journal
Volume 26, Issue 1—Spring 2011
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| Abstracts |
The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Implications for African American Students in Higher Education
Walter A. Brown, Jackson State University
Mary Futrell, George Washington University
Brenda C. Gray, Jackson State University
This article explores the historical gains and current status of African Americans students in higher education since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Although there have been notable responses to this distinguished legacy, problems of equity and acceptance have been too often common in higher education arenas for minorities in regard to the lack of parity in educational opportunity and access. Nonetheless, in contemporary times comparable obstacles for many African American students persist in the form of exponentially rising costs of attending college, the shift from grant funded financial aid programs to loans—translating into greater debt burden for minority students as well as the issues pertaining to multiculturalism, diversity, and unwelcoming campus climates. |
A Theoretical Framework for Examining the Experiences and Needs of Leaders in Crisis: Enabling Leadership in a Troubled State
Tammie M. Causey-Konaté, University of New Orleans
The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical framework for examining the experiences and needs of educational leaders serving in a context of crisis or recovery from crisis. The framework is informed by Knowles’ (1990) theory of adult learning, Falk’s (2000) enabling leadership model, an emancipatory theory of leadership (Giroux, 1992), Starratt’s (1994) multidimensional ethical framework, and Ackerman and Maslin-Ostrowski’s (2002) work on “wounding” experiences. Implications for guiding future practice, preparation, and policy for educational leaders are discussed. |
Lessons Learned: Influences of Human Capital on Urban Students’ High School-to-College Transitions
Nicole E. Holland, Northeastern Illinois University
African Americans continue to be underrepresented in four-year colleges and universities, which may limit personal and social development, as well as minimize employment options and reduce earning potential. Based on empirical, qualitative data, this investigation seeks to understand what school-related factors African American university students believe helped or hindered their college preparation, enrollment, and experiences. Using the theoretical lens of human capital, these data reveal that it is crucial for urban, college-bound, African American students to seek out, and have access to, rigorous academic K-12 curricula. Further, students and academic institutions must more clearly link K-12 experiences with what students are expected to know, and be able to do, once enrolled in college. |
Equal Education Opportunity and the School Choice Disparity for Poor Students in Grades K-12
Jennifer C. Herring, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Education and Human Services, University of Illinois-Springfield, Springfield, Illinois
Students from low income families in the United States need opportunities that will elevate them to a position of choice in public, secular, or religious schools. This article examines the following: 1) the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) landmark ruling that established into law the concept of equal educational opportunity; 2) parents’ rights to choose the best schooling for their children in a system that requires mandatory school attendance between the ages of 5-18 years old; 3) several studies’ focus on the benefits of school choice options for poor students; 4) examination of data on low income students from a local school district’s twenty-four elementary schools. |
From High School to College: Influences on the Decision to Attend College of At-Risk Labeled Students
Javis Knott, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Barbara J. Johnson, Northern Illinois University
The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight into influences on the decision to attend college of 12 former participants in a high school dropout prevention program. Family, peers, and participation in a dropout prevention program were influences in the decision of high school students labeled at-risk to pursue a postsecondary education. Implications for policy and practice and future research are provided to facilitate the transition of students, identified as at-risk, from high school to college. |
Correlation between Gender and Health Promoting Behaviors among African American College Students
Brenda C. Gray, Jackson State University
Walter A. Brown, Jackson State University
The purpose of this study was to examine the health behaviors of African American undergraduate college students and to examine the relationship between gender and engaging in health-promoting behaviors. One-way analysis of variance indicated statistically significant differences were found for gender and health promoting behaviors, in particular for the subscale scores for health responsibility (HR), physical activity (PA), spiritual growth (SG), and interpersonal relationships (IR). The results affirm that gender influences participating in health promoting behaviors—underscoring the need for further research on factors that explicate African American undergraduate college students’ health promoting behaviors. |
Keeping Hope Alive: Reasons Influencing Black Faculty Persistence on White Campuses
Dawn Hall, Bradley University
Literature indicates that Black students are more successful at White institutions (WIs) when Black faculty are present. Hence, when discussing Black student retention, a conversation regarding the presence of Black faculty and the persistence of Black faculty should ensue. Although many have prescribed or hypothesized as to why Black faculty stay at WIs, the literature is relatively quiet to identify actual reasons for Black faculty persistence. This qualitative inquiry highlights what six Black faculty members have deemed as reasons for their persistence at their respective institutions. Previous research primarily concentrates on barriers to job satisfaction or the institutional retention efforts; yet, this research suggests that persistence of Black faculty at WIs stretches beyond the walls of the institution. |
Defining Self: Self-Efficacy and the Mentoring Relationship of Underrepresented Students
Mia Alexander-Snow, University of Kentucky
S. Kent Butler, University of Central Florida
Ann Shillingford, The College of William and Mary
This article reflects the perspectives and experiences of three African American faculty members who mentor African American students pursuing advance graduate degrees. The authors present a conceptual framework grounded in Bandura’s (1994, 1996, 2000) social cognitive theory for developing the self-efficacy and resiliency of underrepresented students. Additionally, the authors posit that the cultivation of meaningful mentoring relationships between faculty-mentor and their students must involve social networks, characteristic of such mentoring programs as Ronald McNair and The Holmes Scholars Partnership. These networks act as community support systems, providing experiences that fortify the self-efficacy and resiliency of both mentors and students. |
Book Reviews |
Cory Hanson, Northern Illinois University
Bonner, F.V. (2010).
Academically gifted African American male college students. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. |
Aisha El-Amin, University of Illinois at Chicago
Bush, V.B., Chambers, C.R. & Walpole, M. (2009).
From diplomas to doctorates: The success of Black women in higher education and its implications for equal educational opportunities for all. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. |