tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229067422024-03-13T10:03:48.989-07:00The HBCU BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger568125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-77036456274065271062012-09-17T21:26:00.001-07:002012-09-17T21:26:25.365-07:00New SCSU building sits idle because of a lack of funds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-suCg2PfqU8I/UFf0EWP7V1I/AAAAAAAAD7U/h3J4SLIXubI/s1600/James+Clyburn+Center+SCSU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-suCg2PfqU8I/UFf0EWP7V1I/AAAAAAAAD7U/h3J4SLIXubI/s400/James+Clyburn+Center+SCSU.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The new 8,500-square-foot, $4.8 million Transit Research Center at South Carolina State University sits empty and unused nine months after the building was completed. The building has space for automotive research and education, underground fuel tanks, three automotive research bays for cleaning and preparing vehicles-- is the first phase of the James E. Clyburn Transportation Center was completed last December after 13 years of delays.</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Cash strapped SCSU, which has faced multiple state budget cuts, says it lacks the money to operate the center. </div>
</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-78284665747475351902012-09-15T01:07:00.001-07:002012-09-15T01:07:32.087-07:00Mitchell out as coach at Southern<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IYysZDj1no/UFQ0B7RldbI/AAAAAAAAD6g/dSEjzRa2Jzg/s1600/Stump+mitchell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IYysZDj1no/UFQ0B7RldbI/AAAAAAAAD6g/dSEjzRa2Jzg/s320/Stump+mitchell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.05em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Stump Mitchell was fired as Southern’s football coach less than 24 hours after a sloppy, stunning 6-0 loss to Mississippi Valley State in the home opener.</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.05em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
SU Athletic Director William Broussard announced the decision at a news conference Friday afternoon, naming defensive coordinator Dawson Odums as the interim head coach and saying Mitchell would be reassigned to unspecified administrative duties at the university.</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.05em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
“I would like to personally thank coach Mitchell for his service and his commitment to Southern University athletics and wish him well in all of his future endeavors,” Broussard said. “I also urge our fans to continue to stand united with the staff and the student-athletes on the Jaguars football team.”</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.05em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Broussard said a coaching search would begin after the season.</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.05em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Mitchell, who was in the third and final year of his $200,000 per-year contract, compiled a record of 6-18 in two-plus seasons, marred by a 2-9 inaugural campaign, a 4-7 mark last year and losses to New Mexico and the Delta Devils to begin this season.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-14650672602202026222012-09-09T10:51:00.001-07:002012-09-09T10:51:40.335-07:00Fundraising skills seen as key for next NCCU chancellor <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZL4FH1aCPA/UEzXFp-OQzI/AAAAAAAAD58/u_6t4O85eTo/s1600/NCCU7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZL4FH1aCPA/UEzXFp-OQzI/AAAAAAAAD58/u_6t4O85eTo/s400/NCCU7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">University of North Carolina system President Tom Ross told a chancellor’s search committee Thursday that the next person to lead N.C. Central University should be a gifted fundraiser.<br /><br />As state and federal money becomes harder to come by, Ross said the university needs someone who can build the kinds of relationships that will lead to substantial private dollars to help propel the university forward.<br /><br />“Regardless of what happens to state support, private funding is the margin of excellence at any institution,” Ross said. “That’s what can take the institution farther faster than anything else, so we’ve got to have someone who knows how to raise money and who is willing to raise money.”<br /><br />Ross made his statement during the 19-member committee’s first meeting held Thursday in the chancellor’s dinning room inside W.G. Pearson Cafeteria.<br /><br />He said the committee should bring him three names to replace former chancellor Charlie Nelms, who abruptly resigned the post last month.<br /><br />No deadline has been set for the selection process, but NCCU and UNC administration officials have said it could take between six and nine months.<br /><br />Once the three finalists have been identified, Ross said he would interview them and make a recommendation to the board of governors.<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">He said the person selected for the job should have integrity, understand shared governance, be transparent and inclusive, have great people skills and understand the balance between academics and athletics.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />Ann W. Lemmon, the UNC system’s associate vice president for human resources, said the new chancellor would likely earn between $275,000 and $300,000.<br /><br />She said the committee should keep an “open mind” about possible candidates, including nontraditional candidates, those who have not spent their careers in academia.<br /><br />“We want to cast as wide a net as possible,” Lemmon said.<br /><br />NCCU must find new ways to generate revenue and also create more public-private partnerships.<br /><br />Nelms’ unexpected announcement that he was stepping down from his post stunned the campus because it came just several weeks before the beginning of fall classes.<br /><br />Ross named Charles Becton, a Durham attorney, law professor and former judge on the state Court of Appeals, as interim chancellor.<br /><br />He said Thursday that Becton plans to serve no more than one year in the interim role.<br /><br />“He was pretty clear with me that this is a one-year gig at most,” Ross said.<br />
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-57808150405162466012012-09-01T19:59:00.001-07:002012-09-01T19:59:15.687-07:00Clark Atlanta band suspended for suspected hazing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3jG4ToMNXas/UELKjSO5fOI/AAAAAAAAD4c/Ui6IxChukBY/s1600/cau+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3jG4ToMNXas/UELKjSO5fOI/AAAAAAAAD4c/Ui6IxChukBY/s400/cau+(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Clark Atlanta University has suspended performances of the "Mighty Marching Panthers" to investigate a hazing allegation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">University leaders made the decision on Friday. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">"Even the possibility of hazing is unacceptable under any circumstance," read a statement issued by CAU. "Therefore, an investigation will commence immediately. The University aims to be thorough, comprehensive and aggressive in its review."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">The Mays High School band will substitute during CAU's first football game of the season on Saturday. CAU will play the University of West Alabama at Panther Stadium in Atlanta.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><a name='more'></a><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">The University released a statement:</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><blockquote>
<em>"Clark Atlanta University today suspended performances of its “Mighty Marching Panthers” Marching Band in light of an allegation regarding the possibility of hazing within its ranks. While there is no immediate evidence of hazing or any other foul play, the University of its own volition chooses to take a thorough, comprehensive look into this serious matter.</em><em><br /></em><em>Even the possibility of hazing is unacceptable under any circumstance. Therefore, an investigation will commence immediately. The University aims to be thorough, comprehensive and aggressive in its review.</em><em><br /></em><em>Ideally, the allegations will prove untrue and the band can return to its planned schedule of performances as quickly as possible. However, regardless of the findings, Clark Atlanta is prepared to take whatever actions are necessary to ensure a safe, healthy, non-threatening experience for our student musicians. The integrity of our University, our band program and the honor of the musicians therein warrants no less."</em></blockquote>
</span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-73328012545744511882012-08-30T19:51:00.001-07:002012-08-30T19:51:10.829-07:00Alabama State AD faces uncertain future<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UdPthwQogxA/UEAkfxJ2IHI/AAAAAAAAD4M/B-ZPsh6M3QE/s1600/ASU-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UdPthwQogxA/UEAkfxJ2IHI/AAAAAAAAD4M/B-ZPsh6M3QE/s400/ASU-5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Alabama State University Athletic Director Stacy Danley faces an uncertain future at the school as university officials have confirmed that Danley has been placed on administrative leave with pay. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Danley has has served as the Hornet's athletic director for a little more than 25 months, said from his home in Auburn that there were “fundamental differences (on) how you operate, but let’s see how we can get past this adversity.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">“Alabama State, with or without Stacy Danley, has a chance to be extremely special,” he added. “There has been a tremendous amount of progress made since I’ve been the athletic director. I’m still the athletic director there and I’m so excited about the future at Alabama State.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Whether Danley will be allowed to return to his position following the “pending personnel matter” is uncertain.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Danley is the ninth AD at ASU in the past 11 years.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-92076656883762009072012-08-26T18:17:00.002-07:002012-08-31T16:08:36.175-07:00Morris Brown files for bankruptcy protection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nvrvjvKHtCA/UDrKnCBIC5I/AAAAAAAAD38/57dXYhMlRo0/s1600/morris_brown_college_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nvrvjvKHtCA/UDrKnCBIC5I/AAAAAAAAD38/57dXYhMlRo0/s400/morris_brown_college_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Facing more than $30 million in debt, Morris Brown College officials have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.<br />
<br />
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/PJoc32 ) that the move is a last ditch effort to prevent the school from being foreclosed on and sold at auction.<br />
<br />
The 131-year-old historically black college is facing foreclosure next month after investors called $13 million worth of bonds tied to the school.<br />
<br />
The bonds were issued in 1996 by the Fulton County Development Authority. The school had pledged several pieces of property as security. An auction of assets was set for Sept. 4.<br />
<br />
Chapter 11 gives federal protection to businesses unable to pay their debts and allows reorganization. A lawyer for Morris Brown says the emergency filing delays the foreclosure until a judge decides otherwise.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-10756755579104853762012-08-22T18:01:00.000-07:002012-08-22T18:03:23.478-07:00Facing Foreclosure Morris Brown College to Be Sold <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5SmXDo-B3Zw/UDWAOC8KAGI/AAAAAAAAD3s/N4R6uz7v15Q/s1600/Morris+Brown+College.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5SmXDo-B3Zw/UDWAOC8KAGI/AAAAAAAAD3s/N4R6uz7v15Q/s400/Morris+Brown+College.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Morris Brown is facing foreclosure next month, after investors called $13 million worth of bonds tied to the college. An auction of assets, including the administration building, is scheduled for Sept. 4.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
For more than a decade, Morris Brown College has clung to life as it struggled academically and financially in the face of growing debt and dwindling support.</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Now, one of the country's oldest black colleges, which at times boasted an enrollment of more than 3,000 student, is now down to about 50, and all but dead.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"This is heartbreaking and not only a sad day in the life of Morris Brown, but in black academia," said former Atlanta City Councilman Derrick Boazman, a 1990 graduate of Morris Brown. "The school is needed now more than ever." </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span>
<br />
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
While not going into specifics, Benjamin Harrison, a spokesman for the 6th District African Methodist Episcopal Church, which oversees the school, said officials will talk about reorganizing and restructuring as well as finances.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Calls to Morris Brown President Stanley J. Pritchett were not returned Wednesday, but Harrison acknowledged that while efforts are being made to find money to settle the debt the going is tough.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"There is the need to raise millions of dollars to counteract that deficit," Harrison said. "But if that money is not raised, the school is in jeopardy."</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The bonds were issued<b> </b>by the Fulton County Development Authority in 1996, when Atlanta was flush with cash as the Summer Olympics loomed. As security for the bonds, Morris Brown pledged several pieces of property, including the school's administration building.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
But Morris Brown, which is mired in debt and receives no federal funds because it is not accredited, is unable to repay the loans.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Morris Brown used the Fulton County Development Authority to finance the debt to get an ultra-low, tax exempt interest rate. The authority only acted as a conduit and taxpayers aren't on the hook, authority attorney Lewis Horne said.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Once one of the key pillars that comprised the Atlanta University Center, Morris Brown College was founded by former slaves to educate the sons and daughters of slaves.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Over the last two decades, while Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University have thrived, Morris Brown withered away.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
In 2003, after years of severe financial mismanagement, fraud and debt, the school lost its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the federal funding and academic standing that comes with it. With the loss of accreditation, the United Negro College Fund, also withdrew its financial and other support.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The capper came in 2006, when Dolores Cross, who served as president from 1998 to 2002, pleaded guilty to embezzling federal funds by applying for money on behalf of students without their knowledge or consent. Cross used the money to pay operating costs. She was ordered to pay $13,942 in restitution to the government and was sentenced to five years of probation but avoided prison time.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Former financial aid director Parvesh Singh also pleaded guilty.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Preston W. Williams, chairman of the board of trustees of Morris Brown, is calling for a "National Day of Prayer," and will issue what is being called the school's official response to the notice of foreclosure at an on-campus event at 1 p.m. Saturday John H. Lewis Health & Physical Education Complex.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
He is calling on everyone associated with Morris Brown to pray for the school -- and donate money -- to stave off the foreclosure.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"The mood around here is realistic," Harrison said. "Although we are praying to God that he will assist us, the school does have its feet on the ground and is looking at this seriously and realistically. We know that tangible, concrete plans have to be established for Morris Brown to survive, go forward and rebuild." Because the school is not accredited by SACS, students are not eligible for federal financial aid.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The school is in the process of trying to get accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Last July, media accounts reported the school owed more than $30 million to several creditors. At the same time, the school raised $500,000 to settle a $9.9 million debt to the U.S. Department of Education.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-68927266948760940832012-03-31T17:29:00.001-07:002012-03-31T19:35:32.678-07:00Jackson State Alums donate over $2.5m to alma mater<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnQu-_Ry5Wg/T3efx3C96qI/AAAAAAAAD0c/VdZbI1e5-Cg/s1600/Jackson+State.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnQu-_Ry5Wg/T3efx3C96qI/AAAAAAAAD0c/VdZbI1e5-Cg/s400/Jackson+State.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Jackson State University Alumni Association recently contributed more than $2.5 million to the university during an alumni reception last Thursday as part of the inauguration celebration of President Carolyn Meyers. A late contribution pushed the initial $2,409,233.92 gift to $2,584,233.92. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pictured (from l to r) with Meyers (center) are: David Hoard, JSU VP for Institutional Advancement and JSU National Alumni Association President Terry Woodard. Meyers, who began work earlier this year, was officially installed during ceremonies on Friday.</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-59242390764931708952012-03-10T15:09:00.000-08:002012-03-10T15:09:27.709-08:00Tenn. State upgrades football facilities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="312" id="flashObj" width="4=386"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="omnitureAccountID=gpaper151,gntbcstglobal&pageContentCategory=SPORTS&pageContentSubcategory=SPORTS06&marketName=Nashville:tennessean&revSciSeg=&revSciZip=&revSciAge=&revSciGender=&division=newspaper&SSTSCode=sports/college/article.htm&videoId=1458560006001&playerID=47366662001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAACEco_Vk~,9bOat4XcfB_BDUt6gLCSNurHbcwKTTCa&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="omnitureAccountID=gpaper151,gntbcstglobal&pageContentCategory=SPORTS&pageContentSubcategory=SPORTS06&marketName=Nashville:tennessean&revSciSeg=&revSciZip=&revSciAge=&revSciGender=&division=newspaper&SSTSCode=sports/college/article.htm&videoId=1458560006001&playerID=47366662001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAACEco_Vk~,9bOat4XcfB_BDUt6gLCSNurHbcwKTTCa&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Tennessee State football coach Rod Reed set out to improve the school's facilities when he took over the Big Blue Tigers last year. He's already starting to see the fruits of his labor in the Tigers new locker room which opened late in the summer, and the $3.7 million indoor practice facility and weight room renovations which were completed last fall. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">TSU is one of just six Football Championship Subdivision schools that has an indoor practice facility.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Tigers used the 60,750-square foot indoor facility several times this past season on extremely hot days or when rain kept them from practicing outside. But its the locker room that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Reed is most proud of. The locker room houses 65 wooden, NFL-style lockers and four flat-screen televisions and were paid for with $125,000 in alumni donations which were matched by $25,000 from the TSU administration.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">“Each kid has an individual lock box with a combination lock for their valuables,” Reed said. “We just got in the stools so that they can sit inside or in front of their lockers when they dress. With the flat-screen TVs, we’re finding a lot of the guys are using the locker room now as a hangout. They can come in and watch ESPN. We’ve got DirecTV, so they can pretty much watch whatever they want.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The locker room previously was used as a football meeting room for the offense.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-38243266654493061812012-03-02T18:00:00.000-08:002012-03-02T18:00:16.625-08:00SC State president resigns amid rampant allegations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oCkRrOSOkwI/T1F4fH_5SNI/AAAAAAAADz0/UTz-_0suXTE/s1600/CooperResigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oCkRrOSOkwI/T1F4fH_5SNI/AAAAAAAADz0/UTz-_0suXTE/s400/CooperResigns.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">South Carolina State University President George Cooper announced his plans to step down at the end on the month, to hundreds of students, faculty and staff this morning.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
The announcement came amid wide spread speculation on the nature of an ongoing, but unspecified, internal investigation; a call from faculty leaders that the board remove Cooper, and the recent firings of eight top-level employees. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">However, Cooper said he was stepping down March 30 to spend more time with his family and to pursue other interests. “Please note my departure is voluntary,” he said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Cooper also said he would be paid $268,000 from non-state funds, and that he had entered into a “standard mutual legal release.”</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">“In the last three months, this university has been challenged by many issues beyond my control,” Cooper said.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Cooper has been president since 2008. The Board of Trustees fired him in May 2010, but rehired him two weeks later, when two new members took seats on the board. </div></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-75554115941138566052012-02-25T14:54:00.002-08:002012-02-25T14:57:25.289-08:00Fisk U. president to retire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VxbMLIeCRaA/T0ll9EGRzRI/AAAAAAAADzs/CYVVCXVWjv8/s1600/Hazel+O'Leary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VxbMLIeCRaA/T0ll9EGRzRI/AAAAAAAADzs/CYVVCXVWjv8/s400/Hazel+O'Leary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hazel O'Leary announced yesterday her plans to retirement as president of Fisk University, effective at the end of the year. O'Leary has been Fisk president since August 2004, and previously served as U.S. Energy Secretary from 1993 to 1997.</span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">In a statement released Friday by the university, the 74-year-old O'Leary said Fisk has achieved top tier performance among liberal arts institutions in academics, student retention and engagement. She did not say why she chose this year to retire. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">For the past five years, she has been involved in a legal battle over whether the school can sell a $30 million stake in an art collection donated to the school by the late American artist Georgia O'Keeffe.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be fair, O'Leary inherited a school in debt and was never able to devise a successful plan for turning it around.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-86188820442409643672012-02-19T07:45:00.002-08:002012-02-19T07:51:03.521-08:00Ray Charles Foundation demands return of $3m gift to ASU<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" id="story_text_top" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Da6GiRJF7-s/T0EYupBQsYI/AAAAAAAADzk/PAhisvj4Iv0/s1600/ga_albanystate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Da6GiRJF7-s/T0EYupBQsYI/AAAAAAAADzk/PAhisvj4Iv0/s400/ga_albanystate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">The Ray Charles Foundation is demanding the return of a $3 million gift given to Albany State University a decade ago because the college has yet to build a performing arts center in the late artist's name, the foundation says.</div><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">In 2001, Charles gave Albany State $1 million and donated another $2 million a year later after receiving an honorary doctorate from the college. Charles died in 2004 at age 73.</div><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">The money was given solely for the construction of the performing arts center, yet it only exists "on the drawing board and in an unapproved downsized plan," the foundation said in a statement.</div></div><div id="mi_story_embedded" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div class="advertisement" id="rectangle_medium" style="clear: both; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"></div></div><div class="entry-content" id="story_text_remaining" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">Charles was specific on how the money was to be spent, said foundation president Valerie Ervin.</div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Albany State University spokesman Demetrius Love said the gift was never restricted and that the school continues to pursue additional funding for the building, which is expected to cost at least $23 million.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">"When Mr. Charles made the two separate gifts to the University, he did so without restrictions," Love said. "The University does believe that a Fine Arts Building named after Mr. Charles, with a theatre named in honor of Mr. Charles' mother, Mrs. Aretha Robinson, is one of the ways to do 'the right thing.' The University has been working tirelessly towards that goal."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">The 2001 donation still is in a bank and the $2 million gift was given to 125 students chosen to be Ray Charles Presidential Scholars, according to the university. Officials said the donation was the largest gift the university has ever received.</div><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;">"It has been a long and tedious process, but strides have been made in accomplishing this goal," Love said in an email statement. "Albany State University will continue in its efforts of honoring Mr. Ray Charles by constructing a fine arts building in his name."</div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
Plans for the project have stalled in recent years because of a lack of state funding amid budget cuts. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272627;">The university has received additional state funding to support the design phase of the building.</span></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #272627; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal sans-serif; height: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; width: 1px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px;">Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/02/14/1933194/ray-charles-foundation-wants-3.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-23495996359005916382012-02-13T01:34:00.000-08:002012-02-13T01:34:46.441-08:00Johnson C. Smith Univ. teams up with Charlotte Law<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs2fYSYZkzQ/TzjYkvLxbzI/AAAAAAAADzc/FoyYmpTV9gM/s1600/+Johnson+C.+Smith+University-medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs2fYSYZkzQ/TzjYkvLxbzI/AAAAAAAADzc/FoyYmpTV9gM/s320/+Johnson+C.+Smith+University-medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beginning this fall, Johnson C. Smith University and Charlotte School of Law<span class="follow-icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"> </span>will offer a dual degree program that will allow students to earn an undergraduate degree and a law degree in six years.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">High-performing students at JCSU will be recruited for the program. Students will follow a schedule that allows them to complete their JCSU degree requirements minus major electives. Then, at the end of their junior year, qualified students can enter the law program at Charlotte Law. Full credits required for graduation at JCSU must be completed by the end of August following the students’ first year of law school.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Candidates for the program will be required to have a minimum SAT score of at least 900 and a minimum GPA of 3.0.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-73594201693660118722012-02-11T08:44:00.000-08:002012-02-11T08:44:49.281-08:00$4M deficit catches SC State trustees off guard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LV6WSAv9uc/Tzaaw40TNfI/AAAAAAAADzM/dY5kY-kxOss/s1600/Col-SouthCarolinaState.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LV6WSAv9uc/Tzaaw40TNfI/AAAAAAAADzM/dY5kY-kxOss/s400/Col-SouthCarolinaState.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272727; font-family: Verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"></span><br />
<div id="story_body" style="clear: both; line-height: 1.8em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 14px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div id="story_text_top" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="entry-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">South Carolina State University board members were stunned to learn about a projected $4 million budget shortfall, a deficit so severe that one trustee said the school was on life support.</div><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Joe Pearman, interim vice president for finance and facilities, told the Board of Trustees' Finance Committee about the projected shortfall.</div><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">University leaders had hoped to have a $2.5 million surplus by June 30, the end of the school's fiscal year. Instead it will fall short about $4 million of breaking even.</div></div></div><div class="entry-content" id="story_text_remaining" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Pearman told committee members that he expected a shortfall of about $3 million, which he attributed largely to the school's drop in tuition revenue from declining student enrollment. The University would also have to cover a $750,000 shortfall from the school's dining hall.</div><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Finance Committee and university President George Cooper will meet again to continue developing plans to deal with the shortfall.</div><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The full board will meet Feb. 16. In a presentation to the committee, board member Maurice Washington said enrollment dropped from 4,933 students in June 2008 to 4,362 students in June 2011.</div><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The school isn't bankrupt, he said, "but it's on life support."</div><a name='more'></a></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SC State officials are also faced with covering a projected $610,000 loss, so far this budget year, at the University's lab school. The loss is attributed largely to falling enrollment at the school. The school's budget is about $1.3 million, an is covered by the State Department of Education and the University.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272727; font-family: Verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The university must take quick and drastic actions to deal with the shortfall and get the school back on a positive path, Washington said. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272727; font-family: Verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #272727; font-family: Verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">One action he suggested was opting out of the costly Division I athletic program.</span></span><br />
<div style="clear: both; line-height: 1.8em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 14px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="entry-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Cooper said he has a plan to deal with the problem. It involves eliminating vacant positions, laying off some employees and cutting some salaries.</div><div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal sans-serif; height: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; width: 1px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/02/03/3713728/sc-state-trustees-stunned-by-4m.html#storylink=cpy</div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-8951504965151756062012-01-21T07:21:00.000-08:002012-01-21T07:21:10.102-08:00NCCU may eliminate programs to deal with budget cuts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDSxq4UTyYk/TxrXdtv5lxI/AAAAAAAADy0/zmxNhv8DhX8/s1600/North_Carolina_Central_University_Law_School_in_Durham_North_Carolina_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDSxq4UTyYk/TxrXdtv5lxI/AAAAAAAADy0/zmxNhv8DhX8/s400/North_Carolina_Central_University_Law_School_in_Durham_North_Carolina_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Facing increased cuts in state funding, t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">he chancellor of N.C. Central University has proposed eliminating several degree programs, merging others and increasing the class size of selected general education courses as a way of balancing the budget.<br />
<br />
Under the proposals, NCCU would no longer offer bachelor of arts degree programs in French, sociology or public administration; mathematics and physics would be combined into a single department and the dance program would be “restructured” and moved to the theater department.<br />
<br />
In recommendations that he’s presenting to a series of “listening forums” across the campus over the next few weeks, Chancellor Charlie Nelms said that his proposed fiscal, administrative and academic restructuring is necessary “to free up funds to reinvest in academic and related programs, which will enhance the university’s quality and competitiveness.”<br />
<br />
The proposals also include a parallel streamlining of administrative processes and practices designed, in total, to generate around $2 million in savings during the next fiscal year.<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Taken together, Nelms said, the recommendations would not only save money but would “enhance the university’s capacity to increase retention and graduation rates,” produce graduates who possess critical thinking and analytical skills, and “respond to current and projected budget challenges.”<br />
Nelms’ recommendations are based on a report on the academic side by Provost Debbie Thomas and on the administrative side by Vice Chancellor Wendell Davis. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The proposals from Nelms also call for:<br />
<br />
• Eliminating the bachelor of science program in athletic training;<br />
<br />
• Merging the College of Science and Technology with the College of Liberal Arts to create the College of Arts and Sciences;<br />
<br />
• Transforming the mass communication program into the department of mass communication;<br />
<br />
• Merging the computer information systems and computer science degree programs.<br />
<br />
While the recommendations call for some degree programs to be eliminated, Nelms emphasized that courses in the affected departments will still be offered and current declared majors will be able to meet their degree requirements.<br />
<br />
The administrative recommendations also call for:<br />
<br />
• Implementing “reductions in force” in the division of administration and finance to “better align personnel costs with the needs and structure of units and departments”;<br />
<br />
• Eliminating 10 temporary positions;<br />
<br />
• Limiting free student printing in the computer labs;<br />
<br />
• Canceling maintenance contracts for unused software products and reducing the extent of support services.<br />
<br />
Overall, the administrative report to Nelms made 60 suggestions for cost reduction that, if all were implemented, would save NCCU about $1.475 million. With the academic restructurings, the projected total savings would be about $2 million.<br />
<br />
“I feel strongly that these proposals will improve the university’s capacity to fulfill its mission of retaining and graduating students who can lead in a global society,” Nelms wrote in an executive summary of his recommendations.<br />
<br />
“This is a pragmatic approach to restructuring the university that will not alter our character, because it begins with what we already do well and seeks only to make us better.”<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-6586545109057522122011-11-26T09:38:00.000-08:002011-11-26T09:38:10.144-08:00Lincoln U. taps former AAMU President as new leader<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPyjasliHko/TtEh31vNFUI/AAAAAAAADwM/RSyNxshgqfU/s1600/robert+jennings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPyjasliHko/TtEh31vNFUI/AAAAAAAADwM/RSyNxshgqfU/s320/robert+jennings.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robert Jennings, was named the 13th president of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania last week. Jennings previously served four years as president at Alabama A&M University. <br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" /><br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" />Lincoln University, considered one of the nation's oldest historically black universities in the nation, has an enrollment of about 2,500 graduate and undergraduate students.<br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" /><br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" />He will replace Ivory Nelson, who announced his retirement earlier this year.<br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" /><br style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" />Jennings served at Alabama A&M from 2005-08. </span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.55em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 17px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 3px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By a vote of 7-1, Jennings was fired by the A&M board of trustees for a series of alleged misdeeds - including not following school procedure in hiring a former assistant and paying the assistant for time spent away from campus.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While at AAMU he is credited with raising $4 million for scholarships and the school's endowment, a first for a AAMU president. He previously held positions at Wake Forest University in NC.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.55em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 17px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 3px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jennings denied the charges and sued the board. That lawsuit was dismissed because the board has immunity from lawsuits.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.55em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 17px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 3px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year, he was a finalists to become president at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jennings will begin work in January 2012</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-60629676189478942082011-11-21T14:17:00.000-08:002011-11-21T14:17:00.888-08:00NCCU conducting a top-to-bottom review of its academic programs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqnY4utJRPw/TsrNr1cSk2I/AAAAAAAADvM/HivMEOW7_aw/s1600/North-Carolina-Central-University-5FCA8A49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqnY4utJRPw/TsrNr1cSk2I/AAAAAAAADvM/HivMEOW7_aw/s1600/North-Carolina-Central-University-5FCA8A49.jpg" /></a></div>N.C. Central University has undertaken a massive review of all its academic programs that could result in the merger, realignment or even elimination of some programs.<br />
<br />
“Make no mistake about it, this [review] will impact all the work we do here,” Chancellor Charlie Nelms told the school’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday. “We are trying to determine exactly through this who are we? What are the things we do well and the things we do not do well? We realize we cannot be all things to all people.”<br />
<br />
NCCU Provost Debbie Thomas emphasized that the effort would not “eliminate or compromise the educational core” of the university and instead would “insure its academic integrity.”<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The program review was undoubtedly spurred by recent state budget funding cuts and by a just-issued UNC system report that looked into potential unnecessary degree duplication across the campuses. That report failed to find any unnecessary duplications but recommended that campuses fit new programs within the mold of their missions and use online courses to cut costs.<br />
<br />
The provost said, the university is examining, among much else, retention and graduation rates, credit hours generated, numbers of full and part-time faculty, fiscal viability and the capacity to sustain and grow a program.<br />
<br />
“This is and will be a very thorough process,” Thomas said.<br />
<br />
That process ultimately will result in programs either being restructured, merged, realigned, reinvested or eliminated, she said.<br />
<br />
The university’s academic review council will look at the results of the audit some time this month and will report and make recommendations to the chancellor by the end of the year.<br />
<br />
Nelms is expected to bring his recommendations to the trustees early next year.<br />
<br />
“This is not just an exercise. We are at a most critical juncture in the history of this university,” Nelms told the trustees.<br />
<br />
“The next 6-10 months will really determine what will happen to N.C. Central University over the next decade.”<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-42490261825936017582011-11-18T00:26:00.000-08:002011-11-18T00:26:00.740-08:00Improved retention helps Morgan grow past 8,000<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m0pD9gr8wJA/TsNAG6zpwcI/AAAAAAAADu0/degi7YpI_KE/s1600/morgan_st_library3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m0pD9gr8wJA/TsNAG6zpwcI/AAAAAAAADu0/degi7YpI_KE/s400/morgan_st_library3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The number of students attending Morgan State University is on the rise for yet another year.<br />
<br />
The student body now is a little more than 8,000. <br />
<br />
“We saw an increase in our SAT scores in the process, because we are saying to high-performing students all over this state and all over this country, ‘You need to look at Morgan,’” said university president Dr. David Wilson. "Instead of waiting for the students to identify themselves as having problems, we've been reaching out individually to any student with an academic or financial issue and saying, basically, ‘What can we do to assist?"<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Morgan State leaders have also noticed that more students are coming to school and staying longer. The student retention rate is 72.9 percent -- a 4.5 percent increase over last year. That's helping more students receive a diploma.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-13858575978685564242011-11-15T20:09:00.000-08:002011-11-15T20:09:04.932-08:00Tuskegee U. launches $250m Capital Campaign<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uj52kUzk0A8/TsM3Ou2abBI/AAAAAAAADus/VMqAuCHfOvI/s1600/Tuskegee.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uj52kUzk0A8/TsM3Ou2abBI/AAAAAAAADus/VMqAuCHfOvI/s320/Tuskegee.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tuskegee University has embarked on a five-year, $250 million capital campaign, the largest in its 130-year history.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">“The landscape of higher education is changing dramatically and Tuskegee University is faced with intensified competition for the best students, faculty and academic facilities. In order to continue and further our mission, we must have adequate resources,” said <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">President Gilbert L. Rochon.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">The “Programmed for Excellence” campaign will seek to raise a quarter of a billion dollars over the next five years. Funding from the comprehensive campaign will go toward student scholarships, faculty development, facilities and infrastructure, innovative partnerships, campus life, athletic programs, endowed professorships and more.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Overall, the campaign will facilitate Tuskegee University’s enhancement of its graduate and undergraduate academic curricula; increase enrollment and retention; expand student support; grow the endowment; incorporate cutting-edge computational and analytical instrumentation; upgrade academic and physical facilities; establish a large and small animal veterinary hospital; modernize infrastructure; facilitate health care access; stimulate regional sustainable development; attain preeminence as a research university; and expand its global footprint. </div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Virgil E. Ecton was recently appointed vice president for federal affairs and director of the capital campaign. He will perform his duties in the university’s Washington, D.C., office. Ecton is the former vice president for university advancement at Howard University. Prior to his appointment at Howard, Ecton worked for the United Negro College Fund for three decades. As the senior executive vice president of development for the UNCF, he raised more than $1.6 billion during his tenure. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-48210794299383819222011-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:002011-11-07T17:03:20.552-08:00Tuskegee's Kellogg Hotel gets a makeover thanks to generous alums<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSfFZHbWoRs/Trh8SmgpuhI/AAAAAAAADt8/lIWhQreVW8Q/s1600/Tuskegee+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSfFZHbWoRs/Trh8SmgpuhI/AAAAAAAADt8/lIWhQreVW8Q/s400/Tuskegee+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">The Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center at Tuskegee University got a much needed makeover thanks to the efforts of two alumni, Matthew and Roberta Jenkins, who donated money to refurbish the lobby, bar and restaurant areas.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">Two other alums, designer Vicki Carter and project manager Kathy Webb, planned and implemented the renovation on a pro-bono basis. The lobby features new animal print furnishings that can comfortably accommodate 40 people and an imported blown glass chandelier.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">“This is a Neiman Marcus, over the top,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=22906742&postID=4821079429938381922" name="_GoBack" style="text-decoration: none;"></a> fantasy gift for Tuskegee,” Carter said.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">The 10-week project used a mix of existing and new fixtures to update the look of the hotel while embracing its history. For example, in the restaurant area, the old dining tables got a new and innovative look. The tops were redone with an automotive paint treatment resulting in a unique and glossy, deep chocolate finish that is durable and easy to maintain. Columns bearing quotes from university figures, past and present, remind diners of the university’s deep legacy.</span></div><a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aZM6n2JC4JA/Trh_t67770I/AAAAAAAADuM/R_T2zgYd-Q8/s1600/Tuskegee+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aZM6n2JC4JA/Trh_t67770I/AAAAAAAADuM/R_T2zgYd-Q8/s400/Tuskegee+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Visitors were treated last week to a walking tour with the donors and design team. Ribbons were cut on the doors leading to the three refurbished areas. Along with a new look, the bar and restaurant areas got new names. The restaurant is now known as Dorothy’s Place, paying homage to Dorothy Hall, the historic university guesthouse, which is now the Kellogg. The newly dubbed Skegee Lounge features a unique marble top bar that is more efficient, making drink service faster.</span><br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">Donor Roberta Jenkins said the changes to the hotel will benefit students studying hospitality and dietetics and said the facility can now serve as a laboratory and training ground with state-of-the-art equipment. Matthew Jenkins said he wanted the best for the renovations and encouraged a new service attitude to go with the Kellogg’s first class adornments. He also urged others to give and help with future needed upgrades to the hotel.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;">“Jump on the team. Get behind it and push it,” Matthew Jenkins said. “We have a gem here… polish it.”</span></div><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-42265268432050433812011-11-03T02:01:00.000-07:002011-11-03T02:01:44.404-07:00Southern U System branches out online<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zURm0GFEprA/TrJYIDzm4NI/AAAAAAAADtI/CNFbNiKIvx4/s1600/Southern+Univerity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zURm0GFEprA/TrJYIDzm4NI/AAAAAAAADtI/CNFbNiKIvx4/s1600/Southern+Univerity.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Southern University System has partnered with Education Online Services Corporation (EOServe Corp.) to implement multiple online degree </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">programs for all campuses within the System. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> “Today’s student seeks a variety of learning options," said SUS President Ronald Mason. This is just another of them.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Calibri; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Southern University online, will offer students the opportunity to receive Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Sciences, and Masters degrees from the University. No word yet on which particular degrees will be offered, the program should be up and running over the next 12 to 24 months. </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-79442047751675382712011-11-01T17:57:00.000-07:002011-11-01T17:57:55.509-07:00Kimbrough named President of Dillard U.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9jr2H1lMkOc/TrCUqwSNuRI/AAAAAAAADtA/ksMh-4jPIYc/s1600/walter+Kimborought.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9jr2H1lMkOc/TrCUqwSNuRI/AAAAAAAADtA/ksMh-4jPIYc/s1600/walter+Kimborought.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 12px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.25em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walter M. Kimbrough, Ph.D., will take over as president of Dillard University on July 1, 2012. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"> “We are thrilled to bring such an energetic, visionary leader to Dillard,” says board chair Joyce M. Roché. “Dr. Kimbrough is uniquely well-suited to help the university build on its strengths and chart a strategic course for the future.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 12px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.25em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;">Kimbrough joins Dillard after serving for seven years as president of Philander SmithCollege in Little Rock, Ark., where he orchestrated a remarkable revitalization effort. Under his leadership, the college dramatically increased student recruitment and graduation rate. The university also adopted a new mission and greatly raised its stature by focusing on its core values and history as anHBCU and a charter member of the United Negro College Fund.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.25em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;">Kimbrough, who is among the youngest college presidents in the nation, is known for his active use of social media to engage and stay connected with students. “The depth of Dr. Kimbrough’s dedication to students is inspiring,” says Dr. Roché. “He is successful because he puts students’ success above all else.”</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.25em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;">Prior tobeginning his tenure at Philander Smith, Kimbrough served for four years as the vice president for student affairs at Albany State University in Albany, Ga. He also served as director of student activities and leadership at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., and held administrative posts at Georgia State University and Emory University.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.25em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em; vertical-align: baseline;">Kimbrough received a bachelor of science in agriculture with a major in biology from the University of Georgia. He earned a master of science in college student personnel services from Miami University and a doctor of philosophy in higher education from Georgia State University. </div></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-81743093947305074672011-10-11T17:55:00.000-07:002011-10-11T17:55:59.358-07:00State Senator Calls for Dismissal of SC State President<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2vKpOG-X80I/TpTlWM0hU0I/AAAAAAAADso/vhYCbp8tX6I/s1600/GeorgeCooper-199x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2vKpOG-X80I/TpTlWM0hU0I/AAAAAAAADso/vhYCbp8tX6I/s200/GeorgeCooper-199x300.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div orgfontsize="12px" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">SC State Sen. Robert Ford, a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, has asked the Board of Trustees at South Carolina State University to remove President George Cooper, citing the board's grade of D+ for the university's leader.</div><div orgfontsize="12px" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"It is time for a change," said state Sen. Robert Ford in a statement.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sen. Ford says Cooper has had ample time to enact an agenda, but he "instead continues to earn poor grades on his leadership abilities."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div orgfontsize="12px" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This latest turn of events with Cooper is in a long line of events stretching back to 2010. In July 2010, the Board of Trustees voted to fire Cooper, but he was later reinstated after two new board members voted to reinstate him.</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div orgfontsize="12px" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Ford is threatening to get Gov. Nikki Haley and members of the General Assembly involved if the board does not act in removing Cooper.</div><div><br />
</div></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-80273515765656620032011-10-06T00:11:00.001-07:002011-10-06T00:11:44.010-07:00Off Topic: So long friend !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9IRl5fZ2KA/To1UmHIbOKI/AAAAAAAADsk/c_qt2rfrzv0/s1600/steve_jobs+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9IRl5fZ2KA/To1UmHIbOKI/AAAAAAAADsk/c_qt2rfrzv0/s400/steve_jobs+.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906742.post-54057749100910358152011-09-25T18:35:00.000-07:002011-09-25T18:35:21.622-07:00Savannah State opens new Student Union<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O6krrouW3cU/Tn_VKbnOM0I/AAAAAAAADsI/O3fIoThBcm0/s1600/Sav+State+U.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O6krrouW3cU/Tn_VKbnOM0I/AAAAAAAADsI/O3fIoThBcm0/s400/Sav+State+U.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Savannah State University recently gave students, alumni and faculty a look at its new student union building. The new $11.75 million building will house new office suites, study lounges, a dance studio, meeting and events space with video projectors and smart technology, and a food court.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students voted in 2009 to pay an extra $150 a semester to pay for the building.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, 'lucida grande', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.95em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.8em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8