Lincoln U. taps former AAMU President as new leader

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. 

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.

He will replace Ivory Nelson, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Jennings served at Alabama A&M from 2005-08. 

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.


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.

Jennings denied the charges and sued the board. That lawsuit was dismissed because the board has immunity from lawsuits.

Last year, he was a finalists to become president at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.


Jennings will begin work in January 2012

Lincoln U. (PA) president announces retirement

Ivory V. Nelson, who as president led Lincoln University out of debt and spearheaded a building boom that is transforming the nation's oldest historically black college, will retire in June.

Nelson, 76, guided Lincoln during a critical time in its history, when university officials decided to relinquish majority control of the Barnes Foundation board of directors, leading to the art collection's controversial move from the college to Philadelphia. The decision was seen by some as the catalyst behind the release of millions of dollars in state funds to the school.

Nelson joined Lincoln in 1999 after serving in leadership posts at Texas A&M University, Prairie View A&M University, and Central Washington State University. When he arrived at Lincoln, the infrastructure and many buildings were rundown, and the school was $15 million in debt.

In January 2000, the school's main electrical line had ruptured, so, with no power on campus, he had to send the 1,500 students home for three weeks. "We couldn't educate them, feed them, take care of them," Nelson said. "Our infrastructure had failed and we couldn't deliver."

During his presidency, Nelson has dealt with a faculty strike, controversies over a fitness course required for some students, and anti-Israel statements made by a tenured professor.

Since 2005, the school has built a $22 million residence hall, a new cultural center equipped with an art gallery, computer labs, and a 1,049-seat auditorium; a $40 million science and technology center (which will be renamed in Nelson's honor); and a newly renovated student union and library.

Due for completion in 2012 are a wellness center and athletic complex, capping off a $325 million campus makeover.

The school's enrollment, also, has grown from 2,000 in the 1999-2000 school year to 2,361.

A search committee has been formed to look for a new president.

Lincoln U (PA) receives $4M NIH grant

Lincoln University (PA) has received a 5-year/$4M award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aimed at improving its research infrastructure. The award began on September 30, 2008 and ends on the 30th of June 2013.

The overarching goals of the award are to strengthen the research capability and infrastructure of Lincoln, to create a group of well-trained faculty researchers with expertise in biomedical research with emphasis on cancer, stroke and other diseases that disproportionately affect minorities, and to generate a pipeline of minority students who will choose to continue their education in biomedical research, allied health and medicine after graduation. An increase in the pool of minority biomedical researchers and health-care professionals will contribute significantly to the elimination of health disparities.

Specifically the award will enable Lincoln University to do the following:
1. To strengthen the research administrative structure at Lincoln University.
2. To expand the academic programs that impact manpower development in health disparities including the introduction of a B.S. degree program in Nursing.
3. To establish academic research programs in health disparities. The number of faculty engaged in quality research focused on health disparities will increase. In the first year of the grant, three new projects will be started. In subsequent years, the grant will award three faculty up to $25,000 each to carry out research in areas related to health disparities.
4. To enhance research facilities and technological environment. This award will enable Lincoln University purchase a Quadropole Time of Flight mass spectrometer (Qq-ToF), a cryostat, bioanalyzer, neuroimaging system and other research equipment. In addition, Neuroscience and Scientific Writing courses will be introduced at Lincoln University.
5. To enhance student competencies and preparedness to pursue advanced studies after graduation.
6. To promote educational experiences and opportunities that encourage students to pursue research careers.