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INCREASING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS AT PUBLIC
HBCUS THROUGH LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES:
A CASE STUDY OF NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Submitted by Michael Provencher
as part of the requirements for the University Honors Program
May 7, 2014
ABSTRACT
This thesis addresses several major concerns that have developed from the changing
landscape of higher education in the United States. The two main factors that have caused
these changes in the higher education landscape are: (1) demographic shifts in the
populations of higher education institutions and the U.S. as a whole, and (2) the
distribution of public funding for higher education institutions. This thesis further
examines several living-learning communities (LLCs) at North Carolina Central
University (NCCU) and how they have enabled NCCU to adapt to the changes in U.S.
higher education and continue to effectively serve its students. Research methods include
1) secondary research on the changing landscape of U.S. higher education, funding
concerns for Public HBCUs, and the nature and array of LLCs; and 2) interviews and
meetings staff and students of NCCUs LLCs. Conclusions include 1) that LLCs are an
incredibly flexible tool institutions can use; 2) that LLCs can be very effective at
increasing student academic performance; 3) that LLCs have significant impacts on
students’ personal lives and development; 4) that LLCs must be crafted carefully and
conscientiously; and 5) that LLCs can be helpful in dealing with funding concerns of
Public HBCUs.
Honors Director: ________________________________________________
Political Science Department
University Honors Program – North Carolina Central University
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to thank Professor Ansel Brown, who, through the rigorous and
scholarly University Honors Program, first challenged me to do this research. Without
this impetus, I never would have learned of a field of work that I love.
Second, I would like to thank Ms. Deidre Kelly and the rest of the Centennial Scholars
Program for providing such a supportive and encouraging environment throughout my
matriculation at NCCU. Without CSP, I never would have gained a true insight into many
of the struggles we face as an HBCU, and I never would have been moved to use my
skills to combat these struggles and help NCCU thrive.
Third, I would like to thank Chancellor Dr. Debra Saunders-White for allowing me to
work on the “Scholars Task Force Report: Student Feedback and Recommendations,”
and also thank Provost Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye and Chief of Staff Mr. Wendell Phillips
for meeting with the Chancellor and I to discuss the findings of my report and further aid
my research for this thesis.
Fourth, I would like to thank Dr. Stefanie Frigo for preparing me to write this thesis as
my professor in the Honors thesis seminar. Without your guidance, I would have been at
a loss of where to even begin writing.
Fifth, I would like to thank Dr. Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor, Chair of the Department of
Political, for taking the time to meet with me regularly. Without your insight and
experience, I would not have learned how to properly conduct the research necessary for
this thesis, nor how to structure it into a coherent piece of literature.
Sixth, I would like to thank Dr. Frances Graham and Ms. Tia Marie Doxey for providing
me with invaluable resources for this thesis and for helping to optimize my case study of
NCCU for maximum results.
Lastly, I would like to thank all those who are not mentioned here who continually served
to motivate me, orient me, help me navigate the complex world of research, and pushed
me to reach this goal despite all of the obstacles.
I hope that this research is truly beneficial to NCCU and all other entities who wish to
utilize living-learning communities to provide students with quality experiences and
development.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................2
ILLUSTRATIONS ..........................................................................................................................4
KEY TERMS ...................................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH QUESTIONS .............................................................................................................7
SIGNIFICANCE ..............................................................................................................................8
LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................................................11
Factors ................................................................................................................................11
Funding ..............................................................................................................................16
A CASE STUDY OF NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ....................................18
Background ........................................................................................................................18
University College .......................................................................................................19
Aspiring Eagles Academy............................................................................................20
University Career Services ..........................................................................................20
University Honors Program .........................................................................................21
Centennial Scholars Program .......................................................................................21
Annie Day Shepard Scholars .......................................................................................21
Annie Day Shepard Scholars Program ........................................................................22
“Scholars Task Force Report” Recommendations .......................................................22
Research Methods and Findings ........................................................................................23
Interviews and Meetings ..............................................................................................23
Dr. Ontario Wooden ................................................................................................24
Dr. Debra Saunders-White ......................................................................................25
Mr. Ansel Brown .....................................................................................................26
Ms. Donna Hembrick ..............................................................................................27
Ms. Philina McCray & Ms. Brittany Smith.............................................................27
CSP General Body ...................................................................................................28
SGA Senate .............................................................................................................29
CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................32
Conclusion 1 ......................................................................................................................32
Conclusion 2 ......................................................................................................................32
Conclusion 3 ......................................................................................................................33
Conclusion 4 ......................................................................................................................33
Conclusion 5 ......................................................................................................................34
WORKS REFERENCED ..............................................................................................................35
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
1. Michael Provencher, “Organizational Chart of the Transition and Support
Initiatives Branch” .............................................................................................................30
2. Michael Provencher, “Organizational Chart of the Honors and Scholars Initiatives
Branch” ..............................................................................................................................31
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KEY TERMS
ADS – Annie Day Shepard Scholars Program.
AEA – Aspiring Eagles Academy.
Black and African American - here, these two terms are used interchangeably.
CSP – Centennial Scholars Program.
HBCU - Historically Black College and University.
Higher education - schooling beyond the level of high school; any undergraduate,
graduate, or professional education.
Institution(s) - a school of higher education; any college or university, including 2-year
degree-granting institutions, as well as 4-year and graduate and professional
degree-granting institutions.
LLC – Living-learning community; a program or aspect of a program for students in
higher education that has a residential component where members are housed
together and work with each other towards a common cause.
MSI - Minority Serving Institution; includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions
(HSIs), and Asian American, Native Alaskan, and Pacific Islander Serving
Institutions (AANAPISIs).
NCCU – North Carolina Central University.
Non-HBCU institution - any institution that is not an HBCU; this can be a PWI or any
other type of MSI.
Population(s) - when not specified as one or the other, this refers to both the population
of the U.S. and of higher education institutions.
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PWI - Primarily White Institution;
Racial integration - the legal and social acceptance of non-Whites (namely African
Americans, but all minorities included) into institutions of higher education in the
United States.
UHP – University Honors Program.
White and European American - here, these two terms are used interchangeably; they do
not include foreign citizens/students studying in the U.S.
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
There are many different avenues of research that can be taken on this topic. The
first three research questions below help direct the macro-focus of this thesis,
understanding the changing landscape of higher education in the United States and its
larger implications. The remaining four questions direct the micro-focus, analyzing
institution-specific solutions and how currently existing ones (the case study of NCCU)
have been functioning.
What are the major changes occurring in today’s landscape of higher education in
the United States?
How do these changes impact HBCUs? What are the advantages and
disadvantages? Are they made lesser or greater when applied to HBCUs?
What are the challenges that NCCU is facing in light of the changing landscape of
U.S. higher education?
What are some proposed solutions to these problems?
What are some cases of institutions implementing these solutions?
Do NCCU’s LLCs fall into any of the categories of proposed solutions? How do
these LLCs address the challenges NCCU is facing in light of the changing
landscape of U.S. higher education? To what extent have these LLCs fulfilled
their purposes?
Should there be any new action taken on these LLCs (e.g. more or less support)?
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SIGNIFICANCE
The future of a society is determined by the educational climate and prowess of
that society. People must be informed about the world in which the live and adapted to
thinking through the challenges life will incessantly present them, particularly in today’s
increasingly tumultuous and shrinking world. Nearly every American citizen receives
some form of education, and the degrees of his education—whether due to the content
learned, experiences had, connections established or possibilities made real—directly
correlates with his [ability to have] success in life and his impact on society. The [highly]
educated tend to be the ones who make key decisions, get the best jobs and determine the
future of society. Thus, it is within our best interests—nay, it is our obligation—to ensure
that our educational systems produce the most apt individuals to lead our country. While
debates can be had over what criteria go into determining an apt leader, literature and
history indicate that well-rounded, experienced, exposed, and challenged students achieve
greater successes. CSP and similar programs are designed and optimized for molding
such individuals by providing extensive support networks, access to a wealth of material,
intellectual, social and personal resources, and creating an expectation of student
accountability.
Programs such as CSP have the potential for assisting their home institutions in at
least three other areas, as well. Firstly, they can help an institution diversify its student
(and even employee) population by attracting a broader audience due to the inclusive and
empowering programs established for members. Secondly, they can, at least in the long
term, prove to alleviate some of the financial resource concerns in two ways: (1) by being
a modem and motivation for potential funders to support the institution; and (2) by
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cultivating future funders and fundraisers for HBCUs who have a first-hand
understanding of the conditions of HBCUs and the need for additional support. Thirdly,
these programs can provide be very effective at immediately raising the academic
performance of an institutions students—at the very least, those participating in the
program—if these programs incorporate a strong academic focus into its functions.
NCCU’s CSP has done this, and accordingly provided an extensive academic support
system, which includes student tutors, peer mentors, professional counselors, academic
advisors, technological and material resources (i.e. computers, printers, and a CSP library
of common textbooks), and more.
The African American Male Initiative of NCCU known as CSP plays a critical
role in determining the success of not only its student members, but of members of
similar organizations elsewhere, as well. This project has the potential to strengthen
programs like CSP in several ways, including: noting areas of strength and weakness, and
offering suggestions for improvements in the latter areas; offering hard data comparisons
of performance statistics with related populations, thereby enabling CSP staff to compare
the actual impact of the program with the goals and projections, and to adjust operations
accordingly; and providing supporting evidence of the program’s success to overseers
and donors, to potentially prompt further support of the program. Each of these outcomes
means a much more comprehensive and quality support system for students to take
advantage of, and consequently a better experience and development for the students.
Furthermore, success for CSP means success for NCCU. Continual academic
success of CSP membership raises the intellectual climate of NCCU, thereby not only
immediately benefiting the other students in attendance, but also potentially future
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students by rendering the University more eligible for much needed support from the
government, private donors, et al. The CSP Mission aligns with NCCU’s Mission and
2010 – 2020 Strategic Plan, and, as such, CSP should be seen as a valuable and effective
tool for achieving the immediate and long-term successes to which the University aspires.
Lastly, certain aspects of the research as well as the thorough analysis of CSP
itself expose the significant impacts that programs such as CSP have on their respective
populations. This project may inspire private, corporate and governmental support of
similar initiatives around the country, thereby increasing the opportunities and support for
students on a larger scale. Furthermore, it can be used by home institutions as a resource
with which to conduct self-assessments and enhancements, much as the CSP will be able
to do.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
The landscape of U.S. higher education today is tempestuous. A review of the
literature revealed two key factors that are changing the state of higher education across
America: demographic shifts in populations and the distribution of public funding for
higher education. Changes in these factors have driven many colleges and universities to
significantly modify their operations and policies just to stay afloat, much less thrive, in
this unfamiliar and turbulent environment. Furthermore, the impacts of these changes
tend to be compounded when examining Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs). The literature includes extensive research on the nature and extent of these
factors’ influence on higher education.
Factors
Demographics. Perhaps the most influential factor is the demographic makeup of
several populations. These include the populations at individual institutions (students and
employees) as well as the population of the United States as a whole. It is an intuitively
valid argument that the demographic makeup of relevant populations significantly
influences the environment of an institution of higher education because that makeup
determines the institution’s clientele, workforce, and support network. Thus, changes in
the needs, preferences, talents, abilities, and overall nature of relevant populations
logically affect the needs, preferences, talents, abilities, and overall nature of the
institution. Nevertheless, we need not speculate on the logical intuitiveness of such
important matters when we have breadth of literature to clarify the nature of the
relationship between demographics and the landscape of higher education.
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A historical example of this relationship can be seen when studying the racial
composition of colleges and universities in America over the last half century or so.
Gasman posited that racial integration of colleges and universities—particularly of
Primarily White Institutions (PWIs)—during the Civil Rights Movement resulted in a
decline in enrollment at HBCUs (2013, 5). Evidence of this pattern has been found in
enrollment data. Whereas HBCUs once enrolled “the entirety of the Black middle class . .
. [t]oday the 105 HBCUs enroll 11% of Black students” in the entire country (Gasman
2013, 5). While this does depict a major shift in the demographics of institutions of
higher education, it is important to be wary of a misinterpretation. The fallacious
assumption possible here is that HBCUs somehow lost the 89% of Black students that are
now enrolled in non-HBCU institutions. This was certainly not the case. Although
HBCUs could have conceivably lost—and likely did lose—some Black students to non-
HBCU institutions as a consequence of racial integration, they could not have lost 89% of
their Black students because that would have inevitably resulted in institutional failure
and shut down, which obviously did not happened. Indeed, Gasman more accurately
revealed the trend in HBCUs’ enrollment of African Americans by reporting: (1) in 1950,
Blacks made up nearly 100% of HBCU enrollment; (2) in 1980, they represented 80% of
total enrollment (2013, 6). Therefore, what explains the 89% of current Black students
attending non-HBCU institutions is the many increases in higher education access and
affordability over the past several decades. Because of racial integration and the
proliferation of various types of financial aid, attending college has become much more
realistic for Americans across the board, especially African Americans, and there simply
are more Black students attending college than in previous times. Only 105 (Gasman
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2013, 6) of the nearly 4,500 (“Higher education”) higher education institutions in
America are HBCUs, so the relative capacity of HBCUs logically necessitates that a
substantial increase in overall number African American college students in the results in
a lower relative enrollment of that demographic for HBCUs.
Additional historical data was found in the Minorities in Higher Education 2010
Twenty-Fourth Status Report. Three employees of NCCU—the Dean of University
College, the Director of the Centennial Scholars Program (CSP), and an assistant
professor and Director of the Office of Faculty Professional Development—used this
information as a part of a presentation they gave at the Annual National Association of
HBCU Title III Administrators Technical Assistance Workshop in June of 2012. In this
presentation, Wooden, Dorsette, and Daniels stated that “[e]nrollment rates for all
traditional age . . . college students increased from 1988 to 2009” (2012). They also
stated that, across the nation, “African Americans [enrollment] rose from 22 to 36
percent” and the overall “minority share of the student body rose from 25 to 30 percent”
(Wooden, Dorsette, and Daniels 2012).
Yet proof of populations’ demographics’ effects on the landscape of higher
education exists not only in the past, but also in the future. According to U.S. census data
from 2000 and the corresponding "projected shift in the United States' demographics . . .
[b]y 2050, minorities will become the majority" (Bowman 2010, 230). Notably, African
Americans are not the only minority in America, nor are they the only minority with a
growing presence and influence on matters of higher education. Ozuna stated that "[i]n
the past 30 years, the proportion of Latino enrollment at HBCUs has increased" in certain
regions in the country (as cited in Gasman 2013, 6). One such region is Texas, where
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"[the] state's increasingly diverse population" has considerably changed the enrollment
demographics for the state's HBCUs (Gasman 2013, 6). For example, "at Prairie View
A&M University, Latino students now represent 4% of the student body"; despite its
apparent insignificance, this is actually "a 123% increase from 1980," and thus hints to a
possible larger trend in America (Gasman 2013, 6). Likewise, Texas College and Huston-
Tillotson University saw growths of 9% and 19%, respectively, in their Latino student
populations, according to 2011 data from the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) (Gasman 2013, 6). Similarly, Asian Americans are more prevalent in today’s
society. From 2001 to 2011, Asian American enrollment at HBCUs rose 60% (Gasman
2013, 6). According to Gasman, the three HBCUs with the highest Asian-American
enrollment also are in Texas (2013, 6).
When looking at the particular case under study here, we see the same
demographic patterns appearing. North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is one of
North Carolina’s public HBCUs, chartered in 1909 by Dr. James. E. Shepard. The IHE
Bachelor’s Performance Report on NCCU for 2001-2002 stated that “African American
students still make up 96% of the undergraduate population, while European American
enrollment approaches 50% in some graduate programs” (North Carolina Central
University 2002, 1). The 2008-2009 report stated that “African American students make
up 80% of the student population, while White Americans comprise 15% and 5% are
classified as others” (North Carolina Central University 2009, p. 1). It is therefore clear
that, while they still remain the majority, the African American population at NCCU has
declined over the past decade.
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As Gasman pointed out, “[s]ome people worry that the changing composition of
HBCUs endangers the very aspect of these institutions that makes them unique; others
argue that diversity makes these institutions stronger” (2013, 6). Mary Howard-Vital,
President of Cheyney University—the first HBCU—takes the latter position, saying, “We
need to admit students from a wider range of ethnic and income groups, so that they too
can benefit from best practices that will eventually lead to a more educated citizenry” (as
cited in Gasman 2013, 6). Also, race and income are not the only demographic factors
which affect an institution’s diversity: The gender gap is another serious concern in U.S.
higher education. An interesting phenomenon exists in today’s system, wherein
undergraduate female students outnumber their male counterparts “at HBCUs at a
slightly higher (3%) rate than the national average” (Gasman 2013, 7). This gender gap is
substantially larger at particular HBCUs, such as Coppin State University, with 76% of
its student population female, which is the least gender parity of all HBCUs (Gasman
2013, 7). There is extensive literature on why this scenario is unfavorable and why a
balanced enrollment is optimal, both for the institution and for society as a whole. John S.
Wilson, President of Morehouse College, another very prominent HBCU, speaks to the
unfortunate reality of today’s culture, saying that “[t]he idea of college as a special and
essential gateway to a successful life is lost on far too many young Black men” (Gasman
2013, 7). Indeed, there are only “five [HBCUs that] have more men than women on their
campus” (Gasman 2013, 7). There is serious concern among the higher education and
African American communities about motivating young Black men to pursue and
succeed in college.
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Regardless on which side an HBCU is on—whether they desire to preserve the
historical enrollment makeup or embrace diversity—there is widespread agreement that
all HBCUs ought to prepare to deal with the changes in enrollment because they are
happening regardless of anyone’s desires. The nation’s demographics are changing
because minority populations have been booming and the current majority’s population
has leveled off. Perhaps an HBCU could simply choose to be more selective in its
admittance, but, if not for legal restrictions, then the political and financial pressures
surrounding to such a course of action would likely prevent an institution from acting in
such a manner, or, at least, from thriving in such a lifestyle.
Funding. A review of the literature also suggests that there is a pressing need for
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to increase their fundraising
efforts. The amount, types, and distribution of financial aid for higher education has
decreased dramatically over the last few decades, placing a heavier burden on institutions
to generate more support for themselves. Interestingly, however, it is widely held that
HBCUs cannot succeed by using or even modifying their existing methods of
fundraising, but rather must change their fundraising strategies altogether.
In recent years, the types and amounts of governmental funding for public
colleges and universities has decreased dramatically. James T. Minor, an assistant
professor of higher education at Michigan State University, reported that HBCUs
“continue to face funding shortfalls from state governments and government research
agencies” after he analyzed funding data for the states of Mississippi, North Carolina,
Alabama and Louisiana (“Analysis Finds” 2008, 30). Cheslock and Gianneschi pointed
out that “the purchasing power of state appropriations per full-time equivalent student in
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2003-04 reached its lowest point in [30 years],” and it “may continue to decrease in the
future” (2008, 208-209). They further held that “[t]his trend in state appropriations can
substantially alter the distribution of resources across institutions of higher education”
which is a major concern for HBCUs—and particularly public HBCUs—in today’s
economic and educational climate (Cheslock and Gianneschi 2008, 209). This decline in
the traditional form of support has limited the abilities of HBCUs to function efficiently
and fulfill their missions without additional sources of funding, and thus presents a need
for HBCUs to reform their fundraising strategies. Moreover, not only do HBCUs need a
reform to procure support from other sources, but they must also find ways to secure state
appropriations, as “they remain an important revenue source and a major determinant of
an institution’s financial well-being” (Cheslock & Gianneschi 2008, 209).
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A CASE STUDY OF NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
North Carolina Central University has many living-learning communities serving
its students. The biggest three of these are the University Honors Program (UHP), the
Centennial Scholars Program (CSP), and the Annie Day Shepard Scholars Program
(ADS). Each of these programs has a rich history, distinct purpose and target audience,
and unique and effective ways at helping its students succeed at NCCU and beyond.
In September of 2013, the Chancellor charged the Scholars Task Force with an
important mission as a part of her comprehensive strategy to “foster Eagle Excellence”
(Allen et al. 2013, 1). In response, the December 2013 “Scholars Task Force Report”
made several recommendations of how to further improve these LLCs; however, these
recommendations have received much criticism from students and staff. I have conducted
primary research with these concerned parties to better discern what makes these LLCs
so successful and what would help make them better.
Background
In the fall of 2013, the Chancellor assembled three task forces to discern
organizational and programmatic improvements that can be made in key areas throughout
the university to increase the quality of the experience at NCCU for undergraduate
students. The three task forces were the Four Year Graduation Challenge Task Force, the
Transfer Imperative Task Force, and the Scholars Task Force.
The Four Year Graduation Challenge Task Force was assembled to determine
ways to ensure that “the traditional first-time freshman . . . matriculate[s] successfully in
a four-year time period” (Brown et al. 2013, 1). The Transfer Imperative Task Force was
given the even more specific tasks of meeting a higher level of transfer enrollment at
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NCCU and developing a dual enrollment program with a local community college (North
Carolina 2013b, 2). While these two task forces are not the primary focus of this report,
their respective missions have a significant relevance to that of the Scholars Task Force.
Additionally, they provide valuable research and insight into the specific needs of NCCU
students.
On September 4, 2013, the Chancellor charged the Scholars Task Force “to
examine scholarly initiatives at [NCCU], explore how these areas can synergize and
minimize duplication of services, and optimize innovation for an improved undergraduate
experience” (Allen et al. 2013, 1). The scholarly initiatives in question include University
College, the Aspiring Eagles Academy (AEA), University Career Services, the
University Honors Program (UHP), the Centennial Scholars Program (CSP), the Annie
Day Shepard Scholars Program (ADS), and the Chancellor’s Scholars Program. Most of
these programs have a distinct missions and target audiences, although there is some
overlap, particularly by University College and University Career Services, since they
serve all NCCU students. Indeed, it was partially because the Chancellor noticed that
many of the active members of these programs were, in fact, the same people that the
goal of minimizing duplication of efforts among the programs was created.
University College. In the fall of 2007, University College was designed to help
facilitate the successful transition to college for all new first-year and transfer students.
University College then serves these students until they transition into the department of
their major, typically in the beginning of their Junior year. To further help these students
succeed, University College offers services, including academic advising and support,
personal and career counseling, social engagement, and leadership opportunities. As a
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part of the academic advising component, all student are assigned an advisor who assists
them in planning and registering for courses each semester; this also include encouraging
students to complete most, if not all, of their General Education Curriculum (GEC)
courses within their first two years at NCCU.
Aspiring Eagles Academy. The AEA is University College’s summer bridge
program. This program serves high school graduating seniors who are admitted to NCCU
at the lower end of the minimum admissions requirements. The AEA is an intensive
summer program where students take a number of GEC courses with a demanding class
and study schedule to help them adjust to the rigor of college. The program also includes
many academic enrichment activities, as well as continued monitoring of AEA members
throughout their matriculation at NCCU. The AEA is a living-learning community (LLC)
because members are required to stay in the McLean residence hall for the summer
program. This LLC component increases members’ focus and support system, and has
been shown to have significant benefits for students’ performance and transition to
college.
University Career Services. University Career Services is designed to facilitate
the career and professional development of all students. Accordingly, it provides a
number of services, including resume building and critique, interview preparation and
practice, career advising, academic counseling, and job and internship searches.
University Career Services also hosts many developmental programs, such as the Career
Fair, Professional Development Network (PDN) Conference, and various guest speakers
from prospective employers, internship placement programs, etc.
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University Honors Program. The UHP serves NCCU’s highest achieving
students, many of them from the time they are admitted to NCCU. The program has
minimum GPA and other performance requirements for admittance and matriculation. It
also places an addition curriculum of rigorous, honors-level courses upon its members,
along with requirements to do peer mentoring and an honors thesis. Furthermore, the
UHP is a LLC because Honors students can elect to live in the Honors residence hall,
Annie Day Shepard Hall, where they have access to an Honors library, a smart
conference room, and tablet rentals, in addition to living with fellow Honors students.
Centennial Scholars Program. The CSP was founded to serve minority male
students at NCCU because this demographic has been the lowest performing
demographic across the state of North Carolina for years. The CSP has no minimum
entry requirements—although there is an interview process—as it is designed to uplift
and empower lower performing or disadvantaged students. Services include tutoring by
CSP upperclassmen, professional coaching by CSP staff, a CSP library of class
textbooks, social programming, and more. The CSP is a LLC because most freshman and
sophomore members live in the CSP residence hall, New Res II, so that they may form
social bonds and study groups, helping to create a strong and mutually uplifting
brotherhood.
Annie Day Shepard Scholars Program. The ADS is a program designed to
serve female students at NCCU, particularly first-generation college students. The
program has no minimum eligibility requirements, other than that members must join as a
freshman; there is also an interview process. ADS members enjoy a sisterhood of high
expectations, in which they work together to excel academically, as well as adjust to
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college socially. In collaboration with the Women’s Center, ADS regularly brings guest
speakers to NCCU, hosts professional development workshops, and has all members
document their weekly progress and experiences. The ADS is a LLC, and members live
next to each other in the ADS residence hall, Ruffin Hall.
Chancellor’s Scholars Program. The Chancellor’s Scholars Program consists of
all the recipients of the Chancellor’s Cycle of Success Scholarships, which are the
Soaring Eagle, Rising Eagle, Eagle in Flight, Eagle in Flight 2, and AA/AS/AAS Degree
Transfer scholarship. These recipients may also receive paraphernalia, such as a
Chancellor’s Scholars polo shirt, and may, from time to time, be called upon to represent
and serve NCCU in various capacities. However, apart from a welcoming banquet at the
beginning of each academic year, there are no regular meetings or other activities for the
Chancellor’s Scholars Program.
“Scholars Task Force Report” Recommendations. There were eight
recommendations made in the “Scholars Task Force Report.” Recommendation 11 set up
the organizational framework for the other seven recommendations: It called for the
creation of an Office of Undergraduate Studies which reports to the division of Academic
Affairs; this new office would include two main branches to coordinate 1) the transition
and support initiatives and 2) the honors and scholars initiatives (Allen et al. 2013, 9-10).
Recommendations 2–4 were assigned to the first branch and Recommendations 5–8 to
the second. Because of this division, the “scholarly initiatives” (Allen et al. 2013, 1) are
only affected by Recommendations 5-8; Recommendations 2-4 pertain to other areas of
1 The recommendations were not originally numbered; I have enumerated them simply by their order of
appearance in the “Scholars Task Force Report”.
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NCCU, such as University College and University Career Services and programs within
each of those (Allen et al. 2013, 10-14).
Recommendation 5, in particular, has raised much concern among the students
and staff of NCCU. It calls for a partial merger of NCCU’s University Honors Program
(UHP), Centennial Scholars Program (CSP), and Annie Day Shepard Scholars Program
(ADS) into one Eagle Excellence Living Learning Community (EELLC), to be housed in
two adjacent residence halls, Annie Day and Rush (Allen et al. 2013, 14-16). The merger
would also entail shared resources and personnel among these programs and facilitate
more interaction among their members, for the purpose of creating an “elevator of
excellence” (Allen et al. 2013, 15) among the students. Given the impacts that each of
these three programs have had on their respective members—as well as the stark
differences in their target audiences, missions, resources, services, and activities—many
students and staff have raised concerns about 1) the ability of the proposed EELLC to
effectively serve the needs of this incredibly diverse audience and 2) the culture clash that
might ensue from combining these three student groups into one LLC.
Research Methods and Findings
The primary research methods used were interviews and meetings with key
stakeholders to gather more information on the context and content of the “Scholars Task
Force Report” recommendations and students’ feedback. Secondary research was also
used to supplement the conclusions derived from the primary research.
Interviews and Meetings. This report examines the recommendations made in
the “Scholars Task Force Report.” Key to understanding the nuances of that context and
reading between the lines of that content is conducting interviews with key stakeholders.
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These stakeholders include the Chancellor, members of the Scholars Task Force, and
heads of the departments/programs to be affected (i.e. the directors of University Career
Services and UHP). Moreover, it is important to gauge students’ perceptions of and
receptiveness to the recommendations of the “Scholars Task Force Report” when
deciding whether said recommendations are worth implementing. To gather this
information, I spoke at several CSP, UHP, and Student Government Association (SGA)
meetings and events about the “Scholars Task Force Report”; I also interviewed the
president and vice-president (students) of ADS. In all of these conversations, I presented
the report and/or asked questions as thoroughly and objectively as possible, taking great
care to hear all sides of the argument and to ensure that my affiliations with the UHP,
CSP, Chancellor’s Scholars, University College, and University Career Services did not
bias or predispose this study towards any particular outcome.
Interviews with Dr. Ontario Wooden, Dean of University College. On February
26, 2014, I briefly interviewed Dr. Wooden. During this interview, I got my first glimpse
of the difficulties the Scholars Task Force had in creating the “Scholars Task Force
Report.” I was told that the report “was never supposed to be published” (Wooden 2014a)
and that the task force was surprised by the fact that it was made public.
On April 9, 2014, I interviewed Dr. Wooden again, this time for approximately 1
hour. During this interview, there were many key findings regarding the unwritten
content of the report, as well as some of the rationales for the recommendations, as
follows:
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1. The structure of NCCU’s University College is unique compared to other colleges
in that it has a 1) transfer to college and 2) academic success piece (Wooden
2014b).
2. Dr. Wooden argued student success should be looked at as a four-year process
(2014b).
3. There was a sentiment expressed in the task force that it would be
counterproductive to have academic support programs residing in Student Affairs,
as opposed to Academic Affairs (Wooden 2014b).
4. The Chancellor’s challenge is to continue supporting students as much as possible
while making wise financial investments (Wooden 2014b).
5. There was a sentiment expressed in the task force that the numerous “pockets” of
students being supported (academically) could be contributing to the overall
inefficiency of academic advising at NCCU, particularly hurting University
College’s Academic Advising (Wooden 2014b).
6. The question was posed: Given the [small] size of NCCU and the funding cuts
NCCU has experienced, is it even possible—much less wise—to continue
supporting so many specialized organizations (i.e. UHP, CSP, ADS, and Summer
Bridge) (Wooden 2014b)?
Interview with Dr. Debra Saunders-White, Chancellor. On February 26, 2014, I
interviewed the Chancellor for approximately 45 minutes. During this interview, I
expressed my interest in becoming involved in the discussion surrounding the “Scholars
Task Force Report.” It was during this interview that I first detected the lack of student
input in this discussion and that the Chancellor charged me with gathering feedback from
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the students of NCCU on the recommendations made in the report (Saunders-White
2014a).
Interviews with Mr. Ansel Brown, Director of University Honors Program. On
March 25, 2014, I first interviewed Mr. Brown for approximately 10 minutes. As a
member of the Scholars Task Force and the Director of UHP, I wanted to hear his
perspective on the recommendations in the report and the rationale behind them. I learned
that the Scholars Task Force members were under the impression that the report was not
intended a final document, ready for publication, but rather a “brainstorming of ideas”
intended to facilitate further discussion on possible improvements (Brown 2014a). I also
learned that some members of the committee—i.e. Ms. Hembrick—were not “brought
on” until later, thus creating room for additional possible problems when crafting the
report (Brown 2014a).
On April 1, 2014, I interviewed Mr. Brown again for approximately 15 minutes.
NCCU’s SGA Vice-President Norman Jones was also present and participating in this
interview. During this interview, Mr. Brown expressed a perspective that I had not heard
before: that Recommendation 5 of the “Scholars Task Force Report” (calling for the
creation of one EELLC) was not supposed to entail a merger, partial or otherwise, of the
UHP, CSP, and ADS, but simply increased collaboration among these organizations
(Brown 2014b). This was surprising to me because the wording of the report,
intentionally or unintentionally, clearly calls for a merger of those three programs, both in
its direct language and in the implications of its components, i.e. the staffing
redistribution for the EELLC (Allen et al. 2013, 16).
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Interview with Ms. Donna Y. Hembrick, Director of University Career Services.
On March 31, 2014, I interviewed Ms. Hembrick for approximately 15 minutes. I
interviewed Ms. Hembrick to see if she had any new perspectives on the report’s
recommendations or students’ reactions to the report since she was brought on somewhat
late to the task force (Brown 2014a). She did have some valuable insight, although it had
nothing to do with when she was brought on to the task force. Rather, Ms. Hembrick’s
years of career services-related work, under both academic affairs and student affairs
divisions at several institutions of higher education, allowed her to present a new
perspective of looking at the recommendations. According to Ms. Hembrick, one ought
not to look first at how the recommendations may impact current organizations or
employees/students, but instead seek to determine whether they have the potential to
fulfill the critical needs of NCCU students; only if this potential exists should there be
discussion on the feasibility, and implications of the recommendations (Hembrick 2014).
The purpose of this approach is to avoid getting caught up in premature worries that, in
effect, prevent one from conducting a thorough, objective analysis; for example, if a
student hears that his program is going to be combined with several others, he is most
likely simply going to take a defensive stance against the recommendation instead of first
considering whether the proposed change could be ultimately better for the majority (or
even all) of the students.
Interview with Ms. Philina McCray, President of ADS, and Ms. Brittany Smith,
Vice-President. On April 11, 2014, I interviewed Ms. McCray and Smith for
approximately 1 hour. I interviewed Ms. McCray and Smith to learn more about ADS,
including its mission and activities and gather feedback from ADS on the “Scholars Task
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Force Report.” McCray and Smith’s biggest concern was that the creation of the EELLC
with one director—as detailed in Recommendation 5—would necessarily entail one
mission for the program; yet, it does not make sense (to McCray and Smith) to have one
mission and operation center for multiple programs which have very distinctive missions
and operations (McCray and Smith 2014; Allen et al. 2013, 16).
Meeting with the CSP General Body. On March 20, I went to a general body
meeting for CSP. At this point, most of the CSP students had heard about the “Scholars
Task Force Report”; I had also begun working on this report’s research. I was asked to
speak to the general body about the report and its eight recommendations. For
approximately 30 minutes, I took questions from the audience and stimulated discussion
about these recommendations, attempting to discern what students’ initial perceptions of
and receptiveness to the recommendations were.
The first key finding from this meeting was that the majority of CSP students—
present and elsewhere—did not support the report’s recommendations. It is important to
note, however, that many of these students had only heard about Recommendation 5—the
creation of the EELLC—and assumed that the implementation of the report would entail
the dissolution of CSP. Due to the significant amount of impact CSP has had in the lives
of many of its members—as attested to by many students during this meeting—many
members were naturally defensive of CSP and saw the “Scholars Task Force Report” as a
threat.
The second key finding was that the majority of CSP students were under the
impression that the “Scholars Task Force Report” was already being implemented, or, in
some other fashion, past the point of no return. These students were not aware of what
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stage the report was in at the time, nor of how open the Chancellor was to receiving
student feedback, until I spoke at that meeting.
The third key finding was that the CSP students expressed a strong interest in
making their voices heard and fighting the report in a very civil, respectful, and
professional manner, despite their defensive disposition.
Meeting with the SGA Senate. On April 9, 2011, I attended the SGA Senate
meeting where I was asked to present the “Scholars Task Force Report” in its entirety to
the Senate. During this meeting, I presented organizational charts that I had created from
a literal reading of the eight recommendations in the report. Figures 1 and 2 show the
organizational charts for the 1) Transition and Support Initiatives and 2) Honors and
Scholars Initiatives branches of the recommendations, respectively, as detailed in
Recommendation 1 (Allen et al. 2013, 9).
One key finding from this meeting was that no one on the SGA Senate (except for
Vice-President Normal Jones, who invited me) knew of the “Scholars Task Force
Report.” Moreover, most of the Senate members were also UHP members. The Senate
expressed a strong interest in organizing an open forum event where more students can be
informed about the report and its implications. Also of note, the Senate sought to inform
the student body as objectively as possible; they did not seem to want to let any personal
biases they may have had into the forum planning.
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CONCLUSIONS
Based on the observations and interactions with the students and staff of NCCU,
as well as all the secondary research done on the changing landscape of higher education
in the United States and arrayed nature of LLCs, there are several conclusions that can be
drawn to help other institutions of higher education better plan and nurture their LLCs.
Conclusion 1: LLCs are an incredibly flexible tool institutions can use.
The case study of NCCU reveals this fact clearly: It has LLCs serving segments of
its student population across the spectrum. With the major demographic shifts occurring
in the United States, institutions of higher education will need to adapt their services to
meet the needs and tastes of these new demographics. LLCs have the flexibility to
achieve this goal, and LLCs are largely student-run, and always student-oriented. They
have been adapted to serve a variety of needs: They have helped new students transition
to college and helped older ones succeed and graduate; they have worked to form new
communities in themselves and to make existing communities stronger. Similarly, LLCs
can be adapted to the changing demographics of college students.
Conclusion 2: LLCs can be very effective at increasing student academic
performance.
The UHP of NCCU has had a 100% retention rate since its current director
entered office. Moreover, each of these students have maintained at least a 3.5 GPA,
performed 30 hours of peer mentoring community service, and completed a rigorous
Honors curriculum, in addition to their normal course load and extracurricular activities.
Indeed, many UHP members also serve in other student leadership capacities, such as on
the SGA, as Residential Assistants (RAs), and more.
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The ADS and AEA are also evidence of this, and they share similar academic
success stories. Due to the structured and rigorous, yet supportive nature of these
programs, first generation and academically low-performing incoming freshmen were
able to adjust to the academic and social climate of NCCU. Furthermore, they completed
required GEC courses ahead of their peers and improved their time and task management
skills, furthering their ability to succeed as they matriculate through NCCU.
Conclusion 3: LLCs have significant impacts on students’ personal lives and
development.
The CSP of NCCU boasts over 500+ current members and alumni, all of which
have very moving stories of how CSP has benefitted them during their time at NCCU.
Many CSP students have advocated that, if they had not had CSP as a support system,
they would have dropped out of college and/or continued injurious practices such as
skipping class, not doing work, and doing drugs. Yet because CSP offered not only its
academic support resources, but also its staff one-on-one counseling and strong sense of
brotherhood among members, students were uplifted and empowered to succeed
academically, professionally, and personally. ADS members also document their
experiences each week and share a similar sisterhood. Additionally, UHP members have
praised the unique cultural development and global awareness opportunities they have
been provided by the UHP, often citing how these experiences have been motivation for
research, graduate studies, and career aspirations.
Conclusion 4: LLCs must be crafted carefully and conscientiously.
As the case study of NCCU reveals, recent attempts at creating/refining LLCs at
NCCU via the “Scholars Task Force Report” met some trouble before implementation.
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Each of the three LLCs concerned with Recommendation 5 in that report—the UHP,
CSP, and ADS—had a strong sense of identity and purpose, and many members’
instinctive reactions were defensive and critical of the “Scholars Task Force Report.”
Further research revealed that many of these concerns were premature and due to
inaccurate understandings of the recommendations made in the report; nevertheless, the
students’ perceptions of and receptiveness to the report were critical determinants to the
recommendations’ feasibility.
One lesson to be learned from this experience is that making changes to student
programs—especially programs that have such a substantial impact as LLCs—usually
requires a significant amount of member support—if not engagement—and that even
misunderstandings can lead to major hindrances in such a project. Another lesson to be
learned is that the mission and target audience of a LLC have great influence over that
LLC’s activities and future, and potential changes or mergers must consider these identity
factors when evaluating feasibility.
Conclusion 5: LLCs can be helpful in dealing with funding concerns of Public
HBCUs.
Much literature has been written on the significant decline in state and federal
government funding of HBCUs, as well as how demographic factors affects such
institutions’ funding. The major theme across the literature is that HBCU’s should try to
compensate by cultivating future fundraisers out of their students—using alumni as
philanthropists (Bowman III 2010, 230). Given their significant impacts on members’
academic, professional, and social development, LLCs are a viable tool for cultivating
such philanthropists.
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