HBCU DIGESTOctober 2014 Volume 1 Issue 11

Aging equipment, sustainability goals and rising operational costs can add to the pressure to make energy upgrades. And finding capital to fund the improvements can be almost impossible. How can you finance upgrades without capital funds? Siemens can help you do more with less. With Siemens performance-based contracts, improvements are funded by the very energy savings they produce. This means you can

Answers for infrastructure and cities.

immediately start state-of-the-art equipment upgrades. Our professionals build custom solutions to help you lower your operating expenses and reach sustainability goals. Plus, Siemens guarantees 0% capital expense to you. If energy-saving goals are not met, Siemens pays the difference. And 100% of excess savings are yours to keep. Contact us today and start making energy efficiency work for you.

www.usa.siemens.com/hbcu

Saving energy shouldn’t mean depleting capital. Let Siemens fund your facility improvements with energy savings.

Publisher

Jarrett Carter Sr.

Contributors

George T. French

Steven Gaither

Imani J. Jackson

Gregory Moore, Esq.

Christina Sturdivant

Cover ArtGrambling StateUniversity

Sports Information

HBCU Digest is published monthly by CarterMedia Enterprises, LLC.

Reproduction in whole or in part without writtenpermission is prohibited. HBCU Digest and theHBCU Digest logo are protected throughregistered trademark. For advertising and

subscription information, contactcarter@hbcudigest.com.

HBCU DIGEST

Homecoming/Sports

5 Letter from the Publisher

6 PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVESBy George T. French

8 LADIES OUT FRONTWomen's Teams Earn

National Acclaim for HBCU AthleticsBy Steven Gaither

12 THE CLUBSome HBCU Alumni, Administrators are

Turning to Club Football toBuild Athletic BrandsBy Christina Sturdivant

16 RETURN OF THE G-MENIn Head Coach Broderick Fobbs,

Homegrown Talent Yields Classic ResultsBy Imani J. Jackson

23 IN CLOSINGLetter to NCAA President Mark Emmert

By Gregory Moore, Esq.

CONTENTS

You’re sitting in your first class. After initial introductions, you learn that right in front of you is a veteran who has served his country for decades abroad. To your right is a shy young man on his first extended stay since leaving his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi.

To your left is an extroverted evangelist and physics major from Nigeria who’s doing research you’ll never be able to pronounce. Finally, just behind you is a biology major from Chicago whose sole passion is to quickly get the foundation from which she someday will return to her neighborhood as a doctor.

And you? Well, you immediately realize that you, too, are special. You are an Alabama A&M University student with a powerful mixture of dream, potential and the drive to make it all happen. You are A&M.

Nestled in the final stretches of the Appalachians, this hillside campus boasts a location within one of the most liveable cities in the world. Its academics are bolstered by a gifted faculty with a thirst for research and learning. And, diverse undergraduate and graduate degrees offer the more than 5,000 students curricula leading toward Ph.D. degrees in several areas.

Join us. Make your first class first-class. From community and regional planning to apparel, merchanising and design to food science and physics--AAMU brings together the world and its views, handing both to you one classroom at a time.

Experience Engagement ... Fulfillment ... Celebration!

www.aamu.edu

HBCU DIGEST

Letter from the Publisher

Greetings,

The month of October is a special time for students and graduates ofhistorically black colleges and universities. The fall season brings a time ofrenewal and reconnection to the HBCU campus by way of the annualhomecoming celebration; a capstone moment for HBCU athletics andcommunity outreach.

This issue celebrates the spirit of that season by going in a unique direction;honoring those sports and sports stories that do not typically makemainstream headlines, or easily grab the attention of even the most loyalHBCU sports fans. In this issue, youwill find a closer look at the figures andprograms in HBCU women's athletics which have helped to propel thenational black college sports brand into national recognition.

You'll also read about HBCUsworking to establish football programs on their campuses, in spite of difficultfinancial and cultural odds. And for good measure, we were inclined to include one of this year's greatcomeback stories in all of sports; the resurgence of Grambling State football. Just one year removed fromnational controversy and acrimony, the GSU Tigers have returned to solid play and respectability thanks tofirst-year head coach and alumnus Broderick Fobbs.

Wehopethatyouwill findthiseditiontobeafittingtribute toblackcollegesportsandthespecialplace itholdswithin our national culture. As wemove toward the conclusion of 2014, we hope that you will dedicate yourtime and resources to supporting all HBCU sports, their coaches, and student athletes. Sports are the frontporch to our campus communities, and it is up to all of us to put ourmost welcoming effort forward to growthese programs into a sustainable future.

Yours in Advocacy,

Jarrett Carter Sr.

!

5

By Dr. George T. French

Presidential PerspectivesHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities (HBCU’s)celebratehomecoming in a way that creates their own respectivetraditions.However, thespirit, essenceandexperience for thosewho participate in the events are one in the same.

The parade that journeys through the streets of the cityfeaturinghighschoolbandswith futurestudents, fraternityandsorority step shows, and other student driven activities infusedwith alum events, all lend themselves to entrepreneurialpursuits that are not always directly affiliated with theinstitution. Many campuses bring in headliners for concerts,GrandMarshalls for the parades and other events that are fromthe Who’s Who among Black Entertainment A- list.

Homecomingeventsoftensurpassanyotherannual functiononan HBCU campus, bringing a mass of students, alumni, familyand friends from all over the country. This means our hotels,restaurants,malls and the like are hustling and bustling in sucha way that any entrepreneur could only revel in the success.

Homecoming serves as an economic engine for the cities ofHBCUs, galvanizing the interest of peoplewho travel fromnearand far to be a part of the eclecticmix of positive unified energy.This grand family reunion is not just about a football game.Whether an individualmatriculated from the institution or not,the desire to engage in the festivities is appealing to the generalpublic.

Recently, African Americans have acquired more disposableincometoattendandparticipate inhomecomingactivities.Thistells us we must be strategic and methodical as HBCUadministrators whenwe plan for some of the events that will beincluded in the schedule.

Homecoming is an opportunity to further develop brandawareness, highlight academic success and outcomes andencourage donor giving. Miles College is a prime example ofmaximizing this opportunity. During our Annual FundCampaign when calls were made to various constituents tomake financial contributions to the college, alumniwere amongthe largest number to respond. As a part of this successfulcampaign a reception was planned for them and other donorsduring homecoming. Alums from other cities attended, whotherwise may not have been able to attend. This eventencouragedothers togive,whilesomeincreasedtheirgifts. Thisis due inpart to the enthusiastic energyandexperience theyhadwhile on campus. They could see the growth and progress andfelt proud.

Theopportunity tostrengthenrelationshipsbetweenalumsandtheir institutions is crucial and can be further cultivated duringhomecoming. By being exposed to the campus and beingcompelled by what they see, we can further encourage alumniengagement.

Homecoming is undoubtedly one of the most exciting times ofthe year. It allowsus as institutions theopportunity to reflect onour past, stay grounded in our present and offers us thecontinuedmotivation to tactically plan for our future. It servesas an economic stimulus and can contribute towardssustainability.Dr. George T. French is the president of Miles College

6

LEARNING THRIVES AT ALCORN.BUT SOME DISCOVERIES DON’T HAPPEN IN THE LAB.

In Alcorn's dynamic living and learning environment, students develop the skills they need for lasting success in todays's global marketplace. As they do, they often find something more: an inner strength and sense of purpose they never knew they had.

For financial aid and enrollment information, call 800.222.6790 or visit alcorn.edu

DISCOVERYour True Potential.

@AlcornStateU

It’shomecomingseason,whichmeansmeanscollege football is inthe spotlight in the HBCU sports world. That also means we’reright around the corner from college hoops season, which is whatJacques Curtis lives for.

Curtis is the head coach at Shaw University, home to what manybelieve tobe thebestHBCUhoopsprogramof the lastdecade:TheShaw Lady Bears.

The Lady Bears havewon four-straight CIAAwomen’s basketballchampionships, and nine of the last 12 overall. With an NCAADivision II national title in 2012, they are among the leaders in agrowing field of women’s athletic programs at HBCUs thatcontinues to reach new heights.

Curtis has been involvedwith the Lady Bears since 2000.He saidthat he has seen the support of students, fans and the institutionrise as the program reached new heights.

“At Shaw we've always supported the women's basketballprogram very well,” Curtis said. “Everybody loves a winner. Eversince we've been winning, we've had support.”

Winning is something that Maurice Pierce knows a lot about.Hampton’s track and field director has played a big part intoturning the Lady Pirates into a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferencedynasty in the sport.

Hampton has won a combined 21 MEAC titles under Pierce’swatch, 11 indoor and 10 outdoor. Lincoln’s (MO) women’s trackteam has won seven national titles in track, including the 2014Division II National Title. They beat out anotherHBCU, JohnsonC. Smith, for the championship.

Like most coaches, Pierce credits hard work for his program’ssuccess.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to them wanting to besuccessful,” he said. “Nobody wants to be a big part of the teamthat loses the MEAC.”

When it comes to the act of coaching, both Curtis and Piercepointed out that the difference betweenmale and female athletescan be pretty distinct. And they can start as early as the recruitingprocess.

“They're probably going to be more academically focused.Deciding where they're going to go is a little bit different. Whereguys are often thinking of going to big schools, girls usually like tostay closer to home,” Curtis said.

“That's why you tend to see a lot of players transfer. They often goout to abig school anddecide theywant to go to a small school andbe closer to home.”

Pierce says the women he has recruited are generally morefocused on academics thanmen,who are oftenmore preoccupiedwith making it in professional sports than getting an education.

“Its alot easier to recruit femaleathletes insteadofmenbecause theystill want to go to school. Period,”Pierce said. “Women are a majorityat our school and we have a lot ofdynamic programs geared towardsthem.”

Pierce’s Hampton program has anadditional recruiting tool: TheSummer Olympics.

Two of Pierce’s former studentathletes, sprinters Kellie Wells andFrancena McCrory, medaled in the2012SummerOlympics.Pierce sayshaving runners achieve success onthe world stage has helped hisrecruiting efforts.

“That's a great plus,” he said.“Recruiting becomes a lot easier. Ifwe can continue to have Hamptonwomen's names floating around theOlympics, that’s a good thing.”

Both coaches gave much of thecredit to their program’s success to the support of theiradministrations. Curtis sayswinning and institutional support go

By Steven Gaither

8

Ladies Out Front

Hampton University's Maurice Pierce

Women's athletics help to buildnational HBCU sports brand

hand-in-hand.

“If you don't have support from the administration, it's hard foranybody to win,” he said.

Pierce said the support he gets from the administration atHampton is crucial to his program’s success. He also said Dr.WilliamHarvey,Hampton’s president, is a largely the reasonhe’sstayed with the school.

“Doc is a visionary.We all support his vision and he supports us,”he said. “We understand what doc’s expectations are.”

Curtis also pointed out that success in athletics can help makerecruiting of non-athletes, as well as those who come to school toparticipate in sports, a lot easier.

“Students that go to school, want to be a part of a winner,” Curtissaid. “If you don't have a winning athletic program, I think it'sgoing to have an impact on your enrollment.”

“I think the success we've had in the last 10, 12 years has had aneffect on enrollment. As long as the institution keeps supportingus we're going to win and as long as we win, the university has tofind a way to capitalize off of that.”

When it comes to HBCU athletics, few people--men or women--have seen it from as many angles as Jacqie McWilliams. Shestartedout as abasketball star forHampton, eventuallybecominga coach at severalHBCUsbefore joining theNCAAandultimatelybecoming the CIAA’s first female commissioner.

From her vantage point, some things have changed, while othershave remained consistent since her playing days.

“The spirit of competition, the eagerness to compete, hasremained the same,” she said. That desire is still there.”

One thing she has noticed is that there are many more optionsavailable to youth in addition to playing sports. There are alsoadditional sports that may not have been offered in the past suchas bowling.

“I think the student-athlete has changed in a good way. Trying tokeep them engaged and keep them focused is a lot different whenI was playing,” she said.

“My hope is that there will continue to be a growth of women andgirls who want to play sports.”

Speaking from the National Association of Collegiate WomenAthletic Administrator’s convention, McWilliams said thatgetting more women of color into positions of power in collegeathletics is the next step forward.

“There's still a gap,” she said. “There's some growth.We're seeingmore women getting AD and commissioner jobs, but we're notseeing as many African-Americans.”

“We know that we have interests,” she said. “We just have to havethe opportunities.”

9

The Shaw Lady Bears have won an NCAA Division II basketball national title and nine conference championships in 12 years.

Football season is undoubtedly a time of excitement at historically black colleges and universities. From homecoming games tohistoric team rivalries, the sport brings crowds whose cheers echo from football stadiums throughout entire campuses.

In Princess Anne,Maryland, a historic era in college football began atMaryland State College (MSC), in the 1940s. TheHawks posted23winningseasonsfrom1946-1968, includingfiveconsecutiveseasonsundefeatedfrom1947-1955.Theteamwasat itsgreatestunderhead coach Vernon "Skip" McCain, who was hired in 1948.

“We became a heck of a team; we beat up on a lot of people and we were afraid of none of them,” says John Mitchell, Hawk from1947-1950.

Mitchell, along with several MSC alumni, appear in a short documentary film titled Maryland State College: A Tradition of AthleticExcellence, about the legacy of the team, including the milestone of being the first historically black college to play a white schoolduring a time when segregation laws were still a part of common life.

A powerhouse in college football, the team sent 27 players to the NFL and AFL between 1946 - 1979.

However, despite stellar outcomes on the field, the college fell victim to rising costs and the changing landscape of college athleticsand the football team was disbanded in 1979.

In recent years, MSC, now known as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), is beginning to pick up the pieces to restoreits legacy in athletics.

Football returned toUMES in2012, after a three-decade absence on campus.Unlike its predecessor, the new team is a club, not a partof the National College Athletics Association (NCAA).

“Club football was easier to organize,” says Dr. Bryant C. Mitchell, UMES football head coach. “The investment is a lot less becauseyou're basically making the kind of investment you would in any club.”

The 46-member club football teamwas organized by students who created organizing documents and elected student officers as wellas a faculty advisor, who in this case also serves as head coach. The team is amember of the national club football association, whichincludes 26 other schools. UMES’ biggest rival in the league is Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md.

The resurgence of football at UMES has become a motivator to keep the student body involved and engaged.

“With most club sports, basically the only people who come [to games] are people directly affiliated with the club members, but wehave a fairly decent attendance of our regular student body,” says Mitchell. “We have a lot of people from Baltimore City, PrinceGeorge's County and places where they have good high school football teams, so when they come to UMES and have an opportunityto come to a club game, its something that they're familiar with and they like it.”

Still, the club football structure is limiting in bringing additional resources to the campus that are typically available to colleges whoplay with the NCAA and other leagues.

“Club is more internally focused whereas the NCAA version is a decision about how you really want to market your university andpromote,” says Mitchell. “So universities that decide to have an NCAA version are [able to] market and promote the university andgenerate revenue.”

The ClubByChristina Sturdivant

12

With enrollment and branding at stake, some alumni and administrators at historically blackcolleges and universities are turning to club athletics to build support for their institutions.

Mitchell is a part of an alumni group called Hawks For Football. The organization is working to return NCAA football to campus,starting with promoting the football legacy through the MSC documentary project. The hope is to lengthen the documentary andmarket it to media outlets to expose a wider audience to the cause.

Ultimately, however, the decision to invest in division 1 football is up to an agreement from university administration, saysMitchell.“[And] at this point, we're not there yet.”

A rebirth of football is also taking place on the campus of VirginiaUniversity of Lynchburg (VUL). Due tomismanagement of athleticfunds, VUL’s athletics came to a halt in November 2013. During the 2014 season, three teams were brought back: men’s basketball,women’s basketball and football.

In June 2014, Don Lee was hired as director of athletics and head football coach.

“It's tough--I walked into a hornet's nest," says Lee. "We're picking up some of the pieces that have been broken here for the last yearor so."

The Dragon football team operates as an independent team and can play teams within the NCAA and National Association ofIntercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The 2014-2015 team has 122 players, 100 of whom are freshmen. Unlike recent years where fullscholarshipsweregiven toplayers,whichpartly led to the financial downfall of theathletic department, students arenowgivenpartialscholarships.

In rebuilding the team, Lee has sights on entering an association, whichwill allow amore promising chance at qualifying for playoffsand more scholarship funding for players.

However, as a professional in rebuilding teams for 20 years at schools from Alabama to Mississippi, to Chicago, Lee knows thatrebuilding takes time.

“Justbeforewecouldeven laya foundation,wehad tocleanup,” saysLee. “Rightnowby thegraceofGod,we'renot in the redanymore.We're catching up on old bills that were due from last year.”

Moving forward, Lee plans to stick to his vision, while ensuring that all stakeholders play their part. Inmost cases, this takes severalyears of trial and error.

“We're just an up and coming football team right now, we're taking our bumps and bruises,” says Lee. “I'm just excited about wherewe're going to be in the next three or four years.”

13

Members of the 1962 University of Maryland Eastern Shore varsity football team. Alumni are fundraising toreinstate the program for NCAA competition, but the university currently fields a club team competing inleague play

ZZZ�SKLODQGHU�HGX��������������WZLWWHU�FRP�3KLODQGHU6PLWK����'DLV\�%DWHV�'ULYH�ā�/LWWOH�5RFN��$5��������ā���������������

(67������

t,K�t���Z�+%&8��6PDOO��3ULYDWH��8QLWHG�0HWKRGLVW�&KXUFK�DҬLOLDWHG��3URJUHVVLYH�

t,�Z��t���Z�/LWWOH�5RFN��$UNDQVDV��6LWXDWHG�RQ����TXDLQW�DFUHV��,Q�WKH�KHDUW�RI�WKH�VWDWH±V�HFRQRPLF��FXOWXUDO�DQG�JRYHUQPHQWDO�FHQWHUV���

t,�d�t���K6LQFH�������3KLODQGHU�6PLWK�&ROOHJH�KDV�HGXFDWHG�VRPH�RI�WKH�QDWLRQ±V�ºQHVW�WKLQNHUV���HGXFDWRUV��PLQLVWHUV��KHDOWK�FDUH�SURIHVVLRQDOV��ODZ\HUV��DQG�FRPPXQLW\�DFWLYLVWV��

$QG�WRGD\��ZH�UHPDLQ�IRFXVHG�RQ�JUDGXDWLQJ�D�QHZ�JHQHUDWLRQ�RI�JOREDOO\�FRPSHWHQW�DQG�ZRUOG�FRQVFLRXV�OHDGHUV��DGYRFDWHV�IRU�VRFLDO�MXVWLFH��ZKR�ZLOO�FKDQJH�

WKH�ZRUOG�IRU�WKH�EHWWHU�

“They always had the ability,” Grambling State University headfootball coach Broderick Fobbs said of the G-Men’s much-improved SWAC record. But Fobbs also believes that there’s adifference between having ability and believing in the abilitypossessed.

In January 2014, Fobbs started talking toG-Menabout “playingfootball from the inside out,” and “playing with the heart andmind.” Fobbs added that this level of play requires passion andknowing what to do. He said that if the players are rightinternally, then it shows externally.

Currently, the coach, staff and G-Men sit pretty high. Earlier inthe season, the Tigers posted four consecutive wins, followingearly season losses. Fobbs called the 28-21 victory over AlcornState “a team effort,” saying the players did enough defensivelyto prevail on the field.

A return to Grambling winning culture. Call it an about-face.Grambling’s football program, one of the nation’s most storied,had its fair share of problems preceding this moment of glory.

At this time last yearGrambling athleticswere on shaky ground.The G-Men staged a protest—by walking out of a meeting withadministration, skipping practice, refusing to play JacksonState for its homecoming game, and publicizing unfit trainingandtravel conditions.WhentheG-Mendidn’t suituporshowuplast fall, JacksonState insteadhostedaJSUscrimmageandheldstandardhomecoming activities.Grambling forfeited the game.

Protest fallout meant Grambling athletics and the Grambling

State University brand took a public beating. Inevitably,institutional issueswerewidely covered and contrastedwith thelegacy of winningest Coach Eddie Robinson, for whom theGrambling football stadium, “The Hole,” is named.

CoachFobbs,whoplayed runningbackunderCoachRobinson’stutelage, said if Robinson were here to compare the team’scurrent successes with last year’s turmoil, “He’d be happy thatthe G-Men are number one in the SWAC. But, he’d also wantsome things cleaned up.”

According to Fobbs, Robinsonwas a “perfectionist,” whowouldwant toensure theG-Men“played flawlessly,” andputonashowfor the fans. Fobbs emphasized consistency, saying CoachRobinson would essentially say the same things aboutGrambling football that Fobbs says.

While current wins whet a palate for victory, we shouldremember that the G-Menwere onto something with last year’scivil disobedience. By highlighting unsafe and problematicconditions for student athletes, including infections and shoddyequipment, national conversations about student athlete equitycontinued and expanded. While some criticized the movementas watchdog journalism, student activism, institutionalshaming or some combination, the efforts worked.

The university promised to make facility improvements, raisedmoney fromalumni, andmadegoodon itsword, via a revampedlocker andweight room.When theG-Men tookone for the team,effects reached far beyond the piney Louisiana town.

The Return of Grambling State Football:In head coach Broderick Fobbs, homegrown talent yields classic results

By Imani J. Jackson

Issues became larger than season records and rumblings aboutblack college football. Focus shifted to accommodationsnecessary for athletes, who are on scholarship and at schools’mercy, to perform to the best of their ability. Philosophicalquestions came alongside alumni sentiments, and questions ofprofit margins, season tickets and victories.

What exactly do players receive in exchange for balancingathletics and academics? What of the fact that sports teams,especially football, are often college anduniversity fiscal nuclei?When football coaches are often paid more handsomely thancollege and university presidents and professors, what isexpected of them?

TheG-Men’s 2013 protests called attention to older governanceissues. In 2009, when governor Bobby Jindal declined federalstimulus funds, Louisiana higher education was negativelyimpacted.

Grambling, a school with less money to begin with, had itsbudget slashed by nearly 60 percent. Shortly thereafter, theuniversity was forced to lay off and terminate employees, inaddition to decreasing and reconfiguring degree offerings. Alsoas a result of the player protest, the SWAC fined Grambling areported $50,000.

With all of these occurrences in the periphery, a culture shiftseems tobeunderway this season. Sources say thatFobbs iswellreceived by the community, has the team in order and isremedying past mistakes and oversight issues.

Many expect nothing less of a Coach Rob protégé and 1997Grambling graduate. Per the New Orleans Times Picayune,“Everyone thought Fobbs would eventually bring the Tigersback. But he's done it in record time.” TheMonroe News-StarnotedtheG-Men’sdisciplineandsaidFobbs is“themantothankfor that,” following the team victory over Alcorn State.

Ironically, “GramFam” (members of theGrambling family) alsosay this year’s G-Men turnaround game was against JacksonState. Mass communication senior and The Gramblinitenewspaper reporter Candice Dixson said numerous fansattended the game and morale increased after the JSU victory.

Based on last year’s protest, the pre-game joke was obvious.Jackson State fans essentially asked G-Men, “Are y’all comingthis time or nah?” One comicalHBCUmeme featured aman onhis cell phone, with pursed lips and erect posture, essentiallymaking this inquiry on Jackson State’s behalf.

Victory and levity seem to be spilling back over into campussupport. Dixson said games include “lots of supporters,” somewho have trailed the G-Men to each game, nearby or fartheraway, as in the Alabama A&M game.

Dixson, a San Diego native, said fans told her they will supportthe G-Men “no matter how far the distance.” She also said thatthe coaching staff hosts post-game conferences to talkGrambling football.

AcoupleG-Menoffered their take.Accountingmajorand seniorlinebacker Steve Orisakwe, who had seven tackles againstAlcorn State, sang Fobb’s praises.

"Fobbs remindsplayers ofwhoare theyare,"Orisakwe said. "Tobe confident—to have the juice.” Orisakwe added that the G-Men are not the same team from last year, but declined to

elaborate.

The Pearland, Texas native also highlighted communitysupport. “The spirit of the school is very happy,” he said, beforeadding that the G-Men appreciate the fans.

He believes Coach Robinson would be proud of the G-Men andthe character instilled in the players. Orisakwe reasonedbecauseFobbsplayed forRobinson, and theyplay forFobbs, thecurrent team is a Coach Rob second-generation of sorts.

Senior engineering technology major and quarterbackJonathan Williams said today’s G-Men play more for oneanother, which translates to teammates “being each others’keeper”, and cultivating leadership.

The Tampa, Florida native echoed positive assessments ofFobbs. “He’s a players’ coach.”

Based on the players, community and reports, Fobbs likely putsmore stock in results than praise. Per theNews Star, Fobbs saidit’s best, “not to get too high and try not to get too low” becausethe “cooler heads always prevail.”

In totality,Grambling football hasbeenaspiritedandsuccessfulinstitution. Upwards of 200 former Grambling players haveplayed or currently play for theNFL. CoachRobinson is reveredin athletic circles, regardless of institution or region.

And the team’s current status speaks to the individual andcollective grit of the team. Grambling legacy’s, much like that ofHBCUs a whole, is not about perfection. It is aboutaccountability, putting students first and hard work. Withregard to wins and recovery, alumni braggadocio remains. “Itain’t nothing but a G thang.”

17

Junior quarterback JonathanWilliams has helped lead the Tigersfrom worst to first in the SWAC west in 2014.

MAKING HISTORY RIGHT HERE,RIGHT NOW!

www.jsums.edu

Jackson State University has a distinguished history that is rich in the tradition of educating young men and women. Jackson State University is committed to educating and empowering men and women to excel in leadership capacities on

every front. We provide an accepting, caring environment where students of all ages, races and backgrounds can flourish

intellectually, socially and culturally.

Throughout our 136-year history, Jackson State has remained committed to our founding mission of challenging minds

and changing lives.

Apple Distinguished School for 2013-2015Recognized by Apple as a distinguished school for innovation, leadership and educational excellence.

We’re looking for the best and the brightest.Do you have the brains, street smarts, compassion, and commitment to make sure those on your watch thrive?

Grounded in a tradition of research and innovation, the Johns Hopkins School of Education offers doctoral and graduate programs that allow you to begin or advance a challenging and rewarding career with impact in mind.

Teaching School AdministrationSpecial EducationCounselingPublic Safety Leadership

Offering full-, part-time, and online programs

877-JHU-SOE1education.jhu.edu/HBCURanked #1 by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools of Education

Howard University, one of the nation’s leading research universities, is dedicated to educating students from diverse backgrounds at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. Guided by our extraordinary cadre of faculty, students are immersed in cutting-edge scholarship and innovation, including nanotechnology, human genome research and atmospheric science, as well as the social sciences, arts and humanities on four campuses.

Since its inception more than 145 years ago, Howard University has been at the forefront of preparing globally competent students for positions of leadership and social responsibility.

facebook.com/howarduniversityHoward.edu

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

twitter.com/HowardU

The faces of #nationbuilding

Welcome to Paul Quinn College, the home of the Quinnite Nation.

23

My name is GregoryMoore and for the past five years I have hadthe privilege of serving as the Commissioner of the SouthernIntercollegiateAthletic Conference (“SIAC”), amember ofNCAADivision II, andprimarily comprisedofhistoricallyblackcollegesanduniversities orHBCUs (this fall, SpringHill College becomesthe first nonHBCU to become amember of the SIAC in ourmorethan one-hundred year history).

Dr. Emmert, I am writing you for two primary reasons. First, Iwanted to commend the NCAA in general and Dr. BernardFranklin and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in particularfor organizing the HBCU focus group dinner on July 14, inAtlanta, Georgia. As a group participant, it wasmy sense that thedialogue was both constructive and underscored by candid andintrospective assessments of the challenges and opportunitiesthat lay before NCAA HBCU member institutions.

I not only look forward to further conversations between andamong the many thought leaders that represent HBCUinstitutions, but also urge you to continue to support andfacilitate such conversations.

Second, as the commissioner of one of the four HBCU NCAAconferences, and a former deputy counsel with the New JerseyState Legislature, I watched with great interest your testimonybefore the Senate Commerce Committee (“the committee”) onJuly 6. As I expected, you acquitted yourself exceedingly welldefending the intercollegiate amateurismmodel inwhat couldbefairly characterized as a somewhat politically chargedatmosphere.

However, I fear that in connection with your very able defense,you may not be calling into service the full arsenal of argumentsavailable toyou.Forexample,duringyour testimonyyoubroughtto the attention of the committee the number of student-athleteswho are enabled and empowered to become the first in theirfamily to attend college by virtue of intercollegiate athletics.

Along those same lines, it is my judgment that additionalempirical and anecdotal evidence could have been provided tothe committee with respect to the particularized mission andpurpose of HBCUs relating to providing educational access tocommunities that otherwisewould not enjoy such opportunities.

Although I concede that HBCUs do not exercise monopolycontrol over the notion of providing opportunities to those whootherwise would not accorded them, NCAA HBCU memberinstitutions are nique in that providing opportunity was not onlythe historical basis attendant to the establishment of theseinstitutions, but remains the dominant trait of our DNA thatgoverns these institutions to this day.

MarkTwainonce stated, “Historydoesn't repeat itself, but it doesrhyme.” Unfortunately, some of the historical and economicimperatives that gave rise to HBCUs in the first instance arebeginning to reemerge

poverty rates continue to increase (acutely so in rural southerncommunities that the supermajorities of HBCUs serve), andcircumference of the chasm of a myriad economic inequalityindexes continues to widen (again, often acutely linked to regionrace and ethnicity).

The technical and financial support thatHBCUsmember schoolsand conferences receive from the NCAA represents criticallyimportant contributions in support of institutions that are oftenthe primary engines of economic development in thecommunities that they serve.

Lastly, HBCUs not only provide important educationalopportunities to student-athletes, but simply put NCAA HBCUathleticprograms, representsoneof themost import repositoriesof diversity on the intercollegiate landscape. By way of example,and based on the NCAA’s most recent Race and GenderDemographic Report, despite representing approximately fivepercent of the more than 1100 NCAA member institutions,HBCUs supply 56 percent of NCAA head football coaches, 50percent of athletic directors, and 80percent ofNCAA conferencecommissioners.

I would humbly suggest to you that these narratives should notonly be articulatedmore frequently, but also that doing sowouldultimately inure to the benefit of the NCAA.

AnAug.4 letterwritten toDr.MarkEmmert,Presidentof the National Collegiate Athletic Associaton

IN CLOSING...