Think Tank Brings Deans of Education from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Rutgers

 
 

The second in a series of three annual Think Tanks sponsored by Rutgers Graduate School of Education's Samuel DeWitt Proctor Chair in Education, Dr. Fred A Bonner has recently concluded.  The 2013 convening of the Think Tank encouraged the deans to identify and form a plan of action to address issues effecting minority education. 

 

The event was facilitated by Dr. Chance W. Lewis, the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair of Urban Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and attended by the following leaders in minority education:
 
  • Freddie Asinor, Dean, of Education, Health and Public Policy at Delaware State University, Delaware.
  • Larnell Flannagan, Dean, College of Education at Grambling State University, Louisiana
  • Rosalind Pijeaux Hale, Chair and NCATE Coordinator , Division of Education, Xavier University, Louisiana
  • William B. Harvey, Dean, School of Education, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina
  • Jesse J. Hargrove, Chair, Division of Education, Philander Smith College, 
  • Joe N. Hornbeak, Jr.; Interim Dean, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences and Director; Healthy, Physical, Education and Recreation Department; Langston University, Oklahoma
  • Mary Alice Jennings, Dean, Mississippi Valley State University, Mississippi
  • Leonard A. McIntyre, Dean, South Carolina State University, South Carolina

To learn more about the participants please visit the 2013 Think Tank biography document here.

 

"I am very excited to bring together this group," said Dr. Bonner.  "The power of their narratives and the collective intellect they bring to this forum is absolutely powerful."

The deans' conversations were guided by the mission “Promoting Potential through Partnerships” for the chair – which was drafted by Dr. Bonner when he assumed his role as the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Chair in Education – and inspired by the concept of education equity spoken about by Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor in his speech "Rising Above the ScratchLine".  Primary concerns detailed by the deans included enrollment and retention of students in teacher education programs and state teacher licensure testing. Building upon the progress made by the participants of the 2012 Think Tank, this year's participants established a foundation of a consortium that will utilize the collaborative partnerships formed during the Think Tank along with new technologies – including online learning – to address the challenges identified.

 

Attendees of the Think Tank will continue the dialogue through a blog site managed by Dr. Bonner.  Additionally, Dr. Lewis will draft a white paper from the discussions. The group will reconvene at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meetings.

To view photos from the 2013 Think Tank please click here.  

Read about the 2012 Think Tank here. To learn more about Dr. Bonner and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Chair in Education please click here.