Alcorn State University named Alfred Rankins Jr. its new president after a unanimous vote bt the Mississippi College Board. Rankins will replace the previous president M. Christopher Brown, who stepped down in December after an investigation began looking into his purchasing practices. Previously, Rankins served as the deputy commissioner of academic affairs at ASU, and before that as interim president at Mississippi Valley State University via Clarion Ledger.
Florida A&M University added a sexual orientation and gender identity protection to its non-discrimination policy. The policy was pushed to the board by LGBT fact finding committee, which was founded by students, faculty, and community leaders after the death of gay FAMU student Robert Champion in a hazing incident in 2011. The policy change was approved unanimously by the University’s board of trustees via Equality Florida.
Morris Brown College received approval from bankruptcy courts to sell its property through a real estate broker. The college intends to sell 36-acres of its property. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the goal is to find a buyer that will donate or lease part of the property back to the college. Morris Brown plans to continue all college operations no matter what the outcome.
After the decision to cut Alabama State University state funding budget by $10 million dollars, the chairman of the education budget committee now plans to restore the cut in a substitute budget. The budget cut was proposed as a conditional appropriation that could be released by the governor of Alabama depending on the University’s progress. According to AL.com, the newly appointed ASU president Gwendolyn Boyd wasn’t on board with the idea of the budget cut and was strongly opposed to the idea of using state funding as a leverage to make improvements to the University. Boyd called for restoration of the funds.
Howard University celebrated its 147th year with a Charter Day gala, where the University received $10 million in donations with $4 million going directly to the School of Communications. Speaking of Howard, the Department of Residence Life has announced that housing for all freshman and sophomores is now guaranteed. The addition of two new dorms to the University has opened up more space for students to live on-campus via The Hilltop.
South Carolina State University appealed to state legislators for a $13.6 million emergency bailout to cover the University’s current debt and bills through June. According to Times and Democrat, SCSU president Thomas Elzey said without the state’s financial help the services and function of the University could be compromised with some services cut off by April.
PLUS:
How Spelman Balanced Its Budget and Improved Student Health
Hillcrest Foundation Makes $500,000 Donation to Paul Quinn College
