National News - Page 12

Expanding Transfer From California to HBCUs

By Ashley Mowreader California lawmakers hope to decrease gaps in degree completion between Black college students and their non-Black peers through transfer guarantee and financial aid programs. In 2023, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1400, which provides a one-time grant to community college students planning to attend a historically Black college or university. A Sept. 19 webinar by the California Student Aid Commissions (CSAC), which oversees the Cal-HBCU grant funding, highlighted opportunities to support Black student success within California through the grant and other programs. California, which lacks an HBCU, has worked to expand access to institutions that promote student success for

HBCU receives another million plus to enhance campus facilities

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Courtesy of Livingstone College Livingstone College an HBCU in Salisbury, NC, has recently received an additional $1.2 million in grants and donations from various sources, fortifying its commitment to enhancing student services and campus facilities. The College received a significant anonymous $8 million donation last month and has since secured various grants and donations to bolster its infrastructure and capital investments. President Dr. Anthony J. Davis expressed gratitude, stating, “If Livingstone College can be better, then better we will be.” Notably, the National Science Foundation awarded the College a $448,000 grant to support the STEM Innovation Ecosystem, benefiting students pursuing STEM-related programs.

Congress approves funding bill to avoid government shutdown

By Deidre Walsh Congress voted Wednesday evening to approve a stop-gap spending bill to fund government programs through December 20. The bipartisan spending bill postpones the debate on full year funding levels for federal programs until after the election, and avoids a shutdown. Government agencies run out of money on September 30. “Our focus now turns exclusively to Nov. 5,” Johnson told reporters after the House vote, referencing Election Day. “Our members are now returning to their districts and they’ll be working in their districts until the election and they will be making their case to the voters.” The House

White House Initiative on HBCUs announces 2024 scholars – all D.C. and Maryland HBCUs represented

By Deborah Bailey The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities has announced the 2024 class of scholars, marking the 10th anniversary of this program that has highlighted the scholarship, talent and rigor of America’s HBCUs. This year, 110 exemplary students hailing from 77 of America’s HBCUs have been selected for their outstanding academic achievement, prospective leadership  and contribution to their communities. The 2024 cohort includes students from all HBCUs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, displaying the strong and diverse educational experiences students receive in the nation’s capital and its neighboring state. “For 10 years the HBCU Scholars

More U.S. schools are taking breaks for meditation– teachers say it helps students’ mental health

By Sharon Johnson The Associated Press The third-grade students at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School had only a few days until summer vacation, and an hour until lunch, but there was no struggle to focus as they filed into the classroom. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day. The children closed their eyes and traced their thumbs from their foreheads to their hearts as a pre-recorded voice led them through an exercise called the shark fin, part of the classroom’s regular meditation routine. “Listen to the chimes,” said the teacher, Kim Franklin. “Remember to breathe.”

EPA Launches Inaugural HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council

By Ashley Brown The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced  its inaugural Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions Federal Advisory Council, marking a pivotal moment in the agency’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in environmental policymaking and workforce development. The HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council is tasked with providing independent counsel and recommendations to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. The council will focus on developing strategies to diversify the agency’s workforce, support the professional development of emerging environmental leaders, and secure necessary resources for HBCUs and MSIs to thrive. Their guidance will be instrumental in tackling

Censorship reports show a mixed picture on U.S. book challenges

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By Matt Lavietes Two reports released Monday provide a mixed but compelling outlook on the wave of book removals and challenges as the annual Banned Books Week begins for schools, stores and libraries nationwide. The American Library Association found a substantial drop in 2024 so far in complaints about books stocked in public, school and academic libraries, and in the number of books receiving objections. Meanwhile, PEN America is documenting an explosion in books being removed from school shelves in 2023-24, tripling to more than 10,000 over the previous year. More than 8,000 were pulled just in Florida and Iowa, where laws restricting the content of books

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted

By the Associated Press New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a grand jury on federal criminal charges, according to two people familiar with the matter. The indictment detailing the charges against Adams, a Democrat, was still sealed late Wednesday, according to the people, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declined to comment. The indictment was first reported by The New York Times. “I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I

Congressional Black Caucus releases corporate accountability report on diversity, equity, and inclusion

Recently, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford (NV-04) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus released its new corporate accountability report, “What Good Looks Like”: A Corporate Accountability Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – a first-of-its-kind report to hold Fortune 500 companies — across all sectors — accountable to their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments and racial equity investments post-George Floyd. The new report commissioned by the CBC finds that the majority of Fortune 500 companies that responded to a survey by the CBC remain committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace despite right wing attacks in

Harris-Walz ticket endorsed by HBCU, NFL legends

By Stephen J. Gaither Over 50 former football legends, representing 25 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) proudly endorse fellow HBCU alumna Vice-President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for election in November and urged citizens to mobilize and vote for candidates of their choice in November’s Presidential Election. In a May 26, 2024 White House statement, Vice-President Kamala Harris spoke of the impact of her HBCU experience (at Howard University) and the leadership of talented and motivated individuals from all walks of life in communities throughout America. Given her integrity, values, and demonstrated commitment to justice and equality of opportunity, we are

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