“It’s a good school. It’s capable of being a better school.”
March 25, 2016 6:55 AM Subscribe
2) Is this any different from other non-ultra-rich universities, where everything has changed because Internet?
Probably.
Tressie Mc:
Bizarrely no discussion of WHY Howard doesn't have enough money. As if we just woke up to this.
Why are black schools tuition dependant, for example? Same reason black people are income dependant.
Why are black school geographies vulnerable to gentrification? Same reason black people get gentrified.
Also, comments from Ta-Nehisi Coates in that twitter thread.
posted by andoatnp at 8:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
Probably.
Tressie Mc:
Bizarrely no discussion of WHY Howard doesn't have enough money. As if we just woke up to this.
Why are black schools tuition dependant, for example? Same reason black people are income dependant.
Why are black school geographies vulnerable to gentrification? Same reason black people get gentrified.
Also, comments from Ta-Nehisi Coates in that twitter thread.
posted by andoatnp at 8:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
2) Is this any different from other non-ultra-rich universities, where everything has changed because Internet?
HBCU's have historically been underfunded compared to non-HBCU peer institutions, whether private or public, so they are already starting from behind. Add to that that students attending HBCU's are much more likely to be the first of their family to attend college and come from a less wealthy demographic and you wind up with schools that are running to stand still. In effect, the schools have fewer resources than their peers to educate students who need more resources than their peers.
First generation students from low income families are also much more likely to follow a conservative career path (nurse instead of doctor, legal aide instead of lawyer, etc.) because the cost of graduate or professional school is too onerous and there is tremendous economic pressure to get a job to support their families upon graduation. That adds up to a lower average income for alumni who then, on average, don't have as much money to donate to their alma mater.
posted by plastic_animals at 9:55 AM on March 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
HBCU's have historically been underfunded compared to non-HBCU peer institutions, whether private or public, so they are already starting from behind. Add to that that students attending HBCU's are much more likely to be the first of their family to attend college and come from a less wealthy demographic and you wind up with schools that are running to stand still. In effect, the schools have fewer resources than their peers to educate students who need more resources than their peers.
First generation students from low income families are also much more likely to follow a conservative career path (nurse instead of doctor, legal aide instead of lawyer, etc.) because the cost of graduate or professional school is too onerous and there is tremendous economic pressure to get a job to support their families upon graduation. That adds up to a lower average income for alumni who then, on average, don't have as much money to donate to their alma mater.
posted by plastic_animals at 9:55 AM on March 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
Like many other urban universities, Howard is effectively a Real Estate holding company that happens to operate a university.
Up until recently, most of their land wasn't worth very much (a situation that partially falls directly at their own feet -- Howard's land-holdings are primarily a scar of decrepit industrial buildings in an otherwise vibrant residential neighborhood, and their non-profit status insulates Howard from the penalties that any other DC landowner would pay for owning so many vacant and neglected properties).
Now, it's worth a lot, and Howard is trying to figure out how to best capitalize on that.
Howard's gotten a lot of flak for the way that it's managed its assets, but the truth of the matter is that they've been faced with a lot of difficult choices that no other institution of Howard's prominence and importance have had to deal with. They are facing an existential crisis because they have no safety net to fall back on. I do not envy their position.
[But, seriosuly, Howard. Sell or lease your vacant land.]
posted by schmod at 2:59 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Up until recently, most of their land wasn't worth very much (a situation that partially falls directly at their own feet -- Howard's land-holdings are primarily a scar of decrepit industrial buildings in an otherwise vibrant residential neighborhood, and their non-profit status insulates Howard from the penalties that any other DC landowner would pay for owning so many vacant and neglected properties).
Now, it's worth a lot, and Howard is trying to figure out how to best capitalize on that.
Howard's gotten a lot of flak for the way that it's managed its assets, but the truth of the matter is that they've been faced with a lot of difficult choices that no other institution of Howard's prominence and importance have had to deal with. They are facing an existential crisis because they have no safety net to fall back on. I do not envy their position.
[But, seriosuly, Howard. Sell or lease your vacant land.]
posted by schmod at 2:59 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
« Older A proper reckoning | An Ascot ting Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
2) Is this any different from other non-ultra-rich universities, where everything has changed because Internet?
posted by Melismata at 8:30 AM on March 25, 2016