Minority Business School Faculty Increases 50 Percent in Five Years
CHICAGO — Minority representation among the nation’s business school faculties has increased by almost 50 percent in five years, according to The Ph.D. Project.
The project to attract and encourage more minorities to become business professors started in 1994. At that time, there were 294 African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans teaching at the nation’s business schools. In 1999, those numbers rose to 440.
“Corporate America and the academic community have long wanted to have more professors of color standing in front of business school classrooms,” said Bernard J. Milano, executive director of the KPMG Foundation, which created and sponsors the Ph.D. Project. “Now, after five years of our actively recruiting and supporting future professors, diversity on the faculty is becoming more of a reality.”
And, the project expects to more than double the 1994 levels within five years. That’s because there are 373 additional minorities who are now in the pipeline and expected to complete their studies by 2004 or sooner. It takes about five years to complete the program, which has a dropout rate of less than 5 percent, according to The Ph.D. Project.
Nonetheless, the project reports that the 1999 total of 440 minority business professors represents less than 5 percent of all business faculty members nationwide.
Morgan Freeman, B.B. King to Chair Mississippi Valley Campaign
ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State University has tapped actor Morgan Freeman to serve as chairman for the historically Black institution’s five-year, $25 million fundraising campaign. Blues legend B.B. King will be the campaign’s honorary chairman.
“MVSU has a great story to tell about the good things that are happening at the … university,” the 62-year-old Freeman, who will serve as national spokesman for Mississippi Valley, said during a recent campus visit. “There is so much that needs to be done to provide students with the quality education that is needed to be successful in life.”
The campaign, which began earlier this year, has already raised $2.5 million. Its funds will provide scholarships for students and academic programs, support for faculty and departmental chairs and improvements of campus facilities. Additionally, it will enable the university to enhance its outreach efforts to the public schools and provide support and assistance to help improve school district accreditation ratings.
“We hope the campaign will allow us to address such critical needs,” said Dr. Lester C. Newman, president of the university. “The campaign signifies a new era in MVSU’s history as the university establishes new relationships and forms partnerships that will ultimately improve the entire Delta region.”
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