Mike,I appreciate your posts but it seems that you have left out some analysis
and ideas about the black institutions,Black institutions encompass all the
various categories you mentioned-public,private,State,religious as well as
non-denominational.Most of them were probably founded by missionaries(white)
in service to the freed African slaves.I have taught at two historically
black institutions,namely.Albany State in Albany (pronounced All
,ben.knee),Georgia
and Bethune Cookman University {private Metdodist affiliated} here in Daytone
Beach.
Black colleges appear to be unique in the sense that although most recognizes
the role religion plays in the education process and the preparation of
students to adhance the lives of its black students socially,morally. and
economically.I am not sure if the mission statements of those black colleges
have christian imperatives,but I would not be surprised if some of them dpd.
But given the role churches have played in the lives of many
blacks, religion does have an nfluence.Members of the Board of trustees of some
of those schools probably consist of the hierarchy of various denominations who
may influence policies for hiring.I am not aware of any type of religious faith
preconditions for hiring faculty.As a matter of fact,given th christian based
origin of those black colleges,they are very liberal in hiring all types of
faculty of christian and non-christian as well.There was a rabbi department
chair of religion at BCU and many hindus and faculty of Islamic
orientation.The faculty is really well internationalized and there is a sense
of community and common purpose and actions to fulfill the educational missions.
But some of those black institutions seem to operate as Mom and Pop
institutions and the concept of academic freedom can be anathema.As a matter of
fact,the AAUP has filed a few appeals.
Usually most legal actions against the black cilleges have been initiated by
white faculty re tenure or dismissal actions and not for what they teach.
Btw,there are a couple of black catholic black colleges and I have no idea of
black catholic thinking re those black colleges.
Because of the collectivist nature of the modus operandi of
some of those black colleges,they usually demand mandatory attendance of
faculty and staff at some religious assemblies and it seems that most faculty
do not vehementally object to attending.Although I have no references to
support this but it seems to me that there are more interactions
between faculty and students at the black institutions than at the white
institutions.
As the cross-cultural dude on Tips, "hanging out" is an essential element in
feeling unified
at those colleges and faculty are not immune from that process.
The only issue I can remember re faith at BCU was the time a black muslim was
appointed
the VP for academic affairs.This apparently did not go too well with the
Southern Methodist
Boaed of Trustees.He was there for one or two years and then took another
position as president of another black institution. There is a Malcolm X
university in Chicago
and I do not know if their hiring policies exclude hiring jews.
There was a case where a candidate for the presidency
of BCU was not hired
because he was at Florida A&M University and Florida A&M is the chief rival of
Bethune Cookman University in football. Isn't that stupid? Not hiring someone
because that person is from a school which is your chief opponent in football.
And finally I would be cautious ,if teaching at a
black institutional,about intellectualizing a gay lifestyle. Most blacks do not
condone the gay lifestyle or gay marriage.
Most blacks believe the the gay lifestyle is sinful since GOD MADE ADAM AND EVE
AND
NOT ADAM AND STEVE.
Michael"resistant to extinction" Sylvester,PhD
Daytona Beach,Florida
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