PRESIDENT FREDERICK’S IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY

Howard University’s newly installed President Frederick appears to be bent of deemphasizing the “Black” of the HBCU (historically Black college / university) character of the institution. President Frederick would be well advised to proceed with extreme caution, since his selection as president of Howard University smashed an unwritten, unspoken but viscerally adhered to policy of excluding so-called “foreign Blacks” from serving as president of the institution.

Furthermore, President Frederick received all of his degrees (the BSc the M.D., the M.B.A.) as well as his specialized medical training from Howard University. The HBCU model of Academe is the one that he knows best. Since he apparently thinks that this model needs to be reworked, he must have in mind some ideal model on which to fashion the new Howard. Should he not make clear to all the stake holders—the faculty, students, staff, and alumni—what this ideal model looks like?