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Reimagining HBCU Leaders as Policy Actors

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Examining Effective Practices at Minority-Serving Institutions

Abstract

This study takes a strengths-based approach in constructing a conceptual framework for how presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can employ and improve their current advocacy skillsets for use in the policy arena. Drawing on the literature on HBCU leadership and the higher education policy, this study reimagines the existing skills of HBCU leadership for the policy arena to encourage HBCU leaders to participate in policymaking and collaborate with other policy actors at both state and federal levels. I outline how current skills held by successful HBCU presidents—especially those of communication and collaboration—can make them successful policy actors who can not only advocate for their institutions, but also for educational inequalities still reflected in American educational policy. Recommendations for future approaches to expanding strengths-based research for HBCUs follow.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard University School of Education, Washington, DC, USA

    Sosanya M. Jones

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  1. Sosanya M. Jones
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Correspondence to Sosanya M. Jones .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Howard University, Washington, DC, USA

    Robert T. Palmer

  2. United Negro College Fund’s Institute for Capacity Building, Washington, DC, USA

    DeShawn Preston

  3. Southern Education Foundation, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Amanda Assalone

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Jones, S.M. (2019). Reimagining HBCU Leaders as Policy Actors. In: Palmer, R., Preston, D., Assalone, A. (eds) Examining Effective Practices at Minority-Serving Institutions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16609-0_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16609-0_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16608-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16609-0

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