Virginia University of Lynchburg

[Don Dresden]

HBCU, TRACS accredited. Now offering online B.A. and M.A. in Organization Management: http://www.vul.edu/om2/index.html

Thanks for that, Gabe.  Interesting and encouraging to see an HBCU embracing DL and program innovation.  As you may know, many HBCU's now are "struggling."  (See, e.g., HBCUs Drawing Scrutiny)

As a baseball fan I see a sad parallel between the demise of the Negro Leagues following integration and the current HBCU situation.  

The article cited above quotes Justice Thomas in United States v. Fordice: “I think that it is undisputable that these institutions have succeeded in part because of their distinctive histories and traditions,” he said. “… It would be ironic, to say the least, if the institutions that sustained blacks during segregation were themselves destroyed in an effort to combat its vestiges.”

As the HCBU's traditional constituency (i.e., African-American students) continues to be co-opted by the wealthy private and government interests, continued survival of these institutions requires them to develop a new constituency.   Adopting innovative distance learning programs opens doors to a broad new range of students.  

Ironic also is that institutions created to serve people traditionally excluded from the mainstream can find their salvation not by focusing narrowly on the race of their potential students but rather by serving students not being served effectively by traditional schools.