Charter Day 2014 - 147 years -- Don't worry be happy! - Really??

On a normal charter day, I would be drinking my coffee as I am doing this morning and preparing to drive down to Howard University and March with my colleagues on Charter day.  We would get a chance to chat about our lives while preparing to march up stair and listen to the Charter day speaker.  

Well, not this year for me and for more than 1 reason.  

1.  Board of Trustee (BOT) Chairman Rand still in power along with Executive Board
2. Today's speaker from JP Morgan 
3.  We need to Reform the Board not Applaud them.
4.  HU's plan to downsize staff, an increase tuition without any discussion of a strategic plan is wrong!! 
5.  I have been on my back all week with the flu. 

Today's speaker is Mr. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase.  I don't know much about the man at all, which is why some of you might say to go and listen to him.  

Jamie Dimon - CEO of JPMorgan Chase

But what does is represent?????  Power, Money and it part of the system that put lots of folks out of their homes over the last 5 years because of the banking and housing collapse.   I am sure that is salary is 20-100 times that of the typical employee at Howard University and if he is fired he gets a golden parachute like some of our administrators at HU receive---not escorted out of the building by police.  I am pretty sure that his kids are not worried about getting dismissed from college because they can't pay tuition like so many Howard University students.  I'm pretty sure that he would shrug off the 6% increase in proposed tuition for undergraduate students next year and say "chump change."  

For me the question is why would our leaders invite him to speak on Charter day????   Has JPMorgan Chase worked out some money deal for HU?  Is HU planning to borrow more money through bond sales or some other mechanism that holds the rest of the campus hostage, because they have to keep money in the bank?  Is JPMorgan Chase gonna save the hospital??  Is Mr. Dimon a candidate for the BOT???  

I will have to ask my colleagues who went to listen if he had anything to say.  I am not marching like some drone to support the group that has failed us as a community.  That does not mean that I will disengage them.  In fact ......

I have thrown my hat in to run for the graduate faculty trustee of BOT.  I want to bring the heat.  Of course there was resistance all week telling me that I could not run because I needed to be from a professional school like medicine or law.  The bylaws of the Faculty Senate and the BOT say that the graduate trustee must come from a graduate/professional school.  Somehow that was taken to mean professional school only.  The General Counsel of Howard University stepped in and told me that I was eligible to run for the position.  So there it is, and here I come.

My Campaign Slogan is:  Restoring Confidence 

Why, because there is no confidence in leadership or promises at all on this campus.  Everyone bends to the will of the BOT but who are they accountable to??  Normally it would be the stakeholders but they are not worried about that unless they are BOT alumni where reputation should matter.   It was only less than 2 weeks ago that it became obvious on the web who the committees were -- many of these were new standing committees that were never announced to the university community.  

The only way to restore confidence is to push for reform.
Reform:  the behavioral tendencies of the BOT,

• The level of transparency that they have (basically zero)
• Accountability - for the decision that they make which impact the HU community
• Their communication and contact with the community
• Their level of respect to members of the university community (students, staff, faculty, alumni, friends)
• Their strategic plan (short-medium and long term) of where are the current policies are taking us as a university

Well enough for now.  Gotta get dressed and get down to Charter day.....  To stand in solidarity with those of us who do not wish to sit in Cramton and get hot air blown at us, but would rather stand in the cold outside of Cramton on Charter day.

Massive Dust storm erupts over Senegal, Mauritania and Cape Verde

Dust covering Senegal, Gambia and Cape Verde Friday Morning 2/28/14

Over the last 3 days we have been forecasting a large dust storm that was to hit Senegal yesterday around noon based on dust model forecast that we have been running at Howard University.  I have been discussing the situation with scientist and forecasters in Senegal  and surely enough, large dust plumes began streaming over Senegal yesterday afternoon.   My colleague from Dakar sent me some data this morning and it turns out that dust concentrations (PM10) are approaching 900 ug/m3.  If such amounts were found in the United States, everyone would be forced stay inside all day.

This dust likely carries pathogens which can make one sick, but the amounts are so large that they are likely to cause asthma attacks and destroy the protective lining within the average persons nasal passage making one susceptible to illness.  I have checked station data in all of the countries and visibility is less than 1 mile, meaning that airplane and sea travel are likely difficult this morning.

While we are not sure if the dust particles carry meningitis (only one report in the literature), it certainly forces people inside which can cause the spread of the deadly disease which it is estimated that at any time 10-20% of the population is carrying but in a dormant state.   Large quantities of dust are expected to continue for the next 1-2 days before subsiding.

The model that we have been using since January 1st has been very accurate on predicting the outbreak of dust this winter.  We hope to verify the results against ground data and to help to get the model installed in Senegal where it can be used to protect vulnerable populations.  I am guessing that the urban population may be better protected than the rural population, with electricity and access to media outlets is more difficult.

Strangely enough, dust storms in West Africa are caused by cold disturbances at 10,000 ft that move south from Europe and the North Atlantic.  These disturbances cause the winds near the ground to accelerate causing large quantities of dust from the Sahara Desert to be lifted and move south.  Unfortunately the highest concentrations dust is trapped near ground.

Ceilometer observations at Dakar (UCAD)  of high dust particles near the ground for 2/27 and 2/28

The disturbances are certainly predictable but the quantity of dust lifted into the air is uncertain.   The biggest challenge is getting the word out to the population and public health sectors about possible hazardous/dangerous levels of dust and keeping people safe.

To be or not to be...to speak or to remain quiet at the MECCA about CHARTER DAY

In approximately 9 days, Howard celebrates Charter day.  This is the day that Howard University celebrates it beginning when on March 2, 1867 the founders of the university provided the 1 page document on how to run Howard University.  The 1 page charter is a legal document giving the instruction to future power players (Trustees) on how to run Howard University. 

Charter of Howard University - Written March 2, 1867

This charter was prepared two years after a bloody civil war, that decided the freedom of millions of black people in the United States.  

147 Years later,  Howard University at the brink of another struggle:  The rule of the Board of Trustee (BOT) and the freedom of the university.  How did it ever get to this point??  The lack of checks and balances has been largely responsible as the original 1 page Charter has given rise to a current 35 page BOT document that was last changed exactly 1 months ago, without the knowledge of the campus. 

http://www.howard.edu/secretary/documents/ByLaws01_25_2014.pdf

The charter, unlike the constitution of the United States (and approved by the house of representatives and Senate) gave all of the power to the Trustees (who at the time were all white), while providing little or no protection to the faculty (who were also white) and the students.  I suggest that all stakeholders at Howard (Students, Staff, Faculty, Alumni and Friends of HU) read both the Charter and BOT bylaws to understand how HU arrived to

its current struggles.

Over time, the trustees became integrated and eventually the majority of the current board are of African descent.   http://www.howard.edu/secretary/trustees/

The problem, is that even though the majority of trustees are of African descent, they are not in touch with the reality or challenges that underserved/underrepresented people face each day.   They are the rich and powerful, who move in circles with like-minded folks.  They talk about millions like the rest of talk about dollars and Howard is a place of only perceived feelings and website pages.   It is a place where statistics are thrown around to justify its existence rather than investing properly in its people and infrastructure.  If Howard is the Titanic, then the BOT represent the group that is not even on the boat.  They watching from an airplane.  But people who got inside tracks to the BOT do have lifeboats.  The rest of us .... Well you know the story (That's gonna be some cold water, hope u can tread water cause there aren't enough life jackets).  

Is there evidence to support any of your assertions and are their solutions???? Read on.

There is long been a perception that there are too many staff and faculty.  Yet the administrative budgets for Howard University of more than $100,000,000 dollars per year.  How many people are supported by that money.  

So two weeks ago, HU said that they would slash 4% of its workforce. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/howard-university-to-cut-about-200-staff-positions-use-more-contractors/2014/02/05/be1d4f04-8e6c-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html

 Of course they cut people last summer and had a buyout of staff several years ago.  Sadly, many staff members make very low salaries and have committed many years of service to the university and POOF you are gone.  Maybe you get 6 months pay but can that make up for everything that you have given and done to support generations of students that come to the university with hopes and dreams?

They are also planning to increase the outsourcing of jobs

http://www.seiu32bj.org/press-releases/howard-university-facility-maintenance-trade-workers-rally-to-protect-their-livelihood/

Next, HU said that have to raise the undergraduate tuition by 6% next year.  Sure there words about trying to help students stay at HU, but what about the many students who are currently struggling to stay at HU.  

So where am I going with all of this.... Back to the origin--The BOT and the abuse of power. How is it that they can make sweeping changes to the university but remain opaque and unaccountable.  It is only in the last week that the website became functional showing the committees and membership of these committees after asking the Interim President to request to the BOT to fix their website.  

The bylaws which is the BOT governing document derives all its power from the Charter.  However, the Charter did not provide fixed terms for BOT member, it did not say that the BOT minutes should be keep from all eyes for 50 years, it did not say that it could change its own bylaws without any discussion or review.    It is time for things to change.  So next week instead of dressing up and going to the Charter day events like a drone, I want to be an agent for change.  What does that mean???  

Don't know.. Could mean standing outside of Cramton Auditorium with a protest sign..... could mean summarizing a possible charter day faculty forum that discusses the mess that the BOT has made, it could be talking to folks about how Boards of Trustees elsewhere share governance with their university members, it could be researching how BOTs work at other universities.  BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I WON'T BE LISTENING TO THE BOT CHAIR RAND OR ANYONE ELSE.  

In order to address the BOT, we cannot be scared or afraid of making our university work better.   The problem is that HU acts like a close knit family but with extremely dysfunctional parents (BOT) and older siblings (Administration) that abuse the younger family members.   It doesn't want to discuss its dirty laundry because somehow it feels that the family will be punished....yet the most vulnerable are being punished every day.  

There are several possible outcomes to what is happening on campus:  (1) unpredictable disruptions are likely when BOT and administration decisions are pressed onto the students, staff and faculty; (2) The charter is changed; (3) the BOT bylaws are changed to reflect transparency, accountability and respect with the university community.  

I like the third point, because after a internet bubble, banking bubble and housing bubble leading to the loss of trillions of dollars, destruction of lives and livelihoods --- Behavioral change, monitoring and regulation to protect the vulnerable are the hard learned lessons.  

So, lets focus on Reform at Howard with the BOT.  Here are some possible starting places for REFORM OF THE BOT:

1.)  Require that when the BOT meets, a summary of the BOT meeting that include actions will be made available to the university stakeholders by the president of the university (within 2 weeks of the meeting (MONITOR).

2.)  Form an outside advisory committee, with no ties to the university, in concert with other university organizations (Faculty Senate, Howard University Student Association, Howard University Staff Association, Faculty Senate)  should periodically review and evaluate the actions and performance of the BOT and its committees and make these reports known to the university community (MONITOR and REGULATE).

3.)  Make minutes of voteable items will be available upon request and to the outside advisory committee for review.  Not 50 years -- This term should be removed immediately (BEHAVIORAL CHANGE).

4.) Require that changes to the bylaws by the BOT should be made known to the community through the president, faculty senate or other university organizations prior to final approval by the BOT (They can't approve large scale changes without some review) (MONITOR and BEHAVIORAL CHANGE).  

5.) Require that trustees (Student, faculty, alumni) that are currently excluded from the executive committee shall be briefed by the Executive committee on the discussions and actions that have been undertaken before the end of the BOT meeting (MONITOR and BEHAVIORAL CHANGE).   

6.)  Require Term limits for Board members should be distinct and limited to an acceptable period of time (2-4 terms) (REGULATE and MONITOR).  

7.)  Require that the executive committee and Chair of the BOT must demonstrate transparency/accountability as it relates to their responsibilities to Howard University.  This would include a letter to community from the Chair of the Board/Executive Committee or the President for actions that are expected to have a significant impact on the university (MONITOR, REGULATE and BEHAVIORAL CHANGE) .  

8.)  Put in procedures for choosing at-large executive committee members in the BOT bylaws (currently no procedures) (REGULATE and BEHAVIORAL CHANGE).

This is just a start.  You ask why the Executive committee?  Well every action that is approved at Howard University must be approved by this powerful committee of trustees. They will choose the next president.. period (the rest of us don't matter at present).  

This is the group that the faculty has a vote of no-confidence against.  Yet the just ignored us as if we did not even exist.  Plus there was some inside sabotage by folks who don't want change. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/howard-faculty-group-votes-no-confidence-in-key-board-of-trustees-committee/2013/10/16/f94f6dc0-3686-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_story.html

Everyone wants HU to survive, but cannot be compromise on the principles of education.

If people want to preserve what is currently in place at HU, either (1) they don't care about the institution; (2) have been weakened so that mediocre is OK; (3) they are robbing the university for their own benefit.  

The true wealth of HU is its people.  The federal appropriation which was enacted in 1928 has not been responsible for raising generations of scholars.  That fire comes from within and is priceless.   With or without the appropriations, the passion for the advancement of a people and the world at large will not cease.

Searching for peace of mind after War in the Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) with Abidjan on the coast

During this week, a workshop was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (5.3N, 4W) to address climate change and air quality.  Young West African scientists and PhD students were there to learn how to use a regional climate model and apply it to relevant problems in their countries.  Lecturers from West Africa, Europe, Africa and the US  (I and another brilliant scientist from Texas) were invited to give lectures and to help generate ideas for the students and promote collaboration.  I have been to Abidjan once in the 1990s but was confined to the airplane as it refueled and picked up new passengers.  Abidjan lies on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and is approximately 4000 miles from Washington DC.  Ivory Coast was subject to the forces of Slavery because of its proximity to the ocean and then colonized by the French.  There are 6 million people that live in the  city of Abidjan, with approximately 40% Christianity, 40% Islam and 20% traditional religions.  

Because of the large numbers of cars and people, the traffic is horrible.  It makes DC look like an easy commute.  The city is so large and there are lagoons running through the city. But there is something else about Abidjan that seems to trouble the heart and mind. 

When I was doing a Fulbright in Senegal, during 2003/2004 I heard about the Ivory Coast  because of the conflict between those in the North and the south where much of the wealth was at. This was the first civil conflict that ended by 2006.   Over time a  second full-blown conflict developed 2010 when the incumbent president Gbagbo lost the elections but would not leave. Ultimately this lead to the ouster of the President in 2011 by the winner of the election and his armed forces.  There were reports of people being killed in Abidjan and nearby towns during the conflict. 

The first thing that I noticed when I was riding around in Abidjan was the large number of fences at the various houses.   Upon closer inspection I saw that there were barbed wires or electrified fences around houses.  I also saw soldiers and many police in town, as if something was about to kick off.  

A gated house with Barbed Wires

  Then I began to look at bigger gates that seemed to house neighborhoods.  Essentially I was looking at gated neighborhoods.   People in the US talk gated neighborhoods in an exclusive type of way, where expensive houses and wealthy folks live.  This is different.  The gated neighborhoods in Abidjan represent a type of fear that I can only imagine.   I asked a student who lived in Abidjan during the  the conflict why these neighborhood were gated.  She told me that after the president had been taken from the country by the French (UN) before being captured by opposing army, everyone was so afraid.  I was also told that large numbers of weapons in the civil conflict had gone unaccounted for and that many people had guns in their house.  Again, this may not seem so different than what happens in the US, but it is.  In many African countries, guns are outlawed and so it breaks a peace of mind to know that violent crimes may be constrained.  

A gated neighborhood in Abidjan

 

I spoke to other young people and they told me that you could not talk about the current government leaders around party members without something bad happening to you.  So there is a fear that still creeps around the city.  We are told not to be out at night.  The size of the city makes me imagine what the last days were like before the President was captured.  People were running from place to place for cover.  The student also told me that she and her family had to flee.  They had only 2 weeks of food, which eventually ran out and they had to go out into danger to find food.   I have a very vivid imagination of this scene. 

There is also stark poverty in the city.  Yesterday I went to see the family of a friend from Dakar.  The level of poverty was like a hard slap in the face.  Look I have seen poverty up close and person in the US and Africa but sometimes the poverty in Africa just crushes your soul.  The people have nothing.. They live in small shacks and the seeing the children makes me wonder about their fate.  Even so, there is happiness and people invite you into their homes and that humanity is at the core of who we are.   The sad thing is that all around this neighbor are high-rise buildings and you can see all of the traffic on the highway.  The contrast between blatant poverty and wealth are light night and day.   I felt both helpless and angry and wanted to do something but I don’t know where to direct my anger or what to do because it seems so overwhelming.

So will there be another conflict in the Ivory Coast.  The conditions are all there for something else to kick off.  However, there one opposing force that is greater than all of the weapons that the police or army may have.  That is hope.  The young scientist will help to rebuild their country’s knowledge base.  They will serve their purpose out fixing what has been broken.  The government shut the university down for two years after the conflict ended.  They have rebuilt it through will and partnership with private industry.  The campus is so beautiful and students are hoping to return back to the university in November.  With hope there must be education and their must be discussion about the hurt that the civil war caused.   

The Engineering Center where computer model training sessions took place

Eventually there must be reconciliation and the guns must be turned in, the electrified fences and barbed wires must come down, the guards must leave the gated communities and the Sun must shine on every single person in the Ivory Coast.   

The hope for a brighter day:  Young Ivorian Scientists

Then the promise of hope will be fulfilled and true healing can begin for those who may have been injured, suffered psychological or lost a loved one.

September 27, 2013.Nothing in Vain...UPLIFT THE MECCA: Facing the Power that defines Howard's current reality

Its ON:  Friday September 27th 2013 Protest in front of Cramton Auditorium. 

Sometimes it seems that no matter what happens to university life, we must follow the flow of the river.  This river carries us towards a corporate model, where people (students, staff, faculty and alumni) are seen only as a source of income or a source of expense.  This is not much different than our ancestors for the last 500 years.  Yet the daughters and sons of the enslaved carry a latent energy source within that can only be triggered when the essence of our very soul is endangered.

In the last 4 months, our souls have faced peril, beginning with the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT) suggesting the Howard would not be here in 3 years unless certain issues were addressed. Since then, story after story in new media outlets have sent us news of our impending end.  Yet, the chair of the BOT, President, CFO and others have said that we are not in danger.   They have preached only of good news ... balanced budgets, healthy endowment, new buildings ...

But they have not spoken about the poor morale of the university, a financial strategy to address the challenging times including sequestration or the losses of the hospital.  They have not addressed how outdated many of our classroom are, the poor research facilities, the broken business processes, new software that leaves students on the brink of eviction because they cannot get paid. They have not spoken about the debt burden that students have taken because of a 40.5% increase in undergraduate and 60% increase in graduate education over the last five year.   They have not spoken about the change in ranking from 96 in 2009 to 142 in 2013 an how that may weaken the perceived value of education and granted degrees at Howard University.  They have not spoken about the furloughs at the hospital, the suspension of our retirement funds for 3-4 months during the spring and early summer.   The have not spoken about how the 290 million dollars in bonds were downgraded and what that means.    Our souls have absorbed this news, hoping and hoping until one day.  We stop hoping.  We start believing in the voice of action......

After President Ribeau wrote a response to a Op editorial in the Washington post, internal anger from within said no more.  I don't are about the people outside of Howard, the administration or the BOT, I care about the students, staff, faculty and Alumni that love the university.   On September 4th, I sent a letter to the President, CFO and Secretary to the BOT, Provost and Deans letting them know that a petition was being started, which demanded answers from them about the state of the university.

http://www.change.org/petitions/uplift-the-mecca-stakeholders-concerns-to-the-howard-university-administration-and-board-of-trustees

Since that time, more than 400 students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends have signed the electronic petition.   But this is not just about a petition, it is about change.   The real source of power at Howard University is the BOT.  They are responsible for overseeing all of the financial matters and approving all policies at Howard University.  This group is largely absent from campus and yet responsible for everything it seems.  When they come to campus, they meet only with selected people and it is almost impossible to ask for an audience with them.  They have unlimited tenure and can remain for long periods of time.  Who are they accountable to?  They select the president or CFO with no vetting from the larger community.  The real power is on the executive committee where all of the real and lasting decisions are made.  I do not believe that even the Howard faculty and student trustees can sit in on the executive sessions.  A few years ago, the BOT chair, Barry Rand came to faculty senate retreat.  He spoke, and then left...so arrogant.   How can he be the CEO of AARP????  Trustee Vernon Jordan Where are you???? We need your help!!

The next step was a silent protest when the BOT came to campus for fall convocation.    When I suggested this earlier in the summer, it was met by stiff resistance from some faculty who said that it would be more negative news.  But what about our voice????  Why should we just continue to internalize all of the stuff that others have brought upon us?  Meanwhile, groups and individuals such as the HU2016 and beyond, and editorials from Cameron Clarkson.. a talented senior at the Hilltop newspaper, Anthony Miller, president of HUSA were working to bring about change on numerous issues at HU.  Working with these talented individuals made the protest possible.  Small groups of us worked on protest signs Wednesday and Thursday.

Finally, Friday September 27 from Noon-1 PM the missing energy and feelings came back as students, staff and faculty spoke and chanted slogans. The Howard University police were real cool..Thanks Chief James.  Then at 12:45 pm the President, his cabinet and the BOT emerged.  At that time we all chanted SOLUTIONS ... NOT EXCUSES.  The president and provost looked so stoic and the BOT looked at us with surprise.    In facing them, we faced our internal fear.

Now change is possible.

Next Step.  continue to get the petition signed.  Demand a response to the petition.  Work for greater transparency and accountability with the BOT and administration... have the BOT meet with the community and not selected individuals...MAKE HOWARD A UNIVERSITY AGAIN.....MAKE THE BOT HUMAN AGAIN....AMEND THE CHARTER.....

Tropical Depression 9 Threatens Cape Verde tonight

Sunday 4:45 EST Tropical Depression 9 just West of Cape Verde Islands

Over the last 4 days, me and my colleagues in Senegal, Cape Verde, Guinea and Gambia have been following a wave that began in Northern Ivory Coast last Wednesday and emerged off the coast of West Africa last night.  The best computer forecast models from Europe, the US and Canada and our own model simulations at Howard U and San Jose State U have suggested that a tropical cyclone would develop.  There were numerous problems with the forecast because it is extremely difficult to model how these disturbances make their transition from land to ocean.  Yesterday the models were saying that Cape Verde Islands would be impacted by this storm on Monday and Tuesday.  Today it was clear, that the impacts would begin tonight and tomorrow.  Tonight the first rainbands are on their way into the Capital of Cape Verde, Praia which has the largest population.  However, the entire country will be impacted by the storm although the southern islands will be impacted the most.

The real problem with this region is that there are very few observations, there are no aircraft to go and investigate the storm, there are no radars to know where the center of the storm is at.   While the storm was over land, satellite based rainfall estimates show very heavy rain falling over Senegal, it is impossible to warn people to get out of the way because everything happens in real time.   It is imperative that we build an observation network in Africa, first and foremost to save lives second to improve the model forecasts.    This has been a very strange year, with dry occurring over central parts of West Africa (Sahel) and wet conditions in coastal regions.  The African easterly waves are developing further south, where there are few observations and then strengthening at the coast.

Our very best models must be initialized with good observations.  Sadly in 2013 this is still not possible in much of Africa.  What are we waiting for????

Why expensive tuition will undermine graduate education and research at Howard University

Students go to graduate school to pursue areas of interest in a specific discipline .   They also serve another important role: helping to expand the boundaries of knowledge through research as it relates to a particular professor (especially the doctorate degree).  The time to doctorate is generally 5-7 years meaning that there must be committed resources to support a full-time student.

Since approximately 2008, the tuition has increased at a rate of 15% per year.  In the last year the rate of tuition increase was reduced to 5%.  For comparison, in the fall 2007-2008 graduate tuition per semester was 8,087.50 or about $16, 167 per year. The part-time per credit hour rate was $551.00.   Currently tuition is 15,272 per semester or $30, 545 per year.  The part-time per credit hour rate was $1700.00.  This is nearly a doubling of tuition rates in 6 years and more than a tripling of the per credit hour rate.  It there anything else in the economy that has doubled or tripled in price in 6 years ????  Gold, gas prices (maybe)...  

Given the large percentage of minority students at Howard University, and the fact that only 25-30% of student receive graduate support (teaching assistant, research assistant, fellowship, tuition remission) how would these students pay tuition and also support themselves in one of the most expensive cities in the country?  Loans or full-time work while going to graduate school.  That solution means high debt after graduating or longer times to graduation because of working.  It also makes it difficult for the faculty member working with someone who is working full time to get research done in a timely manner.  It also puts too much stress on the student.

But the problem for faculty goes even deeper:  how do we get the same amount of research done with few students that we can fund?  This is a point that the leadership clearly does not understand.  You can bring in new faculty members but they still have to teach and they need graduate students to help them for specific projects.  Funding 3 students with an average $23,000 stipend in Washington DC is approximately $200,000 per year when you add in fringe and indirect cost on the stipend.  This is a million for 5 years. Really???? At the beginning of their graduate student education these students must take classes, pass their PhD qualifying exam, and put together a dissertation proposal.  So essentially the first year and at least part of the second year only minimal research can be accomplished with new students.  It is a gamble because the students may take interest in something else, not do well in classes or not pass their exam the first time.  So research productivity is marginal during the first 2 years.

The apparent solution is to hire a postdoc who has already finished their degree and is focused on research only.  The math works out:  A typical postdoc will cost 55,000-60,000 in the DC metro area but their fringe benefits are higher and indirect cost turn out to be closer to 100,000 per year as compared to 70,000 for a graduate student.  However a postdoc is definitely more productive spending all of their time on focused research, and postdocs are typically hired for 2 or 3 years.  They make it more likely for you to get published and compete for future funding.  The problem is workforce development.  The graduate student develops a niche under a professor-- a postdoc already has a niche .  Graduate students are expected to become future professors, researchers and innovators and eventually distinguished alumni.  These students make the reputation for the institution.  In some areas like the physical sciences, minority PhDs make up less than 5% of the discipline with doctorate degrees; their presence is needed for the changing demographics of the United States.

So faculty members are faced with a choice of either funding fewer graduate students, or funding postdocs.  If you want to focus on research -- fund the postdocs.  If you want to strengthen graduate education, fund the students.  Seems easy.  But the poor research infrastructure (physical) and processes associated with research (on-boarding,  purchasing....) makes research and supporting students/postdoc very difficult at Howard while shifting most of the burden onto the faculty member.  

So some faculty just give up and stop research altogether or limit their research.  Two years ago while sitting on the graduate advisory committee, I suggested that we reverse the tuition trend and take the tuition back to the 2011 rate or even lower if we could.  I have not seen where the increasing tuition revenue has gone into the infrastructure or benefited the students.  In fact given our funding model at Howard, higher tuition essentially reduces the numbers of teaching assistants and tuition remissions adding further pressure to a weak system of funding graduate education.

The University's Tuition and Rates Committee (TRAC), which is supposed to be made up of faculty, staff, students and administrators (www.howard.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/20130131-BoardApprovesTuitionRatesforGraduateProfessionalPrograms.html), but only had deans on it this year has reduced the rate of tuition increases at Howard.  However, this committee which needs to have its full composition, must consider the full implications of the current and future tuition rates.... 

• Fewer students who can no longer afford to come to Howard for graduate education.
• Students who take longer to complete the doctorate degree.
• High debt burden for graduate students.
• Fewer students undertaking research at Howard; Reduced ability by faculty to support more students on grants because of tuition costs.
• Less productivity from faculty who support fewer students.
• Fewer PhD Alumni from Howard University. 

The goal should be to make graduate education as cheap as possible, helping to increase Howard's innovative and discovery driven research by faculty and students thereby increasing research revenue to the university.  The revenue should not be sought through tuition!!