LOC Cooked?

That darn Wendy T over at the Commercial Appeal know she can work some nerves. Her latest contribution "Is it time to let LeMoyne go away?" raises questions as to how smart is the current three million dollar pledge to the school by the City of Memphis. She threw a jab at supporters of the school like myself with, "For some people, contemplating whether the city's only historically black college should be allowed to die is just as blasphemous as a rival questioning your mother's fidelity to your father." Here is her full piece, http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_columnists/article/0,2845,MCA_25341_5579005,00.html

Her piece also indirectly brings into question whether HBCU's are still relevant in the big education picture. Of course I am going to say that they are. But, I can't deny that to a great extent, HBCU's are no longer the institutions that they once were. Let me rephrase that, some HBCU's are no longer serving or having the same impact in their communities that they once had. I think that is partly due to the fact that HBCU'S are no longer as appealing to most students. Schools like Morehouse, Spelman, Grambling, Southern, TSU....(Houston and Nashville) they will always have a base of students. It's the smaller HBCU's that are struggling to attract quality students. That quality student statement is somewhat misguiding because a lot of kids that attend those institutions may have never attended college if not for the opportunity provided by that school.

So that leaves schools like LOC in a pickle. Not having the strongest financial alumni base like other schools, its forced has to find ways to generate other sources of revenue, and that does not include raising tuition.

True the school has a jacked up record as it pertains to how its handled its finances. But I see no reason not to bail the school out if and that is if, it has the right people in place to rebuild. Further, I wish the board of trustees would just QUIT, and allow some new blood to breathe life into that school.

So I guess I can't trash her article, as bad as I'd like to. She raises some very valid points, to which many LOC supporters may not have the answers to. I hear the county may be on board in droppin off some additional cheddah. That's some additional needed funding that may help the school guide its way to better days. Here is a recent article about a similar HBCU facing similar issues. http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/20/Opinion/A_dream_lay_dying.shtml/

So I'm getting on my plane, chillin, saying my pre-flight prayer when damn, who do I see already seated? Darth Kritchevsky and her young apprentice, Darth Romantz....thank god for them, I didn't have to sit next to them for the entire flight. That was gonna be a good conversation.

Speaking of the law school, I was gettin my car serviced and while waiting, I see one of my second year law professors who is no longer at the school. After exchanging pleasantries and catching up, our conversation turned to the law school, its faculty and administration. I'm marinating on how much I wanna post, cause it was eye opening. Until I do post it, it can only be said that changing buildings aint gonna do ish if the same faces follow, particularly administrative faces. Dig that.

I do wanna send some love to some of my former classmates who are preparing to head to S. Africa as a part of a study abroad program. Yo, ya'll mos certainly represent, and be safe. I bet that will be an experience.

Just a little thought. He is due to drop sumthin soon too.