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Herald Senior Staff Writer
 contributed photo | daily herald Halifax Community College President Ervin Griffin discusses a grant the college received to help young black men during a press conference Monday. |
The college could receive another $600,000 in the second year of the Freedom to Learn Initiative, said HCC President Ervin Griffin Monday during a press conference at the college.
“This program focuses on the education of African-American males and increasing their graduation rates,” he told faculty, staff and students assembled in a college conference room. “We will have a number of workshops. This will allow students to go out to business and industry. It will allow students to have special tutoring. They will be able to have job coaches.”
The aim of the program is to increase the retention rate among black male students by 5 percent and increase the graduation and transfer rate by 5 percent. The program also aims to decrease the number of students dropping out for financial problems by 5 percent and increase their satisfaction by the same percentage.
Another goal of the program is to decrease the failure rate of these students in the program by 5 percent.
Griffin said during the press conference a Freedom to Learn committee made up of faculty, staff and students will be formed along with a community committee which will meet four times a year.
The program is expected to begin Nov. 1 with the hiring of a project director, administrative assistant and three learning coaches.
“I think it’s an amazing thing for African-American males at the school,” Cornelius Dickens, a student who plans to be an attorney, said following the press conference.
John Foriest, the JobLink manager for the college, who will be closely involved with the program, was also pleased with the announcement. “The workshops will allow students to go in the community for part-time jobs.”
History instructor Shaun Stokes said he was also pleased with the announcement. “It will help achieve the educational goals of African-American males,” he said. “It will create a new found respect for the community college system.”
Through the program, up to 150 at-risk black male students will be paired with one of three learning coaches while up to 55 will be placed in internships or part-time jobs. Up to 95 will be supported through mentoring programs and up to 100 will be assisted through professional tutoring, Griffin said.
Griffin said after the press conference he wanted to see the graduation rates of black males improve. It is currently 25.4 percent. “We want to get that up to 45 percent,” he said.
Comments
Jim Garrett wrote on Oct 23, 2008 7:19 AM:
The United States government is suppose to oppose racism in all its forms and manifestations. Yet US policy seem to be just rhetorical. The government thinks they have backed it up with a set of inter-locking and very comprehensive laws at the local, state and federal level that specifically target racism and racial discrimination of every kind. The Government says they take pride in these laws. We are a government of the people, by the people, for the people must serve all its citizens, irrespective of their race, religion, gender, or national origin unless you are Hispanic, Black or any other supposed minority then you are elevated above others to receive benefits and protections.
The governments use of discrimination to fund one group while violating three sub-groups of the protected classes.
I think the Federal Government in an effort to correct a mistake is actually breaking their own Laws and creating more problems they will have to deal with in the future. The government is unfairly handing out education funding to help and financial support one protected class while depriving all other classes based on age, race and sex.
Americas past acts of discrimination proves favoring one protected class and discriminating against the other is wrong. "
4-T.R.U.T.H wrote on Oct 17, 2008 8:57 PM:
DISCUSSSED wrote on Oct 17, 2008 1:24 PM:
Michael Selle wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:44 AM:
This is Wrong wrote on Oct 10, 2008 10:18 AM:
sidewinder wrote on Oct 9, 2008 5:48 PM:
Kingpen wrote on Oct 8, 2008 6:46 PM:
Another thing, this is not grade school, its college for crying out loud, and if a student can cut it to make the grades himself.......there is always a job open at McDonalds for him/her. Quit wasting tax payer money on another failed attempt at education.
Go call the HCC Board,tell them its wrong, call your state reps, tell them its racist. Take that $600K and invest it in a program that ALL can benefit from, there is several programs other community colleges offer we don't even have here at ours.....put the money to work. "
600000 for HCC wrote on Oct 8, 2008 4:45 PM: