Rate this HBCU Day 7: Huston-Tillotson University

[DrBanneker]

Yesterday we highlighted the venerable Flordia A&M University which justly achieved an average score of 7.9.

Huston-Tillotson was originally founded as two different schools in the 1870s: Tillotson College and Samuel Huston College. The first, Tillotson College, was actually the first institute of higher education in Austin, preceding the University of Texas. They merged in 1952. Until the Brown vs. Board of Education decision, Huston-Tillotson was the only higher education option for Blacks in Central Texas besides Paul Quinn in Dallas. Not really well-known--95% of students come from Texas--it is also designated now as a Hispanic Serving Institution as well given 28% of its students are now Hispanic. Recent grants from the Bank of America to help its entrepreneurship program should hopefully raise its profile and help its students.

One claim to fame was that Jackie Robinson was actually the basketball (!) coach at the school before joining the Negro League Kansas City Monarchs and later the Brooklyn Dodgers, integrating major league baseball.


Basic data (all data 2021 unless otherwise noted)
Founded: 1875
City, State: Austin, TX
Type: 4-Year Private; Affiliated with the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ
Nickname: Rams
Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 1,001 (991 undergraduate) 64% Black, next largest is Hispanic 28%
Out of State Percentage: 5%
Part-time student percentage: 8%
First Generation Student Percentage: 44%
Percentage of students from households under $30k/over $100k: 51% / 3%
Out of State Percentage: 5%
Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 16:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: 50%
4-yr/6-yr graduation rates: 20% / 33%
Transfer out rate: N/A
Male/Female percentages (Female:Male Ratio): 40% male / 60% female (1.5:1)
Tuition: $14.7k
Median Debt After Graduation: $28k
Median Parent PLUS Loans After Graduation: N/A
Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $36,769
Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation: No data

Top Majors by Degrees: Business Administration, Health & Physical Education, Psychology, Biology

Endowment: $11.6M
Alumni Engagement: N/A
Athletic Conference: Red River Athletic Conference (NAIA)

Mascot: Ram

Notable Alumni:

Bert Collins, former CEO of the Black-owned North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company (no pic)
Azie Taylor Morton - Treasurer (not Secretary of Treasury but under him; her signature was on the paper currency) during the Carter Administration

James Andrew Harris - radiochemist and co-discoverer of elements 104 (rutherfordium) and 105 (dubnium). First Black person to help discover new elements

Robert Stanton - Director of the US Park Service in the Clinton Administration

Student Union

King-Seabrook Chapel and Bell Tower

Mary E. Branch Gymnasium

Jazz Orchestra

Past Miss Huston-Tillotson

Rules:

1. Thecoli will be rating most of the 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities during the first half of 2023.

2. You can rate the HBCU on several factors including academics, the administration, school experience, athletics, post-grad success, and the "talent"

3. You do not have to be an alum/alumna or have attended the HBCU to vote

3. You can rate each HBCU anywhere on a scale of 1-10.

4. The results of the poll will be displayed publicly.

6. This is not a scientific poll, don't take a high or low rating of a HBCU as the full measure of the "worth" of the school, whether someone should attend, etc.

7. The polls will be open for 96 hours

8. Rep and dap as many people as you like and don’t forget to 5 star this thread.

Austin natives can chime in: @xXOGLEGENDXx @Tflasha @GreenGhxst @letti cook @the cool @Music Fiend

@SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @Get These Giants @Smokee Robinson @MostReal @Tee @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Willie Lump Lump @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @Karume @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @TheKongoEmpire @Son_Of_God @Theolodius_Black @mson @xoxodede @Anerdyblackguy @EndDomination @ab.aspectus @Peachstate @Gloxina @HarlemHottie @Originalman

 

[DropTopDoc]

My heart always swells for small hbcu’s, we are the forgotten children of the hierarchy of hbcu’s, get the least coverage and dollars, but are integral part of the fabric of the hbcu landscape, I’ve faintly heard of them, they have some great big time alums, I’m sure it’s a tight Knit alum base

 

[Apprentice]

I ain’t never heard of this school in my life

 

[DropTopDoc]

I ain’t never heard of this school in my life

That’s the problem, so many major hbcu’s get the shine while small ones don’t

 

[get these nets]

My heart always swells for small hbcu’s, we are the forgotten children of the hierarchy of hbcu’s, get the least coverage and dollars, but are integral part of the fabric of the hbcu landscape, I’ve faintly heard of them, they have some great big time alums, I’m sure it’s a tight Knit alum base

Ive said this in related threads, and will repeat it here. HBCUs have common origin stories but have developed and evolved in their own distinct ways. To that end, not fair to compare schools of different sizes and different purposes to each other, in terms of coverage and dollars , anymore than you can do with pwis .

 

[xXOGLEGENDXx]

It's a very small school. It attracted a lot of black foreigners in the 70s and 80s. That is all I really know about it.

 

[DropTopDoc]

Ive said this in related threads, and will repeat it here. HBCUs have common origin stories but have developed and evolved in their own distinct ways. To that end, not fair to compare schools of different sizes and different purposes to each other, in terms of coverage and dollars , anymore than you can do with pwis .

It’s not fair to compare, but when you look up, and see celebrities, businesses, etc donating to the same ones, it’s tough, i remember in one of the threads on Deion, they talked about dorms, I’m like howard gets so much pub and dollars thrown at it, and their kids did a sit in for them to clean up and improve the dorms, if that’s going on at Howard imagine the state of some of these smaller hbcu’s, yes howard can use all the grants and donations, but so can the smaller ones who really work miracles and serve just as much of a purpose

 

[DrBanneker]

I ain’t never heard of this school in my life

Honestly I knew about them but I have extended family in that area, that's the only reason. Never on my radar for college.

 

[DrBanneker]

It’s not fair to compare, but when you look up, and see celebrities, businesses, etc donating to the same ones, it’s tough, i remember in one of the threads on Deion, they talked about dorms, I’m like howard gets so much pub and dollars thrown at it, and their kids did a sit in for them to clean up and improve the dorms, if that’s going on at Howard imagine the state of some of these smaller hbcu’s, yes howard can use all the grants and donations, but so can the smaller ones who really work miracles and serve just as much of a purpose

1. Yeah, we need to find a way to even out the money. If you look at the endowments of the top private schools like Howard, Morehouse, Hampton, Spelman, and Meharry Medical School, I think like the top 5-10 are probably 80% of all endowments and donations. It's not wrong---you need champions not universal mediocrity--but the HBCU mission is not just to serve the top tier Black folks.

2. Following that, I agree they serve a vital purpose but the one thing that worries me is the debt levels and graduation rates at some of these small ones. Are kids dropping out due to money or that they aren't prepared? In the past they produced leaders but 2/3 of the freshmen not graduating is a terrible look, even if not directly the hbcu's fault.

 

[DropTopDoc]

1. Yeah, we need to find a way to even out the money. If you look at the endowments of the top private schools like Howard, Morehouse, Hampton, Spelman, and Meharry Medical School, I think like the top 5-10 are probably 80% of all endowments and donations. It's not wrong---you need champions not universal mediocrity--but the HBCU mission is not just to serve the top tier Black folks.

2. Following that, I agree they serve a vital purpose but the one thing that worries me is the debt levels and graduation rates at some of these small ones. Are kids dropping out due to money or that they aren't prepared? In the past they produced leaders but 2/3 of the freshmen not graduating is a terrible look, even if not directly the hbcu's fault.

To your last point
I think some kids just leave realizing college ain’t for them, and affordability,

i remember my class were supposed to be the one that put us back on the map, because high enrollment, a lot left, a few years later now (almost 10) and my schools numbers are way down, tuition needs to be lowered at these schools, it’s no way i should be paying Stanford numbers for a hbcu education, which ties back into my gripe with Deion, yes it’s great you are improving facilities, but what about the classrooms and dorms, and now that you are gone the students will have to pick up the slack on maintaining and covering the rest of the cost in the form of more tuition. I’m not looking for hbcu’s to starve, but we should be affordable and good level education and opportunities, instead much like dealing with some black business, they over charge underserve and underwhelm and leave you with a bad taste in your mouth vowing to not give back

 

[get these nets]

It’s not fair to compare, but when you look up, and see celebrities, businesses, etc donating to the same ones, it’s tough, i remember in one of the threads on Deion, they talked about dorms, I’m like howard gets so much pub and dollars thrown at it, and their kids did a sit in for them to clean up and improve the dorms, if that’s going on at Howard imagine the state of some of these smaller hbcu’s, yes howard can use all the grants and donations, but so can the smaller ones who really work miracles and serve just as much of a purpose

When Howard comes up in this series, people directly, indirectly connected and those unconnected will weigh in on how different depts. are managed. The mismanagement of housing played out publicly for the world to see. It was unacceptable for any school, much less one with the profile and resources of Howard.
I say give credit, and criticize leaders of institutions for what they deserve it for.

But the credit that Howard U. has gotten, as well as coverage, profile, and contributions is because of how well it has served its purpose.

Smaller, and less resourced schools face steep challenges. All schools have an equally important role and purpose, for the economy and the community. Part of attracting money from alumni, and outsiders is to articulate how the school serves that now and will do so in the future.

*I won't jump the gun, because it will be profiled later in the series, but there is a small, under resourced college in the same state that is punching above it's weight. And largely because of dynamic leadership from the top.

Black people and institutions need LEADERS. Not people sitting in leadership positions, but actual leaders. The more dire the circumstances, the more important it becomes to have the right person/people in key decision making roles.

 

[DrBanneker]

When Howard comes up in this series, people directly, indirectly connected and those unconnected will weigh in on how different depts. are managed. The mismanagement of housing played out publicly for the world to see. It was unacceptable for any school, much less one with the profile and resources of Howard.
I say give credit, and criticize leaders of institutions for what they deserve it for.

But the credit that Howard U. has gotten, as well as coverage, profile, and contributions is because of how well it has served its purpose.

Smaller, and less resourced schools face steep challenges. All schools have an equally important role and purpose, for the economy and the community. Part of attracting money from alumni, and outsiders is to articulate how the school serves that now and will do so in the future.

*I won't jump the gun, because it will be profiled later in the series, but there is a small, under resourced college in the same state that is punching above it's weight. And largely because of dynamic leadership from the top.

Black people and institutions need LEADERS. Not people sitting in leadership positions, but actual leaders. The more dire the circumstances, the more important it becomes to have the right person/people in key decision making roles.

Yeah, that will be an interesting thread. I know @staticshock 's concerns about dudes knowing nothing about schools but how to diss may come out. I am purposely trying to put the most famous towards the middle so the latter half of the series won't be one unknown school after another. I am looking at a big school and three small school cadence going forward and will see if I can maintain interest. Prairie View If people tire of hearing about small schools though I may consolidate a bunch of them into a few days or skip some entirely. There are 30 HBCUs with less than 1,000 students and American Baptist College on Day 2 is the only one of those I haven't hit. I'll make my mind up in the next few weeks.

The next two small ones I was planning were Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte and Paine College in Augusta, GA followed by a big (>2,500 students) school---either Prairie View A&M or University of Maryland Eastern Shore. If someone has a request though I am happy to fit it in.

 

[Spade]

I ain’t never heard of this school in my life

I don't think even most Texans have heard of the school. I didn't know about it until I was in the 11th grade and I grew up 45 min north of Austin.

 

[DropTopDoc]

When Howard comes up in this series, people directly, indirectly connected and those unconnected will weigh in on how different depts. are managed. The mismanagement of housing played out publicly for the world to see. It was unacceptable for any school, much less one with the profile and resources of Howard.
I say give credit, and criticize leaders of institutions for what they deserve it for.

But the credit that Howard U. has gotten, as well as coverage, profile, and contributions is because of how well it has served its purpose.

Smaller, and less resourced schools face steep challenges. All schools have an equally important role and purpose, for the economy and the community. Part of attracting money from alumni, and outsiders is to articulate how the school serves that now and will do so in the future.

*I won't jump the gun, because it will be profiled later in the series, but there is a small, under resourced college in the same state that is punching above it's weight. And largely because of dynamic leadership from the top.

Black people and institutions need LEADERS. Not people sitting in leadership positions, but actual leaders. The more dire the circumstances, the more important it becomes to have the right person/people in key decision making roles.

The thing about Howard they get it just because, and large notoriety, i don’t necessarily believe they are leaps and bounds better than any other hbcu, it’s all in network and having a large one helps a lot, having famous alums help, being the biggest, being mentioned constantly all helps

I do agree we need leaders, but leadership at hbcu’s are so mired in red tape, old school out dated thinking and favors that it has become an exercise in frustration, many an alumni have been rubbed the wrong way by their upper admin, and flat out refuse to support, not even getting into stealing

Yeah, that will be an interesting thread. I know @staticshock 's concerns about dudes knowing nothing about schools but how to diss may come out. I am purposely trying to put the most famous towards the middle so the latter half of the series won't be one unknown school after another. I am looking at a big school and three small school cadence going forward and will see if I can maintain interest. Prairie View If people tire of hearing about small schools though I may consolidate a bunch of them into a few days or skip some entirely. There are 30 HBCUs with less than 1,000 students and American Baptist College on Day 2 is the only one of those I haven't hit. I'll make my mind up in the next few weeks.

The next two small ones I was planning were Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte and Paine College in Augusta, GA followed by a big (>2,500 students) school---either Prairie View A&M or University of Maryland Eastern Shore. If someone has a request though I am happy to fit it in.

These threads aren’t going to do major numbers til you hit the big dogs, much like their enrollment and alumni base it’s large so you will get more hits, but the smaller or lesser frequented ones will not get the same pub

But I’m thankful you are doing this it’s shedding light on a lot of schools,


And Stillman better get love or else

 

[get these nets]

The thing about Howard they get it just because, and large notoriety, i don’t necessarily believe they are leaps and bounds better than any other hbcu, it’s all in network and having a large one helps a lot, having famous alums help, being the biggest, being mentioned constantly all helps

With all due respect, you read more into the last post more than what was written. What I wrote was that they serve their role and purpose well. By many metrics. In the past, and in the present day.

Spoiler: An example

The Undergraduate Institutions That Produce the Most Black Doctoral Degree Recipients

Education HBCUs Lead Nation In Black Baccalaureates Who Later Earn Doctoral Degrees Michael T. Nietzel Senior Contributor Aug 19, 2022 Howard University leads the nation for the number of Black undergraduates who go on to earn their ... [+] getty America’s Historically Black Colleges...

www.thecoli.com

Alumni and outsiders would say this, despite the real criticisms and shortcomings they would voice.

"Leaps and bounds better" is something that you said, and that you question.
But based on what the size and intended purpose/function of a school is , you can judge them by different metrics and see what the track record and trajectory is. Can see who is serving their function/purpose and who is not.

I do agree we need leaders, but leadership at hbcu’s are so mired in red tape, old school out dated thinking and favors that it has become an exercise in frustration, many an alumni have been rubbed the wrong way by their upper admin, and flat out refuse to support, not even getting into stealing

Adapt or die. Old school ways, nepotism, corruption , and limited vision by leaders will lead to the contraction and demise of schools in the future.