Morris Brown Ponders Selling to Tom Joyner

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by ladylike
Why should "O" give money to a school that has demonstrated (by its administration) it's inability to manage funds well? I'm unfamiliar with any stories about Spelman and/or Morehouse mismanaging funds.

Kudos to Oprah for donating funds. Some alums don't have or never felt a desire to give back (financially speaking) to the institutions they matriculated from. And I wish T. Joyner well in his endeavors to turn Morris Brown around.

My concern is why does it have to only be a Spelman or Morehouse (so everything at those schools are perfect? have not had scandals?) where funds are donated? There are other lesser known schools out there who could use financial assistance as well who do not have "mismanagement" going on.

Spread the wealth to as many out there ...

Then, I also realize that some of the schools are not "state supported".

[WenD08]

i agree (and i went to Spelman) that all of our HBCUs need a Bill Cosby (Spelman), Oprah Winfrey (Morehouse/Spelman), Willie Gary (Shaw), Samuel Jackson (Morehouse), Latanya Richardson (Spelman), Spike Lee (Morehouse), et. al. the wealth absolutely should be spread to all. WE as alums should also make an effort to send money to our institutions. you can't just take and not give back.
as for the statement about Spelman, Morehouse, CAU administrations treating Morris Brown students in a bad way, where did that come from (was it Jet or Ebony and i missed it)? care to explain? statements that seem "blanket"-like throw me off...

[Eclipse]

Originally posted by WenD08
i WE as alums should also make an effort to send money to our institutions. you can't just take and not give back.

So true WenD. I know that major donors (foundations and such) look at, amoung other things, the percentage of alum support when they are making decisions who to give to. If we don't support our own, then why should the people with major dollars (who may not even have a relationship with the school) do so? That's like not feeding your kids, but mad 'cause your neighbor down the street did not give them supper.

I was deeply sadden when Morris Brown lost it's accrediation. (BTW, Sistermadly, I don't know if is still the case, but when I was an AUC student the term "MoBrown" was considered an insult by Morris Brown students). While I am proud of my alma mater's increasingly high standards (shoot, I was in the honors program when I was there, but those grades/SAT scores today would not guarentee me the last spot in the class!), not every competent student with a bright future ahead of them can do that. I really thought about sending them some $$s, but I just could not justify sending good money after bad since the accounting problems and mismanagement of funds seemed to be systemic and were not being addressed.

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by WenD08

as for the statement about Spelman, Morehouse, CAU administrations treating Morris Brown students in a bad way, where did that come from (was it Jet or Ebony and i missed it)? care to explain? statements that seem "blanket"-like throw me off...

It was in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, around the time that the original announcement was made regarding the loss of their accreditation. MoBrown students asked whether they would be given provisional or special admission to the other AUC schools (because most of the students wanted to complete their degrees at the AUC). CAU, Morehouse, and Spelman all said no, yet if I remember correctly, Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College each said that they would make provisional admissions requirements for MoBrown students.

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by Eclipse
(BTW, Sistermadly, I don't know if is still the case, but when I was an AUC student the term "MoBrown" was considered an insult by Morris Brown students).

My mom went to school there W-A-Y back in the day (we're talking the early 50s) and she and her classmates all refer to it that way. I'm just talking like my mama. However, if people today think it's offensive, I'll stop using it.

[Eclipse]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
My mom went to school there W-A-Y back in the day (we're talking the early 50s) and she and her classmates all refer to it that way. I'm just talking like my mama. However, if people today think it's offensive, I'll stop using it.

Shows how things change (kinda like the n-word I guess). As I am sure you know, each AUC school has it's sterotypes. MBC student of my day felt that "MoBrown" fed into their particular sterotype, so they hated it and generally steered clear of it. If they shorten the name it was typically just "Brown". Of course (again, like the n-word) I don't know if they referred to the school that way in private.

[abaici]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
CAU, Morehouse, and Spelman all said no, yet if I remember correctly, Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College each said that they would make provisional admissions requirements for MoBrown students.

I can only speak for my alma mater. While Spelman has a large endowment compared to other HBCU's, we are still not on par with other colleges. We are a private institution with limited resources. We could not afford to absorb all of those students. On the other hand, GSU receives state funds. They were probably a little more prepared to handle those students.

[ladygreek]

I'm still trying to get my head around the idea of someone "buying" a school.

Morris Brown is in a quandry. Historically, the perception has been that it is the AU school that takes the folx who can't get into the "good" ones--Morehouse, Speman, Clark. I suspect this had led to a vicious circle--perception of lower quality students who get lower quality jobs who then can't afford to give back to the school. Therefore lower quality administrators are hired leading to mismanagment.

It will take a major investment to restructure and change the school's image. And like CT4 said it will take years to do so. I hope TJ can pull it off, but I also hope he doesn't end up throwing good money after bad.

[CrimsonTide4]

http://www.blacknews.com/enews/?http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site....news/brown1215

ARTICLE EXCERPT:

After initially rebuffing Tom Joyner’s efforts to purchase Morris Brown College, school officials said they are now having “conversations” with the syndicated radio personality about a deal for the troubled historically black college.

On Tuesday, Joyner’s sons, Oscar and Tom Jr., were among a contingent that met with Morris Brown leaders, including trustee chairman James Young.

“We’re just talking; we’re not going together yet,” Oscar Joyner., President & Chief Operating Officer of REACH Media Inc., told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

The younger Joyners did not provide further details, adding only that Morris Brown officials had gotten several e-mails and phone calls expressing frustration at why the school wasn’t seriously considering his father’s offer.

Joyner has made multiple offers to buy Morris Brown over the past two years, including a highly publicized effort in recent weeks during an interview on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” with Vashti Murphy McKenzie, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which founded the college.

[MartinMaasai]

It is about time that I read about a black man trying to buy an EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION and not having the biggest house on MTVCribs or whatever it is they call that show.

I wish Mr. Joyner all the best and as a recent HBCU graduate, I can only ponder the ways in which I can help (other than financially). I also wish that Black Enterprise, Ebony, Essence or any of our fine African American media outlets brought attention to his attempt to purchase Morris Brown or any other institution years ago. I wonder if at least one of them will cover it in their next issues.

It should not be left to Mr. Joyner to rebuild Morris Brown... this should be a community effort. I guess my question is what are you willing to do to help the cause? Me personally, I wish there was a way I could be more helpful to their SGA, as I was an ACTIVE member of mine for majority of the four and a half years I was at T. I think the SGA has a responsibility and an obligation to help any one, not just Mr. Joyner, who has enough interest in Morris Brown to help them get the school back on its feet. I'm not picking on Morris Brown's SGA... I am just suggesting that they be more vocal about the students needs and be more VOCAL about making sure that any money, time and effort is devoted to building a better school and providing more resources for the students.