SUMMIT ON HBCU RETENTION RATES OPENS THIS WEEK

Ocean City is Site for Regional Focus on Retention Rates for African Americans

Hundreds of educators, college leaders, national and state education officials, parents and students will be in Ocean City, Maryland this week when the Regional HBCU Summit on Retention convenes on March 13, 2003, at the Clarion Resort Fountainbleu Hotel.

The summit, which runs through March 15th, will focus on "Developing a Culture of Retention" at the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). However, Dr. Jay Carrington Chunn, one of the conference organizers, says it is merely a starting point for the conference.

"Although our primary focus is on HBCUs, we are looking to address the problem of retention rates for African American students in all colleges and universities," said Dr. Chunn, chairman of the HBCU Summit on Retention and associate vice president for Academic Affairs at Morgan State University. Dr. Chunn says the summit will also look at best practices taking place around the country and developing a plan of action for addressing the issue.

University of the District of Columbia President, Dr. William L. Pollard, will be the keynote speaker for the summit. Other highlights include addresses by Sojourner-Douglass College President, Dr. Charles W. Simmons; Dr. Alvin Thornton, chairman of the Thornton Commission; and, Maryland Secretary of Higher Education, Karen R. Johnson.

Several colleges and universities in the region, including Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Coppin State College, the University of the District of Columbia, UMES, Norfolk and Delaware State Universities, among others, as well as the Maryland Higher Education Commission, are co-sponsors of the three-day summit.

For press interviews and more information about the conference, contact Clinton R. Coleman or April Thompson at 443.885.3022. For general summit information, visit online at www.morgan.edu/hbcu.