William P. Hytche - Step By Step To the Top

Information Technology and the 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities

ABSTRACT. Summarizes the evolution of the land-grant institutions from the Morrill Act of 1890 to the present day. Addresses the role 1890 institutions must play to correct social ills affecting minority youths. Examines the role of public service, teaching and research. Emphasizes the need of enhancing telecommunication systems so that research through libraries might be enhanced.

KEYWORDS. Libraries, minority groups, Historically Black land grand institutions, Black colleges, agricultural colleges

I am indeed honored to make this presentation to you today on issues that are of great importance to the 1890 land grant community. Your conference theme is most relevant, since the transmission of information represents the life-line for all institutions in today's highly technological society. Our society has access to extraordinarily advanced knowledge and skills. Yet, it suffers from many problems that could be resolved if we would use those technologies to make the necessary changes and to continue even more extensive research.

SOCIETAL NEGLECT
Our educational system exists in a climate of societal neglect. We see all around us indications of adult illiteracy: extensive student dropouts before the achievement of high school diplomas, and a lack of literacy for many who have received them; runaways from home; abused and neglected children; teenagers having babies; the proliferation of drugs; high homicide rates; and wide areas of the world, including our own country, suffering from poverty and a lack of food and nutrition, notwithstanding our knowledge, our research and our progress in various fields . . . including agriculture.

The 1890 colleges and universities must play a major role in the solution to many of these problems. These institutions have carried and must continue to carry their strong roles as teaching, research and service institutions. The 1890 institutions have a mission to educate those who have been historically shut out and to influence positive growth and development of the larger society. To do this, infrastructure needs must be enhanced.

"1890" INSTITUTIONS HISTORY
Before I get too far, I should tell you what 1890 institutions are. Why are there 1890 institutions as well as those authorized under legislation in 1862?

Prior to 1860, higher education was strongly elitist with no access for members of working-class families. This situation moved legislators to establish universities for the rest of society, which ultimately led to the passage of the First Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. The primary tenet of the Morrill Act of 1862 was that all Americans should have equal access to higher education and occupations in agriculture and the industrial and mechanical arts. The Morrill Act prompted the philosophy that citizens, regardless of social and economic class, should be afforded the opportunity to achieve according to their own abilities and desires.

In 1865, however, there was a tremendous crisis in the American education system and the land-grant movement. With the emancipation of slaves came the unleashing of a potential work force of four million blacks who were primarily illiterate and dysfunctional in a rapidly changing economic climate. Despite dramatic changes in the economy and the emergence of an unsettling era of political chaos, the nation showed little interest in support of equal educational opportunities. Although there were compelling and practical reasons for the nation to invest in equality of opportunity, conservatism prevailed and segregation was reinforced. Entrenched resistance from local and state governments prohibited schools and higher education institutions from receiving resources essential to creating opportunities, while federal laws sanctioned the separate but equal doctrine. These laws were embedded in the social fabric of American higher education.

Although unintentional, a significant crisis in American education was averted when the Congress enacted the Second Morrill Act in 1890. It was unintentional because the states viewed the legislation as an opportunity to obtain additional funding for 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Nevertheless, Congress, in its wisdom, recognized the importance of a national investment in expanding access for neglected segments of the population during a period that was symbolized by Reconstruction.

While the Industrial Revolution was taking shape and powerful forces for educational reform were being generated, the Congress in the Justin Smith Morrill Act of 1890 set a precedent with the stipulation that black Americans be included in the mainstream of the U.S. educational system. Southern and border states opposed this inclusion and chose to exercise an option provided in the Act by creating separate institutions for blacks-"and you know the rest of the story."

Seventeen states, including West Virginia, agreed to establish separate institutions for blacks. Prior to 1890, however, black schools had been founded in 12 of these states and these were awarded land-grant status. Between 1891 and 1909, the remaining five states created black land-grant colleges or universities. Much later, West Virginia rescinded its land-grant university status while Tuskegee Institute (now University) was afforded all the privileges stipulated in the 1890 Act. Today, there are seventeen 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities located in sixteen states.

Despite the absence of land and fiscal support comparable to their 1862 counterparts, these institutions pursued research, teaching, and public service activities through a sustained struggle for racial equality and opportunity.

1890 INSTITUTIONS-CURRENT STATUS
Although our institutions were founded to provide access to higher education for minority students, most of our institutions today take pride in being the most integrated institutions in their states and the nation in general. A diversified curricula and relatively small enrollment campuses with excellent student/faculty ratios ensure a high measure of academic success.

While most colleges and universities have experienced declining enrollments over the past decade, most 1890 land-grant colleges and universities have experienced growth in student population in excess of ten percent per year.
The demographics show that there will be a tremendous increase in the number of minorities entering college as well as the work force during the twenty-first century. Despite significant increases in college tuition fees, projections are that our colleges will be growing constantly. Curricula will broaden, information technology will improve and learning modes will be significantly different in order to facilitate an information driven society.

We project that the current trend in terms of state support for instruction programs will continue; that is, funding will not keep pace with enrollment increases. As state revenues decline, citizens will demand more for their tax dollars. The response may be accelerated social programs including a more socialized and affordable health care system with education being more self-supporting. This attitude, I will speculate, will cause our students to be less tolerant of impoverished systems, less tolerant of inefficient media and telecommunication systems and they will demand accelerated learning styles and systems.

RESEARCH INFORMATION
The 1890 land-grant institutions, as well as our 1862 counterparts, will continue to be the centerpieces for new discoveries, and the generation of new information through innovative research. The time required (expected) for dissemination of new findings will, however, diminish significantly through advanced technology which may not of necessity be developed by the generators of the knowledge, but by the users who are the private sector.

The private sector, therefore, may be major financial supporters of the research efforts to generate this new knowledge. This is an issue of great concern to my 1890 institution colleagues. Private sector support to our institutions has been very limited. For example, according to one report I read, no Historically Black land-grant college or university is ranked in the top 100 institutions receiving private or foundation support for research. Yet we continue to be very prominent in our research productivity contributing much to the advancement of scientific knowledge - from the discoveries of George Washington Carver to our current participation in space research, remote sensing, bioengineering, gerontological disorders and neuroscience. The 1890 land-grant colleges and universities must be prepared to be leaders in the use of electronic communication and information technology in order to gain visibility and be attractive to the financiers of research. Increased publication output coupled with a significant increase in our use of interactive video conferencing will be our greatest asset in increasing our visibility.

As we attempt to achieve this goal, we cannot lose sight of our target audience. Their needs must be met and we must continue to provide access. Today, we train sixty-five percent of the minority undergraduates in the Agricultural Sciences. Most of our graduates find lucrative employment opportunities and are, therefore, not being channeled into graduate schools.

Increasing our research emphasis and our information generation and information capabilities will facilitate more graduate offerings. The 1890 land-grant colleges and universities will ultimately retain more of their students through the Masters degree. This should be an inducement for them to seek the terminal degree, and become our replacement as teachers and scientists.

There are critics in our society today who continue to condemn our system of higher education for its inattentiveness in meeting the needs of employers and society in general. Our colleges and universities, the critics claim, have produced highly specialized individuals with limited people skills. The dilemma, as proposed by our adversaries, is a lack of understanding of "educating" in its broadest context.

We have done an outstanding job in training scientists highly specialized in the field of agronomy, animal science, biotechnology, econometrics, etc., but, significantly lacking in communication, ethics, history, appreciation of the arts and other cultural necessities.

The 1890 land-grant colleges and universities have as their primary mission "the development of human resources" with emphasis on limited resources individuals and minorities. We have recognized the essentiality of competencies in basic and applied sciences, but also of broadening our curricular base to ensure adequate communication appreciation and comprehension of the arts, humanities, socioeconomics, global awareness, and critical thinking. A system of constant curricular revitalization ensures a dynamic academic environment which is challenging and rewarding. We cannot afford to become so highly specialized that we forget the basic needs of the audience we were created to serve.

LIBRARIES-INFORMATION SYSTEMS
These 1890 institutions emphasize the tripartite land-grant functions of teaching, research, and service. It is not by any means coincidental that within the structure of the 1890 Agricultural Administrators Association is the Association of 1890 Library Directors.

Our 1890 land-grant institutions recognize the importance of the library in the acquisition and dissemination of information. As is often said, the library is the hub of our academic environment. At most 1890 institutions, instruction learning support systems are centralized within the confines of the library.

The size of most of our institutions will not facilitate individual department acquisition of most of the needed academic support elements such as electronic media, telecommunication systems and audiovisual interactive teaching/learning systems. We view this as one of our major deficiencies.

It is important that our institutions access these elements in order to assure adequate information for research and for publishing and dissemination of findings. We may see our scientists making fewer visits to the library, yet demanding more information and services from and through the library, i.e., literature searches, multi-media productions, and requirements for the latest technology for scientific presentations.

Our libraries must assist agricultural administrators in being at the forefront in new discoveries. Both basic and applied research are essential to societal progress. Libraries with their information systems are critical in this process.

THE ISSUE OF RESOURCES
The negative economic impact upon 1890 institutions and their library/information systems is a great problem and a deterrent to growth. Not only have the 1890 land-grant and Tuskegee University libraries been severely restricted by a history of inadequate funding, but current economic factors have been and may continue to be the main cause of declining resources and services at these institutions. If the library/information systems can not provide adequate support for research and instruction through acquiring and maintaining up-to-date information then it will be increasingly difficult for their institutions to be successful in securing adequate data to support applications for grants and contracts. This again creates a "catch-22" syndrome: the need for information in order to be able to engage in grants research that you won't get awarded unless you have information.

There is an old saying: "To the victor belongs the spoils." I would paraphrase that to say, "To the most-informed goes the competitive edge." Historically Black land-grant institutions want and plan to stay on the cutting edge of progress. Information producers and users need to know (if they do not already understand it), that information is power. But . . . information is nothing unless it can be transmitted and used. Users need to understand that they must make clear what kind of information is wanted and also to realize that there is a system's loop involved. Information must be put into the system before it can be made available for retrieval, analysis and continuing use by others.

CONCLUSION
Instruction and research no longer are static areas. The research and service in which our faculty at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore are active, both in the United States and in a variety of countries abroad, is both basic as well as applied to meeting societal needs. Historically Black land-grant institutions are carrying out their mission and we are also delighted to share the information concerning the outcomes of our work.

The student growth patterns at our 1890 institutions are highly encouraging. We feel that this demonstrates the competence and excellence that is inherent in our mission. The fact that so many employers express interest in and then follow through by hiring our graduates demonstrates that we are competitive institutions. We intend to keep that competitive edge and we urge the support of the community of information specialists to continue to increase the availability of innovative technological competencies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hytche, W. P., "A National Resource, A National Challenge, The 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities." Justin Smith Morrill Memorial Lecture. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1989.

Rhodes, F.H.T., "The New American University." Twelfth David Dodds Henry Lecture, Chicago: University of Illinois at Chicago, 1990.

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, "Serving the World, The People and Ideas of America's State and Land-Grant Universities." Washington, DC: NASULGC, 1980.

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