The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst to an array of challenges in higher education, particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). These challenges included not only reinventing traditional pedagogical approaches but restructuring their academic service delivery options. As a result, examining these complexities warrants reviewing the role of governing boards, leadership, and their decision-making processes, which will be critical to the resilience of these institutions. Moreover, this crisis has demonstrated the need for HBCUs to collectively work together and not in silos, as well as ignited the urgent call for university board members to play a more active role in the governance of their institutions. Board members have a unique responsibility to engage in crisis management best practices to mitigate severe risks to their organizations. Essentially, poor crisis management can have egregious effects on organizational reputation and financial performance. Considering these challenges, this study examined the role of crisis management and investigated the decision-making processes of the governing boards and leadership at four (4) HBCUs. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, this presentation will highlight the importance of leadership in times of crisis, explore the complexities of board decision-making, and provide insights and strategies to strengthen and improve HBCUs through crisis management models. The presenters will also foster a dialogue about how university boards can address constantly changing educational priorities in the wake of the pandemic.

Authors:
Melanie Smith Johnson, Southern University and A&M College, United States
Samantha Thompson, Southern University Law Center, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Samantha Thompson is the Director of Institutional Accountability and Professional Development in the Office of Institutional Accountability and Accreditation at the Southern University Law Center (SULC).

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