Chapter 6: Organization-Environment Relations and Adaptation: The Future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Arguably, there is irrefutable scholarly evidence that demonstrates the social and public benefit of Historically Black colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Yet changes in federal/state funding, enrollment changes, and student aid programs have had a substantial adverse effect on these academic institutions (Amante, 2019; IHE, 2014). Further, broader social issues (including, but not limited to, racism and bias in federal and state government, foundations, research agencies and major funding organizations) have disproportionately affected Black academic institutions when compared to their organizational counterparts. External factors (e.g. social, cultural, political, economic, legal) are environmental influences on colleges and universities (Bess & Dee, 2008a). It is imperative that leaders, stakeholders, and higher education professionals understand how these influences can potentially shape the future of HBCUs. For decades, traditional organizational theoretical perspectives have been utilized to better understand the larger population of institutions of higher education. To a lesser extent have higher education scholars applied these perspectives to HBCUs. The author centers this critique, and future implications, on organization-environment relations and adaptation theoretical underpinnings, particularly population ecology theory, which is limited in the body of literature on HBCUs. The author argues the future of HBCUs relies on the successful institutional adaptation, attention to niche activities, and development of innovative institutional endeavors.