Thursday, 27 September 2012
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
HBCUs and Disruptive Technologies
The White House Initiative on HBCUs (WHI-HBCUs) hosted the "HBCU Week Conference 2012" that began on Tuesday morning, September 25, 2012, and ended at midday on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. During the Tuesday evening dinner, the WHI-HBCUs posed the following question to attendees:
The attendees seated at my table came up with some very plausible suggestions, but I was uncomfortable with the question as it was phrased because it encouraged respondents to think of ways to obtain additional funds first, then produce results with the funds later.
By contrast, entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley in California to Silicon Alley in the Big Apple work long hours to produce results using the resources they already have, results which they present to potential investors in order to persuade them to give the entrepreneurs more money to produce more impressive results that will attract even more money from more investors, etc., etc., etc. My own experience in obtaining large R&D contracts from government agencies confirmed the advantages of taking a good idea as far as one could with one's own resources, then getting officials at government agencies to share in the excitement of one's current achievements and the potential for even greater achievements with help from the funds their agencies might contribute.
The Great Recession and the sudden emergence of the first round of eLearning technologies that are powerful enough to disrupt our entire system of higher education have transformed the post Civil Rights existential mantra "Why are HBCUs still needed?" into a universal challenge to the continuing existence of all but the wealthiest and most elite colleges and universities, including those in the for-profit sector. Therefore I would rephrase the question posed by the WHI-HBCUs so as to encourage the development of proposals that will excite the most interest from funding sources in the new context of this universal challenge:
In a first effort to identify which HBCUs are taking the lead in addressing the challenges posed by current eLearning technologies, yesterday morning (Wednesday) I posted the five tweets displayed at the bottom of this note. As of this morning (Thursday), I have received no responses ... so perhaps I need to revise my tweets and try again. Past experience assures me that whenever a significnt challenge to HBCUs is identified, someone at some HBCU will figure out how to cope with it effectively ... :-)
_____________________
Related Notes:
"What innovation (action or solution) on your HBCU campus will make the biggest difference in stronger advancement or fundraising results"The best responses would be shared with all attendees during the "town meeting" that was held on Wednesday morning.
The attendees seated at my table came up with some very plausible suggestions, but I was uncomfortable with the question as it was phrased because it encouraged respondents to think of ways to obtain additional funds first, then produce results with the funds later.
By contrast, entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley in California to Silicon Alley in the Big Apple work long hours to produce results using the resources they already have, results which they present to potential investors in order to persuade them to give the entrepreneurs more money to produce more impressive results that will attract even more money from more investors, etc., etc., etc. My own experience in obtaining large R&D contracts from government agencies confirmed the advantages of taking a good idea as far as one could with one's own resources, then getting officials at government agencies to share in the excitement of one's current achievements and the potential for even greater achievements with help from the funds their agencies might contribute.
The Great Recession and the sudden emergence of the first round of eLearning technologies that are powerful enough to disrupt our entire system of higher education have transformed the post Civil Rights existential mantra "Why are HBCUs still needed?" into a universal challenge to the continuing existence of all but the wealthiest and most elite colleges and universities, including those in the for-profit sector. Therefore I would rephrase the question posed by the WHI-HBCUs so as to encourage the development of proposals that will excite the most interest from funding sources in the new context of this universal challenge:
- What is your HBCU doing with resources that have been greatly diminished by the Great Recession to cope with the disruptive technologies that are now sweeping across the landscape of higher education? ... and ...
- How can our additional resources help your HBCU to achieve more impressive results?
In a first effort to identify which HBCUs are taking the lead in addressing the challenges posed by current eLearning technologies, yesterday morning (Wednesday) I posted the five tweets displayed at the bottom of this note. As of this morning (Thursday), I have received no responses ... so perhaps I need to revise my tweets and try again. Past experience assures me that whenever a significnt challenge to HBCUs is identified, someone at some HBCU will figure out how to cope with it effectively ... :-)
_____________________
Related Notes:
Hospitality Job Descriptions
Hospitality may indicate hotels, lodges and motels but this industry has a lot more to it. The entire industry of hospitality incorporates spa, resorts, cruise ships, sport locales and all the other places that are used as human recreational zones. As a professional you may seek few days of holiday and recreation.
That is when the hospitality industry comes into focus. Here are some ground rules for this job profile in general. A professional here has to be generous, kind, compassionate and entertaining. These are the generic traits that they must possess. Beyond the general stuff, each level of hierarchy must have different sets of skills applicable at different situations and work places.
For example, a Front House Manager ensures the overall administration of his organization.
1. Ensuring guest comfort
2. Dealing with issues if any
3. Keeping tab on room cleaning services
4. Keeping the accounts updated so on and so forth
This is one professional in the industry. Again, in case of a Catering Manager the responsibilities involve:
1. Ensuring food quality
2. The menu for the day
3. The cost involved in food
4. The MOSA and NOSA regulations
5. The standard of hygiene in the cafeteria so on and so forth.
There are multiple roles in this business and the hospitality job descriptions must cater to the nitty-gritty’s of it. A simple kitchen has its hierarchy consisting of:
1. The Executive Chef
2. The Head Chef
3. Chef De Partie
4. Sous Chef
5. Kitchen Supervisor and many more.
There are many more like the cabin crew, pilot, spa manager, hair dresser, cargo handler and many others which are the part of the hospitality jobs. Thus a proper hospitality job descriptions is very important to excel in your field.
That is when the hospitality industry comes into focus. Here are some ground rules for this job profile in general. A professional here has to be generous, kind, compassionate and entertaining. These are the generic traits that they must possess. Beyond the general stuff, each level of hierarchy must have different sets of skills applicable at different situations and work places.
For example, a Front House Manager ensures the overall administration of his organization.
1. Ensuring guest comfort
2. Dealing with issues if any
3. Keeping tab on room cleaning services
4. Keeping the accounts updated so on and so forth
This is one professional in the industry. Again, in case of a Catering Manager the responsibilities involve:
1. Ensuring food quality
2. The menu for the day
3. The cost involved in food
4. The MOSA and NOSA regulations
5. The standard of hygiene in the cafeteria so on and so forth.
There are multiple roles in this business and the hospitality job descriptions must cater to the nitty-gritty’s of it. A simple kitchen has its hierarchy consisting of:
1. The Executive Chef
2. The Head Chef
3. Chef De Partie
4. Sous Chef
5. Kitchen Supervisor and many more.
There are many more like the cabin crew, pilot, spa manager, hair dresser, cargo handler and many others which are the part of the hospitality jobs. Thus a proper hospitality job descriptions is very important to excel in your field.
Food Service Management Careers
Today, getting a job that offers long time stability is impossible due to the economic conditions, thus the consumers are putting off buying luxury products. However, one cannot stop from eating , and so a career in food service management is sure to stay for long. Today it is more in demand compared to any other industrial job or service.
The most advantageous position in Food Service Management is that of a Manager. When we talk of Restaurants, sports complexes, prison kitchens or any other establishment which deal in cooking and serving food, a need for a manager who coordinates the business the operations related to the occupation and the human resource is a must. He is the one who communicates with the customers and makes sure that they are attended the best possible way. What appears to be the most challenging job of the manager is to hire, train and then retain good employees for the Food Service Industry.
Today, management careers in food service industry are very profitable and long term once you know the responsibilities of the service manager well and execute them accordingly. These responsibilities include:
* Maintaining Customer Relations: this means he has to make sure that guests are served in time and with good service.
* Keeping in check the cleanliness of the kitchen and dining areas to the set government standards.
* Maintaining safety standards and observing liquor laws.
* Ordering food, equipments and supplies.
* Track seating, inventory and the orders via computers.
* Supervision of assistant managers.
* Helping the chef to create successful food items.
* To recruit, hire, train, motivate and dismiss employees.
* Schedule work hours and to handle last minute changes.
* Managing any kind of banquet or catering operations.
* Invoicing and paying of bills.
* Processing paperwork like payroll, employment records and tax documentation.
And there are many other responsibilities too, as in long work hours and work scheduled on any day of a week, even holidays.
Schools and Degrees
Today, vocational schools, community colleges, universities and all are offering two to four years degrees in hospitality which are preferred by all the restaurants. Any kind of experience in this field can also pave your way to enter the food service career as practical experience is an essential part of such programs.
The curriculum of the degree offered by such colleges includes food preparation and planning, nutrition, accounting, sanitation, business management and law, culinary courses and computer science.
There are some basic requirements that need to be fulfilled by a person to be a food service manger. Firstly, a prior experience in restaurant or any food service joint, a two-year/four-year hospitality degree for national level restaurant chains.
In order to evaluate whether the chosen university is a good for the hospitality degree, remember few points:
* The reputation of the college or university,
* The conditions of the labs and the quality of equipments,
* Practical experience and exposure,
* Financial aid to the students and the expenses,
* The earlier graduates success rates.
The most advantageous position in Food Service Management is that of a Manager. When we talk of Restaurants, sports complexes, prison kitchens or any other establishment which deal in cooking and serving food, a need for a manager who coordinates the business the operations related to the occupation and the human resource is a must. He is the one who communicates with the customers and makes sure that they are attended the best possible way. What appears to be the most challenging job of the manager is to hire, train and then retain good employees for the Food Service Industry.
Today, management careers in food service industry are very profitable and long term once you know the responsibilities of the service manager well and execute them accordingly. These responsibilities include:
* Maintaining Customer Relations: this means he has to make sure that guests are served in time and with good service.
* Keeping in check the cleanliness of the kitchen and dining areas to the set government standards.
* Maintaining safety standards and observing liquor laws.
* Ordering food, equipments and supplies.
* Track seating, inventory and the orders via computers.
* Supervision of assistant managers.
* Helping the chef to create successful food items.
* To recruit, hire, train, motivate and dismiss employees.
* Schedule work hours and to handle last minute changes.
* Managing any kind of banquet or catering operations.
* Invoicing and paying of bills.
* Processing paperwork like payroll, employment records and tax documentation.
And there are many other responsibilities too, as in long work hours and work scheduled on any day of a week, even holidays.
Schools and Degrees
Today, vocational schools, community colleges, universities and all are offering two to four years degrees in hospitality which are preferred by all the restaurants. Any kind of experience in this field can also pave your way to enter the food service career as practical experience is an essential part of such programs.
The curriculum of the degree offered by such colleges includes food preparation and planning, nutrition, accounting, sanitation, business management and law, culinary courses and computer science.
There are some basic requirements that need to be fulfilled by a person to be a food service manger. Firstly, a prior experience in restaurant or any food service joint, a two-year/four-year hospitality degree for national level restaurant chains.
In order to evaluate whether the chosen university is a good for the hospitality degree, remember few points:
* The reputation of the college or university,
* The conditions of the labs and the quality of equipments,
* Practical experience and exposure,
* Financial aid to the students and the expenses,
* The earlier graduates success rates.
CulinarySchoolsU.com provides the opportunity to research and request free information from culinary arts schools and top culinary colleges for potential students looking to start or expand their career in the culinary arts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2849371
Notes on the HBCU Week Conference 2012
This note is the follow-up to my previous "End of an Era." In that note I voiced my concerns that the HBCU community was leaving an old era and entering a new one that threaten the continued existence of each and all unless they made profoundly transformative changes. I mentioned my decision to attend my first HBCU Week Conference in many years with the intention of listening to the comments of other attendees in order to get some sense of how much my concerns were or were not shared by other members of our community. The conference started yesterday and ended today. The resuts? Good news and bad news.
A. Great Speakers
The good news is that I was captivated by the luncheon and dinner speakers on the first day of the conference, Congressman William H. Gray, III, and Dr. Freeman A Hrabowski, III, respectively. I hope the White House Initiative on HBCUs (WHI-HBCUs), the sponsor of the conference, captured videos or audios of their remarks that will be posted on the WHI-HBCUs Website because these distinguished guests said many things that I wish everyone could in our community could hear, things that I myself would like to replay five or six more times to be sure that I had digested the full import of their insights.
I didn't take notes while they spoke, so my memory of what they said will probably filter and focus on the things that were most meaningful to me. In an effort to minimize these unintended distortions I will merely highlight two themes I heard in both of their wide ranging commentaries:
Dr. Hrabowski is famous for his innovative programs at UMBC that have achieved remarkable success in enabling black students to succeed in STEM programs. But his remarks made it clear that his innovations succeeded because of his dogged pursuit of data about what really worked for his students and what didn't. Again and again he repeated the importance of knowing our students, really knowing them, not just as butts in our class seats, but as total human beings whose outside lives may pose severe impediments to their performance in our classrooms.
B. Titanic
That's the good news. The bad news about the conference is that I mostly felt like a time travaler from 2012 who had just plopped down onto the deck of the HMS Titanic one hundred years ago in 1912 ... OMG, OMG, OMG!!!
In my case, my big break came a few days after I dropped out of the PhD program in pure math at NYU's Courant Institute back in 1963. My stipend ceased at the end of the June, so I had to find a job real fast to pay my rent for July. In desperation I answered a blind ad in the New York Times that merely noted that the job paid well and required a college degree in science or engineering. I applied and was hired a few days later as a systems programmer on IBM's 7090 mainframe computer, a few months before my 21st birthday. All of the books say that pioneers work hard and suffer hardships. That's why it took me more than 30 years to realize that I was probably one of the first 50 black computer programmers in the U.S., if not the world. I was a pioneer, but all I had done was get lucky by answering a blind ad in order to pay my rent ... :-)
Needless to say, the advantage I gained was early immersion in the soon-to-be dominant cyber culture before my brain had completely formed. I have lived and breathed computers for most of my long life. And being a cyber native, I have rarely been surprised by any so-called IT revolution in any field. As a colleague once put it, it's all been part of the "progressive digitization of everything" ... and "everything" means just that: everything. The only wonder is that it's taken so long for computers to profoundly disrupt their birthplace in academia.
So that's why I'm in a panic. The pieces are now in place for the long delayed IT revolution in higher education. MOOCs put the last logs in place for the initial bonfires; the other conceptual logs were already there -- competency-based programs and flipped classrooms. MOOCs can provide inputs to competency-based programs (with exams in proctored facilities all over the planet to minimize cheating); and MOOCs can provide online components of flipped classrooms. So stand way back, people, because this baby's gonna blaze!!! ... and it's just a bonfire. As the economies of our institutions of higher learning become ever more parched by the lingering aftermath of the Great Recession, the real firestorms are yet to come.
C. Titanics
No doubt some will take comfort in the thought that HBCUs are not alone. Indeed we are just 105 tiny Titanics in a giant flotilla of 4,000 accredited U.S.S. Titanics, most of whom are far larger than we are ... but we are all locked into the same collision course with disaster ... unless ... unless we change course ... unless we innovate ... starting right now.
_______________________
Related Notes:
A. Great Speakers
The good news is that I was captivated by the luncheon and dinner speakers on the first day of the conference, Congressman William H. Gray, III, and Dr. Freeman A Hrabowski, III, respectively. I hope the White House Initiative on HBCUs (WHI-HBCUs), the sponsor of the conference, captured videos or audios of their remarks that will be posted on the WHI-HBCUs Website because these distinguished guests said many things that I wish everyone could in our community could hear, things that I myself would like to replay five or six more times to be sure that I had digested the full import of their insights.
I didn't take notes while they spoke, so my memory of what they said will probably filter and focus on the things that were most meaningful to me. In an effort to minimize these unintended distortions I will merely highlight two themes I heard in both of their wide ranging commentaries:
- HBCUs must innovate
- Innovations must be based on data
Dr. Hrabowski is famous for his innovative programs at UMBC that have achieved remarkable success in enabling black students to succeed in STEM programs. But his remarks made it clear that his innovations succeeded because of his dogged pursuit of data about what really worked for his students and what didn't. Again and again he repeated the importance of knowing our students, really knowing them, not just as butts in our class seats, but as total human beings whose outside lives may pose severe impediments to their performance in our classrooms.
B. Titanic
That's the good news. The bad news about the conference is that I mostly felt like a time travaler from 2012 who had just plopped down onto the deck of the HMS Titanic one hundred years ago in 1912 ... OMG, OMG, OMG!!!
- "Captain, that thing out in the distance is a gigantic iceberg that will sink our ship if we don't change course right now!!!"
- "No, it's not what you think. But even if it is, we'll have plenty of time to change course when we get closer."
- Yes, it is; and no, we won't!!!"
In my case, my big break came a few days after I dropped out of the PhD program in pure math at NYU's Courant Institute back in 1963. My stipend ceased at the end of the June, so I had to find a job real fast to pay my rent for July. In desperation I answered a blind ad in the New York Times that merely noted that the job paid well and required a college degree in science or engineering. I applied and was hired a few days later as a systems programmer on IBM's 7090 mainframe computer, a few months before my 21st birthday. All of the books say that pioneers work hard and suffer hardships. That's why it took me more than 30 years to realize that I was probably one of the first 50 black computer programmers in the U.S., if not the world. I was a pioneer, but all I had done was get lucky by answering a blind ad in order to pay my rent ... :-)
Needless to say, the advantage I gained was early immersion in the soon-to-be dominant cyber culture before my brain had completely formed. I have lived and breathed computers for most of my long life. And being a cyber native, I have rarely been surprised by any so-called IT revolution in any field. As a colleague once put it, it's all been part of the "progressive digitization of everything" ... and "everything" means just that: everything. The only wonder is that it's taken so long for computers to profoundly disrupt their birthplace in academia.
So that's why I'm in a panic. The pieces are now in place for the long delayed IT revolution in higher education. MOOCs put the last logs in place for the initial bonfires; the other conceptual logs were already there -- competency-based programs and flipped classrooms. MOOCs can provide inputs to competency-based programs (with exams in proctored facilities all over the planet to minimize cheating); and MOOCs can provide online components of flipped classrooms. So stand way back, people, because this baby's gonna blaze!!! ... and it's just a bonfire. As the economies of our institutions of higher learning become ever more parched by the lingering aftermath of the Great Recession, the real firestorms are yet to come.
C. Titanics
No doubt some will take comfort in the thought that HBCUs are not alone. Indeed we are just 105 tiny Titanics in a giant flotilla of 4,000 accredited U.S.S. Titanics, most of whom are far larger than we are ... but we are all locked into the same collision course with disaster ... unless ... unless we change course ... unless we innovate ... starting right now.
_______________________
Related Notes:
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
The Journey of Education from Paper to Paperless Learning
Education, be it for the basic levels or for the advanced higher levels, has always been associated with the institutions. the better the institution, the better is the education and better are the chances of changing your life. but the tuition also increases to a point that many of the lower income group cannot afford. So breaking the cycle of poverty is not an option for them.
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This is where distance learning comes. Even though it is gaining an unprecedented popularity in the present, it has always been around, under the garb of Correspondence education, helping those who wanted to learn and move ahead.The popularity and the extent of the distance education increased exponentially in the next century with the introduction of the radio and then the television. By 1900 so many distance learning institutions were established that their standard became a concern. In order to ensure their standard, the National Home Study Council was set up.
With the coming of the 20th century, the platform of imparting education changed from the paper to the audio and visual via the radio and television. About 202 licenses were given to the various educational institutions for radio broadcasting. Experiments were also conducted by the various educators to introduce the use of the telephone to encourage real tile interaction between the students and the teachers. However, it did not succeed.
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One of the first educational courses to be imparted completely via the television was the Sunrise Semester that started in 1959 and was broadcast from Chicago. The coastline community college came up that handled the filming of various educational courses to be broadcast to the various educational institutions and the public T.V channels. The courses had to follow the same curricula followed on the traditional schools and colleges. IBM was the first company to design a distance learning course COURSEWRITER which had to be delivered via the computer. With this the computer came onto the scene in a big way and this is when distance learning became truly paperless.
Hundreds and thousands of students are now enrolled in the distance learning courses and are having their lives transformed without having to spend a fortune on it.
Sunday, 23 September 2012
End of an Era
The 2012 National HBCU Week Conference, hosted by the White House Initiative on HBCUs (WHI-HBCUs), will be held this coming Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25th and 26th. It's been a long time since I attended one of these annual events, but I couldn't miss this one. I'm not going because I want to hear the carefully prepared remarks of the dozens of speakers at the podiums, but because I want to listen to the concerns spontaneously expressed by the hundreds of attendees, unfiltered by the media.
I will attend this conference because I am convinced that HBCUs are coming to the end of an era. It seems highly unlikely to me that the next ten or twenty years of HBCU history will be anything like the last ten or twenty. So I will be noting how many other attendees seem to share my sense of foreboding. More specifically, I will be listening to hear how the other attendees think that HBCUs can rise to the existential challenges that are now looming so large on our horizons. I will also be listening to hear the concerns of the other attendees about the perilous state of black higher education throughout the country, at the non-HBCUs where almost 90 percent of black students are enrolled.
There are challenges and challenges. Some challenges are merely problems to be solved ... and when you're successful, you walk away with a big bright smile. But existential challenges can be transformative. The extent to which they require you to redefine who you are in order to resolve them successfully can be scary ... and liberating. The "you" that walks away the big bright smile is a different person than the "you" that accepted the challenge in the first place.
I sincerely believe that the existential challenges currently facing HBCUs in particular and black higher education in general are profoundly transformative ... very scary but, potentially, very liberating ... :-)
_________________________
Related Notes:
I will attend this conference because I am convinced that HBCUs are coming to the end of an era. It seems highly unlikely to me that the next ten or twenty years of HBCU history will be anything like the last ten or twenty. So I will be noting how many other attendees seem to share my sense of foreboding. More specifically, I will be listening to hear how the other attendees think that HBCUs can rise to the existential challenges that are now looming so large on our horizons. I will also be listening to hear the concerns of the other attendees about the perilous state of black higher education throughout the country, at the non-HBCUs where almost 90 percent of black students are enrolled.
There are challenges and challenges. Some challenges are merely problems to be solved ... and when you're successful, you walk away with a big bright smile. But existential challenges can be transformative. The extent to which they require you to redefine who you are in order to resolve them successfully can be scary ... and liberating. The "you" that walks away the big bright smile is a different person than the "you" that accepted the challenge in the first place.
I sincerely believe that the existential challenges currently facing HBCUs in particular and black higher education in general are profoundly transformative ... very scary but, potentially, very liberating ... :-)
_________________________
Related Notes:
Saturday, 22 September 2012
The Most Important HBCUs ... to Google
How important is your HBCU? Of course your HBCU is very important to you ... but how important is it to anyone else? To prospective students? To government agencies looking for potential contractors? To foundations seeking worthy recipients for donations?
In today's Web-wired, knowledge-based, global economy the question must be rephrased as "How important does your HBCU's website seem to be for people who are searching for a college or a university?" ... and when you say "searching for" in 2012 the question becomes, "How important is the homepage of your HBCU's website to Google?" because Google has more than an 80 percent share of the global market for search services. (See the August 2012 report from Search Engine Market Share for an estimate of Google's global market share)
A. PageRanks
Google measures the importance of a webpage by its PageRank (note the capitalization). PageRanks range from zero to 10 and are calculated by complex algorithms that are some of Google's best kept trade secrets.
PageRanks are important because the lists that Google's search algorithms return will place webpages having higher PageRanks on earlier pages than webpages with lower PageRanks. For example, if the homepage of the University of ABC has PageRank = 9 and the homepage of the University XYZ has PagerRank = 1, then when users search for the words "HBCU research biomedical" the results that Google returns will probably show the University of ABC far ahead of the University of XYZ. Indeed the University of ABC will surely be in the top 10 on the first page; whereas the University of XYZ may not show up until a much later page.
The crucial point is that most people make their selections from the the links listed on the first or second pages that are returned when they search. So the closer the link to a homepage is to the first page returned, the more visitors are likely to see and click that link.
B. PageRanks of Some Important Websites
Readers who have slogged this far into this wonkish essay probably want to know which HBCU homepages have the highest PageRanks; nevertheless it's instructive to first consider the PageRanks of some other prominent homepages in order to put the HBCU PageRanks into proper perspective. Most of the high PageRanks in Table 1 (below) were assigned to well-known, tech-savvy organizations, but a few rankings took me by surprise:
Table 1. PageRanks of the Home Pages of Some Important Organizations
C. PageRanks of the HBCU Home Pages ... Saturday 9/22/12
The PageRanks of the 105 HBCUs are displayed in Table 2 (below). Interested readers might check out my previous reports on HBCU PageRanks to see which ones moved up or down (October 2006 and January 2009). A few patterns in Table 2 are worth noting:
Table 2. PageRanks of HBCU Home Pages ... on 9/22/12
__________________
Related Notes:
In today's Web-wired, knowledge-based, global economy the question must be rephrased as "How important does your HBCU's website seem to be for people who are searching for a college or a university?" ... and when you say "searching for" in 2012 the question becomes, "How important is the homepage of your HBCU's website to Google?" because Google has more than an 80 percent share of the global market for search services. (See the August 2012 report from Search Engine Market Share for an estimate of Google's global market share)
A. PageRanks
Google measures the importance of a webpage by its PageRank (note the capitalization). PageRanks range from zero to 10 and are calculated by complex algorithms that are some of Google's best kept trade secrets.
PageRanks are important because the lists that Google's search algorithms return will place webpages having higher PageRanks on earlier pages than webpages with lower PageRanks. For example, if the homepage of the University of ABC has PageRank = 9 and the homepage of the University XYZ has PagerRank = 1, then when users search for the words "HBCU research biomedical" the results that Google returns will probably show the University of ABC far ahead of the University of XYZ. Indeed the University of ABC will surely be in the top 10 on the first page; whereas the University of XYZ may not show up until a much later page.
The crucial point is that most people make their selections from the the links listed on the first or second pages that are returned when they search. So the closer the link to a homepage is to the first page returned, the more visitors are likely to see and click that link.
- The PageRank of a webpage reflects the number of other webpages that have links to it, i.e., the number of backlinks. This "crowd sourcing" is based on Google's plausible assumption that Webmasters will place links on their webpages to the "best" Websites they are aware of for any subject.
- But PageRanks are not just popularity contests. Google modifies the PageRank it assigns to each webpage to reflect the page's position in the social network of webpages. A page will receive a higher PageRank if Google finds that other pages having high PageRanks contain links to it.
In other words, webpages are like guests at a Google party. One way to measure the importance of a each guest is by the total number of other guests who link to it ... but a homepage obviously merits a higher ranking if the homepage of the White House website or the New York Times links to it ... assuming that the White House and New York Times homepages are popular enough to merit high PageRanks.
- PageRanks change. Google recalibrates the PageRanks that it assigns to all webpages from time to time, including its own.
- Although Google no longer includes a PageRank checker on its toolbar for most browsers, anyone can discover the PageRank of any webpage at any time. I suggest that readers search for "free multiple PageRank" then try a few of the applications whose links appear on the first page. (For example, http://nfriedly.com/pagerank will enables lookups of 10 PageRanks at a time ... but the free download from Connity Software at http://www.conity.net/multiple-page-rank-checker.shtml is much more powerful )
"In general, webmasters can improve the rank of their sites by increasing the number of high-quality sites that link to their pages."Google's Webmaster Guidelines are more specific, but they focus on improving a website's format. By contrast, readers of recent entries on this blog will not be surprised by my judgment that HBCU Webmasters will attract far more backlinks from other websites with higher PageRanks if they improve the the content of their websites by including more of their HBCU's success stories. (For a full discussion of this strategy, see "Telling HBCU Success Stories")
B. PageRanks of Some Important Websites
Readers who have slogged this far into this wonkish essay probably want to know which HBCU homepages have the highest PageRanks; nevertheless it's instructive to first consider the PageRanks of some other prominent homepages in order to put the HBCU PageRanks into proper perspective. Most of the high PageRanks in Table 1 (below) were assigned to well-known, tech-savvy organizations, but a few rankings took me by surprise:
- Twitter ... PageRank = 10
Twitter's position at the top of the heap surprised me because this means that Google thinks that Twitter's Home Page is now more important than its own because Google's Home Page only only received a 9. By contrast, in my previous reports about HBCU PageRanks, I noted that Google gave itself a 10 ... of course. The current supremacy of Twitter suggests that HBCU Webmasters should use cleverly worded, timely tweets to drive more visitors to their Websites ... :-)
- Health & Human Services ... PageRank = 10
Is this a cyber indicator of the increasing dependence of larger segments of the population on government services? ... :-(
- Elite University Rankings
None of the most elite American universities received PageRank = 10 ... hmmmmmm
Table 1. PageRanks of the Home Pages of Some Important Organizations
Type | Organization | HomePage URL | PageRank |
Web Infrastructure | |||
Twitter | http://www.twitter.com | 10 | |
Google | http://www.google.com | 9 | |
W3C | http://www.w3.org/ | 9 | |
Firefox | http://www.firefox.com | 9 | |
Yahoo! | http://www.yahoo.com | 9 | |
Facebook | http://www.facebook.com | 9 | |
LinkedIn | http://www.linkedin.com | 9 | |
Gmail | http://www.gmail.com | 9 | |
Microsoft | http://www.microsoft.com | 8 | |
Hotmail | http://www.hotmail.com | 8 | |
eCommerce | |||
Amazon.com | http://www.amazon.com | 8 | |
Paypal | http://www.paypal.com | 8 | |
eBay | http://www.ebay.com | 7 | |
Hardware/Software/Services | |||
Apple | http://www.apple.com | 9 | |
Hewlett-Packard | http://www.hewlett-packard.com | 9 | |
IBM | http://www.ibm.com | 8 | |
Cisco | http://www.cisco.com | 8 | |
Oracle | http://www.oracle.com | 8 | |
Dell | http://www.dell.com | 8 | |
Linux | http://www.linux.com | 7 | |
News | |||
New York Times | http://www.nytimes.com | 9 | |
Bloomberg News | http://www.bloomberg.com | 8 | |
Wall Street Journal | http://www.wsj.com | 8 | |
Government | |||
U..S. Department of Health & Human Services | http://www.hhs.gov | 10 | |
National Science Foundation | http://www.nsf.com | 9 | |
The White House | http://www.whitehouse.gov | 9 | |
U.S. Department of Defense | http://www.dod.gov | 8 | |
U.S. Department of Education | http://www.ed.gov | 8 | |
Universities | |||
M.I.T. | http://www.mit.edu | 9 | |
California Institute of Technology | http://www.caltech.edu | 9 | |
Harvard University | http://www.harvard.edu | 8 | |
Yale University | http://www.yale.edu | 8 | |
Unversity of Michigan | http://www.umich.edu | 8 | |
University of Pennsylvania | http://www.upenn.edu/ | 8 | |
Stanford University | http://www.stanford.edu | 8 | |
UCLA | http://www.ucla.edu | 8 | |
DeVry University | http://www.devry.edu | 6 | |
University of Phoenix | http://www.phoenix.edu | 6 | |
C. PageRanks of the HBCU Home Pages ... Saturday 9/22/12
The PageRanks of the 105 HBCUs are displayed in Table 2 (below). Interested readers might check out my previous reports on HBCU PageRanks to see which ones moved up or down (October 2006 and January 2009). A few patterns in Table 2 are worth noting:
- No HBCUs received PageRank = 8, 9, or 10
- 9 HBCUs received PageRank = 7 (including three public HBCUs from North Carolina and two private HBCUs from Georgia) ... the same as eBay and Linux (see Table 1, above)
- 77 HBCUs received PageRank = 6 ... the same as the for-profit University of Phoenix and DeVry University (see Table 1, above)
- 18 HBCUs received PageRank = 4 or 5 ... most of these HBCUs are two year institutions
- One HBCU was not assigned a PageRank ... possibly because of network connection problems when Google was scanning the Websites, or perhaps the HBCU changed its URL during a recent upgrade
Table 2. PageRanks of HBCU Home Pages ... on 9/22/12
HBCUs | PageRanks |
Elizabeth City State University (NC) | 7 |
Florida A&M University (FL) | 7 |
Howard University (DC) | 7 |
Morehouse College (GA) | 7 |
Morgan State University (MD) | 7 |
North Carolina A&T State University (NC) | 7 |
North Carolina Central University (NC) | 7 |
Prairie View A&M University (TX) | 7 |
Spelman College (GA) | 7 |
Alabama A&M University (AL) | 6 |
Alabama State University (AL) | 6 |
Albany State University (GA) | 6 |
Alcorn State University (MS) | 6 |
Allen University (SC) | 6 |
Barber-Scotia College (NC) | 6 |
Benedict College (SC) | 6 |
Bennett College (NC) | 6 |
Bethune-Cookman University (FL) | 6 |
Bluefield State College (WV) | 6 |
Bowie State University (MD) | 6 |
Central State University (OH) | 6 |
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (PA) | 6 |
Claflin University (SC) | 6 |
Clark Atlanta University (GA) | 6 |
Concordia College Selma (AL) | 6 |
Coppin State University (MD) | 6 |
Delaware State University (DE) | 6 |
Dillard University (LA) | 6 |
Edward Waters College (FL) | 6 |
Fayetteville State University (NC) | 6 |
Fisk University (TN) | 6 |
Florida Memorial University (FL) | 6 |
Fort Valley State University (GA) | 6 |
Grambling State University (LA) | 6 |
Hampton University (VA) | 6 |
Harris-Stowe State University (MO) | 6 |
Hinds Community College, Utica (MS) | 6 |
Huston-Tillotson University (TX) | 6 |
Interdenominational Theological Center (GA) | 6 |
Jackson State University (MS) | 6 |
Jarvis Christian College (TX) | 6 |
Johnson C Smith University NC) | 6 |
Kentucky State University (KY) | 6 |
Knoxville College (TN) | 6 |
Lane College (TN) | 6 |
LeMoyne-Owen College (TN) | 6 |
Lincoln University, MO (MO) | 6 |
Lincoln University, PA (PA) | 6 |
Livingstone College (NC) | 6 |
Meharry Medical College (TN) | 6 |
Miles College (AL) | 6 |
Mississippi Valley State University (MS) | 6 |
Morehouse School of Medicine (GA) | 6 |
Morris Brown College (GA) | 6 |
Norfolk State University (VA) | 6 |
Oakwood University (AL) | 6 |
Paine College (GA) | 6 |
Paul Quinn College (TX) | 6 |
Philander Smith College (AR) | 6 |
Rust College (MS) | 6 |
Saint Augustine's University (NC) | 6 |
Saint Paul's College (VA) | 6 |
Savannah State University (GA) | 6 |
Shaw University (NC) | 6 |
Shelton State Community College-Fredd Campus (AL) | 6 |
South Carolina State University (SC) | 6 |
Southern University A&M College (LA) | 6 |
Southern University at New Orleans (LA) | 6 |
Southwestern Christian College (TX) | 6 |
Stillman College (AL) | 6 |
Tennessee State University (TN) | 6 |
Texas College (TX) | 6 |
Texas Southern University (TX) | 6 |
Tougaloo College (MS) | 6 |
Tuskegee University (AL) | 6 |
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (AR) | 6 |
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (MD) | 6 |
University of the District of Columbia (DC) | 6 |
University of the Virgin Islands (VI) | 6 |
Virginia State University (VA) | 6 |
Virginia Union University (VA) | 6 |
West Virginia State University (WV) | 6 |
Wilberforce University (OH) | 6 |
Wiley College (TX) | 6 |
Winston-Salem State University (NC) | 6 |
Xavier University of Louisiana (LA) | 6 |
Arkansas Baptist College (AR) | 5 |
Bishop State Community College, Main Campus (AL) | 5 |
Coahoma Community College (MS) | 5 |
Clinton Junior College (SC) | 5 |
Denmark Technical College (SC) | 5 |
Gadsden State Community College (AL) | 5 |
J. F. Drake State Technical College (AL) | 5 |
Lawson State Community College (AL) | 5 |
Lewis College of Business (MI) | 5 |
Morris College (SC) | 5 |
Southern University at Shreveport (LA) | 5 |
St Philip's College (TX) | 5 |
Talladega College (AL) | 5 |
Trenholm State Technical College (AL) | 5 |
Virginia University of Lynchburg (VA) | 5 |
Voorhees College (SC) | 5 |
Selma University (AL) | 4 |
Shorter College (AR) | 4 |
Langston University (OK) | n/a |
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