Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications
Honoring those who overcame challenges in the past while also looking toward uncertainties in the future was the focus of keynote speaker Dr. Albert J. Schexnider Thursday morning as Grambling State University held its annual Founder’s Day Convocation inside the Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
Schexnider, a 1968 Grambling State graduate and former executive vice president and interim president at Norfolk State University began by paying tribute to the tradition of excellence established by Grambling’s Founder’s and continued by current GSU Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr.
“Throughout its history Grambling has consistently defied the odds and surmounted hurdles that at times were deliberately designed to stunt its growth and throw it off course,” Schexnider said. “However, you don’t receive approval to offer the first degree in cybersecurity without aiming for excellence.
“You don’t win approval for the first steps in offering Louisiana’s first bachelor’s degree in cloud computing without aiming for excellence. And you certainly don’t get designated as one of the top 10 schools in nursing in the country unless you aim for excellence. So yes, Mr. President, continue that tradition of excellence established, promoted and sustained by prior leadership.”
Schexnider said his college years at GSU were sandwiched between and ran parallel to the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.
“I was involved in both, and each one had a profound effect on my life,” Schexnider said. “In the ’60s, Black students were defined by the political, economic and social upheaval that characterized an era unlike any other. The civil rights movement shaped our goals, aspirations and purpose in life. We were determined to break down racial barriers and to destroy the stifling effects of segregation and to succeed against the odds. We would let nothing in our way.
“Still, we were privileged to what our forebears experienced. We can scarcely comprehend what life was like for Blacks at the turn of the 20th Century, but the Founder’s we honor today had the temerity to create an institution of higher learning for people just one generation removed from enslavement.”
Schexnider stressed that Founder’s Day must be more than an annual convocation.
“It is also a recommitment to our mission, our values and our future,” he said. “A lot has changed since Grambling opened its doors on Nov. 1, 1901. Although there have been peaks and valleys in the local state support, Grambling has been blessed with strong leadership, which brings me to a most important factor in the life of any institution.
“I’m convinced that organizations need a certain type of leader at various stages of their development. Charles P. Adams was the ideal leader for Grambling at its founding. As well, Martin Lemelle, Jr., is ideally suited and well-equipped to lead Grambling in this time of turbulence and uncertainty in higher education.”
Schexnider said Lemelle has taken Grambling’s helm at a perilous time due to legitimate fears that state funding for higher education may decline significantly.
“Grambling will need a steady and experienced hand to keep the ship afloat and to steer it in the right direction,” Schexnider said. “It will need somebody with his background and commitment to craft a vision and execute a strategic plan designed to ensure its sustainability. And he can’t do it alone, and I’m so pleased that members of his cabinet are here because they, too, are critical to the success of his leadership.
“It’s also important because in addition to funding issues, within a 60-mile radius Grambling coexists with nine taxpayer-supported institutions, five universities, three two-year colleges and one technical college.”
Schexnider pointed out that Louisiana legislators are currently working on a funding challenge in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“State leaders, including the Board of Regents, are exploring budget adjustments and seeking alternative funding sources to minimize the impact on Louisiana’s universities and colleges,” he said. “This pertains to an immediate set of fiscal challenges, but we must also be concerned about Grambling’s future in a region that includes 10 institutions within a 60-mile radius of each other.
“Rest assured that at some point in the future, the governor and the legislature will face the harsh reality of Louisiana’s capacity to support all of its colleges and universities. It’s a fact of life. It’s happening all over the country. We must remain vigilant on this issue to ensure that Grambling obtains favorable outcomes. As the great abolitionist Fredrick Douglass reminds us, and I quote, ‘Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and never will.”
Schexnider went on to talk about the particular challenges being faced by HBCUs.
“Most colleges and universities are confronting what is known as the enrollment cliff, which refers to an anticipated drop in the number of high school graduates. Colleges and universities are funded based on their budgets driven by the number of students enrolled. So if we experience an anticipated decline in the number of high school graduates, it has immediate implications for its fiscal position.”
Schexnider said another big issue colleges are facing is what he called the value proposition.
“Why have college degrees?” Schexnider asked. “Why spend tens of thousands of dollars to earn a degree? If you call a plumber, or an electrician, or an HVAC person recently, you understand exactly what I’m talking about. That’s another big set of challenges.
“Another has to do with the elimination of degree programs. Some colleges and universities have degree programs that have low enrollments. Somebody has to make a tough decision about whether or not they can afford to maintain faculty and positions when there is not a demand for the degrees they are producing.”
Schexnider said he is proud of the strong programs currently being conducted at GSU, but added there is still yet another potential challenge ahead — consolidation mergers and that he hopes fellow Gramblinites are paying attention.
“Our Founder’s and forebears fought too hard and sacrificed too much for us to ignore what is happening around us,” Schexnider said. “It’s been said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. We must have the will and determination to set Grambling on a sustainable path. Experience assures me that Grambling is equal to this task. President Lemelle and his leadership team deserve and need our support. I urge you to do everything possible to ensure their success, because when they succeed, Grambling succeeds.
“Our Founder’s would be enormously proud of Grambling and the contribution that it has made to advancing the cause of African Americans and to humankind. On this Founder’s Day 2024, let us redouble our efforts and recommit to ensuring that Grambling will forever provide access and affordability to the best education possible for future generations.”
