Former Spelman President Addresses Higher Education Crisis at Campus Event

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, President emerita of Spelman College, launched her book tour on Wednesday evening. She discussed the challenges rocking higher education and the tough leadership decisions that defined her 13-year tenure at the historically Black women’s college.

Speaking before a packed audience of students, alumni, faculty, and supporters at Spelman’s Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center Auditorium, Tatum presented her latest work, “Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times.” The timing proved apt as moderator & WABE journalist Rose Scott for the fireside chat opened the evening by addressing breaking news about Emory University’s decision to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, setting the stage for the conversation to follow.

Bold Decisions and Health Priorities

One of Tatum’s most controversial decisions during her tenure as Spelman’s president from 2002 to 2015 was discontinuing Spelman’s NCAA Division III athletics program in 2012. The choice sparked fierce debate but grew from genuine concern about student wellness during a pivotal moment in her presidency.

The catalyst came during a sparsely attended basketball game as the Great South Athletic Conference dissolved around schools seeking more competitive opportunities. Tatum said, “I was sitting watching the basketball game, five players on the court, and five people, maybe on the bench, and hardly anybody in the stands,” Tatum recalled. “And while I was watching this game, I had an ‘aha’ moment and the little whisper said, ‘flip it.'”

Tatum had discovered research showing young Black women had the highest rates of physical inactivity among all demographic groups, leading to early onset diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. By investing in comprehensive wellness programs instead of traditional athletics, she saw transformational potential aligned with Spelman’s mission. By investing in comprehensive wellness programs instead of traditional athletics, she saw an opportunity for transformational impact.

“We could change not only the trajectory of our students, but our students would change the trajectory of their families, their communities,” she explained.

Learning from Leadership Challenges and Broader Patterns

When asked about the correlation between Black women achieving the highest college graduation rates and changing attitudes toward higher education, Tatum offered her perspective on broader social patterns affecting academic leadership.

“There’s a pattern of devaluing activities when they become feminized,” Tatum observed. “As campus communities have become more diverse, as there has been greater access on the part of people of color to higher education, there is less public support for it.”

Her analysis of Claudine Gay’s treatment, Harvard’s 30th president, provided a specific example of these dynamics at work. Tatum noted the stark difference in public response when Gay resigned compared to Stanford’s president,  Marc Tessier-Lavigne who had stepped down six months earlier over similar academic integrity concerns.

“When he stepped down, people didn’t call him a DEI hire,” Tatum pointed out. “People expressed regret that he was leaving, and that’s the difference.”

Despite these challenges, Tatum emphasized the enduring importance of higher education’s mission, referencing a 1945 Truman Commission that identified three essential purposes: maintaining democracy, fostering international cooperation, and applying creative thinking to complex problems.

“We need people who have an understanding of history, who recognize history when it’s repeating, who are able to think critically about the social challenges that are part of our democratic process,” she said.

Leading Through Crisis

During Q&A, Tatum shared the personal philosophy that guided her through multiple crises. Asked about courage, she reframed fear: “Fear stands for false evidence appearing real.”

“It’s not that the fear goes away when you’re taking courageous action, even when you’re afraid. You act even in the presence of fear,” she said.

This philosophy was tested during what she called “a president’s worst nightmare”, when responding to the killing of Jasmine Lynn,  a student at Spelman in September 2009. Despite staff assurances, she immediately returned to campus from Washington, D.C.

“In a moment like that, you have to be there,” she said simply.

The evening concluded with a book signing for attendees.