Title III

The Title III Office is responsible for effectively managing Title III, Part B and Title III, Part F (Future) grant funds by assuring federal and state compliance and assisting the University in achieving its mission and vision through development and implementation of its strategic priorities. Program Administration personnel are available to assist all Title III activity directors as they work to accomplish activity goals.

Title III Administration

Mrs. Danyell Barry, Director
C.V. Troup Bldg., Suite 328
(478) 827.3232
barnesd@fvsu.edu

Mrs. Venie Crawford, Title III Program Specialist
C.V. Troup Bldg., Suite 328
(478) 825.6397
crawfordv@fvsu.edu

Title III Program Description

As part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title III, Part B is a U. S. Department of Education program. The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to establish or strengthen the physical plants, financial management, academic resources, and endowments of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, provides additional mandatory funding for the Title III, Part B HBCU Program. Mandatory funding for the HBCU Title III, Part F Program was permanently extended under the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act or the FUTURE Act, H.R. 5363. The FUTURE Act was enacted on December 19, 2019.

Legislation, Regulation and Guidance

Legislation, Regulation and Guidance are key elements in managing federal grants. The Title III, Part B Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program and Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act (FUTURE Act) are funding opportunities for strengthening the following focus areas for institutions:

Academic Quality – Train and develop faculty, develop curriculum, improve developmental or basic skills courses, develop academic program(s), retain and recruit faculty, increase diversity of faculty, improve average education level of faculty, change the ratio of adjunct to full time professors, change the ratio of non-academic staff to academic staff, change the ratio of the number of students to faculty, improve class size, acquire specialized accreditation, acquire teaching or research laboratory equipment (institutional or joint shared use), acquire library materials (institutional or joint shared use)
Student Services and Outcomes
- Student services: Counseling (peer, career, personal), tutoring and mentoring (peer, staff, faculty), student facilities (general use computer labs, study centers, tutoring centers), create and support learning communities, improve student services (i.e. financial aid distribution process, registration), improve library services (extended hours, tutoring
- Student Outcomes: Graduation rate, retention, persistence (i.e., fall-to-fall, basic skills to for-credit courses), increased academic achievement, happy leavers, increased number of students entering higher degree programs
Fiscal Stability – Establish development office, train development staff, strengthen alumni relations, establish donor database, build capacity to attract external support, build and manage endowment, increase tuition dollars from enrollment, increase research dollars
Institutional Management – Create and maintain management information system(s), develop, integrate and update database(s), staff and train an institutional research office, train and develop staff (other than teaching faculty), Library facilities (construction, renovation), improved institutional management (faculty and staff personnel management, community affairs, outreach office, recruiting), construction and renovation (classrooms, teaching labs), infrastructure for the internet

Title III, Part B Legislative Allowable Activities

1. Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional or research purposes;

2. Construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services;

3. Support of faculty exchanges, faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist these faculty members in attaining advanced degrees in their fields of instruction;

4. Academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are underrepresented;

5. Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials;

6. Tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed to improve academic success;

7. Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management;

8. Joint use of facilities, such as laboratories and libraries;

9. Establishing or improving a development office to strengthen or improve contributions from alumni and the private sector;

10. Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the State that shall include, as part of the program, preparation for teacher certification;

11. Establishing community outreach programs that will encourage elementary and secondary students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education;

12. Establishing or improving an endowment fund;

13. Acquisition of real property in connection with construction, renovation, or addition to or improvement of campus facilities;

14. Education or financial information designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the students’ families, especially with regard to student indebtedness and student assistance programs;

15. Services necessary for the implementation of projects or activities that are described in the grant application and that are approved, in advance, by the Secretary, except that not more than two percent of the grant amount may be used for this purpose.

Title III, Part F Legislative Allowable Activities

1. Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional or research purposes;

3. Academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are underrepresented;

4. Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials;

5. Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the State that shall include, as part of the program, preparation for teacher certification;

6. Other activities consistent with the institution’s comprehensive plan and designed to increase the institution’s capacity to prepare students for careers in the physical or natural sciences, mathematics, computer science or information technology or sciences, engineering, language instruction, in the less-commonly taught languages or international affairs, or nursing or allied health profession.

2017-2022 TITLE III, PART B ACTIVITIES

Types of Projects

Project Administration – The activity will assure that the projected activities are carried out as stipulated in the Comprehensive Development Plan and the Plan of Operation and facilitate the maximum impact of the activities on the University’s mission and goals.

Developing Databases to Effectively Integrate Data Analytics to Drive Accreditation and Data Driven Decisions – The activity will develop and use technology-driven systems that creates prescriptive analytics to inform and enhance policy formation and decision-making for strategic planning, resource allocation, enrollment management, fiscal management, institutional effectiveness, and outcomes assessments.

Expanding Faculty and Staff Development to Promote Teaching, Research, and Retention – This activity will expand faculty and staff development to improve retention rates and promote the highest quality teaching and research necessary to provide an exceptional experience for the students.

Expanding and Extending High Quality Online Learning Opportunities – This activity’s goal is to increase online enrollment, this activity will aid in increasing the number of high-quality online courses and programs and expand online learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.

Updating and Improving the Quality of STEAM Offerings – The project goal is to increase the number of FVSU graduates in science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics (STEAM), and other areas of critical need through the development and redevelopment of traditionally delivered academic courses.

Instituting Research Enrichment at Fort Valley State University – This activity aims to advance the research capabilities of Fort Valley State University’s students, faculty, and staff through training, development, and enrichment activities.

Developing a Student Engagement and Achievement Center – The goal of this activity is to develop a Student Engagement and Achievement (SEA) Center that will provide synchronized academic resources and support services in a centralized environment that assist students in outlining and achieving their educational and career goals. A strong emphasis will be on the transitional period during the first two years of the undergraduate student experience.

Reimagining and Standardizing Technology and Customer Service – The purpose of this activity is to increase cybersecurity at FVSU to accommodate the increased digitally connected devices and community to provide the next generation of students with cutting edge technology for research and instruction. Business offices will have the technological resources to enhance business practices to strategically move FVSU forward by reimagining and standardizing technology for customer service and educational achievement and effectively transforming and enhancing infrastructure. Another goal of this activity is to develop a customer service technology-driven network for administering and managing customized communication, automation of services for speedier delivery and campus-wide collaboration, specifically for the Office of Financial Aid.

Establishing a Student Internationalization (IZN) Program at Fort Valley State University – The Fort Valley State University (FVSU) seeks to establish a Student Internationalization (IZN) Program to inspire its student body by equipping them with global intercultural competences and cultural sensitivity training which in turn will empower them to pursue the lucrative global job market. The project will also empower students to fulfill their ambitions by overcoming any apprehension they currently have in seeking employment among the various and lucrative international job opportunities. In this case, the project will host an initiative to redesign current course curriculum to reflect global/international readiness.

Honors Program Revitalization & Development – The goal of the activity is to relaunch and grow the FVSU Honors Program to include at least six percent of the total FVSU undergraduate student body, or approximately 150 undergraduate students, within the next five years preparatory to converting the program into an Honors College. Students will be provided with additional opportunities to develop habits of critical inquiry and broaden their intellectual horizons.

Developing a Center for Social Justice at Fort Valley State University – The goal of this activity is to establish an FVSU Center for Social Justice which will facilitate interdisciplinary and community-based research, teaching and service activities based on issues of social justice and equity. With the goal of promoting diversity, which is a key principle of social justice. FVSU’s Center for Social Justice will also spearhead an International Folklore Archive to function as a repository of folklore items from around the world which will be incorporated into the Social Justice curriculum.

Developing an HPE Summer Enrichment Program (HPESEP) at Fort Valley State University – The Health and Physical Education Summer Enrichment Program (HPESEP) at Fort Valley State University (FVSU) is a community outreach initiative designed to provide youth within the city of Fort Valley and Peach County, Georgia, and surrounding counties an opportunity to engage in a variety of integrated applied academic activities during June and July. The program’s primary focus includes youth development in physical fitness, wellness, and social and academic skills. This summer outreach program will also expose the participants to career and higher education opportunities. Students from various disciplines such as the College of Education, Public Health, and Counseling will provide hands-on classroom instruction. FVSU students will learn to develop and deliver instruction to various age groups through a sports science curriculum.

2020-2025 TITLE III, Part F ACTIVITIES (FUTURE)

Types of Projects (FUTURE)

Rehabilitating FVSU’s Academic Facilities – The university seeks to implement a plan that will address its expanding, academic facility needs. Under the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act (FUTURE), Fort Valley State University proposes to strengthen the institution by rehabilitating construction, maintenance and renovations of select classrooms and other academic facilities. This will include the purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services. This activity aligns with the university area of need for infrastructure and facility enhancements.

Fort Valley State University Undergraduate Research Academy and Scholars Program: Building Future Leaders in STEAM – The goal of this project is to promote Fort Valley State University students’ academic and professional success through increased participation in undergraduate research. This will be accomplished by preparing students for research internships through an Undergraduate Research Academy and supporting student participation in research projects at FVSU through the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, “Valley Scholars”. UR will also be made more accessible to the entire student body through the creation of a centralized web platform used to communicate internships, events, the UR journal, funding deadlines, application materials, and other undergraduate research endeavors.

Creating Awareness and Training Opportunities in Nanotechnology (CATON) – This activity aims to strengthen academic instruction in nanotechnology in which Black Americans are underrepresented by developing state-of-the-art nanotechnology laboratory at FVSU and create awareness and training opportunities for experiential learning and hands-on experience in nanotechnology.