Sam Polk is director of facilities management and associate professor of technology at Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee. He also served as the 2001-2002 president of APPA's Southeastern Region. He can be reached at spolk@tnstate.edu.

During the 1998 APPA conference in San Jose, California, a number of African American members met to discuss the relatively low participation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in APPA. As a result, an HBCU recruitment committee was formed for the purpose of increasing HBCU membership. This committee concluded that HBCUs share the same challenges as other higher education institutions-increased competition in the marketplace, demands for new technologies, and significant deferred maintenance levels. Participation in a professional association such as APPA can help prepare the facilities team to tackle these issues by providing information, resources, and a network of colleagues with whom to exchange ideas and experiences.

To gain a better understanding of the constraints facing HBCU facilities administrators and their involvement in APPA, I conducted, in 1999, a study, "Participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in APPA and Regional Associations." The findings of this study appeared in the January/February 1999 issue of Facilities Manager. Briefly let me share a few of the key results:

• Sixteen percent of the HBCUs indicated that the lack of African American officers greatly affects their membership decision; 78 percent were greatly affected by the low number of African Americans in attendance at annual conferences; and 23 percent want more HBCU issues addressed.
• Fifty-six percent said recruitment of HBCUs is necessary.
• Fifty percent indicated that a trial membership would be beneficial to continue membership.

Since 1999, APPA has made good progress in addressing these issues. Some of the progress includes:

• Two HBCU membership drives were conducted offering a one-year-free membership in 1999 and 2002 to first-time members.
• A one-time reduction of $200 to renew membership was offered in 2002 to HBCUs who previously held membership.
• HBCU membership increased from 24 in 1999 to 31 in 2001. In SRAPPA, the eleven member Board of Directors now consists of four African Americans including one African American female. Of the five APPA committee representatives, two are African Americans.

While this is good progress, more is needed. Therefore, a new initiative was instituted in October 2001 extending to all presidents of the nation's 113 HBCUs a special invitation 1) to become an active member in APPA with a one-year-free trial membership, 2) for previous members to renew their membership at a reduced $200 rate, and 3) to be our guest at a special HBCU event during the annual SRAPPA conference in Atlanta on October 12-13, 2002, with all expenses paid. Simply, we wanted to encourage HBCUs-members and nonmembers-to attend the SRAPPA conference to look us over, see what we do, and gain a better appreciation of how membership could result in improved facility management. Moreover, we wanted to get input on pertinent HBCU facility issues and on ways to increase participation. To accomplish this we obtained a business partner for this endeavor, UNICCO Integrated Services. We are grateful to UNICCO and Randy Ledbetter for stepping up to the plate with more than $20,000 to support this initiative.

The results of this initiative were highlighted during the SRAPPA conference. Seventeen HBCUs were represented: nine institutions became new members and eight renewed membership. As a result, the total HBCU membership in APPA has increased from 24 in 1999 to 40 in 2002. This brings the HBCU participation to 35 percent and closely aligns with APPA's 40 percent membership of all four- and two-year institutions in the United States.

During the special HBCU event, three specific activities took place:

• During the welcome luncheon, I was delighted to have the opportunity to give an overview of the history and role HBCUs play in higher education along with some of its unique problems and challenges.
• During the HBCU informative session designed to acquaint HBCUs with the benefits of membership in APPA, I was excited to have three APPA members lead the discussion. Lander Medlin (APPA executive president) discussed International APPA, with Art Sykes (Central Region) discussing regional associations, and Jewell Winn (Southeastern Region) the state associations.
• The informative session was highlighted with Phil Cox (APPA 2002-03 president) leading the discussion and engaging over 40 HBCU guests and other participants in ways to improve membership and participation.

Some of the suggestions coming from that discussion that we intend to follow up include:

• Continue written communication with HBCU presidents along with face-to-face visits.
• Make presentations at meetings involving HBCU presidents, such as the National Association of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFFO) and the Council for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
• Set-up a mentoring partnership pairing well established facilities management organizations with HBCUs who desire a mentoring partner.
• Provide scholarships to HBCUs to attend APPA training opportunities and annual conferences.
• Include more diversity and pictorial representations in APPA's print media.
• Continue active HBCU recruitment efforts.
• Coordinate a follow-up teleconference along with a meeting during the APPA/ NACUBO 2003 meeting in Nashville.

The HBCU event at the SRAPPA conference was rated by participants to be very meaningful and worthwhile. Phil Cox said that "the HBCU initiative was spectacular in that we now have a better understanding of how we might better serve HBCUs and that this effort is in perfect alignment with my diversity goal for APPA."

In closing, the whole of what we wanted to accomplish is summarized by one of the HBCU participants, Dr. Marian H. Smith, assistant vice president for administrative services at Alabama State University. Dr. Smith sent information received during the conference to 13 administrative leaders and facility personnel along with the following memo that stated in part,

"It was an honor and a privilege to represent our renowned institution at the SRAPPA annual meeting. From October 13-14, 2002 in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, more than four hundred administrators convened. My distinct pleasure was manifested in firsthand observation of this year's theme: 'Bridging the World in 2002' being addressed via issues peculiar to educational institutions nationally and internationally.

Novel and of unequivocal importance was the thrust for HBCU inclusion made by the outgoing president, Dr. Sam L. Polk Sr. of Tennessee State University. Relative to his efforts submitted herewith a copy of the current SRAPPA newsletter. Therein, you will find a succinct summary of Dr. Polk's efforts to ensure and increase HBCU involvement in the organization.

Finally, involvement complements performance. Interaction with other professionals ideally enhances personal knowledge and extends networking options. Personally, I feel that every professional should eagerly anticipate attendance at, at least one meeting per year. Otherwise, professional growth diminishes. It will be my resolve to encourage your participation in APPA and will encourage other HBCUs as well."

In closing, I am grateful for all who attended and assisted with this recruitment initiative. I believe that together we have validated the fact that as an organization, nothing is more important than the active recruitment, retention, and participation of the membership guided by sensitivity and diversity. To this end, let us continue.