Website Presence and Usability Among Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• Published in: The Journal of Negro education Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 123 - 137
• Main Authors: Glenn Jones, Patrice W., Davenport, Elizabeth K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Journal of Negro Education 01.01.2021; Howard University School of Education; Howard University, School of Divinity
• Subjects: Advertising; Aesthetics; African American Students; African Americans; Black college students; Black Colleges; Civil Rights Legislation; College Admission; College Bound Students; Decision Making; Design; Economic Factors; Economic Status; Evaluation; High School Students; Higher Education; Historically Black Colleges & Universities; Internet; Learning Activities; Marketing; Navigation (Information Systems); Recruitment; Student Attitudes; Student Recruitment; Student Satisfaction; United States History; Universities; Usability; Users (Information); Web site design; Web Sites; Websites; North Carolina; Alabama; Georgia; United States > US
• ISSN: 0022-2984; 2167-6437

Many high school students first “visit” colleges and universities through digital means. For some students, institutional websites are the only exposure they have to the campus until fully admitted and enrolled. Thus, institutional websites are one of the most important media for potential students to secure information, and web presence is essential to a postsecondary institution’s brand, influence, and recruitment. The usability and functionality of historically Black college and university websites in Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia were examined. Four professionals evaluated the institutional websites using the User-Perceived Web Quality (UPWQ) instrument in February 2018. At the time of evaluation, the researchers found that Fayetteville State University received the highest score. By state, North Carolina institutions had the highest mean.