VI. Conclusions

As noted in the Introduction, this paper presents an exploratory study. As such, all of its findings must be regarded as tentative. The Methodology section also noted that the study's primary source of data was a set of customized searches configured via a tool that Google introduced last month (October 2006). The reader may have noted that Google still regards this tool as a "beta", i.e., not in its final form because of possible flaws. Indeed, this report called the reader's attention to some peculiaririties that popped up here and there, peculiarities that may reflect the preliminary status of this new tool. However, all of these caveats notwithstanding, we are greatly encouraged by the study's principal findings:

• The network of HBCU Websites was found to have a Core.
  
  
• The members of the Core seem to be well-connected to each other and to the other Websites in the HBCU community.
  
  
• The Core is broadly distributed throughout the states wherein the largest number of HBCUs are located.
  
  
• Two members of the Core are service organizations, 8 are private HBCUs, and 13 are public HBCUs.
  
  
• Of the 21 HBCUs in the Core, only 3 are four year colleges; the other 18 HBCUs are universities with extensive graduate level programs, including the four Google "celebrities".
  
  
• The Core contains few surprises. Indeed, a quick review of the Gateway's Announcements page shows that as of 11/19/06 that 10 of the Gateway's top 13 news makers during the last 365 days are in the Core! ... :-)
  
  
• Four members of the Core have been assigned Google's PageRank = 8. This means that they are highly visible to the outside world. Therefore faculty, staff, and students outside the HBCU community are likely to encounter the Webpages of these "celebrity" Websites during their searches. But given the extensive references between the members of the Core, these outside searchers will be referred from the "celebrities" to other Core Websites.
  
  
• On the other hand, the members of the Core seem to be well-connected to prominent academic Websites outside the HBCU community. This means that faculty, staff, and students located at any HBCU will be referred from their own Websites, to Core Websites, to the most prominent academic Websites outside.

In summary, the Core Websites are "gatekeepers". They facilitate the access of outsiders to information generated within the HBCU community; and moving in the reverse direction, the Core Websites facilitate the access of the faculty, staff, and students within the HBCU community to information generated outside of the community.