For decades, state and federal governments have disproportionately funded white land-grant universities while Black land-grant universities operated “on shoestring budgets.” A new report provides policy recommendations to close funding gaps.
Topics: HBCUs
At many HBCUs, men represent just one third of undergraduates
Male students make up a shrinking share of undergraduates at many HBCUs across the country, mirroring overall declines in Black student enrollment that could stall efforts to diversify in-demand professions.
HBCUs seek innovative ways to address housing insecurity
With enrollment on the rise at some historically Black colleges and universities, schools are thinking outside the box—and even using shipping containers—to provide housing accommodations.
HBCUs seek highest recognition for research and innovation
To date, no historically Black college or university has attained R1 status, the highest possible classification for research universities. After earning record levels of research funding, some HBCUs are poised to change that.
Colleges step up prevention and early intervention services for students facing mental health challenges
Colleges and universities are encouraging early mental health screening and supporting the re-entry of students who take a medical leave of absence.
HBCUs see influx of funding, partnerships from companies looking to diversify workforce
Some of the nation’s largest corporations are partnering with HBCUs to recruit new hires and increase awareness of potential career paths.
Tennessee commits $318M to its only public HBCU, but does that compensate for decades of underfunding?
After a report revealed that Tennessee withheld millions of dollars in funding from the state’s only public historically Black college, the state’s governor proposed giving the university $318 million. However, experts say that’s not enough.
Offering admission to students’ friends and family, an HBCU hopes to lift a whole community
Paul Quinn College is seeking to address intergenerational poverty with a new policy offering admission to friends and family of newly enrolled students.
‘Put the money to good use’: Revisiting MacKenzie Scott’s transformative unrestricted gifts to HBCUs
More than a year after MacKenzie Scott donated $560 million in unrestricted funds to 23 public and private historically Black colleges and universities, the gifts have added resilience to minority-serving institutions confronting existential threats.
Bomb threats unsettle dozens of HBCU campuses
Recent bomb threats at dozens of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities have put campuses on edge and sparked concerns about the toll on students.
HBCU initiative aims to address widespread basic needs insecurity
Two-thirds of HBCU students surveyed in fall 2020 reported basic needs insecurity, according to a report released in tandem with a new initiative to help historically black institutions advocate for funding and deepen their support services.
Book explores legacy of inequitable investment in Black colleges as advocates urge greater federal funding
A new book chronicles the policies and persistent underfunding that have shaped the trajectory of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities—and calls on the government to step up support.