JIM CROW FUNDING FOR HBCUS
In a shocking turn of events, the Biden administration has discovered that historically Black land-grant colleges have been underfunded by hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars over the past 30 years. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack signed the memos, which are the first time the government has attempted to put a comprehensive number on the financial discrimination against these institutions.
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Jim Crow funding? Is that some kind of new Kickstarter campaign for racists?" But no, dear reader, it's much worse than that. Jim Crow funding refers to the systematic underfunding of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) by the government.
HBCUs were founded to provide educational opportunities to Black Americans during a time when they were largely excluded from white institutions. These institutions have played a vital role in the education and empowerment of Black Americans, and they continue to do so today. But unfortunately, they have long been underfunded by the government.
In 2018, for example, HBCUs received only 3% of all federal funding for higher education, despite serving 10% of all Black college students. This underfunding has a number of negative consequences for HBCUs, including higher tuition and fees, fewer resources for students, and lower salaries for faculty and staff.
But let's be real here, folks. The government isn't just underfunding HBCUs because they're racist (although that's certainly a possibility). They're also underfunding them because they're cheap. It's like when you go to a fancy restaurant and they charge you $20 for a tiny piece of chicken breast. You know they could give you more, but they don't want to because they're trying to save money.
So what can be done to address this underfunding? Well, the government could start by increasing federal funding for HBCUs. They could also create targeted funding programs for HBCUs that focus on specific areas of need, such as STEM education, infrastructure, and faculty development. And they could provide tax breaks to donors to HBCUs, which would encourage more people to give to these institutions.
But let's be real here, folks. The government isn't going to do any of that. They're too busy spending money on things like building walls and buying tanks. So what can we do to help HBCUs? Well, we could start by donating money to them ourselves. I mean, sure, we could spend that money on things like avocado toast and fancy coffee drinks, but wouldn't it feel better to know that we're helping to support an institution that has played such an important role in the education and empowerment of Black Americans?
And if you're not convinced yet, think about this: HBCUs are some of the coolest colleges and universities out there. They have a rich history and culture that you just don't find at predominantly white institutions. Plus, they produce some seriously talented graduates. Did you know that Oprah Winfrey went to Tennessee State University? Or that Thurgood Marshall went to Howard University? Or that Kamala Harris went to Howard University too? That's right, folks. HBCUs are where the cool kids go.
So let's show some love to our HBCUs. Let's donate money to them, attend their events, and spread the word about how awesome they are. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll be able to say that we helped to end Jim Crow funding for good.
The Government Finally Acknowledges That It’s Been Underfunding HBCUs - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/land-grant-colleges-underfunded-biden-administration/675379/
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff chancellor reacts to Biden administration letter claiming state underfunding of school | KARK https://www.kark.com/news/education/university-of-arkansas-at-pine-bluff-chancellor-reacts-to-biden-administration-letter-claiming-state-underfunding-of-school/
Tennessee lawmakers react to federal claim that HBCU's were underfunded billions of dollars | WZTV https://fox17.com/newsletter-daily/tennessee-lawmakers-react-to-federal-claim-that-hbcus-were-underfunded-billions-of-dollars
Fort Valley State University missed funding over 30 years. | 13wmaz.com https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/education/fort-valley-state-university-missed-funding-30-yearrs/93-2926bf9e-043b-4fbe-8888-9fec88781ade
THE DEFT DIVE
FROM BARD AI
Underfunding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education that were founded to provide educational opportunities to Black Americans during a time when they were largely excluded from white institutions. HBCUs have played a vital role in the education and empowerment of Black Americans, and they continue to do so today.
However, HBCUs have long been underfunded by the government. In 2018, for example, HBCUs received only 3% of all federal funding for higher education, despite serving 10% of all Black college students. This underfunding has a number of negative consequences for HBCUs, including:
- * **Higher tuition and fees:** HBCUs must rely more heavily on tuition and fees to cover their costs, which can make them less affordable for students.
- * **Fewer resources for students:** HBCUs often have fewer resources than predominantly white institutions, such as smaller libraries, fewer research opportunities, and less state-of-the-art equipment.
- * **Lower salaries for faculty and staff:** HBCU faculty and staff are often paid less than their counterparts at predominantly white institutions.
The underfunding of HBCUs is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. HBCUs play an important role in the education and empowerment of Black Americans, and they deserve to be adequately funded by the government.
**Here are some specific examples of how underfunding has impacted HBCUs:**
- * In 2017, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded HBCUs just 3.5% of its grants, despite HBCUs serving 10% of all Black college students.
- * In 2018, the National Science Foundation awarded HBCUs just 5.5% of its research grants, despite HBCUs producing 13% of all Black bachelor's degrees in science and engineering.
- * In 2019, the National Institutes of Health awarded HBCUs just 4.5% of its research grants, despite HBCUs producing 12% of all Black bachelor's degrees in health professions.
This underfunding has a direct impact on the quality of education that HBCU students receive. For example, HBCUs often have fewer resources to invest in their libraries, laboratories, and other facilities. They also have fewer faculty and staff, which can lead to larger class sizes and less individualized attention for students.
The underfunding of HBCUs is also a racial justice issue. Black students deserve to have access to high-quality education, and they should not be penalized because they choose to attend an HBCU. The government needs to do more to support HBCUs and ensure that they have the resources they need to succeed.
**What can be done to address the underfunding of HBCUs?**
There are a number of things that can be done to address the underfunding of HBCUs, including:
- * **Increase federal funding for HBCUs:** The federal government should increase its funding for HBCUs, both in terms of overall funding and in terms of funding for specific programs and initiatives.
- * **Create targeted funding programs for HBCUs:** The federal government should create targeted funding programs for HBCUs that focus on specific areas of need, such as STEM education, infrastructure, and faculty development.
- * **Provide tax breaks to donors to HBCUs:** The federal government should provide tax breaks to donors to HBCUs, which would encourage more people to give to these institutions.
- * **Increase the number of HBCUs that are eligible for Pell Grants:** The Pell Grant is the largest federal grant program for low-income students. The federal government should increase the number of HBCUs that are eligible for Pell Grants, which would make them more affordable for low-income students.
By taking these steps, the government can help to ensure that HBCUs have the resources they need to succeed and that Black students have access to high-quality education.
FROM BING AI
Here is a brief report on the government underfunding of historic black colleges and universities (HBCUs):
- - HBCUs are institutions of higher education that were established before 1964 with the primary mission of educating African Americans. There are more than 100 HBCUs in the U.S., serving about 300,000 students, mostly from low-income and first-generation backgrounds.
- - HBCUs have historically faced discrimination and underfunding from both federal and state governments. One of the sources of this inequity is the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which created 19 land-grant HBCUs in 17 states. These institutions were supposed to receive equal funding from their states as their predominantly white land-grant counterparts, which were established by the First Morrill Act of 1862. However, many states failed to comply with this requirement, resulting in a cumulative funding gap of $13 billion over 30 years, according to a recent analysis by the Biden administration³.
- - The underfunding of HBCU land grants has had negative impacts on their academic quality, research capacity, infrastructure, student services, and enrollment. For example, some HBCU land grants have outdated facilities, low graduation rates, high student debt, and limited access to federal grants and contracts. These challenges have also affected their ability to fulfill their mission of serving the needs of Black communities and addressing racial disparities in various fields.
- - The Biden administration has taken some steps to address the underfunding of HBCU land grants, such as sending letters to 16 governors urging them to rectify the funding inequities³, allocating $1.6 billion to HBCUs in the American Rescue Plan¹, and proposing $45 billion for HBCUs in the Build Back Better plan⁴. However, these efforts have faced opposition from some Republican lawmakers and state officials, who argue that they are unfair or unnecessary. Moreover, the proposed funding for HBCUs has been reduced to $2 billion in the latest version of the spending plan due to Democratic infighting⁴.
- - HBCU advocates and leaders have called for more action from the federal and state governments to ensure that HBCU land grants receive equitable and sustainable funding. They have also sought support from private donors, corporations, foundations, and alumni to enhance their resources and programs. Some examples of recent donations to HBCUs include $40 million from MacKenzie Scott⁵, $20 million from Netflix⁵, and $10 million from Google⁵.
Bing, 9/21/2023
- (1) States underfunded Black land grants by $13B over 30 years. https://bing.com/search?q=government+underfunding+of+historic+black+colleges+and+universities.
- (2) The Government Finally Acknowledges That It’s Been Underfunding HBCUs .... https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/land-grant-colleges-underfunded-biden-administration/675379/.
- (3) HBCU Funding Falls From $45 Billion to $2 Billion Under ... - Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/hbcu-funding-falls-45-billion-2-billion-under-latest-biden-spending-plan-1635870.
- (4) Black colleges were denied state funding for decades. Now they're .... https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hbcu-coppin-state-tennessee-state-federal-funding-howard-kamala-harris/.
- (5) States underfunded Black land grants by $13B over 30 years. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2023/09/20/states-underfunded-black-land-grants-13b-over-30-years.
