Louisville, Kentucky (AP) — After the Biden administration included $ 45 billion in schools in its multi-trillion dollar spending plan, optimism about transformative funding for historically black colleges increased.
That outlook quickly deteriorated as funds were caught up in the Democratic dispute over the size of the economic package and what it should cover. The latest iteration of the bill includes just $ 2 billion that can be devoted to black college education programs and infrastructure, and even that amount is reduced to competitive grants rather than direct allocations. Will be done.
This is especially disappointing for many of the smaller, historically black private universities that do not have large, well-known classmate donations. They often struggle to upgrade campuses and programs, hurting their ability to attract students.
The Biden administration’s initial $ 3.5 trillion proposal sent at least $ 45 billion to black colleges and other minority service institutions to update research programs, support student innovation, and be traditionally serviced. He wanted to create an incubator to help those who didn’t.
Obtaining that slice would have benefited Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, a historically black private university. President Roderick L. Smothers said the federal coronavirus bailout helped universities survive the pandemic with technology upgrades and student support, but Biden’s original proposal seems to have long-term implications. He said he provided some kind of funding.
“We used the money we received to serve the students we have, and now when we are on the other side of this pandemic, our institutions We’re looking for additional funding to make sure it’s bigger, better, and more resilient, “Smothers said.
Universities increased enrollment by 43% between 2010 and 2019, according to federal data analyzed by the Associated Press. This is the latest data available, but donations decreased by 18% over the same period. Overall, enrollment in about 102 black colleges in the United States is declining — from 326,827 in 2010 to 289,507 in 2019.
Beyond building upgrades, Smith College would have used long-term federal funding to expand its programs for its students, Smothers said, 81% of which are low-income. This could include the launch of a public health school that trains students to address health inequalities affecting racial minorities and help address the state’s nursing shortages.
Democratic Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, who heads the US House of Education, said that historically, black colleges have received unprecedented levels of federal funding in the last two years, more than the sum of the last decade. This includes $ 1.6 billion under the Democratic Party’s US rescue program passed earlier this year.
This money allowed them to pursue initiatives such as canceling student debt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scott, a member of Congressional Black Caucus, said the bill also included $ 27 billion to support students at black colleges and other institutions serving racial minorities. .. Still, he acknowledged the need for more funding.
“We want to do as much as we can,” Scott said. “I’m not happy. I’m not happy with the budget within our jurisdiction.”
Scott said the Ministry of Education has promised to ensure that the grant programs contained in the current bill are structured to compete with similar universities. This is a way to prevent large schools with strong grant-making departments from framing small schools.
This is important to deal with the big differences between universities. An analysis of the Associated Press registration and donation data showed that there was a large disparity between the 102 historical black universities, and even more between private and public universities. For example, according to federal government data, 11 HBCU donations for the 2018-19 school year were less than $ 1,000 per student, while 9 HBCU donations were over $ 50,000 per student. rice field.
In general, black universities lacked the ability to raise funds for other universities. Cumulative donations from all Historically Black Colleges by 2019 were just over $ 3.9 billion, much the same as donations from the University of Minnesota alone. Proponents said the funding struggle and the role the university has historically played are the reasons for the need for long-term federal support.
Harry L. Williams, chairman of the Thurgood Marshall University Foundation, which represents the public HBCU, was surprised and disappointed that the latest Democratic Economic Plan reduced quotas for black colleges. He also said they should not be with other institutions servicing racial minorities. He said it could include many large state universities.
According to Williams, black colleges have a unique history, needs and financial challenges.
Kevin Cosby, President of Simmons University, Kentucky, Louisville agrees.
“It is not right to mix them with minority service institutions that are not historical institutions that do not have a legacy of historical discrimination,” he said. “Historically, black colleges should be separated as protected class institutions, because, like the black community, our experience in the United States is unique.”
Due to historical lack of funding, black colleges often accumulate years of postponed maintenance, and the building does not comply with local regulations or otherwise cannot accommodate students. .. Donations will be used for annual operating expenses, making it difficult to invest in new programs and buildings. This is the “biggest problem” for attracting students, Cosby said.
Last spring, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a long-awaited law, allowing his school to have a certified teacher program. This initiative is of particular significance to Simmons due to the state’s persistent shortage of teachers and the school’s mission to train formerly enslaved Kentucky citizens as teachers. But Mr Cosby said it would be more difficult for Simmons to start the program quickly without long-term federal funding.
“We need resources to improve facility space, infrastructure, capital, and hire teachers,” he said. “We can only prosper as an institution to the extent that we have the resources.”
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Hudspeth Blackburn is a corps member of the Associated Press / Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in the local newsroom to report on unreported issues.
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Ma covers the education and impartiality of AP’s racial and ethnic teams. Follow her on Twitter: https: //http://www.twitter.com/anniema15
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The Associated Press report on racial and ethnic issues is partially supported by the Science Education Department of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. AP is solely responsible for all content.
Black College Financing Hopes Dimmed In Federal Budget Battle | WGN Radio 720
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