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Over the past decade, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have emerged as an important part of the post-secondary landscape in the United States. There is a growing call to support HBCUs at the state level as they drive nearly $15 billion in annual economic activity. But this renewed attention has also put new focus on the systemic underfunding of his HBCU over the last century.
Too often, partisan lines stifle legislation at the expense of students. I am President and CEO of The Hunt Institute, a non-profit focused on educational reform through research and policy advocacy, where legislators at the K-12 level approach education law from a data-driven, nonpartisan lens. has been successful in The higher education sector can learn from these successes.
With the imminent 2027 college admissions cliff approaching and the need to increase post-secondary attainment to meet workforce needs, HBCUs and their corresponding minority service institutions (MSIs) are critical to the state economy and It is important for the sustainable future of higher education. As a result, supporting HBCUs and MSIs must be on the bipartisan agenda to move forward, and several states offer a glimpse of what is possible when legislators work together. increase.
HBCU Impact on America
HBCUs are institutions founded in the early 19th century to enable states to provide blacks with equal opportunities in higher education. There are currently 107 of her HBCUs, offering educational opportunities for all races and ethnicities, but most of the students enrolled are black.
HBCUs generate a combined economic impact of $14.8 billion and create over 130,000 jobs in local and regional economies. HBCUs are also a driving force in employment, with 75% of all black Americans with doctorates, 75% of all black officers in the military, and 80% of all black federal judges attending his HBCU faculty. I am undergoing course training.
HBCUs and MSIs also serve a disproportionate number of students from low-income or under-resourced backgrounds, developing them into successful employees who otherwise might not have received higher education. To do. Additionally, HBCUs and MSIs help prepare students for careers in which professionals of color are underrepresented, such as the medical profession and entrepreneurship. Finally, HBCU tuition fees are nearly 30% lower than comparable institutions, helping lower student debt levels and ultimately helping to reduce the racial wealth gap. .
Given the impact HBCUs have on our society, imagine the possibilities if HBCUs were fully funded. In one of our recent issue briefs, between 2010 and 2012, 61% of land grant HBCUs fell by 1% compared to comparable land grant predominantly white institutions (PWIs). It turns out that you haven’t received enough money to fill your 1v1 matches. Unfortunately, the lack of state-by-state matching led to resource shortages in many of his HBCUs, impacting students and academics.
As the U.S. sees a changing student population, policymakers need to increase postsecondary education to serve more Black, Indigenous, people of color, adult learners, low-income and rural students. must work together to promote mutual benefit.
Below are three strategies that policy makers should consider when developing strategies to support HBCUs.
Expanding Understanding and Support for Minority Service Agencies
HBCUs are just one of many minority service providers that make up the higher education system. Placing the HBCU in the larger conversation of all MSIs will allow us to further the discussion and create a larger coalition.
MSI is a university that serves a specific student population and is distinctive in its mission and day-to-day operations. His MSI map of the nation at the Hunt Institute shows how important his MSI is to the structure of American higher education.
HBCUs received designation from the beginning, but most MSIs receive that distinction and additional access to federal funds by meeting student enrollment thresholds. The MSI designation includes institutions that serve primarily Black, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic students. As of 2020, there are over 700 of his MSIs in the United States, serving over 6.5 million students, with additional institutions receiving designations each year.
As policymakers seek to build coalitions to support, understanding the state’s postsecondary institutional landscape provides an opportunity to build larger, bipartisan coalitions.
gain bipartisan support from the start
HBCU and MSI support should be an ongoing discussion involving all parties from the beginning. An elected official with her HBCU in the district should consider how to adequately fund or reward good work in educational institutions and expand its economic impact. By involving all policymakers in her HBCUs and MSIs in the district, the legislature could gain bipartisan support.
Their work to reach a $250 million settlement was successful with a bipartisan buy-in, as seen in a Hunt Institute review of Tennessee’s bipartisan legislation to support HBCUs. A six-member bipartisan bicameral committee was formed to investigate why Tennessee State University has not received the full matching funding mandated by the Land Grant Act. Bipartisan committee committees created champions on both sides of the aisle, leading to more successful negotiations.
A review of Maryland’s Hunt Institute and a legal battle to address HBCU funding shortfalls showed that the legal system can be slow-moving. Maryland, through its legislative system, almost unanimously supported her $577 million settlement proposal that would be used to maintain and enhance her HBCU in Maryland. Even Georgia’s newest HBCU research committee, Hunt Keen, her leadership, chaired by her fellow Georgia Senator Sonya Halpern, will see the state hold a lively dialogue on higher education funding. It shows your dedication to
There are a number of strategies to help our HBCUs overcome their historical funding shortfalls and strengthen and improve their institutions’ futures. By clarifying the return on investment, economic liquidity and community impact of these institutions, the conversation is more important than ever for elected officials representing these districts. States are creating a blueprint for this work, but the only way to see national success is through bipartisan unity and leadership.
Javaid Siddiqi is the President and CEO of the Hunt Institute.
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