Quick: Name a historically Black college or university. Most people would list Howard, Morehouse, Spelman or Hampton. They’re not wrong — but they are part of the problem faced by the other 103 HBCUs.
The top four receive the most media attention and donations, particularly after the spotlight of Black Lives Matter over the past year. But many others need attention and funding after years of financial struggle. As in all of higher education, their costs have steadily risen, but unlike many private colleges they can’t raise tuition steeply without excluding many students they aim to serve. And although some federal funding increases have flowed in recent years, the damage was already done from a long period of cuts. Federal dollars for HBCUs fell 42% between 2003 and 2015.
Recent Comments