Increase Funding Equals

Increased Success.

By: Nailah Wright

Nelson Mandela once stated, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to

change the world. Ever since I was little education has been made a priority in my life, Im sure

it has been the same way for many children around the country. Of course, many people know

that black and whites have not always been treated equally. Although some things have gotten

better over time, others have still been an ongoing battle. What happens when the institution you

chose to go to is still not being treated equally? Historically Black Colleges and Universities do

not receive adequate funding, therefore government funding for HBCUs should be increased to

at least one billion dollars.

Did you ever experience not having enough money to buy certain clothes or that meal

that you really wanted? That feeling of sorrow is how it feels not receiving enough funding to be

the best school you can be. The amount of government funding toward Historically Black

Colleges and Universities versus Predominately White Institutions is not equal. According to an

article from the U.S. Department of Education, Pell Grant funding towards HBCUs in 2010 was

around 650 million (Obama Administration). Yet the total amount of Pell funding for 2010 was

36 billion dollars (Impact of Pell Surge). If the total amount was billions of dollars and HBCU

students only got about half a billion, this means that the rest of the money went towards

Predominately White Institutions. This ratio is unfair and unjust, this is a major reason why

HBCUs continue to struggle financially.

 Not only does the government fail to increase funding for HBCUs but even some states

withhold money from them. According to an article on diverseeducation.com Recent lawsuits in

South Carolina and Maryland on behalf of the states public HBCUs contend that South Carolina

State University in South Carolina and Morgan State University, the University of Maryland

Eastern Shore, Coppin State University and Bowie State University in Maryland have

historically received less funding and inequitable program offering compared to the states

predominantly White institutions (Funding at HBCUs). This also shows that predominately

white schools are placed as a priority when it comes to dispersing funds in state. I am a student

attending a Historically Black University therefore I see the direct effects due to lack of funding.

It effects the dorms, scholarship awards from the school, the educational environment and much

more. There are many complaints that I hear from students that go to various HBCUs. There are

complaints about the dorm rooms being old fashioned and out of date, complaints about mold,

old campus buildings and much more. There are especially complaints about financial aid.

Besides the few number of students on full or partial scholarship from their universities, if

students have scholarships most of them are from an outside source. Even some students who are

eligible for a scholarship cannot get one because there is only a certain amount of scholarship

money for the University.

Despite certain peoples views, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are essential

to society. HBCUs have shown their relevance given the fact that they comprise only 3% of

colleges and universities in the United States, yet they produce more than 20% of all African

American college graduates (Gasman, Baez, Drezner, Sedgwick, & Tudico, 2007; Tatum,

2010). Without HBCUs there would be a decline in African-American graduates. This is why it

is so important to continue to fund HBCUs and to give them more money. More money for
HBCUs will create better facilities and eventually result in more African-Americans graduating

due to better resources. All in all the government should give at least a billion dollars towards

HBCU funding.
Works Cited:

Cmaadmin. "Funding at HBCUs Continues to be Separate and Unequal." Diverse. N.p., 04 June

2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

"FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Investments in Historically Black Colleges and

Universities." FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Investments in Historically Black Colleges

and Universities | U.S. Department of Education. N.p., 24 Oct. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

Gasman M., Baez B., Drezner N. D., Sedgwick K. V., Tudico C. M. (2007). Historically Black

colleges and universities: Recent trends. Academe, 93(1), 69-78.

"Impact of Pell Surge." Study: U.S. higher education receives more from federal than state

governments. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.