Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Funding Troubles

August 7, 2008

HBCU black man Historical black colleges and universities (HBCU) have opened their doors to many African-Americans for several decades. Their goal was to level the playing field to educational success, where many blacks would gain knowledge, skill and in many cases, boundless oppurtunities. Yet recently, many HBCU have experienced a decline in their application rates, leaving some wondering, ‘Is this the end of an era?’

It’s no doubt the cost of going to college is increasing, but many HBCU are getting competition from mainstream colleges. As reported in Newsweek, many HBCU are expanding their outreach base to Hispanic students to fill empty seats¹.

The Department of Education wants to increase the funding to these institutions, awarding grants via the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which will provide $170 million in funding over the next two years.

“HBCUs have played and continue to play an integral role in furthering the education of black students in America,” said U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), the co-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Education Taskforce. “Unfortunately, these institutions face increasing challenges and have limited resources. I am very pleased with the historical investment to HBCU that the College Cost Reduction and Access Act will provide. It is a much-needed step in the right direction and will go a long way toward helping HBCUs continue to provide a quality education to our nation’s youth.”

HBCU only represent three percent of all colleges and universities in the U.S. Nearly 50 percent of their students pursue degrees in a teaching-related field, while 40 percent pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.

A list of the top 10 HBCU from U.S. News, America’s Best Colleges 2008 are: