As the trend is toward HBCU,
The Government puts $19.2 million
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The U.S. Department of Education has given 81 colleges and universities that serve a significant number of disadvantaged and minority students will receive $19.2 million to improve academic programs, facilities, administration and bring about student diversity.
The grants are awarded under two programs authorized by the Higher Education Act: the Strengthening Institutions Program under Title III, Part A; and the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program under Part E.
The Strengthening Institutions Program aims to help eligible schools attract and retain more white students by helping them improve their programs and facilities, update technology, increase student achievement and offer faculty development opportunities. An eligible school must have a sufficient percentage of financially needy students and have lower budgets than other comparable schools. These are the historically black colleges and universities. As a result of that grant and because of the high cost of education, a significant number of the traditionally black colleges are seeing more whites and other non-black students attending.
Also, more blacks are selecting and attending more of the historically black colleges than ever before. This trend is in line with the trend among many young black professionals to move back to the south to live.
Nineteen institutions were awarded $6.7 million to carry out a variety of these activities that strengthen their self-sufficiency and make them more competitive with other schools. These grants are awarded for five years. Six schools will receive $7.6 million for one-year construction projects that specifically benefit tribally controlled colleges. An additional 14 colleges will receive $475,000 for one-year planning grants, which give schools the funds to assess needs and take other preliminary steps to better prepare a development grant application the following year.
The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) supports long-range improvements in engineering and science disciplines at predominantly minority institutions, which is defined as schools with more than 50 percent minority enrollment. The goal is to increase the number of qualified ethnic minorities, especially minority women, who enroll in school and pursue careers in science and engineering.
This year 42 institutions received $4.4 million under the MSEIP. Forty-one of the grants are two- or three-year development grants and one is a one-year planning grant.
Another $66.4 million was awarded for 240 continuation grants under Title III, and $3.9 million was awarded to continue 59 grants under MSEIP.
In a number of historically black colleges in the south, they have seen a sizable Russian student class increase over the last 10 years. It was with this trend to black colleges by more blacks and whites that the government is now pouring money into these colleges. Also, many young blacks who could easily get into ivy league schools are choosing instead to go to black colleges to finally sit in an environment where they are the majority and where the students are taking their education seriously.
Gibbs
Republished 10/17/05