Post by Champs Elysees on Mar 20, 2008 10:06:46 GMT -5
Bush's Plan Cuts Black College Fund
President Bush's 2009 education budget proposal cuts $85 million in funds designated for historically black colleges and universities — money that local leaders say is crucial to improving the traditionally underfunded schools.
Should this funding program for historically black colleges and universities be cut? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.
Bush's budget proposal essentially deletes an increase for those schools provided by the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act in September. That was the first increase in funding the Department of Education's Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities program has received since 2005.
Higher education leaders said they will wait out the legislative process to see how the schools fare once the budget moves through the Democrat-controlled Congress. They wonder what the cut could mean for the grant program's future.
"The HBCU community, it's safe to say, they would be disappointed but not necessarily surprised," said Edith Bartley, director of government affairs at the United Negro College Fund.
North Carolina's 10 HBCUs received a combined $27.7 million from the program last year. The program brought about $6.5 million of that to Greensboro colleges.
The $238 million grant program provides funding to 96 federally recognized schools that have historically served black students. Ten institutions across the state qualify for the program.
The money is allocated based on how many recent graduates a school has, the number of low-income students and how many students go on to graduate programs.
The federal funds may be used to for campus facilities, improve academics or enhance a school's endowment.
"We are still in catch-up mode in terms of serving these areas," said Perry Herrington, president of the National Association of Title III Administrators.
Locally, N.C. A&T used the money to help build a new education building, said Kenneth Murray associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.
A&T used this year's $4.9 million allocation to hire counselors to help improve student retention and graduation rates.
"That is our highest priority this year," Murray said.
Winston-Salem State University, which received about $4.2 million this year, used the money to support its honors program, faculty development and better technology, said Everette Witherspoon, Title III director for the university.
"It is the largest government grant that we get here at Winston-Salem State," Witherspoon said. "Any cut will impact us very negatively."
The grant program has perhaps an even greater impact on private institutions, which rely heavily on the money to support their bottom line, Herrington said.
Bennett College for Women President Julianne Malveaux said if the budget for the program is cut, "It won't pinch; It will hurt."
The $1.6 million Bennett received through the grant program this school year accounts for nearly 6 percent of its budget.
"We are a smaller institution. We need this program," Malveaux said.
Bennett uses the funds to operate the academic support center, which provides tutoring and other services to students. The money also helps run a precollege program for incoming freshmen who want to get an early start on their higher-education careers.
Malveaux said the college will be pushing the congressional delegation to ensure funding for the program stays intact.
College and university leaders said they aren't sounding alarm bells just yet but will wait to see what the election year brings.
President Bush's 2009 education budget proposal cuts $85 million in funds designated for historically black colleges and universities — money that local leaders say is crucial to improving the traditionally underfunded schools.
Should this funding program for historically black colleges and universities be cut? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.
Bush's budget proposal essentially deletes an increase for those schools provided by the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act in September. That was the first increase in funding the Department of Education's Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities program has received since 2005.
Higher education leaders said they will wait out the legislative process to see how the schools fare once the budget moves through the Democrat-controlled Congress. They wonder what the cut could mean for the grant program's future.
"The HBCU community, it's safe to say, they would be disappointed but not necessarily surprised," said Edith Bartley, director of government affairs at the United Negro College Fund.
North Carolina's 10 HBCUs received a combined $27.7 million from the program last year. The program brought about $6.5 million of that to Greensboro colleges.
The $238 million grant program provides funding to 96 federally recognized schools that have historically served black students. Ten institutions across the state qualify for the program.
The money is allocated based on how many recent graduates a school has, the number of low-income students and how many students go on to graduate programs.
The federal funds may be used to for campus facilities, improve academics or enhance a school's endowment.
"We are still in catch-up mode in terms of serving these areas," said Perry Herrington, president of the National Association of Title III Administrators.
Locally, N.C. A&T used the money to help build a new education building, said Kenneth Murray associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.
A&T used this year's $4.9 million allocation to hire counselors to help improve student retention and graduation rates.
"That is our highest priority this year," Murray said.
Winston-Salem State University, which received about $4.2 million this year, used the money to support its honors program, faculty development and better technology, said Everette Witherspoon, Title III director for the university.
"It is the largest government grant that we get here at Winston-Salem State," Witherspoon said. "Any cut will impact us very negatively."
The grant program has perhaps an even greater impact on private institutions, which rely heavily on the money to support their bottom line, Herrington said.
Bennett College for Women President Julianne Malveaux said if the budget for the program is cut, "It won't pinch; It will hurt."
The $1.6 million Bennett received through the grant program this school year accounts for nearly 6 percent of its budget.
"We are a smaller institution. We need this program," Malveaux said.
Bennett uses the funds to operate the academic support center, which provides tutoring and other services to students. The money also helps run a precollege program for incoming freshmen who want to get an early start on their higher-education careers.
Malveaux said the college will be pushing the congressional delegation to ensure funding for the program stays intact.
College and university leaders said they aren't sounding alarm bells just yet but will wait to see what the election year brings.
Um, I think this is where the alumni of the affected institutions need to step in. Seriously. We should not even be concerned with federal funding of OUR universities . . .
