Just in case you had not heard the latest pile of manure that has been brewing about Obama and HBCUs. Here is a short piece by Essence Magazine's Cynthia Gordy that sheds much light and is certainly worth taking note of just in case you need some talking points.
You may have heard grumbling this week about a funding cut for historically Black colleges in the 2010 federal budget. I've read the articles and outraged headlines, but held off on commenting until I’d taken a closer look at the budget myself. It seemed like there was some information missing.
The outcry is in response to the absence of $85 million in extra funding that has been given to historically Black colleges and universities for the past two years. This has been framed as a budget cut and, according to some critics, proof that “Obama doesn’t care about HBCUs.” One thing to note, however, is that this was a temporary two-year fund enacted by Congress in 2007, and already a done deal for 2010.
Rather than revisit the temporary idea of a pot of extra money for HBCUs, the administration instead increased spending in student aid. They also boosted direct discretionary funding for HBCUs from $238 million to $250 million. Now, the increase in direct discretionary funds isn’t much (especially when pitted against the $85 million that expired). But the administration argues that supporting students with more student aid—especially in the form of increasing the maximum Pell Grant for low-income students by $200, to a total allowance of $5,550—will help HBCUs.
“Half of students at historically Black colleges and universities receive Pell Grants, compared to 27 percent of students at other institutions,” Massie Ritsch, a spokesman with the U.S. Department of Education told me regarding the boost in student aid. "We expect that over 10 years, students at HBCUs will receive $3.2 billion in increased Pell Grants, an average of $320 million a year. That money will directly benefit HBCUs by making it easier for the students they serve to attend."
The budget also increases the need-based Perkins Loan by $5 billion, up from the current volume of $1 billion, and offers $2.5 billion for programs that help low-income students enroll in and graduate from college. “This shouldn’t be seen as any indication that there’s not support for historically Black colleges and universities,” Ritsch said. “The budget and the Recovery Act provide more money for the students that disproportionately attend HBCUs, and provide additional funds for the institutions themselves.”
I’m not saying this is necessarily the better way to do it, but it’s a far cry from the idea that Obama is effectively saying, “To hell with you, Black students!” Let me know what you think. Should the President renew the fund that gives money directly to HBCUs, or do you agree with his emphasis on increasing student aid that goes directly to minority students?
This article available at:
http://essence.typepad.com/obamawatch/2009/05/obama-vs-hbcus-lets-review.html
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