As the Obama administration draws to a close and the nation prepares to select a new president, historically Black colleges and universities leaders reflected on the past and future of the HBCU community at the annual HBCU Week conference, held in Arlington, Va.
The HBCU community has seen notable ups and downs over the past eight years, precipitated by the Great Recession and changes to the Parent PLUS loans, which resulted in a loss of tuition dollars and a decline in enrollment at many schools. Some schools, such as St. Paul’s College, were forced to close their doors. Others struggle with ongoing fiscal issues that threaten their viability.
Yet the community continues to forge ahead and shows signs of rebounding. Students are applying to HBCUs with a renewed enthusiasm that mirrors pre-2008 application levels. Spelman College saw a record 7,868 applicants this spring. A further 18,000 students applied to Howard University, an unusually high number for the institution.
“Despite the adversity that we have faced and reduced funding that we have received, we will continue to move forward as we always have,” Dr. William Harvey, president of Hampton University and chair of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, said at the HBCU Town Hall on Monday. “We will move forward because we know and believe that our cause is just.”
The comparatively rapid turnover among HBCU presidents compounds fiscal problems, Lezli Baskerville, president and CEO of NAFEO, said at the Town Hall. On average, HBCU presidents stay at their institution for three years. By contrast, presidents at predominantly White institutions stay for an average of seven years, she said, adding that the instability in leadership poses challenges to consistent governance.
Revolving doors in the president’s office are a product of the same basic problem, said Dr. Michael Lomax, UNCF president. “If you scratch beneath the surface of what the biggest challenge facing many of those presidents is, and the dissatisfaction or the decision to bring in a new president, it’s financial,” he said. “It is a question of how you get the resources to do the work that is expected.”
While the financial issues facing many HBCUs are real and not to be glossed over, others are changing the narrative. Delaware State University (DSU) concluded its successful Greater Than One capital campaign earlier this month. The institution raised more than $20 million in five years and boosted its endowment from $20.3 million to $27.2 million over the same timeframe.
