Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Tennessee will receive a large portion of taxpayer funds from the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package on its way to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.
Overall, the taxpayer-funded package provides $3.5 billion for higher education programs, which is an increase of $532 million above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level. Specifically, the package provides “$1.02 billion, an increase of $137 million over the fiscal year 2022 enacted level, to assist HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the Aid for Institutional Development account.”
There are seven HBCU institutions in Tennessee: American Baptist College, Fisk University, Knoxville College, Lane College, LeMoyne Owen College, Meharry Medical College, and Tennessee State University.
According to the House Committee on Appropriations, HBCUs will be assisted with the following funding:
- $396 million for HBCUs, an increase of $33 million above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level.
- $50 million for a new HBCU, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and MSI Research and Development Infrastructure Grants program.
Tennessee State University (TSU) championed the package’s $50 million HBCU grant program in a press release, stating that its campus “is in the middle of a major facelift to academic buildings, improvements to outdoor lightings and interior décor as part of a campus-wide infrastructure upgrade initiative that is expected to last through 2023.”
“We currently have major capital infrastructure projects and increased research activities underway. This bill will provide additional resources to assist TSU in successfully reaching our goals of enhancing and upgrading our campus footprint and becoming an R1 research institution,” Glenda Glover, TSU President and vice chair of President Joe Biden’s Advisory Board on HBCUs, said in a statement.
In addition, the bill provides $24.6 billion for Federal student aid programs, which is an increase of $34 million above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill provides $7,395 for the maximum Pell Grant, which is an increase of $500 above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level.
TSU also applauded the increase of Pell grant awards, citing that “approximately 65 percent of TSU students depend on some type of financial aid, including the Pell grant.”
The $1.7 trillion package passed the Senate last Thursday in a 68-29 vote. The bill then passed the House of Representatives on Friday by a 225-201 vote. Every Republican delegate – both in the House and Senate – representing Tennessee voted against the package.
However, President Biden released a statement claiming that the bill is “proof that Republicans and Democrats can come together to deliver for the American people.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Tennessee State University” by Tennessee State University.
Talk about throwing money down the drain for useless degrees from any HBCU.