Democratic state lawmakers push for more HBCU funding in Georgia

Caption

An analysis of land-grant university funding showed that Fort Valley State University is underfunded compared to University of Georgia. Some state lawmakers are pushing for a solution.

Credit: AP

Some Democratic state lawmakers are demanding that Gov. Brian Kemp allocate more funding to Georgia’s historically Black colleges and universities. . 

Federal officials said that Fort Valley State University should have received an extra $600 million over the past 30 years if it received the same amount of money per student as the University of Georgia.

Officials drew that conclusion after analysis of historically Black land-grant universities and predominately white land-grant universities. Fort Valley State and University of Georgia are Georgia's only land-grant universities. 

State Rep. Sandra Scott said that the money makes a difference.

“That's a substantial amount that could have been invested in improving campus infrastructure, research, development and student support services,” she said.

Scott and lawyers representing alumni of historically Black colleges and universities in Georgia want a review of funding towards the state’s other public HBCUs also. Three of Georgia's 10 HBCUs are public and receive state funding. 

They also sent Kemp a letter with a list of demands. Lawyers said they will take the issue to court if he does not respond in the next 10 days.