The President of Hampton University detailed the strained relationship between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the federal government at this year’s HBCU Conference.
Dr. William R. Harvey, who has served as Hampton University’s chief since 1978 — one of the longest tenures of any sitting president of a college or university in the country — called out the government for continuously failing to realize the importance of investing in the leading institutions that educate minority students. Harvey cited decreased federal funding for research and development opportunities at HBCUs. He also blasted the government for its recent partnership between universities and philanthropic organizations to support low-income students that doesn’t include one HBCU institution.
In September, it was announced that eleven public universities, including Arizona State University, Georgia State University, Iowa State University, Purdue University, The Ohio State University, University of Central Florida, and six national foundations including the Ford Foundation and Markle Foundation had formed an alliance to help low-income, minority and first-generation students attain a college degree. No HBCUs were included in the deal.
“HBCUs were serving first-generation, minority and low-income students when some of these institutions were denying their entry or were not even in existence,” said Harvey, who also serves on the corporate boards for Fannie Mae, Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Houghton, Michigan.
Harvey isn’t the first to call out the federal government for its lack of HBCU support. Earlier this year, UNCF President Michael Lomax, Ph.D. also expressed his frustration with the lack of funding for HBCUs and called for a revamp of the federal financial aid program.