Underfunding Alcorn State University 'disadvantages' students and faculty

Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Mississippi recently received over $237 million in federal funding under Joe Biden's administration under the American Rescue Plan.

In comparison, $33.4 million of the funds, regarded as the largest ever for HBCUs, went to Alcorn State University, according to the Department of Education. Be that as it may, Alcorn State University remains vastly underfunded.

"Unequitable funding of the 1890 institution in your state has caused a severe financial gap. In the last 30 years alone, an additional $257,807,216 would have been available for the university," education secretary Miguel Cardona and agriculture secretary Thomas Vilsack said in a Sept. 18, 2023 letter addressed to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, urging him to invest more money in Alcorn State University to close the over $257 million funding gap in the university.

"These funds could have supported infrastructure and student services and would have better positioned the university to compete for research grants." The underfunding of Alcorn State University "disadvantages" students and faculty.

The underfunding of Alcorn State University "disadvantages" students. Even though HBCUs, including 1890 land-grant institutions, represent just 3% of postsecondary institutions and account for 10% of all Black college student enrollments, they have produced 80% of Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers and doctors, and 25% of Black graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

However, the American system, which is skewed against Black Americans, puts the future of millions of these Americans at risk through the systemic underinvestment in their education.

For example, there has been a funding deficit of more than $257 million in the last 30 years at Alcorn State University alone. Sixteen HBCUs, including Alcorn State University, have been underfunded by close to $13 billion within the period under review.

Due to underfunding, Alcorn State University students have to grapple with the issues of poor educational facilities and limited research opportunities. As a result, they are unable to compete favorably with predominantly white university graduates even when they graduate because they are ill-equipped and therefore earn less than these white graduates and as they should have originally had if the system was initially built to accommodate all Americans, irrespective of the color of their skin.

The underfunding of Alcorn State University "disadvantages" faculty as well. Inadequate funding at Alcorn State University leads to poor remuneration of staff, which is often the result of both internal and external brain drain in the faculty, a dearth of quality scientific research and a lack of managerial capacities among staff in the university.

These issues have their own ripple effects on both staff and students. When black graduates are offered low-paying entry-level jobs, receive little paychecks or remain stagnant due to a lack of promotions, they contribute little or nothing to their alma mater, which builds endowments through alumni donations.

In 2020 alone, endowments at HBCUs averaged only $34 million, while the endowments of just 18 white land-grant schools averaged a whopping $1.9 billion. Small endowments do nothing but adversely affect the payment of faculty salaries, student scholarships, scientific research, the expansion of academic facilities and even the day-to-day operations at HBCUs. These issues' effects on staff and students cannot be overemphasized.

While many people would argue that HBCUs have contributed little or nothing to the country's economy and, therefore, do not deserve more funding, the fact remains that they are actually wrong. "Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions make innumerable contributions to our country through the research produced by their faculty, [the] achievements of their students and alumni, and [the] services that they provide to the immediate community," Cardona and Vilsack said in the letter. "Furthermore, these institutions generate close to $15 billion in economic impact and over 134,000 jobs annually in the local and regional economies they serve."

"The longstanding and ongoing underinvestment in Alcorn State University," according to the duo, not only "disadvantages" students and faculty of the university but also the "community that the institution serves," namely Mississippi and the entire America.

That is why all hands must be on deck to increase funding for all HBCUs in Mississippi, especially Alcorn State University, so we are "able to compete at a high level and develop the strong workforce that will propel this country into the future, generate the next wave of job creators, and fuel our economy," as well as provide opportunities to "our students that we will be able to innovate beyond what we thought was possible just a few years ago and even today," to put it more succinctly in the duo's words.

As an alumnus of Alcorn State University and Jackson State University, I can personally attest to the boundless potential within these historic institutions' walls. Despite the chronic underfunding, the opportunities they afford their students are a testament to the faculty's dedication, the students' resilience, and the enduring legacy of these HBCUs. But it is not just about the past or present — it's about the future we are shaping.

Each dollar invested in Alcorn State University and other HBCUs is an investment in the future of America. Despite the challenges, these institutions continue to produce the nation's best and brightest, molding them into leaders, innovators, and trailblazers. So, I call on my fellow alumni, residents of Mississippi, and all Americans to rally behind these indispensable institutions.

Advocate for equitable funding, support with your time, donations, and resources, and be the voice that demands change. In ensuring that institutions like Alcorn State University thrive, we ensure a brighter, more inclusive future for all. Let us not just speak about the disparities but act to bridge them. Stand with Alcorn, stand with all HBCUs, and uplift the next generation of leaders.

—Duvalier Malone is the author of "Those Who Give A Damn: A Manual for Making a Difference," a motivational speaker, community activist, and CEO of Duvalier Malone Enterprises, a global consulting firm. He lives in Washington, D.C.Top of Form

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Underfunding Alcorn State MS 'disadvantages' students and faculty