HBCU's Struggling To Survive

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/?title=hbcus-struggling-to-survive&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1


NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As a record-setting superstar quarterback at Grambling State, Doug Williams enjoyed all the glory and fame that goes with being a shark swimming in a kiddie pool.

As a head coach at his alma mater, Williams lived in the underbelly. He saw downtrodden facilities and budgets squeezed for the very last dollar, universities trying as hard to survive as to compete.

He left his alma mater last season for a job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Williams’ heart and passion still lies with the plight of the HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities). The first black quarterback to start in a Super Bowl and win the game’s MVP, Williams knows all about overcoming hurdles, but he has come to believe that HBCUs are too busy shouting into the wind about what they aren’t instead of figuring out how to maximize what they are.

[txstatebobcat]

If things are as bad as the article states, I wonder if D-I HBCUs would be better off going to D-II. It would be a lot less money with not much drop off as far as exposure is concerned.

[DFW HOYA]

HBCU's have problems all around, and not just football. In an era where fewer state dollars are going to be available for education in general (much less HBCU's), alumni have to step up.

They haven't, particularly among state funded schools.

US News' survey of HBCU's posted these numbers on alumni giving rates--not how much is given, but giving anything--$5, 10, whatever.

Here's a sample:
Tennessee St.: 9%
S.C. State: 9%
Winston-Salem St.: 8%
Morgan St.: 4%
Alcorn St.: 4%
Delaware St.: 2%

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1_hbcu_brief.php

[ButlerGSU]

HBCU's have problems all around, and not just football. In an era where fewer state dollars are going to be available for education in general (much less HBCU's), alumni have to step up.

They haven't, particularly among state funded schools.

US News' survey of HBCU's posted these numbers on alumni giving rates--not how much is given, but giving anything--$5, 10, whatever.

Here's a sample:
Tennessee St.: 9%
S.C. State: 9%
Winston-Salem St.: 8%
Morgan St.: 4%
Alcorn St.: 4%
Delaware St.: 2%

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1_hbcu_brief.php

You say "education in general much less HBCU's" what's the difference in a state school and a state HBCU?

[DFW HOYA]

You say "education in general much less HBCU's" what's the difference in a state school and a state HBCU?

Many states apportion funding based on university "systems" or groups of schools. In Texas, for example, there is the University of Texas System (UT-Austin, UT-El Paso, UT-Arlington, etc.), the Texas A&M University System (Texas A&M, A&M-Corpus Christi, A&M-Kingsville, etc.), Texas State System (Lamar, Sam Houston, etc.) and others.

A school like Texas Southern must compete not only among other schools but among other systems for state funding, and accounts for probably less than 5% of all college students in the state. If educational funds diminish in the state, they are competing among schools (and systems) which argue that they have more students to take care of. The smaller the school within a state, the less clout they have. Add to that the financial shortfalls and management which have plagued some schools over the years, and struggling schools cannot get their head above water strictly on state appropriations.

[dbackjon]

Many states apportion funding based on university "systems" or groups of schools. In Texas, for example, there is the University of Texas System (UT-Austin, UT-El Paso, UT-Arlington, etc.), the Texas A&M University System (Texas A&M, A&M-Corpus Christi, A&M-Kingsville, etc.), Texas State System (Lamar, Sam Houston, etc.) and others.

A school like Texas Southern must compete not only among other schools but among other systems for state funding, and accounts for probably less than 5% of all college students in the state. If educational funds diminish in the state, they are competing among schools (and systems) which argue that they have more students to take care of. The smaller the school within a state, the less clout they have. Add to that the financial shortfalls and management which have plagued some schools over the years, and struggling schools cannot get their head above water strictly on state appropriations.

Which leads to the inevitable question - are so many schools needed?

In many places, an HBCU is close to, or in the same town as another state school. In tight budget eras, do all need to survive, or is merging the better option?

[ngineer]

HBCU's have problems all around, and not just football. In an era where fewer state dollars are going to be available for education in general (much less HBCU's), alumni have to step up.

They haven't, particularly among state funded schools.

US News' survey of HBCU's posted these numbers on alumni giving rates--not how much is given, but giving anything--$5, 10, whatever.

Here's a sample:
Tennessee St.: 9%
S.C. State: 9%
Winston-Salem St.: 8%
Morgan St.: 4%
Alcorn St.: 4%
Delaware St.: 2%

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1_hbcu_brief.php


Those percentages are pretty bad...It is quite important for schools in trying attract grant money from private foundations to show that they have the support of their alumni. Not so much in terms of dollars, but in terms of percentage of alumni giving. If a school's alumni don't support their school, it is unlikely that third party foundations will lend financial support for capital or programming.

[ButlerGSU]

Many states apportion funding based on university "systems" or groups of schools. In Texas, for example, there is the University of Texas System (UT-Austin, UT-El Paso, UT-Arlington, etc.), the Texas A&M University System (Texas A&M, A&M-Corpus Christi, A&M-Kingsville, etc.), Texas State System (Lamar, Sam Houston, etc.) and others.

A school like Texas Southern must compete not only among other schools but among other systems for state funding, and accounts for probably less than 5% of all college students in the state. If educational funds diminish in the state, they are competing among schools (and systems) which argue that they have more students to take care of. The smaller the school within a state, the less clout they have. Add to that the financial shortfalls and management which have plagued some schools over the years, and struggling schools cannot get their head above water strictly on state appropriations.

I see now. I have never heard of that before but I guess because it is not done that way here in Georgia. Here, schools are grouped by what kind of school they are - research university, comprehensive university, regional, etc.

[TexasTerror]

A school like Texas Southern must compete not only among other schools but among other systems for state funding, and accounts for probably less than 5% of all college students in the state. If educational funds diminish in the state, they are competing among schools (and systems) which argue that they have more students to take care of. The smaller the school within a state, the less clout they have. Add to that the financial shortfalls and management which have plagued some schools over the years, and struggling schools cannot get their head above water strictly on state appropriations.

Texas Southern continues to not allow themselves in a system. In fact, their mismanagement and the mismanagement of Stephen F Austin make me oppose having stand alone institutions in Texas that are not in systems. Both schools have way too many problems and the state can not manage them well enough from afar.

Both schools need systems and perhaps it will improve the issues they've had...