Advancing HBCU Opportunities
Virginia | July 22, 2021
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have always provided equity, access, and excellence in education, especially for students of color. Despite accounting for only roughly 3% of all four-year colleges and universities, HBCUs produce more than 17% of all bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans. Additionally, HBCUs annually contribute nearly $15 billion to their communities and produce 134,000 jobs.
Virginia is home to five HBCUs, and as a member of the HBCU caucus, I understand the critical nature of empowering HBCUs across the nation. We must prioritize a national dialogue on the importance of HBCUs to the American workforce and economy, and advance meaningful, bipartisan legislation addressing the concerns of HBCUs.
That is why I signed onto the bipartisan Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for (IGNITE) HBCU Excellence Act. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act advances the incredible contributions of HBCUs through support and investment needed to continue their transformational work.
Specifically, the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act provides support for HBCUs to:
- Utilize public and private investments to renovate, repair, modernize, or construct new campus facilities, including instructional, research, and residential spaces;
- Preserve buildings with historic significance;
- Ensure the resilience, safety, and sustainability of campus facilities;
- Provide access to campus-wide, reliable high-speed broadband to support digital learning and long-term technological capacity;
- Improving campus facilities to support community-based partnerships that provide students and community members with academic, health, and social services; and
- Procure equipment and technology to facilitate high-quality research and instruction.
In order to continue to support the success of HBCUs, we must ensure adequate funding, investment, and access to capital through legislation such as the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. As we rebuild our economy in the aftermath of this pandemic, we must ensure every American has the opportunity to engage in this effort. Historically Black Colleges and Universities will continue to play an essential role in rebuilding our economy, and I am proud to support this legislation that will set HBCUs up for continued success.
(Excerpts from Congressman Robb Wittman)