[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 28, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1354-E1355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 TRIBUTE TO THE NATION'S HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 
                      BLACK COLLEGES ADVOCACY DAY

                                 ______


                           HON. LOUIS STOKES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 1995
  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Nation's 
historically black colleges and universities, one of our country's 
crown jewels. HBCUs have educated some of our Nation's most 
distinguished leaders--past and present. They include the former 
Supreme Court Justice, the late--Thurgood Marshall, Jr., renowned civil 
rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., former Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Louis Sullivan, the 
current Secretary of the Department of Energy, Hazel O'Leary, the list 
goes on.
  While HBUCs represent only 3 percent of all American institutions of 
higher education, they graduate 34 percent of all African Americans 
with bachelor's degrees. Of the top five schools in the Nation with the 
most black graduates accepted into medical school in 1993, four were 
HBUCs.
  Mr. Speaker, the Nation's HBCUs stand 105 strong and proud. In 
recognition of this standing, I ask that the statement given by one of 
our most distinguished former colleagues, the Honorable William 
``Bill'' Gray, be included in the Congressional Record. This 
distinguished gentlemen recently testified before the Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and Educational Appropriations Subcommittee.
  His testimony, vividly outlines the achievements of the Nation's 
historically black colleges and universities, and why the Federal 
investment must continue. The education cuts contained in the 
Republican-passed budget resolution, from eliminating funding for trio, 
to freezing funding for Pell grants, would devastate these 
institutions.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to lend their strong support to 
preserving and enhancing this national resource.
 Testimony Before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS 
  and Education by the Honorable William H. Gray, III, President and 
  Chief Executive Officer United Negro College Fund, February 3, 1995

       Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS 
     and Education Appropriations, I am William H. Gray, III, 
     chairman and chief executive officer of the United Negro 
     College Fund (UNCF). I am pleased to return to this body, 
     where I served for many years as a Member of the 
     Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Budget 
     Committee. As a result of those experiences, I know and 
     respect the challenges you face and the complex and difficult 
     budgetary and programmatic issues that are before you.
       Now, as head of the college fund, I wrestle with the same 
     question you face as members of this subcommittee, and that 
     is, ``How and to what extent do we support educational 
     opportunity for those with the aptitude and ability to 
     succeed in college, but whose family financial circumstances 
     limit their opportunities.'' The college fund has raised over 
     $250 million in the past two and a half years in corporate 
     and individual gifts to help supplement other student and 
     institutional aid at our 41 member institutions. And each 
     year we must justify our `bottom line' to a corporate board 
     of directors which carefully scrutinizes our costs, our 
     productivity, and our results. Fiscal responsibility and 
     accountability are crucial to the college fund's operations 
     and viability. I believe the same is true for the viability 
     of our Nation.
       As you well know, the options you will hear during these 
     hearings and through other channels will be many and varied. 
     I believe they must be carefully weighed and analyzed, as 
     your final decisions will be critical. They will impact the 
     Nation's future generations and ability to compete in a 
     global market place, and thus, will help set the stage for 
     what America is to become. My comments are based on a 
     fundamental principle that I'd like to leave with you in the 
     hope that it will help guide your deliberations and decision 
     making--the principle is that as a Nation we will reap what 
     we sow.
       The fact that our Nation leads the world in economic and 
     military
      might is not coincidental. Our unmatched educational and 
     health systems did not happen fortuitously. The most 
     advanced system of technological communication in the 
     universe did not just fall out of the sky and land in 
     America. A very deliberate and concerted effort begun some 
     100 years ago was made by our Government and private 
     leaders to invest in industrialization, research and 
     invention, and most importantly in the training and 
     education of Americans. Those investments have resulted in 
     today's harvest of American economic, educational, and 
     technological superiority. This economic investment in 
     intellectual capital has paid off well.
       I believe, however, that we cannot rest on these laurels, 
     because if America is to maintain its leadership role, we 
     must continue to strategically plant and cultivate seeds of 
     educational and economic opportunity. According to the U.S. 
     Department of Labor's Workforce 2000 report, over 50 percent 
     of new workforce entrants will be minorities by the year 
     2000, the majority of which will be African Americans; and 
     most of the new jobs created will be technical in nature, 
     requiring a more highly educated workforce.
       Institutions of higher education have a very important role 
     in preparing tomorrow's workers and America's historically 
     black colleges and universities are especially fertile ground 
     for the growth and nurturing of tomorrow's workforce. The 
     reasons are clear:

[[Page E1355]]

       Black student enrollment in HBCUs grew by 27 percent over 
     the last ten years, from 177,000 to 224,946 and is still 
     rising.
       HBCUs make up only 3 percent of all American institutions 
     of higher education, but graduate 34 percent of all African 
     Americans with bachelor's degrees.
       Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) 
     prepare proportionately more African Americans for 
     professional and technical careers than do mainstream 
     majority institutions.
       UNCF's own Xavier University sent more black graduates to 
     medical schools last year than any other U.S. college or 
     university, followed by Howard University, and then Hampton 
     University. Further, of the top five schools in the nation 
     with the most black graduates accepted into medical school in 
     1993, four were HBCUs.
       Between 1981 and 1991, a significant shift away from social 
     sciences occurred in the areas of study chosen by African 
     American students.
       (A) Bachelor degrees in engineering jumped by 42 percent;
       (B) Bachelor degrees in business increased by 25 percent;
       (c) Bachelor degrees in health-related professions rose by 
     17 percent.
       Mr. Chairman, HBCUs have performed a remarkable task, 
     educating over one third of this country's black college 
     graduates, 75 percent of all black Ph.Ds, 46 percent of all 
     black business executives, 50 percent of black engineers, 80 
     percent of black Federal judges, 85 percent of all black 
     doctors, 50 percent of the Nation's black attorneys, and 75 
     percent of black military officers.
       And Mr. Chairman, our schools have done all this for less 
     cost than majority institutions. HBCUs maintain low tuition 
     in order to provide access to the largely economically 
     disadvantaged student population that they serve. The average 
     tuition and fees at UNCF's 41 private schools in 1992-93, at 
     $5,008, was less than half the average of private colleges 
     nationally. These colleges are a bargain--low cost and a high 
     success rate.
       I believe that these and other statistical data convey a 
     clear and strategic role for HBCUs, and suggest a vital need 
     for increased federal and private investment in and nurturing 
     of these institutions. Everything we know today tells us that 
     America needs more, not fewer persons, trained to undertake 
     the challenges of a changing workplace. Clearly HBCUs provide 
     us with one of the best and lowest cost vehicles for ensuring 
     that young African Americans will be ready to assume roles 
     that they must play if America is to continue to prosper in 
     the future. And I believe that the fiscally responsible thing 
     to do is pay a little now, rather than pay a lot later. Sow 
     the seed now so we can reap a new harvest of prosperity in 
     the 21st century by:
       Increasing funding for the title III, part B, historically 
     black college and university program created in 1986. Title 
     III funds are critical in that they provide much needed 
     institutional resources to create and improve academic 
     programs; implement community outreach and pre-college 
     programs; acquire instructional equipment, research 
     instrumentation, library
      books, periodicals and other learning aids; and improve 
     funds management.
       These funds are also provided to selected graduate and 
     professional schools and science and engineering programs 
     which prepare HBCU students for careers in which they are 
     under-represented.
       Increasing support for several discretionary programs 
     created in the 1992 reauthorization of the Higher Education 
     Act:
       (1) Institute for International Public Policy (title IV, 
     part C, which will train African Americans, hispanics, and 
     other minorities for careers in international service;
       (2) Institutional support for HBCU library and learning 
     resource enhancement (title II part D), which develops and 
     strengthens libraries and library information science 
     programs and provides fellowships to encourage graduate study 
     in that area.
       (3) Federal guarantees for the HBCU Capital Financing 
     Program, which will assure access for HBCUs to the private 
     construction financing markets for much needed renovation and 
     building of laboratory and classroom facilities; and
       (4) Faculty development fellowships program, which provides 
     assistance to faculty to complete their doctoral degrees and 
     return to our campuses.
       Increasing support for the trio programs, which represent 
     the only hope for many students to learn about college 
     through upward bound, talent search and educational 
     opportunity centers; to receive academic reinforcement, 
     counseling and tutoring through student support services; and 
     to gain access to graduate and professional school through 
     the Ronald C. McNair post-baccalaureate achievement program.
       As you know, the trio program has a real friend on this 
     committee in Congressman Lou Stokes. Through his leadership, 
     thousands of disadvantaged, low income and first generation 
     students have succeeded as a result of the nurturing and 
     cultivation provided by this program. Current funding levels 
     however, provide supportive educational opportunities to only 
     about ten percent of all eligible students.
       And finally, but of equal critical importance, title IV 
     student assistance programs have been the lifeline for most 
     poor students. Ninety-five percent of all UNCF students 
     receive some form of title IV, student assistance--61 percent 
     receive Pell grants, 60 percent receive FFELP loans, 31 
     percent receive supplemental educational opportunity grants 
     (SEOGs), and 27 percent receive Federal college works study. 
     The Pell Grant program is particularly vital to HBCUs because 
     its the cornerstone of a poor students' financial aid package 
     and more than 27 percent of HBCU students come from families 
     with household incomes below $20,000.
       It is the combination of these Federal grants, loans and 
     work study aid, coupled with significant private 
     contributions from UNCF and other private gift and 
     scholarship aid that provides opportunities for our students 
     to develop and grow into contributors to our great society.
       These modest public and private investments in human 
     capital have resulted in an excellent crop of African 
     American professionals. The college fund, in celebrating its 
     fiftieth anniversary, is extremely proud of this harvest and 
     we believe that our alumni are a testament to the quality 
     education available at our colleges and universities. They 
     are the teachers, lawyers, doctors, business persons, 
     entrepreneurs, elected officials, and law enforcement 
     officers in every neighborhood in America, and they are the 
     famous pioneers such as Leontyne Price, Martin Luther King, 
     Jr. Thurgood Marshall, former Secretary of HHS Louis Sullivan 
     and the current Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary.
       Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the college fund member schools, 
     I thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony and 
     hope that this committee, in its wise stewardship, will 
     continue to sow seeds in the fertile grounds of historically 
     black colleges and universities.
     

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