[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 17, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: A CELEBRATION

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                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 17, 2003

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to appropriately 
draw attention to the contributions of our nation's prestigious 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their proud 
tradition of educating and preparing African-Americans for the past 166 
years.
  This year, we celebrate these universities the week of September 14 
to September 20, and I feel honored to participate in such a noble 
cause.
  Over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been 
established in the United States. These institutions comprise only 3 
percent of all centers for higher education in the United States, but 
account for 30 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded to African 
Americans each year.
  I am very proud that Bowie State University, the oldest of Maryland's 
four HBCUs is located in my district and I am privileged to represent 
the students, faculty and staff members who make great things happen on 
this campus. (There are three other HBCUs in MD--Morgan State in 
Baltimore City, Coppin State in Baltimore and the University of 
Maryland--Eastern Shore). Bowie State is the descendant of the first 
school opened by the Baltimore Association for the Moral and 
Educational Improvement of Colored People in 1865. BSU rightfully 
boasts a number of significant and praiseworthy statistics:
  First nationally in graduating African Americans with master's 
degrees in computer science and information sciences;
  Second nationally in graduating African Americans with master's 
degrees in psychology;
  Third nationally in graduating African Americans with master's 
degrees in communications; Eighth, nationally in graduating minorities 
with master's degrees in psychology;
  Fourth among HBCUs in granting master's degrees of all disciplines;
  Fourth in extramural funding in the University System of Maryland 
(USM) with the highest percentage of increase in the System (48.1 
percent) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year.
  Ninth nationally in graduating all minorities with master's degrees 
in communications;
  Thirteenth nationally in graduating African Americans with master's 
degrees;
  Additionally, in 1995 BSU won an 11-year, $27 million award from the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration/National Science 
Foundation to become one of the six national Model Institutions of 
excellence in science, engineering, and mathematics.
  HBCUs provide a vital role in educating the next generation of our 
nation's leaders by extending to our students access to the best 
opportunities for personal and professional success. Most important, 
these schools champion the cause of equal access to education, access 
that is critically important during a time when fiscal constraints have 
burdened our state and ultimately our families, making affording higher 
education even more difficult for many Americans.
  In fact, the Maryland Higher Education Commission recently announced 
that the number of Maryland college students on a waiting list for 
state-sponsored financial aid increased almost 50 percent this fall--at 
the same time, tuition and the number of college applicants has 
increased. Last school year 133,692 Marylanders filed the Free 
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the nationwide form that 
determines aid eligibility. That was up from 118,537 applications from 
Maryland in the 2001-2002 school year, a 12 percent increase.
  Many historically black institutions are facing similar financial 
challenges, and regrettably, for some, closing has become a reality. 
The federal government must realize that Historically Black Colleges do 
not simply provide educational opportunities and benefits to African 
Americans, but educating our nation's young people, regardless of race, 
improves the aptitude of all of our people. The entire country has 
gained from these fine institutions of education, and with the help of 
the federal government, the youth of our nation will continue to be 
well educated for generations to come.
  Congress and the President can acknowledge this by adequately funding 
the programs that support the efforts of these important institutions. 
The House of Representatives included $224 million in funding for the 
Strengthening Historically Black Colleges program and the Strengthening 
HBCU Graduate Institutions for fiscal year 2004. This is a $10 million 
increase in funding from last year, and as a member of the Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations. Subcommittee, 
I will continue to support these programs and will fight for increased 
funding to help them continue their mission and tradition of educating 
African-Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me this week in saluting the 
contributions of America's Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, which have been educating students for more than 100 
years. I am grateful to the nation's HBCUs for their commitment to 
academic excellence for all students, including low-income and 
educationally disadvantaged students, and am especially proud of the 
four HBCUs in the state of Maryland.

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