Awareness Crucial for HBCUs, HSIs

Secretary of Education Rod Paige said Jan. 21 that President George W. Bush's fall budget will increase spending for historically black colleges and universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

HSIs are colleges with at least 25 percent Hispanic students enrolled full time.

Bush has proposed a 30 percent increase in funding for these schools between 2001 and 2005.

The money could be used to improve resources and increase recruitment at these schools.

The Department of Commerce reported in 2000 that while 98 percent of HBCUs have a campus Internet network, only 50 percent have Internet access in residence halls.

And although Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in public K-12 schools, only 10 percent of these students go on to earn a college degree, according to the Department of Education.

Improvements in these areas will enable the schools to attract more students and provide them with resources comparable to those at other schools.

But while the pledge of extra funds is good news, it should not be considered a cure-all solution.

The key to improving these schools is for people to recognize the significance of HBCUs and HSIs for their respective communities.

One of the most important ways to do this is to increase awareness about HBCUs and HSIs.

Unfortunately, while these schools have existed for years, many know little about their histories -- or even about their existence.

For instance, who knows how many HBCUs are in North Carolina? (11)

And who can say where the majority of HSIs are located? (California and Texas)

Of the millions of black students enrolled in U.S. colleges, about 28 percent will earn their degrees at an HBCU.

Similarly, HSIs enroll about 46 percent of Hispanic undergraduates.

Over the years, these schools have also seen a significant increase of white students on their campuses.

Given these campuses' growing populations, it is important that they have the resources necessary to stay competitive with peer institutions.

Another step in improving these schools is for people to remove any misconceptions they might have of these campuses as "inferior."

HBCUs are home to many successful academic programs, especially in the math and sciences.

For example, Xavier University of Louisiana is one of six schools nationwide designated as a Model Institution for Excellence for their science, mathematics and engineering programs.

So while these schools have had some problems over the years, they also have and continue to see many successes.

So it is up to everyone to ensure that they are respected and that their legacies are kept intact.

The extra money is a first step.

But recognizing the importance of these schools in our society is crucial.

Columnist April Bethea can be reached at adbethea@email.unc.edu.