By Hazel Trice Edney
COMMENTARY UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is asking the public for help to pass historic multi-million dollar legislation that would undergird infrastructure projects at HBCUs across the nation. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, which already has significant support from bi-partisan members of Congress, could receive a boost to passage as members of the general public get involved.
If passed, the Act will “establish the largest federal grant program for historically Black college and university infrastructure in American history,” according to the UNCF.
“This isn’t just an organization lobbying the Congress and the administration. This is a campaign, and we need everyone to be involved,” says UNCF Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs Lodriguez Murray, in a Trice Edney News Wire interview.
Murray is leading the campaign. “We need them to go to our website, UNCF. org/IGNITE. Go there. Click, ‘write your representative’ and in less than 15 seconds they’ll be able to send a letter to their House of Representative member, their congressman or congresswoman. And then they’ll be able to send two letters, one to each of their two U.S senators. And they’ll be able to send a letter to the White House in support of this bill. And this is not just for HBCU students and graduates. It’s for everyone who feels a stake
of ownership in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).”
According to a UNCF news release, “IGNITE stands for Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for HBCU Excellence. If enacted, the legislation would create a competitive federal grant program through the U.S. Department of Education to fund campus modernization, deferred maintenance,
broadband expansion, campus safety upgrades and the development of AI and workforce innovation hubs at HBCUs. The bill would also authorize repayment of nearly $300 million in outstanding HBCU capital financing loans, providing immediate debt relief to institutions across the country.”
Introduced in both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support, the bill is led by Rep. French Hill (R-Ariz.), Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chairs of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus.
Himself a first-generation HBCU graduate – from Morehouse College in Atlanta – Murray is passionate about this campaign, which could bring millions of dollars to universities which have struggled to get a fair share of funding while giving much to America.
“For more than 180 years, HBCUs have educated generations of students and built the foundation of Black America’s professional class, often with far fewer resources
than their peer institutions,” says the UNCF news release. “Today, HBCUs educate nearly 300,000 students annually, generate $16.5 billion in annual economic impact, support more than 136,000 jobs nationwide and produce approximately 17% of all bachelor’s degrees earned by African Americans. Nearly 70% of HBCU students are Pell Grant eligible. Despite this record, approximately 84% of HBCUs remain underfunded, with a collective infrastructure deficit exceeding $13 billion.”
According to UNCF President/CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax, in a statement, “The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act has the potential to be a transformative investment in HBCUs and the students who depend on them…For generations, HBCUs have nurtured extraordinary talent, yet they have long struggled with unequal access to funding and modern infrastructure. This legislation could reverse those adverse circumstances by providing targeted resources that strengthen both research excellence and campus infrastructure, ensuring HBCUs have the tools to lead in a rapidly changing world.”
Murray is no stranger to Congress, having started on Capitol Hill with the now late Rep. Charlie W. Norwood, Jr. (R-Ga.). And he has a track record of successfully raising money for HBCUs.
“I represented HBCUs for a dozen years before coming to UNCF. And I’ve had the opportunity to be probably the first UNCF scholarship recipient to become an executive of this