A new Mississippi bill aims to close three state universities. HBCU advocates are concerned.
A state senator said there is “no widespread appetite to close any of the eight institutions of higher learning in the State of Mississippi.”
A new bill has been introduced in the Mississippi Legislature that seeks to close three state-funded universities — and HBCU advocates are concerned that three historically Black Mississippi universities could end up on the chopping block.
To be clear, Senate Bill 2726 does not specify which of Mississippi’s eight public universities would have to close. Instead, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), which oversees the state’s universities, is asked to make the decision by 2025 if the bill were to pass. The selected universities will have to close by 2028.
The bill asks the IHL’s Board of Trustees to take several factors into consideration, including enrollment data, federal aid, economic impact, and more — factors that raised the eyebrows of HBCU advocates.
The bill’s author, Sen. John Polk, is aware that there’s likely no chance that it will pass. He told Mississippi Today that he only hoped to start a dialogue when he filed it. “If I were trying to close an HBCU, I would’ve put that in the bill,” he told the outlet.
Polk also said that he did not talk with the IHL before introducing the bill.
Before Polk’s comments, the bill caught the attention of HBCU supporters and alumni. The historically Black Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, and Mississippi Valley State University are mentioned in the bill, among several others. Mississippi Valley State University would be the Black university most at risk due to its enrollment numbers.
“This bill is definitely aimed at Mississippi HBCUs, which are owed 400+ million dollars by the state for illegal underfunding,” posted Dr. Corrie Claiborne, an associate professor at Morehouse College. “We need to buy JSU, Alcorn, MVU and turn them private.”
“Aight folks it's time to lock in to support our Mississippi HBCUs from closure,” wrote Kathryn Evonne, another X user. “If Senate Bill 2726 is under consideration, we know that our HBCUs tend to be first up for consideration.”
Federal officials allege that several states, including Mississippi, have underfunded their historically Black land grant colleges and universities by $12.6 billion spanning decades. Alcorn State, for example, has been underfunded by over $257 million, according to the Biden administration.
Mississippi Votes, a voter rights organization, created a petition against the bill that had nearly 7,000 signatures at the time of this story’s publication. “This bill threatens our state's future prosperity by potentially eliminating vital resources for higher learning while simultaneously damaging local economies reliant on these institutions' presence,” they write.
Hillman Frazier, a state senator who has served in the legislature for over 40 years and is an alumnus of Jackson State, said closure bills like this one are not unique.
“I am a member of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee and can assure you that the present bill will not be called up for consideration,” he told What I’m Reading. “There is no widespread appetite to close any of the eight institutions of higher learning in the State of Mississippi.”
“I discussed this matter with the chairperson of the committee, and we are on the same page,” he continued. “There will be no closure bill coming out of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee this legislative session.”
According to the UNCF, Mississippi’s 6 HBCUs generate $774 million in total economic impact, nearly 8,000 jobs for their local economies, and $8.3 billion in lifetime earnings.
This disturb my soul. Racism, discrimination, prejudices, and hatred is real. We lack platform and are more interested in Beyoncé than the future of humanity.
I am currently an educational school counselor in Orange County Public School District located in the State of Florida. I am working in a school system where I am being severely retaliated against.
The retaliation stems from past complaints made regarding discrimination, racism, abuse of power, as well as intense work hostility in the pursuit of ensuring that all Black, Brown and low socioeconomic students along with their families are treated, regarded, and educated with utmost fidelity. In doing so, I've been tremendously antagonized, sabotaged, discriminated, and much more.
In my complaint to the EEOC and OCR which was filed in November of 2023, the level of abusiveness and harmful treatment towards Black teachers, parents and families increased tremendously. The tactics used by the school officials is baffling and disturbing. The district school officials ignore concerns and pleas for help and have resorted to tactics that have been utilized to justify their actions and their procedures as such are disturbing, dishonest, and distorted.
I am seeking assistance in any way possible for the unexplainable malevolence that are continuing to hurt, harm, and cause my spotless educational career to crumble.
In my advocacy for students and families, I have always supported the learning community in the pursuit of not loosing hope for a better future. Through my advocacy, capacity, commitment, and dedication I’ve been antagonized, excluded, minimized and treated with disrespect, especially when providing help.
In my advocacy for students and families, I have always supported the learning community in the pursuit of not loosing hope for a better future. Through my advocacy, capacity, commitment, and dedication I’ve been antagonized, excluded, minimized and treated with disrespect, especially when providing help.
With all of the above mentioned, this school is indeed ran by racist, disrespectful, and intolerant people who believe that our Black and Brown students are inferior as well as Black Teachers and Black Families.
I am an advocate of change and equality, I am also being fractured through the process of a distorted view that I shouldn’t help children and families with any kind of support or attention that empowers them to be more equipped to help themselves and their children.
I humbly asked for assistance. I am sincerely wishing to expose the malfeasance that I am experiencing as well as to bring awareness in the pursuit of freedom, liberty, and advancement.
HBCU is a great place for students to learn, develop, and grow their skills, knowledge, and economic development. But to have HBCU, it starts with public education and addressing the challenges facing students with out voices.
It’s a shame that this has happened but no matter what, it’s imperative to go through these derailments, malevolence retaliation.
As a people, we will be pushed back 400 years and all of the bloodshed that has been committed by our ancestors will be forgotten.
Lady Doc Williams
Sent from my IPAD