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Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) have been financially strapped as of late, so the recent announcement that millions will be awarded to HBCUs is welcome news.

The U.S. Education Department has awarded five-year grants totaling $228 million to 97 black colleges in 19 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the Associated Press. The schools can opt to use the money to expand their campuses, acquire science and tech equipment, develop counseling programs and train faculty. A majority of the schools are in the South.

Cash-strapped Morris Brown in Atlanta, however, was not on the list of colleges receiving grants. The money could have helped relieve some of the school’s $30 million debt. Morris Brown College is in danger of shutting its doors due to its continuing financial struggles.

The following schools will receive more than $5 million:
•    Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA
•    Jackson State University in Jackson, MS
•    St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, TX

Other schools getting some of the funding are Tuskegee University (about $2.28 million), Morehouse College (about $2.3 million), Clark Atlanta (about $2.76 million) and South Carolina State University (about $3.35 million).

For a full breakdown of how much will go to each school, click here.

By J. Smith

The Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta stepped in as the next generous benefactor to rescue Morris Brown College from financial peril. On Sunday the congregation signed a $22,000 check over to the school’s president to help eliminate the university’s debt to the U.S. Department of Education, BET.com reports.

“This May, Morris Brown inked a deal with the federal government that would allow the college to settle its $9.9 million debt for just $500,000. The Department of Education gave Morris Brown until August 24 to make good on the offer. The hefty debt is part of the more than $30 million owed by the college to various creditors and ultimately what caused the college to lose its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2003. Morris Brown accumulated the debt after years of failing to refund unused federal student aid money,” BET.com reports.

As the deadline approached, Rev. Dr. Marvin Moss began a month-long fundraising effort on the school’s behalf that brought in $22,000 from special offerings and online donations from members. Although the payment will ease Morris Brown’s standing with the Department of Education, the process is far from over. The administration will have to wait out a lengthy re-accreditation procedure that could take up to five years.

But for the church, the slow payoff will be worth it. “We recognize the historical significance of Morris Brown College to our community and the world,” Moss said in a statement. “We are grateful that our Cascade members have answered the call during these tough economic times. We are called to be a light in the community so we are pleased to participate in this vital way.”

(New York Times) – The Education Department said Tuesday that it had split off and delayed a decision on the most controversial part of proposed new student-aid regulations — the treatment of for-profit college programs whose graduates do not earn enough to repay their loans. While a package of proposed new student-aid regulations was released Tuesday, a department official said no decision had been reached about what debt-to-income ratio would make for-profit programs ineligible for federal aid.

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