All results
As the Trump administration continues to compel public colleges and universities to end diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI ) policies and practices, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has called for federal assistance in reviewing higher education institutions in his state. On Feb. 23, 2026, Landry announced via news release that he had formally requested the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to expand its Feb. 13, 2026, inquiry into the Louisiana Board of Regents to include all public colleges and universities statewide. In a letter to Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary at the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, Landry noted that the investigation he wants expanded concerns whether the Louisiana Board of Regents discriminates against white and Asian students in recruitment and enrollment through objectives outlined in its 2019 Master Plan. “Let me be clear: Louisiana is done with woke DEI policies. Discrimination against ANY student will not be...
Southern University and A&M College marked a significant milestone in the construction of its $68 million science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) complex. In an Instagram post published Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, the Baton Rouge, LA-based Historically Black College and University ( HBCU ) shared plans that the state-of-the-art facility will be completed in 2027. “A major milestone is now in place,” the university shared in the post. “Today, Southern University celebrated the topping-off of the new STEM Complex, marking the placement of the final structural beam.” According to a news release, the project is funded through Louisiana’s Capital Outlay Act. Transforming STEM Education On Campus University officials believe the facility will transform STEM education on campus and beyond, positioning students to compete at the highest levels. “Our mission is to provide a transformative educational experience and opportunities to our students so they can become global...
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, students at Florida A&M University ( FAMU ) have run into difficulties while promoting events for Black History Month, saying the university’s approval process flags certain words, including the word “Black.” Aaliyah Steward, a final-year law student, brought the issue to News 6, which reported the story on Feb. 6, 2026. Steward told News 6 that her organization, the Black Law Students Association, had to abbreviate the language used on Black History Month flyers, noting that they also couldn’t use the words “women” or “affirmative action.” News 6’s report garnered widespread public attention and social media reaction, including from prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Grammy Award-winning artist SZA, notes the outlet. On Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, FAMU responded, citing a “staff-level error” that caused the issue. News 9 reported that internal university emails suggested that the words weren’t prohibited, but that the issue stemmed from an...
February is Black History Month , but students at Florida A&M University (FAMU) say promoting events has been challenging because the university’s approval process flags certain words. Aaliyah Steward, a student finishing up her final year at FAMU’s College of Law, says she has faced obstacles while trying to publicize the month’s events for the Black Law Students Association, WKMG News 6 reports . Steward claims that a review of event flyers flagged terms such as “black,” “affirmative action,” and “women,” preventing their broadcast or publication. “We couldn’t use the word ‘black’ in Black History Month. We would have to abbreviate it,” Steward said, per News 6. “I was very angry and baffled because this is a Historically Black College and University ( HBCU ), and for them to say we can’t use the word ‘black’ was kind of insane.” Why FAMU Is Restricting The Word ‘Black’ According to the outlet, Florida’s State Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s 12 public universities —...
Hampton University could rejoin Virginia’s land-grant lineup, positioning the Historically Black College and University ( HBCU ) to regain federal funding it lost over a century ago and expand access to programs connected to agriculture, engineering, and other applied sciences. The restoration could also open up opportunities for STEM workforce training, labs, and research, HBCU Game Day reported. Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) introduced Senate Bill 274 on Jan. 13, 2026 to reinstate the school’s status and funding, and leaders from Hampton University spoke with the Virginia Senate Higher Education Subcommittee on the matter. They told the subcommittee that the school had held land-grant status from 1872 to 1920, according to the outlet. The federal government’s decision in 1920 to remove the designation rested on the belief that only one Black institution per state could hold land-grant status, leaving Virginia State University, HBCU Game Day shared. However, Hampton President...
Morris Brown College, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) based in Atlanta, GA, has parted ways with Kevin James as its president. James, the institution’s 19th president, shared the news in a LinkedIn post on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, saying the Board of Trustees fired him “without providing a specific cause or substantive explanation.” “This action is deeply concerning,” James wrote. “Research and my lived experience demonstrate that many HBCUs have struggled with board overreach and interference. Unfortunately, those dynamics are evident in this situation.” James said the Board’s decision “disregards established governance best practices” and violates his presidential contract, which runs through 2029. He shared plans to “pursue all rights and remedies” available under the agreement. “Morris Brown College has literally made history under my leadership as President,” James said in his post, citing a successful annual evaluation and continually strong performance...
Historically Black Colleges and Universities ( HBCUs ) play a central role in the lives of Black students, fostering a sense of community that endures long after graduation. Yet many high school students remain largely unfamiliar with the institutions and their impact. On Jan. 2, 2026, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) released a new study titled “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges,” which surveyed nearly 150 students, teachers, and school counselors across seven high schools in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. Through the study, UNCF researchers identified a significant knowledge gap: 67% of teachers and 60% of counselors were somewhat, very, or extremely knowledgeable about HBCUs, while 61% of students reported little to no familiarity with the institutions. Additionally, over half of students surveyed — 53% — said their school counselors never or rarely suggested attending an HBCU, and 54% said counselors hardly ever provided resources about HBCU attendance. “The pivotal...
Heidi Anderson, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), has filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against former professor Donna Satterlee over Satterlee’s allegations of plagiarism and racism. Anderson, who is Black, holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from Purdue University, according to The Washington Post. She became UMES president in 2018. In July 2025, Satterlee, who is white, had filed a lawsuit against UMES, Anderson, and other individuals at the school, citing wrongful termination. And later, she filed a complaint with the school accusing Anderson of plagiarizing parts of her 1986 dissertation. On Oct. 15, Satterlee appeared on the Newsmax network, repeating the plagiarism claims, calling Anderson a “scam artist,” and alleging reverse discrimination. “We cannot litigate the case in the press,” Anderson’s attorney, James Walker, told The Post. “We spoke to the school, and they reassured us verbally, in writing, and in an affidavit that Dr. Anderson...
Grambling State University (GSU) criminal justice major Janiah Tims graduated on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, with a decorated resume — and a graduation cap to match. With a 3.94 GPA, Tims graduated as valedictorian and the highest-ranking student of GSU’s Fall 2025 class, Grambling State News reports . She completed her degree in just two and a half years, having entered college with 21 dual-enrollment credits earned while attending Bastrop High School in Bastrop, LA. Although the curriculum was “pretty hard,” Tims said it helped prepare her for success as she arrived at the Historically Black College and University, per the outlet. “I was really doing the same kind of work in the dual enrollment courses that I ended up doing in college,” Tims told Grambling State News. “So there really wasn’t a big difference.” Tims said she completed most of her core college requirements through dual enrollment, including English 101 and 102, History 101 and 102, Music Appreciation, and Psychology 102....
Students at Queens High School for the Sciences — the New York borough’s only specialized high school — are pushing to move to a brand-new building, relocating from the second floor of York College’s Jamaica building. Citing issues including overcrowding and the lack of a kitchen and auditorium, students hope to move into the new city-built school at 165-15 88th Ave., scheduled to open in fall 2026, ChalkBeat New York reports . Sophomore Vinny Dong has twice addressed the Panel for Educational Policy, the school board that handles school location proposals, about his school’s conditions. “We have a gym shared with a college that’s two blocks away, for 514 students. We have a library that’s also shared, even though it’s critical for our educational content and classes,” Dong told the panel in October 2025, per ChalkBeat. At least three of the seven parent boards in the borough, along with the citywide high school parent council, also support relocation or creating an entirely new...
Dillard University has joined the growing list of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to earn philanthropic donations from MacKenzie Scott . The New Orleans, LA-based HBCU has received a historic $19 million contribution — the largest single gift in the university’s history, according to a news release. The contribution follows a $5 million donation in 2020 from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation and underscores Scott’s continued investment in HBCUs nationwide. “If anyone ever doubts the difference one person can make, look no further than MacKenzie Scott and how her generosity will resonate across generations,” Dillard president Dr. Monique Guillory said in the news release. “This gift will strengthen the university at a moment when our mission has never been more urgent.” The unrestricted gift will enable Dillard to accelerate key strategic priorities, including enhancing student success, expanding scholarship opportunities, and strengthening institutional...
Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick have ordered an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities . Abbott announced Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, that he directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate after State Auditor Lisa Collier reported significant “deficiencies in oversight, contracting, processes, and reporting” — affecting “hundreds of millions” of state funds. He also asked the Texas Comptroller’s Office to help the Texas Rangers “fully analyze” the university’s finances. “The Texas State Auditor uncovered significant financial and operational issues with Texas Southern University’s accounting procedures, alleging the potential misappropriation of hundreds of millions of dollars,” Abbott said. “Waste, fraud, and abuse will not be tolerated. TSU’s Board of Regents and all university officials must fully cooperate with these investigations...
Long before she became one of the world’s most generous philanthropists, MacKenzie Scott was a struggling writer learning lessons of compassion and craft from her mentor, the late Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. Scott received billions following her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Since then, she has donated vast sums to advance Black health care and support schools, food banks, housing, and education initiatives nationwide — including $1.07 billion to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. According to Stay Inspired News, Scott’s connection to the Black community traces back to her time studying creative writing under Morrison at Princeton University. Morrison’s mentorship shaped Scott’s voice as a writer and taught her to empathize with people’s struggles and dreams — a perspective that continues to guide her philanthropy. Their correspondence, which includes a 1992 post-college graduation letter where Scott admitted she was struggling to pay rent...
SNIPES USA, the leading footwear retailer connecting streetwear culture with community and creativity, has launched a series of campus activations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities ( HBCUs). Through its Pay It Forward initiative, launched in 2022, SNIPES has funded HBCU scholarships and campus programs at Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Morgan State University, Central State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Norfolk State University, and Hampton University, according to a news release shared with AFROTECH™. The initiative is rooted in SNIPES’ HBCU strategy, built on three core pillars: cultural celebration and connection, educational empowerment, and sustainable community integration. “Our work with HBCUs goes far beyond a campaign — it’s a commitment,” SNIPES USA Chief Marketing Officer Kelley Walton...
LaRue Moore is proof that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. At 77 years old, she’s pursuing a degree in African American studies at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) — the very campus where, as a young girl, she witnessed the early days of sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement in Greensboro, NC, according to WFMY News 2. In 1960, the A&T Four, four Black freshmen, had sat at a whites–only lunch counter at F.W. Woolworth’s store. Now, Moore has returned as a witness to history and a student ready to shape her own legacy. “I want to do it just to study, enjoy it,” Moore said, per the outlet. “I wanna be able to take my time to do it, you know, and let it be my journey here at North Carolina A&T State University to get my degree and do it my way.” Moore attends classes online, seizing a second chance at education decades after first enrolling at North Carolina Central University . She studied there for a year and a half before life took...