Law inked to settle school funding suit

BOWIE, Md. — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed legislation Wednesday to settle a 15-year-old federal lawsuit relating to underfunding at the state’s four historically Black colleges and universities for $577 million to be paid out over a decade.

Hogan, lawmakers and school officials described the settlement as a landmark in addressing historic inequities in funding for the schools.

“We finally got to this day,” Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Democrat and the state’s first Black speaker who sponsored the bill, said to applause at Bowie State University, adding that she is a sister and a mother of historically Black colleges and university graduates.

Hogan, a Republican, vetoed a similar bill last year after citing economic difficulties created by the covid-19 pandemic. Hogan told reporters that the state was facing potentially daunting deficits and uncertainties at the time and that he vetoed other costly measures as well. He also noted that the state has made historic investments in the schools in recent years.

The funds in the settlement will be used for scholarships and financial aid support services, as well as faculty recruitment and development. The money also could be used to expand and improve academic programs, including online programs, as well as the development and implementation of new academic programs.

Morgan State University will receive $24 million in the first year, Bowie State $16.8 million, University of Maryland Eastern Shore $9.7 million and Coppin State University $9 million.

Aminta Breaux, president of Bowie State, said the extra funding will enable the colleges to stay competitive.

“We are growing, but we need the additional support to build out new academic programs to open up our doors wider for the students who want to attend Bowie State University, and so for each one of our HBCUs it means a great deal for the students, for their families and our communities as well as the workforce.”