Private HBCUs in Florida See Sharp Drop in State Aid

After a lot of legal maneuvering, the Florida legislature finalized a budget that contained a 4 percent cut for public higher education in the state. In addition, state universities will need to boost tuition by about 15 percent in order to balance their operating budgets.

Private black colleges and universities in the state will see an even bigger cut in state aid. The legislature cut state appropriations for private HBCUs by 7 percent to $8.7 million. The private black schools have seen a reduction of 27 percent in state aid since the 2007-08 academic year.

The private black colleges and universities in Florida include Bethune-Cookman University, Florida Memorial University, and Edward Waters College.

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