Dollar Dollar Bill Y'all: The Eradication of Historically Black Colleges & Universities by the Federal Government, One Dollar at a Time

• Published date: 01 October 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12534
• Date: 01 October 2020
• Author: Alexis Redd

STUDENT NOTES

DOLLAR DOLLAR BILL Y’ALL: THE ERADICATION OF

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES BY THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ONE DOLLAR AT A TIME

Alexis Redd

Under current federal regulations, families are being financially burdened by the cost of college tuition at Historically Black

Colleges and Universities due to the lack of federal funding allocated to these vital institutions. Historically BlackColleges &

Universities are struggling to keep their doors open to educate many Black students from low-income families and first-

generation college students –the same demographic they were created to educate. Over the years, the burden has greatly

shifted from the government to the backs of families. This Note proposes a three-part initiative that adequately distributes

nonperformance-based federal funds to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Key Points for the Family Court Community:

Parents of Black college students have lowerincomes as compared to other racial groups.

In 2016, the average Black family owned approximately $3,557 of wealth, as compared to the average White family

which owns approximately $147,000.

From 1983 –2016, Black families with zero or negative wealth, increased by 8.5%.

Black students have fewer resources to rely on than those of other ethnic backgrounds resulting in Black collegestu-

dents and their families having to borrow significantly more.

On average, HBCU graduates have a federal-debt loan of approximately $29,000 at graduation; thirty two percent

higher than graduates of other institutions.

Keywords: Disparities in Higher Education; Federal Funding; Funding; HBCU; Higher Education; Historically Black Col-

leges and Universities; Predominantly White Institutions; PWI.

I. INTRODUCTION

Theo Dorsey is a recent 2015 graduate of Hampton University.

1

Dorsey borrowed $20,500 to

attend college.

2

Tyrone Dorsey, Theo’s father, borrowed an additional $91,000 on his son’s behalf.

3

Since graduating, Dorsey believed he had been paying off his student loans, but in reality he had

only been paying on the interest.

4

This was done using an income-based repayment plan.

5

Tyrone

Dorsey, a 1986 Southern University graduate, along with Dorsey’s mother “wanted [him] to be able

to chase [his] dreams and obtain an higher education like they were able to.”

6

Tyrone Dorsey

yearned for his son to have an education at an Historically Black College, like himself.

7

Dorsey

stated, “[y]ou want to position your children for an opportunity to be successful…but carrying debt

is kind of tough to swallow.”

8

Nearly four years since graduating Hampton University, Dorsey still

owes nearly $20,000.

9

Dorsey stated his bills and loan payments alone consumes most of his

checks.

10

Dorsey currently works and resides in Greensboro, Nor th Carolina.

11

As a television

reporter, Dorsey makes less than $50,000 a year.

12

Yet he still feels like the odds are stacked up

Correspondence: alexisredd95@gmail.com

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Vol. 58 No. 4, October 2020 1072–1086, doi: 10.1111/fcre.12534

© 2020 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts