A proposed invoice within the Mississippi state legislature, Senate Invoice 2726, might doubtlessly result in the closure of three traditionally Black schools and universities (HBCUs) – Mississippi Valley State College, Alcorn State College and Jackson State College.
The invoice would require the Board of Trustees of State Establishments of Increased Studying (BTSIHL) to pick three colleges for closure by 2025 based mostly on elements like enrollment, financial influence, and diploma applications. There could be a compulsory listening session held at every impacted faculty.
Jennifer Riley Collins, a HUD administrator and Alcorn State alum, warns that the standards within the invoice places HBCUs at excessive danger. She requires alumni and college students to talk up towards it.
“The standards said inside the invoice locations Alcorn and different HBCUs at excessive danger if the invoice turns into regulation. This invoice doesn’t have to make it out of the present home,” Collins wrote HBCU Buzz.
The HBCU advocate referred to as for alumni and college students of the affected colleges to face up and combat again towards the proposed laws.
“It’s our First Modification proper to make use of our collective and particular person voices to talk up for the continued viability of the varsity we love. Please contact legislators and name for the invoice to die,” she added.
The invoice was launched by Republican state Senator John Polk, a Republican and consultant of Mississippi State Senate’s District 44. Polk, who was first elected in 2012, was assigned to the Senate Universities and Faculty Committee in 2019, in keeping with Ballotpedia. His present time period ends on Jan. 4, 2028.
Potential HBCU closures elevate necessary questions on minority schooling entry, cultural heritage preservation, financial influence, and innovation pursuits. Traditionally, HBCUs have offered larger schooling alternatives for marginalized teams. Their closure might severely restrict entry and erase vital African American historical past.
