Financial resources at HBCUs, or more specifically, the lack thereof, have long been an unfulfilled area of opportunity.
Recent reports emerged that scores of HBCUs across 16 states were shortchanged over the decades for a combined total exceeding $12 billion.
So egregious was this systematic misappropriation of funds in the case of Tennessee State that noted civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has gotten involved.
At a recent town hall meeting held on the TSU campus, Crump suggested the school will take legal action against the state.
On the most recent Big South-OVC media call Tuesday, Tennessee State head coach Eddie George was asked his thoughts on the school’s fight.
“I have a vested interest [in this] clearly. This is bigger than the athletic program,” he said. “It’s $2.1 billion dollars that could really help this university become elite. I don’t know why it’s been so long. I think we can look across the board holistically across the country at every HBCU and see they have been underfunded. Let’s call it what it is — systemic racism. I think the opportunity now is to rectify this situation and figure out how we could write this wrong.
“You think about what the funds could do for Tennessee State University, [they could be used] for infrastructure, maintenance, for our endowment, an annual fund to bring in more staff because we’re understaffed in a lot of areas, so you can bring in quality individuals to really enhance the student educational experience.”
The third-year Tigers coach explained that the denial of funding to Tennessee State compared to other colleges was “hurtful.”
“When you’re seeing other schools thrive at a high level that has been given their funds, like a University of Tennessee or a Tennessee Tech, it’s hurtful that it has come to this, but I think it there’s an opportunity for all the adults in politics to come to the round table and give Tennessee State the money that’s owed.”
