Subpart 4--Masters Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions 

SEC. 723. MASTERS DEGREE PROGRAMS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND 

UNIVERSITIES. 

(a) Grant Program Authorized.-- 

 (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of funds 

appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary shall award 

program grants to each of the institutions listed in subsection (b)(1) 

that is determined by the Secretary to be making a substantial 

contribution to graduate education opportunities at the masters level 

in mathematics, engineering, the physical or natural sciences, computer 

science, information technology, nursing, allied health, or other 

scientific disciplines for Black Americans. 

 (2) Assurance of non-federal matching funds.--No grant in excess 

of $1,000,000 may be made under this section unless the institution 

provides assurances that 50 percent of the cost of the purposes for 

which the grant is made will be paid from non-Federal sources, except 

that no institution shall be required to match any portion of the first 

$1,000,000 of the institution's award from the Secretary. After funds 

are made available to each eligible institution under the funding rules 

described in subsection (f), the Secretary shall distribute, on a pro 

rata basis, any amounts which were not so made available (by reason 

of the failure of an institution to comply with the matching 

requirements of this paragraph) among the nstitutions that have 

complied with such matching requirement. 

 (3) Minimum award.--Subject to subsections (f) and (g), the 

amount awarded to each eligible institution listed in subsection (b)(1) 

for a fiscal year shall be not less than $500,000. 

 (4) Duration of grants.--A grant awarded under this section 

shall be for a period of not more than six years, but may be 

periodically renewed for a period to be determined by the Secretary. 

(b) Institutional Eligibility.-- 

 (1) In general.--Institutions eligible for grants under 

subsection (a) are the following: 

(A) Albany State University. 

(B) Alcorn State University. 

(C) Claflin University. 

(D) Coppin State University. 

(E) Elizabeth City State University. 

(F) Fayetteville State University. 

(G) Fisk University. 

(H) Fort Valley State University. 

(I) Grambling State University. 

(J) Kentucky State University. 

(K) Mississippi Valley State University. 

(L) Savannah State University. 

(M) South Carolina State University. 

(N) University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. 

(O) Virginia State University. 

(P) West Virginia Sate University. 

(Q) Wilberforce University. 

(R) Winston-Salem State University. 

 (2) Qualified masters degree program.-- 
 (A) In general.--For the purposes of this section, the term 

`qualified masters degree program' means a masters degree program that 

provides a program of instruction in mathematics, engineering, the 

physical or natural sciences, computer science, information technology, 

nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines in which 

African Americans are underrepresented and has students enrolled in 

such program of instruction at the time of application for a grant 

under this section. 

 (B) Enrollment exception.--Notwithstanding the enrollment 

requirement contained in subparagraph (A), an institution may use an 

amount equal to not more than 10 percent of the institution's grant 

under this section for the development of a new qualified masters 

degree program. 

 (3) Institutional choice.--The president or chancellor of the 

institution may decide which graduate school or qualified masters 

degree program will receive funds under the grant in any one fiscal 

year, if the allocation of funds among the schools or programs is 

delineated in the application for funds submitted to the Secretary 

under this section. 

 (4) One grant per institution.--The Secretary shall not award 

more than one grant under this section in any fiscal year to any 

institution of higher education. 

 

 (c) Application.--An eligible institution listed in subsection 

(b)(1) desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application 

at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 

Secretary may require. The application shall-- 

 (1) demonstrate how the grant funds under this section will be 

used to improve graduate educational opportunities for Black and lowincome students, and lead to greater financial independence; and 

 (2) provide, in the case of applications for grants in excess of 

$1,000,000, the assurances required under subsection (a)(2) and specify 

the manner in which the eligible institution is going to pay the nonFederal share of the cost of the application. 

 

 (d) Uses of Funds.--A grant under this section may be used for-- 

 (1) purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory 

equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and 

research purposes; 

 (2) construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in 

classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities, 

including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment 

or services; 

 (3) purchase of library books, periodicals, technical and other 

scientific journals, microfilm, microfiche, and other educational 

materials, including telecommunications program materials; 

 (4) scholarships, fellowships, and other financial assistance 

for needy graduate students to permit the enrollment of the students 

in, and completion of, a masters degree in mathematics, engineering, 

the physical or natural sciences, computer science, information 

technology, nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines in 

which African Americans are underrepresented; 

 (5) establishing or improving a development office to strengthen 

and increase contributions from alumni and the private sector; 

 (6) assisting in the establishment or maintenance of an 

institutional endowment to facilitate financial independence pursuant 

to section 331; 
 (7) funds and administrative management, and the acquisition of 

equipment, including software, for use in strengthening funds 

management and management information systems; 

 (8) acquisition of real property that is adjacent to the campus 

in connection with the construction, renovation, or improvement of, or 

an addition to, campus facilities; 

 (9) education or financial information designed to improve the 

financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the students' 

families, especially with regard to student indebtedness and student 

assistance programs under title IV; 

 (10) tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed 

to improve academic success; 

 (11) faculty professional development, faculty exchanges, and 

faculty participation in professional conferences and meetings; and 

 (12) other activities proposed in the application submitted 

under subsection (c) that-- 

 (A) contribute to carrying out the purposes of this section; and 

 (B) are approved by the Secretary as part of the review and 

acceptance of such application. 

 

 (e) Interaction With Other Grant Programs.--No institution that 

is eligible for and receives an award under section 326, 512, or 724 

for a fiscal year shall be eligible to apply for a grant, or receive 

grant funds, under this section for the same fiscal year. 

 

 (f) Funding Rule.--Subject to subsection (g), of the amount 

appropriated to carry out this section for any fiscal year-- 

 (1) the first $9,000,000 (or any lesser amount appropriated) 

shall be available only for the purposes of making minimum grants under 

subsection (a)(3) to eligible institutions listed in subparagraphs (A) 

through (R) of subsection (b)(1), except that if the amount 

appropriated is not sufficient to pay the minimum grant awards to all 

such eligible institutions, the amount of the minimum award to each 

such eligible institution shall be ratably reduced; 

 (2) after the application of paragraph (1), an amount shall be 

available for the purpose of making minimum grants under subsection 

(a)(3) to eligible institutions listed in subsection (b)(1) that do not 

receive a grant under paragraph (1), if any, except that if the amount 

appropriated is not sufficient to pay the minimum grant awards to all 

such eligible institutions, the amount of the minimum award to each 

such eligible institution shall be ratably reduced; and 

 (3) any amount in excess of $9,000,000 shall be made available 

to each of the eligible institutions identified in subparagraphs (A) 

through (R) of subsection (b)(1), pursuant to a formula developed by 

the Secretary that uses the following elements: 

 (A) The ability of the institution to match Federal funds with 

non-Federal funds. 

 (B) The number of students enrolled in the qualified masters 

degree program at the eligible institution in the previous academic 

year. 

 (C) The average cost of attendance per student, for all fulltime students enrolled in the qualified masters degree program at such 

institution. 

 (D) The number of students in the previous year who received a 

degree in the qualified masters degree program at such institution. 

 (E) The contribution, on a percent basis, of the programs for 

which the institution is eligible to receive funds under this section 
to the total number of African Americans receiving masters degrees in 

the disciplines related to the programs for the previous year. 

 

 (g) Hold Harmless Rule.--Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3) 

of subsection (f), no eligible institution identified in subsection 

(b)(1) that receives a grant under this section for fiscal year 2009 

and that is eligible to receive a grant for a subsequent fiscal year 

shall receive a grant amount for any such subsequent fiscal year that 

is less than the grant amount received for fiscal year 2009, unless-- 

 (1) the amount appropriated is not sufficient to provide such 

grant amounts to all such institutions and programs that received 

grants under this section for such fiscal year and that are eligible to 

receive a grant in such subsequent fiscal year; or 

 (2) the institution cannot provide sufficient matching funds to 

meet the requirements of this section.