RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF 

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND 

UNIVERSITIES

IN THE 21ST CENTURY 

HEARING

BEFORE THE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION 

OF THE 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND 

THE WORKFORCE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

HEARING HELD IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, APRIL 23, 2001 

Serial No. 107-13 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Education 

and the Workforce

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

 77-905 pdf WASHINGTON : 2002 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: (202) 512-1800 FAX: (202) 512-2250 

Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001
ii

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE 

JOHN A. BOEHNER, Ohio, Chairman 

THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin GEORGE MILLER, California 

MARGE ROUKEMA, New Jersey DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan 

CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina MAJOR R. OWENS, New York 

PETER HOEKSTRA, Michigan DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey 

HOWARD P. “BUCK” McKEON, California PATSY MINK, Hawaii 

MICHAEL N. CASTLE, Delaware ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey 

SAM JOHNSON, Texas TIM ROEMER, Indiana 

JAMES C. GREENWOOD, Pennsylvania ROBERT C. “BOBBY” SCOTT, Virginia 

LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California 

MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana LYNN N. RIVERS, Michigan 

CHARLIE W. NORWOOD, JR., Georgia RUBEN HINOJOSA, Texas 

BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York 

FRED UPTON, Michigan JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts 

VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee RON KIND, Wisconsin 

VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan LORETTA SANCHEZ, California 

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado HAROLD E. FORD, JR., Tennessee 

ERNIE FLETCHER, Kentucky DENNIS KUCINICH, Ohio 

JIM DeMINT, South Carolina DAVID WU, Oregon 

JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia RUSH D. HOLT, New Jersey 

BOB GOODLATTE, Virginia HILDA L. SOLIS, California 

JUDY BIGGERT, Illinois SUSAN DAVIS, California 

TODD RUSSELL PLATTS, Pennsylvania BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota 

 PATRICK J. TIBERI, Ohio 

 RIC KELLER, Florida 

 TOM OSBORNE, Nebraska 

JOHN ABNEY CULBERSON, Texas 

Paula Nowakowski, Chief of Staff 

John Lawrence, Minority Staff Director

__________ 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION 

PETER HOEKSTRA, Michigan, Chairman

PATRICK TIBERI, Vice Chairman TIM ROEMER, Indiana

THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin ROBERT C. SCOTT, Virginia 

JAMES C. GREENWOOD, Pennsylvania RUSH D. HOLT, New Jersey 

CHARLIE W. NORWOOD, JR., Georgia SUSAN DAVIS, California 

BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota 

VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee LORETTA SANCHEZ, California 

TODD RUSSELL PLATTS, Pennsylvania 
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................... 1 

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN PETER HOEKSTRA, 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC ............................................... 1 

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE J.C. WATTS, 

JR., U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC.. 2 

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE ERNEST 

ISTOOK, JR., U.S.HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, DC............................................................................................... 4 

STATEMENT OF DR. HENRY PONDER, CEO AND PRESIDENT, 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN 

HIGHER EDUCATION, SILVERSPRING, MARYLAND........................ 6 

STATEMENT OF DR. ERNEST L. HOLLOWAY, PRESIDENT, 

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, LANGSTON, OKLAHOMA........................ 9 

STATEMENT OF DR. TRUDIE KIBBE REED, PRESIDENT, 

PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE, LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS........ 12 

STATEMENT OF DR. LAWRENCE A. DAVIS, JR., CHANCELLOR, 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF, PINE BLUFF, 

ARKANSAS............................................................................................................. 15 

STATEMENT OF DR. JOSEPH SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE 

PRESIDENT, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON CITY, 

MISSOURI ............................................................................................................... 18 

APPENDIX A --WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF 

CHAIRMAN PETER HOEKSTRA, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT 

EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE 

WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, DC............................................................................................. 29 
iv

APPENDIX B -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. HENRY 

PONDER, CEO AND PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 

FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, 

SILVERSPRING, MARYLAND ....................................................................... 35

APPENDIX C -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. ERNEST L. 

HOLLOWAY, PRESIDENT, LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, 

LANGSTON, OKLAHOMA................................................................................ 45 

APPENDIX D -- STATEMENT OF DR. TRUDIE KIBBE REED, 

PRESIDENT, PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE, LITTLE ROCK, 

ARKANSAS............................................................................................................. 69 

APPENDIX E -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. LAWRENCE A. 

DAVIS, JR., CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT 

PINE BLUFF, PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.................................................. 99 

APPENDIX F -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. JOSEPH 

SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, LINCOLN 

UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI..................................... 111 

TABLE OF INDEXES........................................................................................ 118
1

RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF HISTORICALLY BLACK 

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 

IN THE 21ST CENTURY 

_____________________________________________

Monday, April 23, 2001 

U.S. House of Representatives, 

Subcommittee on Select Education, 

Committee on Education and the Workforce, 

Field Hearing 

Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:00 p.m., on the campus of Langston 

University, 4205 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the Honorable 

Peter Hoekstra [chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Hoekstra, Watts, Istook, and Tiberi. 

 Staff Present: George Conant, Professional Staff; Michael Reynard, Deputy Press 

Secretary.

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN PETER HOEKSTRA, 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC 

Chairman Hoekstra. Good afternoon. For those of you that have not been in a 

congressional Subcommittee hearing before, parts of this are a little bit more formal than 

what you think they might need to be. We just go through the process to make sure that 

everything is legitimate and everything gets formally entered into the public record. 

 One note, Congressman Tiberi from Ohio is in Oklahoma. He is at Langston 

University, but he's not at this Langston University, and so we expect that he is en route 

and will be here soon. 

 The formal part is, a quorum being present; the Subcommittee on Select 

Education will come to order. We're meeting today to hear testimony on the needs of 

historically black colleges and universities in the 21st century. 
2

I'd like to thank Langston University for hosting the hearing today. We appreciate 

their hospitality, and we're pleased to be here. We're eager to hear from our witnesses, 

but before we begin I ask unanimous consent for the hearing record to remain open for 14 

days to allow member statements and other extraneous material referenced during the 

hearing to be submitted in the official record. 

 Without objection, so ordered. I'll keep my opening statement brief. I think, for 

all the folks on the panel, they pretty much know why we're here and what we want to get 

accomplished. But, for those that are in the audience that maybe are not as familiar, over 

the last couple of years under the leadership of Congressman Watts we have tried to put a 

focus on the needs and opportunities associated with historically black colleges and 

universities.

 We also outlined a strategy to get more information on the opportunities 

associated with historically black colleges and universities. What we would do is we 

travel to historically black colleges and universities to see and hear first hand about those 

issues. This is a first in what we expect will be a series of hearings around the country, 

where we begin the dialogue as to what needs to be accomplished, where we can go 

together, and so it's a beginning of a process. 

 It is what Congressman Watts committed at the summit a year ago. It is what 

Congressman Watts has asked me to partner with him through that process as chairman 

of the Select Subcommittee on Education, the Education and Workforce Committee. It's 

an assignment that I look forward to. 

 We are here today. We're here to listen. We're here to learn, and I will submit the 

rest of my statement for the record. Dr. Holloway, thank you for having us here. We're 

glad that we can begin this process, and with that I will yield to the gentleman from 

Oklahoma, Mr. Watts. 

WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN PETER HOEKSTRA, 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 

AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, 

DC – SEE APPENDIX A 

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE J.C. WATTS, JR., 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC 

Mr. Watts. Chairman, thank you very much. We are in this particular location, Frank 

Lucas's district. However, we are with constituents, when we speak of Langston 

University, they are constituents of Congressman Istook. 

 I am delighted to be with Congressman Istook today, am delighted that he could 

join us. Congressman Tiberi, if he were here, I would welcome him to the great State of 

Oklahoma. Chairman Hoekstra, we are delighted and I am particularly pleased with your 

partnership in this in trying to draw attention and, I think, raise the conscience level of 

not only members of Congress concerning the role that HBCUs play in American life, but 
3

also raise the conscience level of the American people in general of the role that HBCUs 

play in American life. 

 Again, this hearing is the first in a series of hearings on minority-serving 

institutions, the unique role they play and provide in proposed education for our students, 

the resource requirements of these institutions, and ways in which the federal government 

can provide assistance to them. 

 Currently, there are about 118 of these institutions that meet the criteria, as laid 

out to be defined as an HBCU. While comprising I make this note for the record, 

because I find this to be quite interesting. While comprising only 3 percent of the 

nation's two and four-year institutions, HBCUs are responsible for producing 28 percent 

of all bachelors degrees, 15 percent of all masters degrees, and 17 percent of all first 

professional degrees earned by African-American students. 

 Of particular, the issues that I think we will get into today, hoping that we will, of 

particular importance to the HBC community are the programs funded under Title III, 

part B, of the Higher Education Act. These programs provide federal assistance to aid 

HBCUs in strengthening their institution and graduate and professional programs. 

 I would also like to add, Mr. Chairman, that between 1995 and 2000, we have 

increased support for strengthening HBCU's by 36.5 percent, and for historically black 

professional and graduate institutions by 58 percent; and for fiscal year 2001, we increase 

these amounts again. 

 For strengthening historically black colleges and universities, we increase funding 

from 169 million to 185 million, and for historically black graduate institutions we 

increase funding from 40 million to 45 million. 

 Let me repeat and ditto what the Chairman said. I appreciate, Dr. Holloway, you 

opening your doors to us today and allowing us to do this on the Oklahoma City campus 

of Langston University. 

Dr. Ponder, welcome home. I know you've got some roots here. Dr. Kibbe Reed, 

thank you very much for joining us. Dr. Davis and Dr. Simmons, thank you all very 

much as well. I know that there are a thousand and one things that you all could be 

doing. We're delighted that you've come this afternoon to be with us, to help us learn, 

and we want to listen, and how we can help, how we can grow this partnership, and look 

forward to gathering your testimony. 

 Thank you very much. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Congressman Istook. 
4

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE ERNEST ISTOOK, 

JR., U.S.HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC 

Mr. Istook. Thank you, Chairman Hoekstra. Again, I wanted to thank President 

Holloway for allowing us to be here and Chairman Hoekstra for allowing us to participate 

in this hearing. 

 I'm aware, of course, that the last few years that Chairman Hoekstra has been 

chairing a different Subcommittee and has done very important work that some people 

didn't want to undertake, and now he has the challenge of doing additional important 

work.

 I recognize that when we speak of the historically black colleges and universities 

it is an extremely unique circumstance, because, sad as it is, we know that for many years 

your institutions provided opportunity when others had their doors closed. When, doors 

began opening up all over, some thought, well, we don't need the historically black 

colleges and universities anymore. 

 They, who were there when they were most needed, when no one else provided 

opportunity and you would, a special bond and a special foundation was created during 

that time that I don't think it would be wise to abolish that. 

 Were anyone to say, well, there's other larger ones that grew large while you were 

struggling and therefore you are not going to be able to keep up, I think that would be a 

sad ending and I don't think it would be something that would be healthy for the nation, 

and certainly not for the institutions that provided opportunity in the most difficult of 

occasions.

 Now, we know that sometimes that means it creates still challenges that are 

somewhat residual: Facilities, instruction, and the cost of instruction, seeking to build up 

endowment funds. I think that's why Chairman Hoekstra has recognized that as we're 

starting a new century, it is a good time to evaluate the special resource and see what we 

can best do to assist it in making sure that it continues to provide the opportunity. 

 Just as Mr. Watts mentioned the number of African-American graduates, are 

twice as strong as the percentage of those who attend the institutions. That says a great 

amount; and we want to make sure that opportunities are provided in this next century in 

a better way than it originally was at the start of the past century. Knowing that the 

President has asked us to take personal focus, I think it's well needed, and well deserved, 

on education at all of its stages, I think it's really timely to have this opportunity for input. 

 Chairman Hoekstra, I want to thank you for having these hearings out in the field, 

because I know you would not get the same input if the hearings were only held in 

Washington, D.C., and we didn't hear from, I guess we have, four different institutions 

represented today. I think that's a very healthy difference from how we too often do 

things in Washington. 
5

Thanks for letting me be a part of this. Gentlemen and ladies, I commend the 

work that you're doing. President Holloway, I know it's always strange here, because the 

affection is so obvious when you are on the campus in Langston--in fact, you never talk 

about Langston there, it's always dear old Langston on those occasions--but I guess that 

can attach to wherever the facilities may be as well. Thank you, Chairman. 

Chairman Hoekstra. All right. Thank you. The good news about today is that we're 

not going to have to talk about money all that much. I spoke to an organization in 

Washington a couple of weeks ago that was associated and under the Select 

Subcommittee's jurisdiction. I said, you know, it's kind of like you're in a bidding war. 

You've got the President, who says he's going to increase money this much, Republicans 

say it's going to be this much, Democrats say it's going to be that much, and so you are 

really kind of in the catbird's seat in terms of that everything has got a focus and says, 

hey, we recognize the work and recognize that the work and the effort has to be 

rewarded.

I haven't read the testimony, but if you bring up money, that's great. That's not a 

problem. I think it also says that we can have a genuine discussion about the policies that 

would ensure that the dollars are going to be spent most effectively. 

 I think as we have this dialogue over the coming months, it also allows us to think 

outside of the box. I know that Congressman Watts is very interested in how we can use 

your types of institutions to help foster entrepreneurship, small business development. 

 I'm very interested in how we can work with your institutions to ensure that every 

child that is coming out of the K through 12 systems is prepared to enter your institution 

or another institution of higher learning. You know, there are many other areas that we 

can work together on, and we can take and we can expand. There are many needs and 

there are lots of places that we can take this dialogue, so that's why I'm excited about this 

process.

 I'm going to go through the short introduction of each of you. J.C. gave you a 

very brief introduction. I've got a lengthier one. We'll put that in for the official record, 

but let me just briefly, again, introduce the members of the panel. 

Dr. Holloway, President of Langston University, thank you very much for being 

here. Dr. Henry Ponder. I think, Dr. Davis, you kind of looked at him when Ernest said 

four institutions. I guess NAFEO didn't count as an institution. It's not the new math. 

All right? We recognize there are five folks here, but Dr. Ponder is the CEO and 

President of the National Association for Equal Opportunity and Higher Education from 

Silver Spring, Maryland. Thank you for being here. 

 We have Dr. Reed, who is the President of Philander Smith College of Little 

Rock, Arkansas. Thank you for being here. Dr. Davis, who is the Chancellor of the 

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, thank you for being here. As well as Dr. Simmons, 

who is the Executive Vice President of Lincoln University of Jefferson City, Missouri, 

thank you for being here. 
6

We're going to start with Dr. Holloway. We're going to move to my right. For 

those of you that don't know how these lights works--you guys have done this before, or 

you've been warned--but for those who don't, the Rules of the House typically give 

witnesses and Members of Congress five minutes to make their statements. Now, the 

green light means you've got plenty of time. The yellow light is set at, what, a minute? 

Mr. Conant. At one minute. 

Chairman Hoekstra. When the yellow light comes on you'll have a minute to finish. 

The red light means that you're out of time. I've always been known to have a weak 

gavel, so please feel comfortable to finish your statement where you think it's 

appropriate. With that, we'll begin with you, Dr. Holloway. 

Dr. Holloway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope before you start the light, you know, 

the lights--I thought we were getting ready to play campus all star, where we go down 

and compete with one another. The mike is not on. Anyway, please allow me at this 

time to ask that, as host, I would like the Subcommittee to accept the testimony from our 

parent body, NAFEO, first, and then I will follow thereafter. Inasmuch as Dr. Ponder is a 

Langston University graduate, I feel comfortable in yielding this position to him. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Dr. Ponder. Welcome. 

STATEMENT OF DR. HENRY PONDER, CEO AND PRESIDENT, 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN 

HIGHER EDUCATION, SILVERSPRING, MARYLAND 

Dr. Ponder. Thank you, Mr. Holloway. 

Mr. Chairman, distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, I am Henry Ponder, 

Chief Executive Officer and President of the National Association for Equal Opportunity 

in Higher Education. I want to commend you for convening this hearing and for allowing 

me to appear before you today as you have your first field hearing on responding to the 

needs of HBCUs in the 21st Century here at Langston University. 

 In the time that I have, I would like to provide some background on NAFEO and 

its member institutions, some of their strengths and their challenges, as well as some of 

the initiatives that we support and are looking to begin and continue the new millennium. 

 Let me begin by noting that at the time of Brown versus Topeka Board of 

Education and the end of the segregation in public schools, but not the end of racially 

exclusive, whites-only system of higher education in the south or nearly all-white 

systems of higher education in the north, HBCUs were producing more than 90 percent 

of all black baccalaureates and more than 90 percent of all blacks who went on to become 

doctors, lawyers and PhDs. 
7

Now, HBCU's still enroll the largest concentration of both the well and illprepared African-American students, many of whom come from the most deeply flawed 

public schools and out of families that earn an average of two-thirds of what white 

college-going-students' families earn. 

 Enrollment and graduation rates of these institutions are the most sensitive to even 

the slightest shifts in state and federal policies affecting admissions to, enrollment in, and 

graduation from college. Therefore, for the last 40 years, HBCUs have served as a 

barometer that gives the earliest and most reliable indicators of whether new educational 

policies instituted by federal, state, or private sector policy makers will advance or retard 

the movement toward equality of educational opportunity. 

 Currently, there are a number of challenges that are germane to these institutions 

and the particular students that they serve. HBCUs are needed as much as ever in helping 

to close the college entrance gaps. According to the Department of Education's digest on 

education statistics of all major racial groups, African-American College enrollment is 

lowest in the country. 

 In 1995, only 51.4 percent of African-American high-school graduates enrolled in 

college. Comparatively, for whites, the figure was 62.6 percent, and for Hispanics 53.8 

percent. 

 NAFEO is looking to increase the number of African-American students who 

excel at all levels of the educational continuum, from elementary and secondary schools 

to undergraduate colleges and graduate schools. In order for this to happen, there need to 

be financial, instructional, technical, and community support available to our AfricanAmerican students every step of the way. 

 It is for this reason that for fiscal year 2002 we request funding for a number of 

programs that address these very concerns. In addition to issues related to the need for 

increased financial assistance, there is three target areas that will strengthen the HBCUs' 

ability to recruit, retain, and graduate the African-American manpower needed for the 

new millennium. 

 First, let me address student financial aid. An area that is of particular concern to 

NAFEO and its member institutions is financial aid. The majority of African-American 

families have incomes that are less than $25,000 a year. Thus, the students enrolled in 

HBCUs disproportionately rely on federal student financial aid programs. 

 Although there are significant increases in the last years' appropriation, NAFEO 

supports additional funding in the areas identified by the Student Aid Alliance, because 

students attending HBCUs rely so heavily on the federal Student Finance Assistance 

Program, NAFEO fully supports increased support by the Alliance for Pell Grants, SSIG, 

SEOG, TRIO, Work-study, and several other student aid programs. 

 Specifically, NAFEO joins the Student Aid Alliance in recommending that the 

maximum award for Pell Grants be increased by $600 to $4350. Funding for SEOG 

would be $791 million, representing an increase of $100 million above last year's level. 

Funding for work-study would be increased from $1.01 million provided last year to 1.05 
8

million proposed for FY02; and an additional $150 million for TRIO would bring 

funding to $880 million. 

 Secondly I would like to address HBCU Collaborative Centers of Educational 

Excellence for Teacher Preparation. We have had an opportunity to look at the 

President's budget, and while there are modest increases in some areas regarding 

education, we are concerned about the tremendous amount of level funding and cuts in 

programs that are of critical importance to the student populations of NAFEO member 

institutions. Specifically, we are concerned with the $44 million cut requested in the 

Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants account. 

 There is a significant teacher shortage in this country, particularly a shortage in 

minority teachers. The Department of Education estimates that two million new teachers 

will be needed over the next ten years as student enrollments reach their highest levels 

ever and teacher retirements and attrition create large numbers of vacancies. 

 For these reasons, NAFEO member institutions seek the authorization and 

appropriate annual funding to support an establishment of at least 10 HBCU 

Collaborative Centers of Excellence in Teacher Preparation. The request is made 

pursuant to findings mentioned in the September 2000 report prepared by the Institute for 

Higher Education Policy entitled Educating the Emerging Majority, the Role of Minority 

Serving Colleges and Universities in Confronting America's Teacher Crisis. 

 We ask that the program be authorized on the part of Title II, Teacher Quality 

Section of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act or another appropriate section, 

and ultimately be funded by the labor HHS Education appropriations subcommittee. 

Alternatively, we ask that it be funded as a demonstration project in the Fund for the 

Improvement of Education Account of the FY02 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations 

bill.

 Number three, the THRUST Initiative. Finally, NAFEO supports the 

establishment of an initiative that stimulates the competitive research and development 

capacity of HBCUs that provide doctoral degrees in science-related fields. The National 

Science Foundation should take the lead in establishing the program, ultimately working 

to expand the program to involve other relevant agencies. 

 Appropriate funds should be made available to implement the program with uses 

including, but not being limited to: start-up funding for new faculty, faculty exchanges 

and development, academic instruction in disciplines where African-Americans are 

underrepresented, instrumentation, supercomputing and science facility renovations, and 

supporting services for students in the graduate and doctoral pipeline. The ultimate 

objective of the effort would be to stimulate competitive research and systematic change 

across the HBCU community.

 In addition to these recommendations, more comprehensive information on all of 

the NAFEO initiatives is included in my written testimony and the attached FY02 

legislative briefing book, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
9

Specifically, we request additional funding for historic preservation, 1890 

institutions, information technology, Title III, and undergraduate research. 

 This concludes my testimony, Mr. Chairman. I would be happy to answer 

questions, if you have any. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. HENRY PONDER, CEO AND PRESIDENT, 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER 

EDUCATION, SILVERSPRING, MARYLAND – SEE APPENDIX B 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. I think it is the first time we have had a witness say, 

"I'd rather have someone else go first." 

 I'd like to introduce our colleague, Mr. Tiberi from Ohio. As we indicated earlier, 

he made a field visit to your other campus before he came here. 

 Do you want to say anything? 

Mr. Tiberi. No. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Okay. Good. Dr. Holloway. 

STATEMENT OF DR. ERNEST L. HOLLOWAY, PRESIDENT, 

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, LANGSTON, OKLAHOMA 

Dr. Holloway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and the other Congressmen and my colleagues 

and President Ponder. First, I want to thank Congressman Watts for carrying forth this 

initiative, as was started a year ago. 

Mr. Chairman, and other distinguished members of the subcommittee; I am Ernest 

L. Holloway, President of Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma 

City.

Mr. Tiberi. I learned the distinction. 

Dr. Holloway. Mr. Chairman, I submit on behalf of the Langston University, as well as 

the Council of 1890 Land Grant Institutions and the National Association of State 

Universities and Land Grant Colleges, this written testimony is in support of many of the 

federal budgets that have been submitted by NAFEO, as well as the Council of 1890 as 

relate to our institutions. 

 First and proudly, let me tell you that Langston University was founded in 

Langston, Oklahoma, as a land-grant college through the Morrill Act of 1890. The State 

of Oklahoma House, and the Legislature, with House Bill 151, officially named it 

Langston University in 1941. 
10

I would like for you to know that Langston University provides excellence in 

instruction leading to the associate degree, the baccalaureate degree, as well as the 

master's degree. We are currently in preparation of transcending from a baccalaureate 

degree program in physical therapy to that of the doctorate of physical therapy. We are 

transcending into that degree, because the baccalaureate degree will no longer be offered. 

 I would say to you as relates to Langston University, as we offer these programs, 

this, of course, assists us to achieve the mission and enhance the function of this 

Langston University. It helps us to build on our strengths of the university family as we 

move through the 21st Century. 

 Langston University has become an engaged university and will expand on 

innovative reciprocal productive relationships with business, industry, government, the 

private sector, international agencies, as well as other educational institutions. It will 

manage its resources prudently, and stay focused on its clear and certain future. 

 Historically, Langston University was established as the Colored Agricultural and 

Normal University. It offered its first post-secondary instruction course in 1898, being 

founded in 1897, but our first class was 1898. I would want you to know that during this 

period of time we continued to educate men and women with excellence. 

 Langston University provides opportunities for our students through five schools:

Nursing and Health professions, Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Arts and Sciences, 

Business, and Education and the Behavioral Sciences. 

 Of course, the university has two now-branch-campuses, one here in Oklahoma 

City and the other one in Tulsa. Effective July 1 of this year, as a part of the State of 

Oklahoma's statewide plan for Langston University. Currently, we are in Tulsa as part of 

a consortium. Come July 1, we will become an extension or a branch campus. 

 The institution, I'm proud to say, has distinguished itself and found a niche as a 

land-grant institution. Our niche, of course, has been with the establishment of the 

university's E. (Kika) dela Garza Institute for Goat Research. This research institute was 

formed in 1984. I would want you to know that it continues to attract research scientists, 

agriculture specialists, and others on the state, national, and international levels. 

 I would say further that through our Center for International Development the 

university offers summer study abroad programs that further enlighten our students as 

they become students that study in such countries as South Africa, West Africa, 

Dominican Republic, Mexico, just to name a few. 

 As an HBCU affiliate, Langston University fully support the policy initiatives, 

direction, vision, and advocacy provided by the National Association for Equal 

Opportunity and Higher Education. We strongly support the presentation of Dr. Ponder 

as a member of that body. 
11

In addition, I would want you to know that we are, of course, a public university, 

and a land-grant institution. You will find in my detailed document all of the 

identification of who we are, what we have done as a subset of institutions, as the 1890 

land-grant institutions. 

 HBCU's continue to exert tremendous influence upon the lives of significant 

numbers of African-Americans and other ethnic minorities, as well as others within their 

geographical locations. 

 If we are serious about impacting some issues such as health status of all 

Americans and decreasing the health disparity between minority and majority population, 

we have requested specifically at Langston University that funding be directed toward 

some of the HBCUs to develop, implement, and evaluate wellness programs that 

transcend traditional boundaries. 

 The program that I am proposing includes institutionalizing wellness concepts and 

activities across the campus, including all of our faculty, staff and students. We believe 

that students would be empowered to impact their own generation, as well as generations 

not now pre-K through high school. 

 Working with our institution would provide service to a group that has been 

traditionally un-served. The opportunity of grassroots impact has tremendous potential 

for facilitating a systemic change at the level where people actually live their lives. 

 Specifically, we need help developing funds for buildings, materials, and other

supplies. Also, historically, the evaluation components of our effort have been limited, in 

other words, kind of a moderate link. We probably will need assistance with that 

component, which could be included with the proposal development activities that you 

have heard reflected in Dr. Ponder's report. 

 At the federal appropriation level, Langston University supports, as I have 

indicated, all of the recommendations that came forth by NAFEO, and in addition to that 

I would like to add a few and focus on a few other programs that's before Congress. 

 The HBCU Telecommunications Project also has our support. We support the 

efforts of Senator Max Cleveland and Representative Towns to provide an initial $250 

million to support a minority serving institutions telecommunications initiative. 

 We also support the historical preservation project. 

 We also support the HBCU Research University Science and Technology 

Initiative called THRUST. Of course, NAFEO has requested $10 million to fund this 

particular program through the National Science Foundation. 

 The HBCU Collaborative Centers of Educational Excellence also has our support.

This is so important, but we would want you really to pay real attention to the area of 

teacher preparation. There's a lot of need and a lot of opportunity for us to become 

engaged with our pre-K through high school. We think that we can help, we can focus, 

we can prepare people to serve, teachers that can go into the classroom with motivation 
12

and excitement. 

 This, of course, is some of the highlights of the things I've included in my 

document, but you will find a further detailed extraction of this in the document. It's my 

pleasure to present the highlights of my formal presentation to you and appreciate your 

coming. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. ERNEST L. HOLLOWAY, PRESIDENT, 

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, LANGSTON, OKLAHOMA – SEE APPENDIX C 

Chairman Hoekstra. Dr. Reed. 

STATEMENT OF DR. TRUDIE KIBBE REED, PRESIDENT, 

PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE, LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 

Dr. Reed. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee it is my privilege as president 

of the Philander Smith College to represent the small historically black colleges and 

universities, HBCUs, and to give testimony to this committee. On behalf of our trustees, 

faculty, staff and students of the Philander Smith College, I bring you greetings and 

appreciation for the honor of testifying today about the opportunities and challenges of 

our colleges in this new century. 

 This is a most critical time in the history of HBCUs. We believe it is important 

for you to hear our story, for our issues are not uniquely ours but concern the entire 

society, for we play a critical, crucial role in serving the common good as we build the 

character of young people not reached by other institutions and we develop them into 

global leaders and productive citizens of this great nation. 

 Although Americans are attending college in record numbers, the enrollment of 

black, Hispanic and other low income students from all ethnic backgrounds continues to 

lag behind that of white and affluent Americans. 

 Census Bureau statistics indicate that only 26 percent of students age 18 to 24 

from families with incomes below $25,000 enroll in college. This is in contrast to the 65 

percent of students from families with incomes greater than $75,000. 

 I will speak to you specifically about my institution, but please note that what I 

say will have major implications for our other small, private liberal arts colleges with 

very low endowments and limited resources that are challenging us to continue providing 

quality education to generations of learners. 

 For over 124 years, Philander Smith College has produced a significant portion of 

African-American teachers in the State of Arkansas. Our collegiate choir has become 

world famous for its excellence, having performed also at the White House. 
13

Over 90 percent of our science students who apply are accepted into medical 

school. In spite of this outstanding record, we face a persistent challenge. The National 

Science Foundation has repeatedly denied funding to our college and to many other 

HBCU peer institutions. 

 The majority of National Science Foundation funds are sent to large research 

universities, leaving institutions like ours, the small, private liberal arts college, with 

greater obstacles in bringing educational equity to all citizens. 

 We are very proud of our students, of who they are and what they do for our 

society. Despite the liabilities with which they enter our doors, by the time they graduate 

prestigious universities in graduate and professional programs have accepted all these 

same students. 

 Given our strong record of medical school admissions, in April 2000 the college 

received word of an $8 million grant to build a new state-of-the-art science and health 

mission center. We want to address the international need of qualified health care 

personnel. Such a project is critical to the issues regarding health care for AfricanAmerican, low income, and rural communities. 

 The persistent failure of NSF to fund our science programs has not been our only 

disappointment in federal funding. Though Philander Smith College was the first 

program to inaugurate a minor in black family studies, funding for our Brother-to-Brother 

program, a highly successful program for young boys at risk, was in fact used as a 

national model. It was discontinued last year with less than 30 days notice. 

 The abrupt actions of the Department of Health and Human Services have had 

negative impacts on several key programs serving populations very much in need of 

assistance. 

 My question to you: Does it not cost American taxpayers more to incarcerate 

than to educate? Over the course of its history, Philander Smith College has committed 

itself to opening doors to those excluded from advantage. Our institution continues to do 

so through an open admissions policy that permits any student to succeed based on 

determination, commitment, and evidence of academic potential. 

 As a charter member of the United Negro College Fund, Philander Smith College 

was a premier liberal arts college through the end of the 1960s, when the desegregation 

movement began to tap many bright students for the integration of predominantly white 

institutions. The development challenged HBCUs to continue our mission in new 

historic circumstances. 

 Our efforts have clearly bore fruit, as we have educated premier AfricanAmerican lawyers, educators, doctors, and leaders, despite our very low endowment and 

faculty salaries, as well as inadequate housing for our students. 

 In a state with the highest percentage of impoverished persons, we serve a 

disenfranchised, economically challenged clientele. Since our students can afford only to 

pay so much of their fees in tuition, we must keep our fee schedule below that of our peer
14

institutions.

 The current average tuition for all colleges and universities is $7093. At 

Philander Smith College, we charge only $3624. Consequently, we have an annual 

budget that is half that of other schools our size. Our small budget produces unpleasant 

results. We are greatly understaffed in many operational areas. Our faculty and staff are 

seriously underpaid, and we are often faced with maintenance backlogs. 

 These budgetary consequences negatively impact our important mission, to bring 

disenfranchised students into the mainstream, where they can contribute to the common 

good of a democratic society. 

 Thus, our success story unfolds beside another story of unmet needs. Perhaps the 

primary challenge confronting small HBCUs is the struggle to find adequate resources for 

technology and hiring skilled technicians. We are hard pressed to conquer the digital 

divided with regard to race. 

 Because it recognizes the centrality of technology to education, Philander Smith 

College has been appreciative of a grant from UNCF over $1 million. Last year the 

college received $7.8 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to build a stateof-the-art library and technology center. As an HBCU we are very appreciative of your 

support in Title IIIB and we urge Congress to continue increases for such programs. 

 Moreover, we ask that Title III, part C, that was discontinued in 1995 be 

reinstated and that the requirement for the matching funds for the restoration of historic 

buildings on the national register be removed. 

 We appreciate the increases in the Pell Grant. However, due to the current limits 

and caps on the loans, the direct loans to freshmen students, these freshmen students and 

sophomore students are not able to fully cover tuition, fees, books, and dormitory 

expenses, even if they receive the maximum Pell Grants and Work-study. 

 Most of the students we serve at Philander Smith College have zero dollars from 

family contributions. They drop out after the first or second year because they owe us 

money and cannot return. The President's fiscal year 2002 budget for the Pell Grants will 

be an increase of only $100. 

 We appreciate all of the support you have given. I ask you to refer to my written 

testimony for additional recommendations. The President of NAFEO has already recited 

many of those. I would like to say again how much we appreciate all of your support, 

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for your time and consideration. Thank 

you very much. 

STATEMENT OF DR. TRUDIE KIBBE REED, PRESIDENT, PHILANDER SMITH 

COLLEGE, LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS – SEE APPENDIX D 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. 
15

Chairman Hoekstra. Dr. Davis. 

STATEMENT OF DR. LAWRENCE A. DAVIS, JR., CHANCELLOR, 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF, PINE BLUFF, 

ARKANSAS

Dr. Davis. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the subcommittee, Dr. Ponder 

and my colleagues and all others present. I'm certainly honored to have an opportunity to 

appear before you on this occasion and to represent the university where I have served 

now for a number of years. 

 This nation has a very serious challenge, and the HBCU institutions are part of the 

solution. And I, too, support all of the NAFEO initiative. We serve under that umbrella 

also.

I might remind you that when I was a youngster, I think about the time I was 

coming through high school, we had a national challenge. We woke up one morning and 

Sputnik was orbiting the earth; and, all of a sudden, we found the resolve and also the 

resources to put forth a great effort to remediate and alleviate the challenge that we had in 

terms of scientists and engineers. 

 I'll tell you today that in terms of African-Americans in this country that we have 

a challenge that is equally as serious and there's something that should be done. If any 

other group of people were being incarcerated at the rate that we are, they would already 

have a national effort to resolve it. 

 But I happen to be serving at the second oldest state institution in Arkansas.

We're second only to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, which initially was 

known as Arkansas Industrial University. We have been providing educational 

opportunities and upward social mobility for people for 128 years. 

 Yesterday, we had our Founder's Day program. The speaker on that occasion was 

one of our graduates, the Congressman from Illinois, Danny Kay Davis, who came from 

Parkdale. Had it not been for our institution, he probably still would be in Parkdale. 

 I can't in five minutes, nor in five days, capture the essence of the University of 

Arkansas at Pine Bluff, formerly A.M.& N. College, formerly Branch Normal College. 

Each one of those name changes represents a change in the social climate of this nation. 

 We became Branch Normal because there was a need to educate the descendants 

and also the newly freed slaves, and then the normal meant that we were to provide 

teachers. The statute that created our institution specified that we be located south and 

east of Pulaski County. That's in the delta of Arkansas, where many of the AfricanAmericans were concentrated. There was no mention of race, but it was somewhat 

understood.
16

Then, in 1928 or so, we became A.M.&N. College. The significance of that is 

that through the period of 1890 to 1928 is when all the segregation laws were passed.

Before that, we didn't have them. At that time we became a separate institution with a 

land-grant mission, making us the second land-grant institution in Arkansas, with 

University at Fayetteville being the very first. 

 Then, in the sixties, we had a social revolution, so in 1972 the state dragged us, 

kicking and screaming, back into the UA system, and we became the University of 

Arkansas at Pine Bluff with an evolved historical mission which indicated that we yet had 

a commitment to our traditional clientele, but also an evolving mission which indicated 

that we were supposed to provide services to a broader population. If you'll look at this 

document, I brought some things for you, look on the back of it, you'll see that and you 

might read it in your leisure. 

 Now, over these years, our contribution to the human capital of this nation is 

phenomenal. We were beginning to make some inroads, not only in terms of producing 

African-American professionals, but also others, until Arkansas embarked on the creation 

of a system of two-year institutions. Within three years, our minority population went 

from about almost 15, 16 percent, to about 10 percent.

 Now, I don't have time to do all of this, so I brought plenty of documentation. 

This document right here is my written testimony. I want you, with me, though, to go 

very quickly to appendix one, which is in the very back, I think. And what we were doing 

at the time, we were trying to help the people in our city understand the contribution not 

only that we had made but also that we were making. And so you see on the first page 

there, "The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff salutes the diversity of its graduates who 

provide leadership and service at Pine Bluff and Jefferson County". 

 We're talking about half the city council, much of the court, of course, judges and 

so on. Turn to the next page we're talking about specifically those that are serving who 

are in the legal profession. The next page has to do with those in the medical professions. 

 Turn to the next page. You'll see five people there. These are the five graduates 

of our nursing program that are heading up all of the major nursing programs in our area, 

University of Arkansas at Monticello, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Director of 

Nursing at Jefferson Regional Hospital, Director of the Public Program at the hospital, 

and also the two-year program in nursing that is at the two-year institution that is three 

miles from our campus. 

 If you continue and you turn over, you see the group of people that come back 

every year by our Youth Motivational Tasks Force, out there serving all over the country.

We have just documented some of the people. You look here and these are the educators 

in our areas, either superintendents or principals, right in the five or six school districts 

within our 10 or 15-mile radius. 

 Now, if you will, go to Appendix II. Frequently I have heard people say, why do 

we need these institutions now? Well, we probably need them more than we did in 

earlier years, primarily because even though some of the institutions are contributing the 
17

cream of the crop, they are not producing the butter; and this record here tells you that. 

 Over the last three years, we have had, from state institutions, of which there they 

attend four years, they are graduating approximately 825 or 30 African-Americans. Of 

those, every year, approximately 300 and something come from the University of 

Arkansas at Pine Bluff. 

 In addition to that, if you look at the particular disciplines that are aligned there, 

you will understand that if we were not graduating people in nursing and art and in some 

of those disciplines that there wouldn't be any from the state institutions. 

 I made a comment earlier that it takes people some time to understand what we 

are saying. Also, if you turn over another page, this is one of our art majors who just 

recently, out of 9000, is one of the three who has the winning design for the design of the 

Arkansas quarter. 

 We continue to produce leadership in this area, and so that's why it is so important 

that we be supported and empowered to do even more. I said this to my colleague a few 

minutes ago: The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has produced many PhDs in 

mathematics, has awarded as many as all other institutions in the State of Arkansas 

combined. Since we don't even have any doctoral programs that speak loudly. 

 Now we might move just a little bit more. Also in your possession you have a 

document that speaks to our annual report, but I don't have time on this occasion to go 

through and talk about what we do and all the partnerships that we have. But, in the very 

last appendix, we have over a hundred partnerships with school officials, with 

government agencies. We are a very critical part of our community. 

 Then we have this document. We are an economic generator for our region. We 

contributed over $50 million to the economy of Arkansas last year, as an example. If you 

look through there, you'll see what we are involved in. 

 Now, we could do more. We could do more. But to do more, we'd have to be 

empowered to do more. You have to understand that we suffer from a common malady 

that many of our institutions have old buildings. They weren't much in the beginning, 

Congressman Watts, and that's the reason that we have moved into the phase one of the 

renovation of our campus that we have had to demolish so many buildings, because they 

weren't much in the first place. 

 Just like what was done in the case of high school. When I was in high school, 

they said all those schools were separate but equal. But, then when they integrated the 

schools, they began to demolish all of those schools that were said to be equal to those 

that they kept. 

 Finally, what we really have to have from Congress, and we appreciate what you 

are doing; if it were not for Title III, I don't know what my institution would be like. As 

a result of Title III, I'm standing here today, because they helped me go back to school, 

supported me to get my doctorate. We've sent others, developed a number of things on
18

our campus that contribute to the growth and progress of our university. 

 So, what I'm saying is, as I close, we're trying at our university to develop a no 

excuse university, and what we mean by that is that we will compete, without 

compromise, with anyone if we simply have the resources that we need to do that. 

 The days that we could go out and get jobs or do things like George Washington 

Carver and compete are over. You have to have real equipment and resources in order to 

be in today's society. We promise, you know, quality education with a personal touch.

When I say that, I always remind people, you need to define quality very well. John 

Deere is not Rolls Royce, but they are both quality vehicles. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. LAWRENCE A. DAVIS, JR., CHANCELLOR, 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF, PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS – SEE 

APPENDIX E 

Chairman Hoekstra. Dr. Simmons. 

STATEMENT OF DR. JOSEPH SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE 

PRESIDENT, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON CITY, 

MISSOURI 

Dr. Simmons. Mr. Chairman, members of the subcommittee, colleagues, ladies and 

gentlemen. It is an honor and a pleasure that I offer this testimony regarding responding 

to the needs of the historically black colleges and universities in the 21st Century. I am 

Joe L. Simmons, the Executive Vice President of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, 

Missouri.

 First of all, I would like to ditto all that my colleagues have said, and more 

specifically I would like to tell you some things about Lincoln University and how and 

why all the Lincoln Universities of the country should be supported. 

 Lincoln University is an 1890 land-grant comprehensive institution that is part of 

the Missouri State System of Higher Education, founded in 1866 through the cooperative 

efforts of the enlisted men and officers of the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantries. 

 Lincoln University was designed to meet the education and social needs of the 

freed African-Americans. While remaining committed to this purpose, the University has 

expanded its historical mission to embrace the needs of a significantly broader population 

reflecting varied social, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. This is the 

unique purpose that Lincoln University fulfills in higher education. 

 The core mission of Lincoln University is to provide excellent educational 

opportunities for a diverse student population in the context of an open enrollment 

institution. The University provides student-centered learning in a nurturing environment, 
19

integrating teaching, research, and service. 

 Lincoln University offers relevant, high quality undergraduate and select graduate 

programs that prepare students for careers and lifelong learning. These programs are 

grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with a focus on public service professions that 

meet the academic and professional needs of its historical and statewide student clientele. 

 The HBCUs offered no apologies at all for being HBCUs. I attended two 

HBCUs, Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Hampton 

University in Hampton, Virginia; and I feel that I have firsthand knowledge and 

experience that will allow me to address the importance and the value of HBCUs. 

 HBCUs have taken students where they found them academically, socially, and 

economically and educated them. They are now productive citizens. They have 

demonstrated their caring for students in a nurturing environment and they have always 

had high expectations and demanded the same. 

 HBCUs have personally exposed me to some of the most intellectual stimulating 

professors in the country, who also happen to have been African-American. 

 In addition to having received two degrees from HBCUs, I have worked for more 

than 32 years at an HBCU, that is Lincoln University. With an enrollment of 3,347 

students and approximately 35,000 credit hours generated, Lincoln University in 

Jefferson City serves a very diverse student population. The African-American 

population is approximately 33.5 percent and the Non-African-American population is 

approximately 66.5 percent. 

 As an open enrollment institution, Lincoln University attracts students with ACT 

scores sometimes in the low double digits to the upper 20s. The average ACT score is 

18. Of the above number, 2743 students are from Missouri and 160 students are 

international. The largest representations are from Tanzania, Malawi, and Jamaica. The 

students in Missouri come from inner cities, such as St. Louis, Kansas City, and rural 

Missouri.

 Lincoln University, once known as the Harvard of the Midwest, was featured in a 

1954 edition of Ebony Magazine as the institution that is too good to die, and that legacy 

continues. It is the institution that is too good to die. 

 Lincoln continues to provide high-quality programs with outstanding faculty and 

staff. Lincoln continues to graduate a substantial number of first generation AfricanAmerican students. Of the 451 associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees awarded in 

1999 and 2000 academic year, 409 were awarded to African-Americans. 

 While that number may seem low, that represents the number of students who 

needed a chance to be successful. That is what Lincoln University and other HBCUs 

have done successfully for years. They have served and educated many individuals who 

were not admitted elsewhere. Many of these graduates are now some of our leading 

doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, athletes, scientists, politicians, and community leaders. 
20

Being designated as an 1890 land-grant institution, Lincoln continues to reach out 

to the inner cities of Missouri and to the southeast region of the state often referred to as 

the boot heel of Missouri. Citizens of the above areas often find that they are in need of 

assistance with issues related to farming, health care, financial planning, educational 

needs, family planning, and family care. 

 Lincoln University serves as a valuable resource to the city of Jefferson by 

providing student interns to business, industry, and government. Faculty members are 

often called upon to share their expertise in their specific areas. 

 Lincoln University serves as a cultural center for the community, and some of the 

most recent events have included the Jefferson City Symphony Orchestra, the Blind Boys 

of Alabama, the Daddy Mack Blues Band, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, the 

Minnesota Ballet, just to name a few. 

 Let me now elaborate on some of the resource needs of the university, so that you 

may gain a greater understanding of those needs. 

 There are some threats to HBCUs, and more specifically Lincoln University, and 

much of it centers on funding. I recommend continuing lobbying in Washington, D.C. 

for stronger support of higher education, and more specifically to HBCUs. 

 It is imperative that Title IV funding, financial aid, continues or exceed the 

current funding level. Approximately 50 percent of our total student body receives some 

kind of financial assistance. Without Title IV funding, many of our students would not 

attend college. Too often, those individuals who need assistance and are also 

underrepresented in higher education are the first ones to be affected by the decisions 

made by the federal government. 

 It is imperative that those federal initiatives that support the funding for the 

renovation of buildings, especially historical buildings on campuses, continue. 

 Lincoln University has been successful in getting some federal dollars for what 

we refer to as the Anthony Hall and the Bennett Hall projects. These are two residence 

halls that are on the historical register. With federal funding, the two residence halls will 

be preserved and reopened as residence halls, and they have been closed for nearly two 

decades.

 As an 1890 land-grant institution, Lincoln University must continue to receive the 

necessary federal dollars if that part of the mission is to be realized. Federal dollars have 

been of great value to rural Missouri, inner city Missouri, the elderly, and to youth 

groups.

 Meaningful research has been conducted, and not only provides a better quality of 

life for Missourians, but for the nation and the world. 

 Lincoln has research projects in some of the third world countries, specifically, 

Malawi and others, and studying such projects as twinning in sheep, greater productivity
21

in poultry and swine. 

 I would recommend that those issues directly affecting the very existence of 

HBCUs be placed in a committee for review and recommendations and that such a 

committee would consist of primarily current presidents or CEOs of HBCUs. 

 High priority for HBCUs must be a top priority of the federal government and the 

value of these institutions must not be diminished in any way. Thank you. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR. JOSEPH SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE 

PRESIDENT, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI – SEE 

APPENDIX F 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. 

Chairman Hoekstra. I know that Congressman Watts has another commitment, so I'm 

going to go right to J.C. before he needs to leave. 

Mr. Watts. Let me just briefly say, thank you to the participants. I want to thank you 

again very much for attending the hearing. I also want to say thank you to Pat for coming 

down from Ohio and to Chairman Hoekstra for his efforts to kick off the first of a series 

of hearings around the country on HBCU campuses. 

 I had a previous commitment when this was scheduled at 3:30, so I am going to 

have to step out, but I do want to ask one question to our state HBCU President. 

 You mentioned in your testimony that among your goals are strengthening some 

of your advance degree programs and establishing a graduate school at Langston. You 

know, I was saying to the panelists prior to coming in here that Langston graduates more 

African-Americans on an annual basis than my alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, 

Oklahoma State University, Tulsa University, and Northeastern State University 

combined. 

 So, in trying to establish this graduate school, what resources will be necessary 

for this and what resources have you identified? 

Dr. Holloway. Yes. Specific resources will be necessary. There is a building involved, 

a $3 million building that would house the health, particularly, health facility. Of course, 

all of the dollars that are going to be required to meet the request of the graduate program 

as well, all of the graduate programs and the doctor of physical therapy program we are 

talking about, we have identified the need for approximately, I would say, it's going to be 

around $4 million. 

 Now, the state has made some commitments, but there is going to be additional 

needs there. We are working with the Department of Human Services in Washington. 

We have requests there. So, we are waiting for those requests for funding. 

Mr. Watts. One other question, Dr. Holloway. Could you tell me, what's the 

composition of your student body, and do you have any nontraditional students? If so, 
22

what are some of their special needs? 

Dr. Holloway. Looking at our composition of student body by race, our composition of 

student body, is this what you have reference to? 

Mr. Watts. Yes. 

Dr. Holloway. Langston University, as you are aware, we have centers here in 

Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Our total enrollment is approximately 3600 students, and of 

that number we'd say 38 percent are non-black students, meaning that they are white 

students, and they are primarily enrolled in Tulsa. Of course, the remainder on our main 

campus, we would say we would have approximately pretty close to 80 percent black 

students on our campus and about 15 percent white and about 5 percent others. 

 But, I'm proud to hear you acknowledge that. We have some needs there, and you 

can probably help us to facilitate those needs in terms of funding. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you, J.C. I guess we'll see you in Washington tomorrow. 

Mr. Watts. Going back to the Ponderosa tomorrow. 

Chairman Hoekstra. That's right. Good. Thank you. 

Mr. Watts. Thank you very much. Thank you. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Dr. Ponder, or maybe if anybody else wants to respond to it as 

well, I was kind of struck by the NSF numbers. You have trouble getting NSF grants and 

being recognized by them? If you could maybe elaborate a little bit more on that, any 

one of the panel members, and if you've done an analysis of other federal programs, grant 

programs, does that pattern follow that HBCUs don't qualify for those programs? Dr. 

Davis? 

Dr. Davis. I just want to make one comment. It has to do with capacity. I'll give you an 

example of what I'm talking about. We just went through a process in Arkansas of 

deciding what to do with tobacco settlement funds. Of course, we did get a share of it, 

and I'm grateful for that. 

 But, initially, when they were discussing the distribution of those funds, the 

question came up about a program that would bring many dollars to the institution that 

had it. It was a PhD program. Comments were made to the effect that our institution 

didn't have the capacity. 

 Now that institution has been awarded that amount, they've given them money for 

the building, the money to operate it, the money to hire the people to run it, and so forth.

So my statement is simply then they didn't have the capacity either. 

 So what happens many times as we go through these programs, we haven't been 

given a level field in the beginning, so of course we don't have the capacity, just as in the 

past many institutions didn't have the capacity to do the research. At some point, the 
23

government needs to make a commitment to our institution to give us the capacity and 

empower us to do what we need to do. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Doctor we'll let you guys work it out. You guys all get along so 

well. So, whoever-- 

Dr. Reed. Since I mentioned this, it was a pretty substantial concern and focus in my 

written testimony, I would say among the United Negro College institutions there are 

only four that I know that have received funding. Xavier has one of the strongest science 

programs, and just recently, in talking to Dr. Francis, I understand its program is being 

scaled back by this particular grant source. 

 Philander Smith College is recognized as a top science program, so much that we 

just got an $8 million gift, and that was based on a site visit from the foundation, a private 

foundation that noticed that we were conducting graduate level research and had a 

premier program. 

 My question is if we are recognized for the capacity by those kinds of agencies, 

why do we have roadblocks with the federal government? I'm consistently hearing 

among the 39 member institutions of the UNCF, cannot seem to penetrate the National 

Science Foundation, and we are deeply discouraged. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. Dr. Ponder? 

Dr. Ponder. Let me just elaborate further. You have this in my submitted testimony, but 

let me just read here. Data assembled and disseminated by the federal government reveal 

disturbing trends related to the participation of HBCUs in the federal R and D enterprises.

Based on data complied by NSF, for 1999, about $14 billion was awarded by the federal 

government to all institutions of higher education for R and D. Of this amount, only 

$164 million was awarded to HBCUs, less than 1 percent. 

 Even more disturbing is the fact that these funding levels represent a decline in 

the amounts provided in previous years, 202 million in 1995 and 188 million in 1996. 

 While overall funding in this area has increased, up from 12.8 billion in '95 to 

over 14 billion today, looking specifically at R and D funding awarded by the National 

Science Foundation, while overall funding to institutions of higher education was 1.9 

billion in 1998, only 2.2 percent or 43 million was awarded to HBCUs. This averages 

out to less than $400,000 per HBCU institution, while the top 100 institutions averaged 

19 million per institution. 

 That's what my colleagues were talking about. If we had those kinds of dollars, 

then we would have the capacity to do the things that these institutions are able to do. 

 The government puts money into what is considered the major research 

institutions, and we take no issue with that. That's not the point here. It’s just a 

comparison. The government has not decided yet to help a single HBCU become a major 

research institution, and we think that today that is important. 
24

Let's move a little further, the HB1, the bringing in of foreigners to H1B bringing 

in foreigners to help in our technology areas. We know that if we were given some of the 

money that we know in the short run you have to do that. We can go with that but the 

long-term solution cannot be to continue to increase the amount going offshore. 

 Some of these funds put into these institutions that take great pride in helping 

African-Americans, Hispanics, and so forth get into the mainstream would do something 

to help that. We strongly would support you pushing for us to become involved in some 

of the things that you are interested in: Small business, we can do those kinds of things; 

teacher education, we've always done it; we can continue to do it. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. That's the other one that I highlighted; what we talked 

about earlier was the key link that you can provide in teacher education. So, with that, I'll 

yield to Mr. Istook. 

Mr. Istook. Thank you, Chairman Hoekstra. I'd like to follow up on this, and I think it 

would certainly be instructive for us to have not only on an institutional basis the amount 

that, you know, National Science Foundation, for example, may award to one institution 

than a another, but, you know, try and get it on a per capita basis, realizing that some 

institutions, of course, will be small, some will be large, some will have small science 

departments, some will have large science departments and so forth. 

 I certainly have observed a similar problem in some federal research, for example, 

National Institutes of Health Grants. It all goes back to what my dad used to say to me, 

you know, them what has gets. 

 A lot of the federal grants, it doesn't appear to be that it's racially based, but it still 

is historically based, and we recognize the historical disadvantage that your institutions 

had during the so-called separate but equal era and the others. 

 It would be helpful to see a comparison, you know, not just college to college, but 

something that brought into play the number of students that are enrolled in the schools 

or in the particular disciplines that they are doing. 

 I certainly agree with you, that one problem of policy is making sure that things 

are disseminated. Especially, I think it was Dr. Davis, I think you mentioned something 

of the digital divide, or it might have been Dr. Simmons or others, and realizing that with 

institutions in more rural settings, such as Langston, in Langston and so forth, there's a 

great need for what telecommunications and information technology can bring there. 

 I hope that some of this information that, you know, goes into per capita and such 

might be part of what's forthcoming, you know, things that follow the hearing. But I 

want to ask a couple of questions, whoever might be able to tackle them. 

 At the historically black colleges and universities, you know, if you look at the 

cost per degree compared to other universities, and I'd also be interested, I'm certain you 

have statistics, in how many cases, do you have students from family backgrounds where 

nobody has a college degree and how that relates to the circumstances in other 
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universities across the country. 

 We all recognize it sometimes takes multiple generations for people to make 

progress. I happen to be the first college graduate in my family tree. But, of course, all 

my kids now are in college, and we realize how that works. But do any of you have some 

information along those lines you might share? 

Dr. Ponder. Let me say, I believe that the College Fund generates this kind of 

information in terms of first generation students in our colleges and universities. I would 

say that for the universities represented here we would find up to 50 percent of the 

students are first generation college students. 

Mr. Istook. Right. 

Dr. Ponder. So, we are still into that. We haven't gotten deep enough that we are just 

beginning to where the children of our graduates are now coming back into our schools. 

We do have quite a bit of that. I know that the College Fund at one time had that 

information. I don't think that we had it, but we do know that it's about like that. Am I 

right?

Dr. Reed. Right. Between NAFEO and UNCF, I think we have most of the statistical 

data.

Dr. Davis. Also, sir, you might get a copy of the Black Issues in Higher Education, in 

the March 29th issue, there is an article with historic and equities that will be remedied, 

and within that context they have a comparison of monies allocated at various 

institutions.

 For example, we are a land-grant institution, and it was just last year for the first 

time that we received matching funds from the state. We got 1.2 million. Of course, the 

other land-grant institution gets 54 million. We operated all of these years without any 

help. It is only because of the bill that was passed there in Congress that said the States 

had to either start matching in a gradual way or, you know, there would be a penalty. 

 Unfortunately, the way the bill read, the penalty would have been mine. It didn't 

have anything to do with the rest of the state. It so happened that we had a shortfall in the 

income, and we lost 400,000, which the Governor restored. Otherwise, we would not 

have met the federal mandate. So consistent, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 

received 14,000 plus dollars per student and UAPB, $6000 per student. Of course, they 

would compare us with other four-year institutions, but the mission that we perform is 

just as special as that one that they perform. 

Mr. Istook. I certainly appreciate your comment about John Deere and Rolls Royce. I 

thought that was well put. 

Dr. Reed. May I share some of the statistics that may be helpful? For the United Negro 

College Students, more than 55 students currently attend UNCF member colleges. More 

than 300,000 students have graduated from UNCF schools since it's creation. 

Approximately 90 percent of UNCF students require some form of financial aid, and at
26

my college it's 99 percent. 

 More than three-quarters of all UNCF students receive Stafford loans; and our 

recommendation is try to get 75 percent in grant money, because the debt is about 

$19,000 when a students graduates from one of our institutions. 

 Of the student population, 40 percent are the first in their families to attend 

college. That will have some variance. In my institution it's 55 percent. 

 Roughly 34 percent are from families with a gross income of less than $25,000 

and 45 percent of UNCF students are from single parent families. This is really critical. 

Roughly 20 percent of Achievement Scholars attend HBCUs. I can give you more data 

about the number of graduates, but we will have those statistics for you. 

Chairman Hoekstra. I think Congressman Istook is on his way to a conference call, and 

Congressman Tiberi, I think, is off to the other Langston campus to see that before he 

leave but he has a plane to catch. 

 I just wanted to ask one other question. Dr. Simmons, you talked about, I would 

recommend that those issues that directly affect the very existence of HBCUs be placed 

in the committee for review. I'm assuming, are you asking for a separate committee, or is 

that pretty much the function that is served by NAFEO? 

Dr. Simmons. It is not represented by a separate committee, but really empowering 

NAFEO to do just that. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Okay. I just wanted to know if you were requesting us to form a 

coordinating committee or whatever. 

Dr. Simmons. No. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Then could I ask Dr. Ponder to do that for us, right now? I just 

wanted, to know, because I expect that we are going to form a key relationship and 

dialogue as we go through all of the information that you have prepared. There's a lot to 

digest here. It's a great beginning. It gives us some stuff to read on the plane back to 

Washington. I guess, like we indicated at the beginning, that this is the beginning of the 

process.

 Congressman Istook has identified some things, information that we would like to 

have. You've laid out some challenges on financing early in the testimony. We are going 

to work with you on that to see exactly what we can do in each of those areas. 

 Our objective is, over the next, you know, 20, 21 months, to make as much 

progress on the issues that you have outlined for us today as we can. 

 I was disappointed today that our colleagues from the other side of the aisle are 

not here. That was more of a scheduling conflict. It is not because of a lack of interest.

This is a bipartisan effort. Even though the four people here today were Republicans, I 

have talked with my ranking member, Congressman Roemer from Indiana. He is very 
27

interested in working on this issue with us. We expect this to be a bipartisan effort and 

not a partisan effort and that we expect Republicans and Democrats to work through 

these issues together.

Dr. Holloway, do you have any closing comments that you would like to make? 

Dr. Holloway. I just simply wanted to say that I think it's fair to say that we appreciate 

this new initiative. I think before you and in those documents there you have a lot of 

opportunity, I think you have an opportunity to make a difference, and I think you heard 

that coming from all of us. 

 We believe that you as chairman and your committee have an opportunity to be 

engaged in a lot of things, but you can see we have so much yet to be done. I hope you 

sense the urgency that is expressed by my colleague, Chancellor Davis. There's no 

greater opportunity for us, for you, to help America help itself. 

 When you hear Dr. Ponder reference the fact that we are spending Americans' 

dollars to invite foreign people to come to this country to take jobs that we can train 

folks, you know, that says a lot. I hope that this committee will come out, out of the box. 

We are out of the box. We are reaching out. 

 I hope with this moment of history where our President is saying, "No child left 

behind," well if that is, in fact, to be the case, he won't achieve that goal, nowhere near 

achieve the goal, if he doesn't recognize, if we all are not involved and engaged, 

historically African-American institutions who made it possible for a child to get where 

we are today. 

 Thank you for selecting Oklahoma and Langston University. I thank my 

colleagues, for this was a short notice. We usually don't get our schedules reshuffled this 

quickly. But, because of you, we know of no greater occasion, there was nothing more 

important than establishing our needs in the records of our Congress. 

Chairman Hoekstra. Thank you. Let the record show that I believe Langston was 

chosen by your colleagues and that we're here to listen and learn, and I think Langston 

was suggested to us, I don't know if it was the place, or one of the first places to consider. 

 I said earlier, I think this is a great start to what I hope will be a very productive 

two years. Thank you very much, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue and 

getting some real results. 

 Thank you. 

 The committee will be adjourned. 

 [Whereupon, the subcommittee was adjourned.] 
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TABLE OF INDEXES 

Chairman Hoekstra, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 

Dr. Davis, 15, 22, 25 

Dr. Holloway, 5, 6, 9, 21, 22, 27 

Dr. Ponder, 6, 23, 25 

Dr. Reed, 12, 23, 25 

Dr. Simmons, 18, 26 

Mr. Conant, 6 

Mr. Istook, 4, 24, 25 

Mr. Tiberi, 9 

Mr. Watts, 2, 21, 22