Maryland offers $100 million to settle decade
black
Alumni from Morgan State University and Marylandâs other historically black institutions  sued in 2006 to dismantle what  they  say are vestiges of racial segregation. (Paul Burk/National Trust for Historic Preservation)
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Wednesday offered the stateâs historically black colleges and universities up to $100 million to resolve a 12-year-old lawsuit over inequality in public higher education.
The proposed settlement is more than double the amount the state pledged early in the case. It arrives a day after a federal judge granted the state a temporary reprieve as it appeals an order issued in November to establish a set of unique and high-demand programs at its four historically black institutions â Morgan State University  Coppin State University  Bowie State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
But the proposal may not be enough to satisfy the coalition of alumni from Marylandâs historically black institutions who filed the lawsuit in 2006 to dismantle what they say are vestiges of racial segregation. The group has accused Maryland of insufficiently funding historically black colleges and allowing other state schools to duplicate their programs  placing pressure on enrollment.
The state appealed a month after Blakeâs ruling  and has since suggested mediation in an attempt to resolve the case. The settlement offer revealed Wednesday would supplement state appropriations to the four public historically black institutions over a 10-year period  according to a letter Hoganâs chief legal counsel Robert F. Scholz sent Wednesday to Cheryl D. Glenn (D-Baltimore City)  who chairs the Black Caucus.
âGovernor Hogan wants to bring this litigation to an end in a manner satisfactory to all parties  and in the best interests of all Marylanders  especially current and future [historically black institution] students â Scholz wrote.
Traditionally white public universities in Maryland count 122 academic programs not duplicated elsewhere within the state system  while historically black schools have only 11 such offerings. That disparity is why advocates have fought for more high-demand academic programs they say would enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the four schools.
âThe stateâs letter just talks about dollars â it does not talk about putting any kind of dent in that 10-to-1 disparity â said Michael D. Jones  lead attorney for the alumni coalition. âThe goal is to address the disparity by placing a certain number of unique programs at the [historically black institutions]  and it was up to the special master to figure out which ones and at what cost.â
Over the years  the coalition has called for increased funding and merging the University of Baltimore with Morgan State  the stateâs largest public historically black school. A more recent proposal to transfer programs from traditionally white state schools raised the ire of the Maryland Higher Education Commission and some university presidents who said the plan would ultimately harm students.
[At Md.âs historically black schools  the pursuit of equity without forgoing identity]
Judge Blake dismissed those proposals  but delivered a ruling that Jones and other advocates of desegregation have considered significant. Jones said he is willing to hash out the terms of the proposed settlement depending on the stateâs stance on creating programs. The money alone  he said  will not dismantle the structural inequality that exists between traditionally white and historically black state colleges.
âIf you say . . . weâre going to give the [historically black institutions] these new programs that are going to meet the stateâs workforce needs and anybody black  white or Latino who wants the program can attend  that starts to upend the structural inequality â Jones said. âAnd that needs to be a part of the remedy.â
[TGT] sued in 2006 to dismantle what   [TGT]   say are vestiges of racial segregation. (Paul Burk/National Trust for Historic Preservation)
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Wednesday offered the stateâs historically black colleges and universities up to $100 million to resolve a 12-year-old lawsuit over inequality in public higher education.
The proposed settlement is more than double the amount the state pledged early in the case. It arrives a day after a federal judge granted the state a temporary reprieve as it appeals an order issued in November to establish a set of unique and high-demand programs at its four historically black institutions â Morgan State University  Coppin State University  Bowie State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
But the proposal may not be enough to satisfy the coalition of alumni from Marylandâs historically black institutions who filed the lawsuit in 2006 to dismantle what they say are vestiges of racial segregation. The group has accused Maryland of insufficiently funding historically black colleges and allowing other state schools to duplicate their programs  placing pressure on enrollment.
The state appealed a month after Blakeâs ruling  and has since suggested mediation in an attempt to resolve the case. The settlement offer revealed Wednesday would supplement state appropriations to the four public historically black institutions over a 10-year period  according to a letter Hoganâs chief legal counsel Robert F. Scholz sent Wednesday to Cheryl D. Glenn (D-Baltimore City)  who chairs the Black Caucus.
âGovernor Hogan wants to bring this litigation to an end in a manner satisfactory to all parties  and in the best interests of all Marylanders  especially current and future [historically black institution] students â Scholz wrote.
Traditionally white public universities in Maryland count 122 academic programs not duplicated elsewhere within the state system  while historically black schools have only 11 such offerings. That disparity is why advocates have fought for more high-demand academic programs they say would enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the four schools.
âThe stateâs letter just talks about dollars â it does not talk about putting any kind of dent in that 10-to-1 disparity â said Michael D. Jones  lead attorney for the alumni coalition. âThe goal is to address the disparity by placing a certain number of unique programs at the [historically black institutions]  and it was up to the special master to figure out which ones and at what cost.â
Over the years  the coalition has called for increased funding and merging the University of Baltimore with Morgan State  the stateâs largest public historically black school. A more recent proposal to transfer programs from traditionally white state schools raised the ire of the Maryland Higher Education Commission and some university presidents who said the plan would ultimately harm students.
[At Md.âs historically black schools  the pursuit of equity without forgoing identity]
Judge Blake dismissed those proposals  but delivered a ruling that Jones and other advocates of desegregation have considered significant. Jones said he is willing to hash out the terms of the proposed settlement depending on the stateâs stance on creating programs. The money alone  he said  will not dismantle the structural inequality that exists between traditionally white and historically black state colleges.
âIf you say . . . weâre going to give the [historically black institutions] these new programs that are going to meet the stateâs workforce needs and anybody black  white or Latino who wants the program can attend  that starts to upend the structural inequality â Jones said. âAnd that needs to be a part of the remedy.â