BIN Exclusive: Growing Concerns Over HBCU Security

There is growing concern about the safety of students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. There have been bomb threats, shootings, and stabbings on some campuses, and most recently, an accused white supremacist gunman tried to get on the campus of a Jacksonville, Florida, HBCU but was turned away by security. He then went to a nearby store and fatally shot three black people.

Black Information Network's Managing Editor Mike Stevens spoke with a UNCF official calling for the government to free up more school security-related funds.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
We are seeing a marked increase inHBCU enrollment at a time when we're also
seeing many incidents of violence or threatsof violence at various schools around the nation.
Last year, there was a seriesof bomb threats, and most recently,
what police called a racist gunman firsttried to get into HBCU Edward Waters

(00:22):
University in Jacksonville, Florida, beforehe was identified by alert students and turned
away by a black security officer.And then unfortunately, the gunman went to
a nearby store and killed three blackpeople. Joining us now UNCF United Negro
College Funds Senior Vice President for PublicPolicy and Government Affairs, Ladriguez Murray,

(00:44):
thank you for being with us,Thank you for having me. What can
be done to make HBCUs safer.It's a great question in terms of protecting
the institutions. The one thing thatseparates historically black colleges from every other kind
of higher education institutional is resources,and that is the one thing that is

(01:04):
holding back the security resources. Andso what you'll find is that the United
Negro College Fund for the last yearhave been asking Congress to add language and
funding to the Homeland Security Bill torepurpose one hundred million dollars that already exist
in that bill that will allow HBCUsto have plans to fortify the campuses,

(01:29):
to improve the technology, and willallow our students to then be able to
have their education in the environment wherethey don't have to feel threatened. Now,
this is important because this program iswell funded. All institutions of higher
education are eligible. And what happensis that FEMA awards the money to all
fifty states, and then the statesdecide how to maneuver the money. However,

(01:53):
that money is not going to HBCUsonce it hits the states, and
so what our request is is notjust one hundred million dollars a year for
the next five years the fort tofire campuses. Our request is also that
FEMO at the Department of Homeless Securitybe the awarder of these grants directly to
historically black colleges universities, because weare the institutions, we are the nonprofits

(02:17):
that have the contemporary threats and we'rethe ones that need those resources. Thank
you so much, Ladriguez Murray UNCF, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and
Government Affairs. Thank you for havingme