On Tuesday, Senator Tom Apodace introduced a bill called the “Access to Affordable College Education Act” that will dramatically lower tuition to $500 a semester for in-state students and $2,500 for out-of-state students at five North Carolina universities, including three historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
But one HBCU leader expressed concerns about bill 873, because it “perpetuates unequal treatment” and it will change the name of four of five of these minority serving institutions. Opponents of the bill have started online petitions against it pointing out that the bill will do more harm than good and that it destroys the legacies of the three black colleges.
Dennis Richmond Jr., Founder of the New York State HBCU Initiative, tweeted because of bill 873, Winston-Salem State University, Fayetteville State University, and Elizabeth City State University would no longer be HBCUs. “I feel as if it is hard enough convincing students in non HBCU areas to go to an HBCU,” he told HBCU Buzz. “This bill would mean that there will be less opportunities for students of color.”
According to The News & Observer, in an op-ed piece submitted to several North Carolina newspapers before the bill was filed, Fayetteville State University Chancellor James Anderson said, “I am waiting on a rational explanation as to why there needs to be a name change among the ‘select’ institutions,” he wrote. “Let’s be honest: Appalachian State, East Carolina, Western Carolina, and North Carolina A&T are not going to be asked to change their name. So why us or other HBU’s?”
Fox 8 reported that the bill will also establish a merit scholarship at North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central, the state’s two larger black colleges.
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