Bottom Line with Dr. Boyce: Did Barack Obama REALLY Cut HBCU Funding?

I have a mixed relationship with President Barack Obama. I was one of the first to endorse President Obama on CNN, back when it looked like he was destined to be nothing more than Hillary Clinton's political footnote. I have always been overly optimistic about black presidential candidates, for I support them even when it doesn't appear that they have a chance to win the election. Call me hyper-optimistic, but I was even ready to vote for Al Sharpton.

While I have supported Obama, I have never been afraid to challenge him. For example, his statements about black male fathers on Father's Day 2008 was, in my opinion, nothing more than inappropriate pandering to racist stereotypes of black male irresponsibility. I have never seen him give such a condescending speech to other ethnic groups. As a father who does his best to love his children, I will never forgive that speech.

But in the case of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), we may all be mistaken about President Obama. Recent reports stating that Obama allowed for significant funding cuts for Historically Black Colleges and Universities may have been a bit misguided. When you look at the facts, it appears that Obama did not cut funding for HBCUs at all.

According to Kim Lampkins of American Urban Radio Networks, the references to Obama as the man who cut HBCU funding was misguided. "Contrary to the Internet chatter stating otherwise, the Obama Administration's education budget does NOT cut funds to Historically Black Colleges and Universities," says Lampkins.

Ms. Lampkins argues that the mistake links back to a bill passed in 2007 called the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA), which allocated $170 million dollars over two years to HBCUs to make them financially independent. Lampkins then states that by not extending the grant (which was supposed to end anyway), this move was misinterpreted as a funding cut for HBCUs by the Obama Administration.

Lampkins spoke with a Title III Administrator at an HBCU in the Northeast, who made it clear that he did not expect the funding to continue beyond 2009. After reviewing a copy of the educational budget of the Obama Administration, the source stated that, "President Obama's budget for FY 2010 shows increases in the appropriations for HBCUs ($250,000,000) and HBGI ($61,425,000); together, this request represents a $20,830,000 increase in the appropriation over the preceding year. How can this be interpreted as not supporting black colleges? Someone is sorely misinformed about the President's support."

Lampkins also notes that there is a move on Capitol Hill by the United Negro College Fund to make the temporary funds permanent. According to UNCF CEO Dr. Michael Lomax, it is expected that this initiative will be successful.

The bottom line is this: As we push to hold our President accountable, we must be sure to know the facts. While I personally call for Obama to be more responsive on issues such as black education and unemployment, it is critical that we also hold ourselves accountable by ensuring that when we challenge the president, we do so from a position of measured objectivity and not under the assumption that he is doing all he can to sell us out. As the silly folks at Arizona State University said (when they chose not to give President Obama an honorary doctorate), "His body of work is yet to be determined." Let's allow the man to do the job, and at the same time, carefully and critically assess his body of work. Then, if you don't like what you see, get on him. .

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Distinguished Scholar Affiliate at the Barbara Jordan Institute for Policy Research at Texas Southern University. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To get Dr Boyce commentary delivered directly to your mail box, please click here.