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Florida's Historically Black Colleges and Universities Celebrate Funding Increase

BCU President Brent Chrite. Image: The Florida Channel
BCU President Brent Chrite. Image: The Florida Channel

Leaders of Florida’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities are celebrating a funding increase. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference today at Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, days after signing a state budget that included a funding boost for HBCUs. 

Bethune Cookman received a $13 million increase, while Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens and Edward Waters College in Jacksonville each got $3.5 million in additional funding. 

Bethune Cookman president Brent Chrite said HBCUs increase access to higher education for some of the state’s most brilliant- yet marginalized- students. 

“With this budget line the state affirms its recognition of the extraordinary contribution and legacy of these three institutions," said Chrite.

"And today in particular, universities, and especially HBCUs are faced with profound and even existential challenges.”

Chrite took over leadership of BCU last year, with the University in financial trouble and facing a federal investigation into a student housing project.

FAMU in Tallahassee also received a $1.3 million funding increase.