PV-PRIDE
Well-Known Member
Prairie View, TSU getting big increase in funds
from state
By RON NISSIMOV
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
A promise by Texas to spend more money on the state's two historically black
public colleges has significantly increased the level of funding the two schools will
receive during the next two years.
The Legislature approved spending $114 million on Texas Southern University for
2002 and 2003. That's $27 million, or 31 percent, more than the school in central
Houston received in the previous biennium.
The Legislature also allocated $106 million for Prairie View A&M University for
2002 and 2003, which would be $32 million, or 43 percent, more than it received
for 2000 and 2001.
Most of the increased spending comes from $25 million each university will
receive in the next biennium as part of an agreement to address federal concerns
over discrimination in the state's higher education system.
The federal government believes that Southern states have historically
underfunded predominantly black public universities.
The schools also receive funding from other sources, including tuition, grants and
private contributions.
Prairie View, in Waller County, also receives money from the Texas A&M
System.
The Legislature also authorized TSU to issue $79 million in bonds for construction
projects over the next biennium, and $68 million for Prairie View. The bonds are
guaranteed by revenues from student tuition, but they will be paid by the state over
a 20-year period.
The presidents of both universities said the funding will strengthen the schools by
enabling them to build new facilities and create new academic programs.
"The funding will assist in the transformation of the entire landscape of the
university, both physically and academically," said TSU President Priscilla Slade.
She said, with the increased funding, TSU will build a new science building and
child-care center, and add a wing at its law school. In addition, the money will help
attract top-notch researchers, renovate the Leland Jordan School for Public
Affairs, improve its teacher education program and allow the school to offer
graduate degrees in urban planning and environmental policy, she said.
Charles Hines, president of Prairie View, said the funds will allow the campus to
construct a $26 million architecture and arts building, a $15 million juvenile justice
building, a $12 million electrical engineering facility, and $15 million on general
renovations.
"We're very happy Prairie View is beginning to receive increased funding so we
can do a better job and assist Texas in its mission to educate its people," Hines
said.
Prairie View also will receive significant funding in the next biennium from the
Texas A&M System. The system authorized a $36 million general obligation bond
for a $30 million nursing school in downtown Houston and a $6 million student
center at the Prairie View main campus.
Last year, then-Gov. George W. Bush signed an agreement with the U.S.
Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights pledging that Texas would
spend $385 million more on the schools over 20 years. If the Legislature funds the
expenditures, the federal government has agreed to end federal monitoring in 2010
of desegregation in the state's higher education system, which began in 1981.
Slade and Hines both praised State Sen. Rodney Ellis and State Rep. Garnet
Coleman, both African-American Democrats who represent the TSU area, for
pushing for increased funding.
Coleman said the federal agreement called for the Legislature to spend an extra
$23 million on each school in the upcoming biennium, but the Legislature approved
$25 million for each. He said the Legislature approved the additional $2 million to
make sure the Office for Civil Rights money would not be used as a justification to
decrease other state funding. Finally, Coleman said, a rider was attached to the bill
saying that it is the Legislature's intent to continue such extra funding for many
years.
"Not only did we say spend more money this session than we were required under
the OCR agreement, but we're saying to future legislatures, `Continue this funding
in perpetuity,' " he said.
Ellis, who was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, pointed out that in
February 2000 he marched with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Coleman and other
officials from TSU to the nearby University of Houston to underscore how the
state has historically spent more money on predominantly white universities.
"I'm just proud to have been able to play a role in helping TSU and Prairie View
get their rightful place in Texas higher education," he said.
from state
By RON NISSIMOV
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
A promise by Texas to spend more money on the state's two historically black
public colleges has significantly increased the level of funding the two schools will
receive during the next two years.
The Legislature approved spending $114 million on Texas Southern University for
2002 and 2003. That's $27 million, or 31 percent, more than the school in central
Houston received in the previous biennium.
The Legislature also allocated $106 million for Prairie View A&M University for
2002 and 2003, which would be $32 million, or 43 percent, more than it received
for 2000 and 2001.
Most of the increased spending comes from $25 million each university will
receive in the next biennium as part of an agreement to address federal concerns
over discrimination in the state's higher education system.
The federal government believes that Southern states have historically
underfunded predominantly black public universities.
The schools also receive funding from other sources, including tuition, grants and
private contributions.
Prairie View, in Waller County, also receives money from the Texas A&M
System.
The Legislature also authorized TSU to issue $79 million in bonds for construction
projects over the next biennium, and $68 million for Prairie View. The bonds are
guaranteed by revenues from student tuition, but they will be paid by the state over
a 20-year period.
The presidents of both universities said the funding will strengthen the schools by
enabling them to build new facilities and create new academic programs.
"The funding will assist in the transformation of the entire landscape of the
university, both physically and academically," said TSU President Priscilla Slade.
She said, with the increased funding, TSU will build a new science building and
child-care center, and add a wing at its law school. In addition, the money will help
attract top-notch researchers, renovate the Leland Jordan School for Public
Affairs, improve its teacher education program and allow the school to offer
graduate degrees in urban planning and environmental policy, she said.
Charles Hines, president of Prairie View, said the funds will allow the campus to
construct a $26 million architecture and arts building, a $15 million juvenile justice
building, a $12 million electrical engineering facility, and $15 million on general
renovations.
"We're very happy Prairie View is beginning to receive increased funding so we
can do a better job and assist Texas in its mission to educate its people," Hines
said.
Prairie View also will receive significant funding in the next biennium from the
Texas A&M System. The system authorized a $36 million general obligation bond
for a $30 million nursing school in downtown Houston and a $6 million student
center at the Prairie View main campus.
Last year, then-Gov. George W. Bush signed an agreement with the U.S.
Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights pledging that Texas would
spend $385 million more on the schools over 20 years. If the Legislature funds the
expenditures, the federal government has agreed to end federal monitoring in 2010
of desegregation in the state's higher education system, which began in 1981.
Slade and Hines both praised State Sen. Rodney Ellis and State Rep. Garnet
Coleman, both African-American Democrats who represent the TSU area, for
pushing for increased funding.
Coleman said the federal agreement called for the Legislature to spend an extra
$23 million on each school in the upcoming biennium, but the Legislature approved
$25 million for each. He said the Legislature approved the additional $2 million to
make sure the Office for Civil Rights money would not be used as a justification to
decrease other state funding. Finally, Coleman said, a rider was attached to the bill
saying that it is the Legislature's intent to continue such extra funding for many
years.
"Not only did we say spend more money this session than we were required under
the OCR agreement, but we're saying to future legislatures, `Continue this funding
in perpetuity,' " he said.
Ellis, who was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, pointed out that in
February 2000 he marched with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Coleman and other
officials from TSU to the nearby University of Houston to underscore how the
state has historically spent more money on predominantly white universities.
"I'm just proud to have been able to play a role in helping TSU and Prairie View
get their rightful place in Texas higher education," he said.