TLDR:
- Complete College America (CCA) released a report advocating for increased investment in digital infrastructure at HBCUs to enhance student success.
- HBCUs, which enroll 10% of all Black students and produce 20% of all Black graduates, have been underfunded in terms of technology.
A new report by Complete College America (CCA) emphasizes the importance of investing in digital infrastructure at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to improve student success. The report, titled “Critical Connections: Funding HBCUs’ Digital Infrastructure is Essential to Meeting U.S. College Completion Goals,” highlights the need for state policymakers to increase funding for both the digital and physical infrastructure at HBCUs. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity of investing in technology, as it played a crucial role in identifying and addressing student needs even before 2020.
According to Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, President of CCA, HBCUs have historically been leaders in ensuring timely college completion for Black and brown students. The report points out that HBCUs, while already successful in this regard, could further enhance their capabilities with adequate technology resources. The report also discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education services and how well-funded institutions could potentially leave HBCUs and community colleges lagging behind.
CCA’s Digital Learning Infrastructure (DLI) initiative, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to improve student experiences and outcomes at HBCUs. Through this initiative, CCA partnered with six HBCUs and two advisory councils to address the underfunding and infrastructure challenges faced by these institutions.
The report highlights the critical importance of investing in digital infrastructure at HBCUs to ensure they can continue providing a personalized learning experience and sense of community for their students. While HBCUs have a successful track record despite chronic underfunding, addressing capital funding inequities is crucial to meeting the demands of today’s digital landscape.
