ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers are calling on the governor to address gaps in funding for the state's historically black colleges and universities.
Representatives Sandra Scott, Viola Davis and Kim Schofield hosted a news conference Wednesday afternoon to address the disparities. This renewed push comes two weeks after the U.S. Secretary of Education sent a letter demanding the same from governors across the country. Georgia's lawmakers said the funding problem has been persistent for years and if an attempt to remedy it doesn't happen soon - a federal lawsuit could be in Gov. Brian Kemp's future.
"This funding gap perpetuates a systemic inequity that we cannot afford to ignore (any) longer," Scott said. "It's about equity, opportunity and the future of countless students."
Colleges in the Atlanta University Center are private and therefore don't receive state funding. The Georgia HBCUs that receive funding from the state are Albany State University, Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University.
In U.S. Secretary Miguel Cardona's letter, he said Fort Valley State, a land grant HBCU, has been underfunded for years. He cites the state's gap in funding is more than $600 million.
"These funds could have supported infrastructure and student services and would have better positioned the university to compete for research grants," Cardona said in the letter.
Scott said this lack of funds hurt the community, too.
"Time and time again, the governor and the Georgia legislature has underfunded our HBCU institutions, which have a venerable history of providing incomparable education opportunities to our communities," said Scott.
The letter from the Biden Administration called on over a dozen state governors to address the funding disparity for land-grant HBCUs and included Kemp in this call to action, according to a press release.
Fort Valley State University is the only land-grant HBCU in the Peach State. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a land-grant HBCU is one that was established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890. The institutions also have specific research programs in food and agricultural sciences. The U.S Department of Education said that the act also forces states to provide equitable distribution of state funds.
In a recent University System of Georgia budget for the 2024 year, each HBCU is getting millions of dollars less than major predominantly white institutions like the University of Georgia.
Attorney Carlos Moore is representing several graduates of Fort Valley State and said the money outlined by the Department of Education would have dramatically impacted the opportunities for the school's graduates.
"(Anyone) can go to the University of Georgia now and go to Fort Valley State University and see glaring differences in just infrastructure," Moore said.
During the news conference, Moore said he sent a letter to the governor threatening legal action if a path to fair funding is not made clear.
11Alive reached out to the governor's office for comment.