Representatives from the Legislative Black Caucus, Common Cause NC and other organizations held a news conference Wednesday calling attention to the need for equitable funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The News and Observer reports they were at the state legislative building in support of Senate Bill 667, which calls for $50 million in recurring funding for 10 HBCUs in the state. That would close current disparities with funding of non-HBCUs.
The bill also calls for $7.5 million for N.C A&T State University's doctoral program.
N.C. A&T in Greensboro is the largest public HBCU in the U.S. and awards the most undergraduate engineering degrees to African Americans, according to the university.
Black Caucus leaders also wanted to draw attention to another Senate bill requiring a minimum match of federal funds to support agricultural research and cooperative extension programs.