A Multicampus Case Study Analysis of Budgeting Inequities Between HBCUs and PWIs in the State of Georgia

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have stood as monuments of hope to those of African descent since their foundation. The foundational underfunding of HBCUs created an everlasting mark on their ability to obtain adequate funding in comparison to other higher education institutions. Despite the evolving inequity in funding, HBCUs have been able to produce students who persist through their degree plan and go out into the workforce, which is the ultimate goal of higher education institutions. This is done at or above the level of their Predominantly White Institution (PWI) counterparts. While states continue to make large budget cuts for higher education institutions, HBCUs are continuing to produce efficient desired outcomes. HBCUs are often praised for their ability to recruit and graduate those students who are considered less desirable by higher education institutions. Even with the continued yearly budget cuts, HBCUs have been able to unintentionally create a blueprint that can propel an institution to remain efficient with limited resources during times of funding uncertainty. Through a qualitative methodology, this study explores the efficient outcomes produced by HBCUs that have faced systematic funding inequity since inception. This study focuses on highlighting the history of enslaved African Education through the lens of the critical race theory and the systems theory. Highlighting this model that HBCUs have created becomes increasingly important not only because of continued budget cuts but following this model can help other institutions maximize their resources, assist states in avoiding compensation lawsuits, and help institutions remain in alignment with their strategic plan during unprecedented times, such as the Covid-19 pandemic