Since Bowie State University received its first portion of Maryland’s $577 million settlement with historically Black universities, the institution has been busy making plans to launch 25 new academic programs.
On July 1, the institution received $16.7 million, said Carl Goodman, BSU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. After attorneys’ fees, the institution had roughly $10 million to spend. Most of the $97.7 million that the institution will eventually receive will be used for new academic programs spanning the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs at its main Bowie campus, online and at its regional centers throughout the state, Goodman said.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan approved the settlement with the state’s four HBCUs in March 2021. Bowie State, Morgan State University, Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore joined forces after an advocacy group representing Morgan State filed a lawsuit in 2006 against the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education argued that the state had “unnecessarily duplicated” programs in predominantly white institutions that were already offered by HBCUs, resulting in “segregative effects.” As the case played out, Hogan, a Republican, offered significantly less than what emerged in the final settlement.
The state will distribute roughly $9 million a year to Bowie State through 2032, which is variable based on enrollment, after this first disbursement.
