In Recognition Of HBCU Week

IN RECOGNITION OF HBCU WEEK -- (House of Representatives - September 14, 2006)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) is recognized for 5 minutes.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week. Historically Black Colleges and Universities play a critical role in the American higher education system. This year's theme--``The Tradition Continues: New Successes and Challenges''--is especially fitting considering the precarious state of affairs of higher education funding and student aid for all institutions of higher education. These theme is also appropriate as many HBCUs around the country welcomed students displaced last year by Hurricane Katrina.

For most of America's history, African Americans who received a college education could only get it from and HBCU. Today, HBCUs remain one of the surest ways for an African American, or student of any race, to receive a high quality education. In 1965, Congress officially defined an HBCU in Title III of the Higher Education Act as an institution: whose principal mission was the education of black Americans; that is accredited; and that was established before 1964.

The first HBCU, Cheney University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837. Today, there are 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I am proud to have 5 HBCUs in my home State of Virginia: Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Saint Paul's College, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University.

HBCUs graduate far more than their share of African American professionals. While the 105 HBCUs represent just 3 percent of the Nation's institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly one-quarter of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees.

HBCUs, because of their unique sensibility to the special needs of young African American minds, remain the institutions that demonstrate the most effective ability to graduate African American students who are poised to be competitive in the corporate, research, academic, governmental and military arenas.

Consider these statistics:

Experts in their chosen field

Over half of all African American professionals are graduates of HBCUs.

Nine of the top ten colleges that graduate the most African Americans who go on to earn Ph.D.s are HBCUs.

More than 50 percent of the Nation's African American public school teachers and 70 percent of African American dentists earned degrees at HBCUs.

HBCUs Spelman College and Bennett College produce over half of the nation's African American female doctorates in all science fields.

Excellent Institutions

As ranked by Black Enterprise in 2003, seven of the top ten ``Top Colleges and Universities for African Americans,'' including the top six, were HBCUs.

HBCU Xavier University #1 nationally in placing African-Americans into medical school.

HBCUs also dominate the upper echelon in terms of numbers of African American graduates per school for the last academic year

Seven of the top eight producers of African-American baccalaureates overall were HBCUs, including #1 Florida A&M University and #2 Howard University.

Sixteen of the top 21 producers of African American baccalaureates in biological and biomedical sciences were HBCUs, including the entire top six: Xavier University of LA (#1), Hampton University (#2), Howard University (#3), Morgan State University (#4), Jackson State University (#5), and Tennessee State University (#6).

Eight of the top nine producers of African American baccalaureates in mathematics and statistics were HBCUs: #1 Morehouse College, #2 South Carolina State University, #3 Alabama State University, #3 Spelman College, #5 Southern University and A&M College, #6 Tennessee State University, #7 Hampton University, and #9 Howard University.

Three of the top five producers of African American baccalaureates in psychology were HBCUs: #1 Florida A&M University, #3 Hampton University, and #5 Howard University.

While these statistics overwhelmingly demonstrate the importance of HBCUs, the proof of the power of an HBCU is in the success of its graduates. I am proud to serve with 15 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that are graduates of these fine institutions.

Mr. Speaker, HBCUs have played an important role in educating African-American students. I would like to commend them for their past efforts and wish them continued success in the future. I am confident that HBCUs will continue to ensure that students of all races receives a quality higher education.

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