GAO Official Urges More Accountability on Funds Given HBCUs

By Kai Beasley
Black College Wire

Government officials are calling upon the U.S. Department of Education to improve oversight of historically black colleges and universities that receive Title III grant money designed to strengthen academic programs.

Since 1999, the Department of Education has steadily increased the amount of money available to black colleges under Title III. The grants are intended to improve financial stability for "minority serving institutions."

But according to a report issued by the Government Accountability Office, a legislative agency that aims to improve government performance through audits and investigations, there is more work to be done.

In June testimony before the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, George A. Scott, GAO director of education, workforce and security income issues, argued that while the Department of Education has established "outcome based objectives and performance measures, it needs to take steps to align some strategies and objectives, and develop additional performance measures."

Clark Atlanta University The student open access lab at Clark Atlanta University's Academic Instructional Technology Center, financed by Title III funds, has 24 computers for public use.

The department "has taken steps to better target monitoring and assistance to these institutions, but its efforts remain limited," said Scott. "While Congress has demonstrated a continued commitment to these institutions, Education's role in monitoring and providing assistance to grantees is critical to the success of these programs."

A spokeswoman for the Education Department, who would identify herself only as Jean, would confirm no more than that the department conducts site visits and receives reports. She said she was not prepared to answer any questions about Title III or grant oversight.

Title III grants, established in 1965 under the Higher Education Act, fund "minority serving institutions" and help to improve and strengthen their academic programs. In fiscal 2006, 97 of the nation's 114 historically black colleges and universities participated in its HBCU program and received $238 million in grants. They ranged from $500,000 for such schools as Gadsden State Community College in Alabama to more than $6 million each for Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.

FAMU received the most money of any HBCU in fiscal 2006. The school's more than $6.5 million in grants added up to more than 3 percent of its operating budget.

For many of the nation's HBCUs, the Title III money is critical.

"Without the Title III funds, we wouldn't be able to survive," said Brenda H. Friend, director of Title III and federal and state Relations at J.F. Drake State Technical College in Huntsville Ala. "We would just dry up on the vine, and I think it's that way for a lot of schools."

Drake has a fourfold plan for utilizing its Title III funds, which totaled $1.2 million last year. It includes strengthening funds and administrative management, enhancing curriculum through faculty and staff development, improving student services and construction of a new multimedia instructional/technology facility.

"It's really about reaching a point where we can become stable enough to be self-sufficient," said Hattie Mims, director of Title III at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala. "We work to use the money in a way where we can create a base for financial stability, so that we are not completely dependent on Title III money."

Oakwood received more than $1.8 million in 2006. It uses Title III money for faculty development, technology advancements and renovations to academic buildings.

"Without renovations because of Title III, some of our buildings would just crumble to the ground," said Mims.

In its review of a number of grantees, GAO found that most reported using Title III grants to strengthen academic quality, improve support for students and "student success," and improve institutional management.

Success is most often measured by written evaluations and on-site reviews by school officials. Written evaluations and annual performance plans must be turned in to the Department of Education.

"For the students, we want to give them opportunities. Title III programs allow us to create a certain environment, and make resources available to students that will prepare them to continue their education and go out into the world," Mims said.

The Department of Education's Web site lists what it calls the many Title III success stories.

According to the site, Clark Atlanta University has committed more than $1.2 million in Title III money to building and improving its Academic Instructional Technology Center. The university's goal is to create a state-of-the-art, technology-driven learning center for its students.

Clark Atlanta received $3.7 million in a Title III grant in 2006.

Other HBCUs use their Title III programs to fund academic programs. Prairie View A&M University in Texas uses grant money to support its College of Nursing and its distance learning program. It also applies it to faculty development.

The Department of Education also allows grants to be used to strengthen institutional endowments, as financial stability continues to be a problem facing many oft the "minority serving institutions."

"We, and many schools like us, have a lot of first-generation college students in our student body. That means that we don't have an extensive pool of alumni to donate money," said Oakwood's Mims. "We really need Title III grants to strengthen our endowment and keep us going."

The place where Education needs to focus its energy, according to the GAO, is in accurately assessing the Title III programs' efficiency and success.

"The Department of Education really needs to do more, to make sure that we are doing all we can to help these institutions," said Scott.

The GAO recommended a number of measures. They include site visits, improvement of ability to track grantee performance and more encouragement of open communication.

"Effective oversight is needed to ensure that funds are being spent efficiently and effectively and that program goals are being met," said Scott.

Some of the institutions cite no problems with the department's oversight.

"I have been in Title III for 16 years and I have been very pleased with our relationship with the Department of Education. They have always been available to help us work out any concerns we might have," Mims said.

Kai Beasley is a May graduate of Emory University. To comment, e-mail .

Posted June 30, 2007