Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are a crucial
element of higher education in the United States. As of 2021, there were
more than 100 HBCUs, with a total enrollment of approximately 300,000
students. Many of the most famed figures in African American history
attended HBCUs, and the alumni of these institutions have a strong track
record of upward mobility and professional attainment. However, the
value and contributions of HBCUs are too often overlooked and
underappreciated.
In Vital and Valuable, two distinguished economists provide a
groundbreaking analysis of HBCUs. James V. Koch and Omari H. Swinton
give a balanced assessment of the performance of HBCUs, examining
metrics such as admissions and enrollment trends, graduation and
retention rates, administrative expenses, spending on intercollegiate
athletics, and student debt. They emphasize the distinctive features
that make HBCUs what they are, considering whom they serve and how,
while contextualizing these institutions within the landscape of
American higher education.
Based on this analysis, Koch and Swinton offer actionable policy
recommendations that can help HBCUs build on their successes and address
their weaknesses. They stress that empirical data on educational
outcomes is essential to effective leadership of individual institutions
as well as policy decisions that affect HBCUs. Vital and Valuable is
essential reading for policy makers and experts in the field of higher
education as well as a broader public interested in understanding the
contributions of HBCUs.
