Senate Bill 873 has received heavy criticism because it would cut five North Carolina State Universities. Many believe that it puts historically black colleges in a bad position. The purpose of the bill is to make public education more affordable in North Carolina over the recent years the budget has been tight, and this is a way to cut the cost. This bill would hurt Public HBCU's listed as follows Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Winston- Salem State University and Western Carolina University. The Senate Bill 873 fails to mention the other two public North Carolina HBCUs North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central Universities.

A lot of things put pressure on the five Universities in question. The bill would force them to cut tuition in 2018 down to $500 a semester and $2,500 for out of state students. Is there a catch? For HBCU’s yes the biggest among them has to be the power of UNC’s administration to evaluate the possibility of name changes at institutions. Changing the name of an historically black colleges means changing part of the heritage in the legacy that educated black Americans when the United States of America was a segregated nation. According to the Inside Higher ED “The tuition requirements would impose tuition reductions estimated at more than 80 percent at the four universities serving predominantly minority students.

Estimates have placed the collective revenue loss at those institutions at nearly $60 million per year”. Want to make a difference? To save one’s HBCU one has to contact their local lawmaker, and tell him or her to vote against this bill and why. We live in an society where actions speak some much louder then words to preserve the legacy of attending historically black colleges, African American students and alumni must challenge lawmakers to make the right decision to keep the culture of black colleges and universities moving forward and not lack behind. HBCUs are very diverse in nature and some students come form all around the world and different continents. Could this be an challenge to the lasting impact of the HBCUs in North Carolina ? Indeed but what makes HBCUs special is that they always step up and support each other in times of hardship.