Shai Davis, a student at the University of Texas, wrote this article as part of an alliance with the Houston Defender Network.
By the end of the current legislative session, Texas Southern University will become the only public university not in one of the six state university systems.
Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, whose district oversees TSU, hopes to see the HBCU remain independent.
“TSU was built for African Americans. It was supposed to be the university for people of color and for those reasons it needs to stay independent,” Miles said. “And it will stay independent.”
According to a 2019 research paper published by Marcia Johnson, a professor at TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, the historically Black university is underfunded compared to other state universities.
“When the State of Texas established its funding system for colleges and universities, it did not take into consideration institutions like TSU,” Johnson, who researches education and urban issues, wrote in the paper.
Universities that are part of a system have greater access to financial benefits and resources. But despite the lack of funding, TSU has not publicly announced plans to join a system, and any talk of such draws intense reactions.
How it works
To join a system, leadership at a university discusses plans and priorities with university systems interested in incorporating the school. For SFA and Midwestern State University, which joined the Texas Tech University system in 2021, student and faculty input was also taken into consideration.
A university’s Board of Regents then votes for which system they wish to join. For the last step, legislatures must file and pass a bill approving the transition, which is then signed by the governor.
Support
TSU biology major Imani Walters is in support of the university joining a system.
“University of Houston is part of a system and I can tell from being across the street from us how different it is,” Walters said of the nearby university. “I feel like they get more funding. UH’s central campus is the flagship school of a system that includes four campuses.”
Walter sees additional funding as beneficial.
“It gives us more opportunity to grow and make more advancements to our school,” she said.
Walters doesn’t believe joining a system would erase TSU’s status as an HBCU, a popular opinion. She compared TSU joining a system to Prairie View, another HBCU, in the Texas A&M system.
As part of the A&M system, PV receives funding, although not as much, from the Permanent University Fund, an endowment funded by West Texas oil and gas. The Texas A&M system receives one-third of the fund, while the UT system receives two-thirds.
“If we were to do the same thing as PV, I feel that would make our students have school spirit,” Walters said. “People see how PV looks and how nice it is and that gives them school spirit.”
Opposition
State Senator John Whitmire, D-Houston, like Miles, says he wants Texas Southern University to remain independent from a system.
“I don’t see the need because I think we need to protect our historically Black institutions. They are a part of our history,” Whitmire said. “I don’t see how it would benefit TSU or its students to join a system. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Sen. Whitmire says investing in the HBCU is what is needed to help with funding and that he will work with the college to ensure their goals are prioritized. The senator, who sits on the financial committee, cited a recent legislative request made by TSU as a way to increase funding.
“This is the time for a bold investment to significantly expand programs so that we can serve more students,” TSU’s President Lesia L. Crumpton-Young said in a Senate Committee on Finance meeting in early February. In the meeting, she requested nearly $1 billion in funding from state lawmakers. That request was ultimately denied.
For the 2022-2023 biennium, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recommended $61 million to TSU. This is a 15.6% decrease from the 2020-2021 biennium. The recommendations the board makes and sends to the Legislature are based on operation and infrastructure support.
Dr. Richard Johnson, who was recently appointed to TSU’s Board of Regents, believes the university can benefit from extra funding.
“In order for the university to grow, it’s going to need resources,” Johnson said.
While Johnson acknowledged how a system can be helpful, he doesn’t see it as a top goal.
“One of the primary goals I have for Texas Southern University is to build upon a legacy of academic excellence. In order to do that, we’re going to have to focus on our student’s academic success,” Johnson said. “The key to strengthening any university is student academic success.”
Miles also mentioned resources.
“It’s not all about finances, it could be about resources. It could be about putting quality and qualified people on the board who can go out and raise money for Texas Southern,” Miles said.
Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, is another opponent of TSU joining a system. As chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, Reynolds says the state should work on investing in the state’s HBCUs, instead of ending diversity, equity and inclusion policies, a focus of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“We have a record surplus in terms of our state budget. We have a $33 billion surplus plus $11 billion in our rainy day savings account,” Reynolds said.
PVAMU could also benefit from an increase in funding, according to Reynolds, who doesn’t believe being a part of a system helps the university.
“Prairie View has been hampered with challenges from being in a system. There are some benefits, but the disadvantages outweigh the pros,” Reynolds said. “I believe there’s been a lot of frustration from Prairie View not having the autonomy they need.”
Maintaining autonomy is why he doesn’t support TSU joining a system.
“I like the independence of Texas Southern University,” he said. “If they were to go into a system, their voice wouldn’t be able to be free and unapologetically Black.”
– By Shai Alise Davis