INSTITUTE INDEX: Hostile state and federal policies threaten historically black colleges

Number of South Carolina State University supporters who rallied this week against a Republican legislative proposal to close the financially troubled, historically black school for two years: more than 1,000

Under the proposal, which has already passed a legislative committee, month when all of the school's faculty, administrators and trustees would be fired: 7/2015

Date on which a federal race-discrimination lawsuit was filed on behalf of current and former S.C. State students, alleging the state has hurt the school's enrollment by failing to provide adequate funding and allowing other schools to duplicate its courses: 2/13/2015

Percent by which state funding for S.C. State fell from 2007 to 2014: almost 50

Percent by which the school's enrollment has fallen in that same period: nearly 40

Besides S.C. State, number of other public historically black colleges and universities in South Carolina: 0

Year in which a federal judge in Maryland ruled that chronic underfunding of that state's public black colleges violated the Civil Rights Act and created a "separate and unequal" system of public higher education: 2013

Amount that a study found states had shortchanged historically black, public land-grant universities like S.C. State between 2010 and 2012, while giving some predominantly white land-grant colleges more than they were owed: $56 million

Number of public, four-year HBCUs nationwide: 40

Percent of black public school teachers HBCUs produce: 50

Percent of black judges: 80

Rank of HBCUs among types of higher education institutions that award the largest number of bachelor's degrees to African-American science and engineering doctorates: 1

Number of public HBCUs that have seen significant enrollment declines in recent years affecting their financial health: at least 6

Year in which state lawmakers proposed studying whether to close Elizabeth City State University, an HBCU in the University of North Carolina system, eventually dropping the plan amid outcry from black officials and community leaders: 2014

Percent by which student enrollment at Elizabeth City State has fallen since 2010, the greatest decline among all North Carolina public universities: 27

Year in which the federal government limited use of Pell Grants for financially needy students to a total of 12 semesters: 2011

Portion of HBCU students who graduate within six years: 1/3

Year in which the Department of Education changed the way it evaluates the credit rating of parents applying for unsubsidized PLUS Loans to pay for their children's college: 2011

Amount the change cost HBCUs: over $150 million

Year in which U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan apologized for the "real impact" the Parent PLUS change had on HBCUs: 2013

Month in which a modification of the Parent PLUS loan criteria is set to take effect: 7/2015

Date on which a bipartisan team of South Carolina lawmakers introduced a bill to save S.C. State and return the school to financial solvency: 2/18/2015

Date on which S.C. State students plan to hold a gospel concert fundraiser on campus to raise money for scholarships: 2/21/2015

(Click on figure to go to source.)