Tuskegee University News February 2, 2011 Tuskegee receives over $900,000 to improve educational facilities The U.S. Department of Education recently announced the award of $84.775 million to 96 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to strengthen their facilities and academic programs to improve education for their students. Tuskegee University received $964,802. The funds are a supplement grant for the university's Title III program. Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, head of the Title III program, is director of the grant. "We are pleased to receive this portion of the grant which will be directed toward construction and/or renovation projects of our educational facilities," said Morris, who is also associate dean and professor of the College of Business and Information Science. Grants awarded under the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program support a variety of activities that improve and expand course offerings, student services, campus facilities, and faculty and staff development. Funds may also be used to establish teacher education programs designed to qualify students to teach in public schools, financial and economic literacy programs for students and families, and community outreach programs that encourage elementary and secondary school students to develop high-level academic skills and interest in postsecondary education. "HBCUs play an essential role in helping our nation boost college completion rates and achieve the president's (Barack Obama) goal for America to again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world by 2020," said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education. "These grants provide HBCUs with needed resources to enhance their programs and services that will enable their students to graduate and succeed in the workplace." The awards are formula grants based on data provided by eligible institutions. To be eligible for funding, institutions must have been established prior to 1964 and have as a principal mission the education of African-Americans. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.