Increased safety concerns in and around HBCU campuses escalated over the past week after campus shootings at Morgan State and Bowie State universities in Maryland during their homecoming week.
The new concerns come on the heels of last year’s string of bomb threats, and rising hate-fueled violence.
The Morgan State University shooting left five people were injured, four of them students, and no arrests has been made. A week prior, a shooting at a student housing complex near Tuskegee University in Alabama left four injured.
The Morgan State University shooting left five people were injured, four of them students, and no arrests has been made. A week prior, a shooting at a student housing complex near Tuskegee University in Alabama left four injured.
This past Saturday night, a shooting at Bowie State University during their homecoming left two people hospitalized.
Leaders in Congress and education are now reigniting calls for more security for HBCUs through increased funding to protect against gun-related incidents and other types of violence, including preventive measures.
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., believes there needs to be “a safety net” for HBCUs. The founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus said she plans to work on efforts on Capitol Hill to secure increased funding for security on campuses.
Congresswoman Adams called for establishing an alert system to make students aware of emergency events like what happened at Morgan State, Bowie, and Tuskegee.
As for other ideas on how to keep HBCUs more secure. “I am sure the universities have some idea about what they need.”
Adams said she has talked to FBI officials about her security concerns for HBCU campuses.
News reports indicated many Morgan State students on lockdown after the shooting were unaware of what happened. After seeing national headlines, some were informed by loved ones who called them frantically.
Glenda Glover, president of Tennessee State University and vice chair of the White House Board of Advisors on HBCUs, added this moment “shows how important infrastructure funding is needed on HBCU campuses — that includes funding for security.”
Glover said such funding would be used for campus police protection, campus security guards, and local law enforcement.
The outgoing university president also lamented about such shootings happening during one of the most sacred times at an HBCU.
“Homecoming is a time to celebrate and not for criminal aspects to manifest,” said Glover.