After the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education discovered that Tennessee State University had been underfunded by the State of Tennessee for over three decades, a group of students headed to the nation’s capital to seek support and answers.
Student leaders from Tennessee State University recently traveled to Washington DC after it was discovered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture that the State of Tennessee owed the school over $2.1 billion. The student group also met with multiple groups, including the Congressional Black Caucus, to seek support as well as answers.
Tennessee State University Student Government Association President Derrell Taylor and Vice President Chrishonda O’Quinn were quoted in an article posted on the school’s website from a meeting they attended where they voiced their concerns about the recent $2.1 billion university underfunding revelation.
“It is unfortunate that we have to fight this battle. But I am proud to stand before these legislators, activists, and key community figures to express how disheartening it is for students to realize how much more of an experience we could have had if we had been allocated the necessary funding,” said Taylor.
Taylor then went on to note that even with the large amount of missing money, Tennessee State University still represents an attractive school for students all over America due to the quality of education and its on campus culture; even still, “if we had the resources that these surrounding institutions have, who knows what our capabilities could have been. It means a lot to be in our nation’s capital fighting for our rights.”
O’Quinn backed Taylor’s statements, also bringing up that this discovery represents more than just an issue for Tennessee State University, but for all underfunded Historically Black Colleges and Universities, saying, “It has also shown me the importance of being well-informed on this topic, so we can relay the information back to the students and have a stronger force when advocating in the Tennessee legislature. Being here and experiencing this shows how impactful it is to advance and be informed.”
O’Quinn and Taylor were joined on their trip by Dwight DeBerry, Aliyah Holmes, Miss TSU Victoria McCrae, and Mister Davin Latiker. The group talked with members of congress such as Steny Hoyer, Frederica Wilson, Terris Sewell, and Jim Clyburn. They also met with former CNN news anchor Don Lemon.
McCrae was quoted, as well, saying that “attending the CBC was such an eye-opening experience. We sat in rooms with and gained valuable information from some of the pioneers of African American politics. The impact that I wish to accomplish is to relay the importance of voting, learning our history, and advocating for our future!”
Latiker mentioned that even though the circumstances of the trip were less than positive, he still found meeting people at the capitol an honor, and he was pleased to see them advocating for the university.
“When we met those people, they were able to provide insight and resources that we didn’t know about, and we were able to advocate for the resources that we need,” he said. “It was great to witness Black excellence. The love and positive energy radiated from them and seeing that made me happy to bring this information and energy back to our campus.”
The delegation of students from Tennessee State University was looking to have the chance to directly meet with officials from the Department of Education and the USDA. The former vice president of the Student Government Association, Aliya Holmes, mentioned that while the underfunding covers every year between 1987 and 2020, that underfunding still impacts her and the people currently attending the school to this day.
“Us being underfunded for $2.1 billion continues to put us at a stagnant loss. The rest of Nashville is progressing in a positive direction, while TSU has been stagnant because we don’t have the adequate amount of funds to be able to grow,” she said.
Taylor, who currently serves as the president of the school’s Student Government Association, also made sure to mention that the group’s trip was a sign of how important equitable funding is for the school, and he looks forward to sharing the information he has gathered with his fellow students.
More information about Tennessee State University can be found at the school’s website.