WASHINGTON, DC (December 16, 2022) – The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) expresses its appreciation to the Congress for reaffirming its commitment to investing in the research capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (2023 NDAA) that was passed by a bi-partisian majority on Thursday. The 2023 NDAA includes the mandate of a pilot program based upon the recommendations of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) report titled ‘‘Defense Research Capacity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Institutions: Transitioning from Good Intentions to Measurable Outcomes” (Report). Under the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense must develop a pilot program to build the capacity of Research II HBCUs with the goal of establishing the first Research I HBCU.
The pilot program is required by the NDAA to assist with the development of a Research I HBCU by supporting faculty professional development; stipends for undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral scholars; recruitment and retention of faculty and graduate students; the provision of laboratory equipment and instrumentation; communication and dissemination of research products produced during the Program; construction, modernization,
rehabilitation, or retrofitting of facilities for research purposes; and such other activities as the Secretary determines appropriate.
“The NDAA 2023 is yet another example of Congress’ recognition of the importance of and investment in supporting expanded research capacity at HBCUs,” said TMCF President and CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams. “The combination of these commitments as well as the Department of Defense’s forthcoming first University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) located at an HBCU, truly demonstrates an ‘all-hands on deck’ approach to supporting our institutions by Congress and the administration. Expanding the research capacity at our HBCUs means expanding the research capacity of our nation as a whole and leveraging the talents from across the spectrum of our diverse nation is critical to ensuring our collective success. As we aim to not only maintain but enhance our Nation’s standing in a globally competitive environment, further supporting HBCUs is truly one of the smartest investments our country can make.” At the beginning of 2019, in partnership with the Emerging Technology Consortium, TMCF established the HBCU NDAA Advisory Committee which was designed to implement recommendations to Congress on how to better engage HBCUs into the research enterprise of the Department of Defense (DoD). The continuous engagement on this critical opportunity form both DoD and HBCUs has led to an increased focus on the equity of federal research funding and resulted in the inclusion of the HOMECOMING Research Act in the 2020 NDAA which mandated the creation of the National Academies study on the Department of Defense’s potential role in creating a Research I HBCU and of which the above-referenced Report was the result
ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest
organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools
include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly
Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities.
Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and
strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The
organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships
and good jobs.
TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF,
visit: www.tmcf.org.
