Complete College America releases new research highlighting need for digital transformation efforts at HBCUs, calls for increased investment in technology upgrades and physical infrastructure to boost student success
INDIANAPOLIS (SEPT. 18, 2024) — Complete College America (CCA), a national nonprofit and bipartisan coalition of states and higher education systems working to improve college completion rates, today released a report highlighting the vital link between technology investments and student success at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The report, Critical Connections: Funding HBCUs’ Digital Infrastructure is Essential to Meeting U.S. College Completion Goals, calls on state policymakers to close longstanding gaps in state funding for HBCUs and makes the case that modern digital infrastructure is crucial to improve student outcomes.
“The research is clear that Historically Black Colleges and Universities are powerful drivers of social and economic mobility. To thrive in today’s digital age, they need the tools and technology to match their missions,” said Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of CCA and Spelman College alumna. “Investing in cutting-edge technology on HBCU campuses isn’t just about modernization—it’s about unlocking student potential and preparing the next generation of HBCU students and leaders for a tech-driven future. HBCUs must be fully funded and equipped to lead in this digital era, and that requires bold investments in their infrastructure.”
According to research from UNCF (United Negro College Fund), HBCUs comprise 3% of the nation’s colleges and universities but enroll 10% of all Black students and produce almost 20% of all Black graduates in the United States, with graduation rates among Black students 11 percentage points higher at HBCUs than at other colleges and universities. HBCU graduates can expect to earn nearly $1 million more in lifetime income compared to non-graduates, and 30% of HBCU students move up at least two income quintiles by age 30—nearly double the rate of non-HBCU students.
Many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) face financial challenges due to chronic underfunding and smaller endowments than predominantly white institutions. On average, public HBCUs receive only $7,265 per student in endowment, far less than the $25,390 at non-HBCU public schools. In 2022, several states gave more capital funding to non-HBCUs, even when total funding was above the national average.
This lack of investment limits HBCUs’ ability to improve infrastructure, including investments in information technology systems that can measurably improve student outcomes, modernize the student experience and improve personalization of student support. To help close this gap, the report urges higher education leaders and policymakers to leverage capital appropriations as a tool to support direct investments in HBCU technology infrastructure.
Case Studies on HBCU Transformation
The new report was accompanied by a companion publication, Historically Black, Digitally Forward: Co-Designing Digital Learning Infrastructure for HBCUs, that provides an update on CCA’s Digital Learning Infrastructure (DLI) initiative. Through HBCU DLI, CCA built a coalition of HBCU leaders and stakeholders exploring how institutions can use technology to enhance all aspects of the student experience. According to data compiled by CCA, HBCUs reported that investments in physical infrastructure and facilities modernization were among the greatest needs. Investments in these areas will support improvements in information technology.
“HBCU faculty, researchers, and administrators are finding new ways to integrate digital tools into every aspect of the student experience, from personalized learning platforms to predictive analytics,” said Dr. Dionne Curbeam, vice president of information technology and chief information officer at Coppin State University. “Through this work, we’re uplifting powerful examples of how HBCUs are building the technology infrastructure to carry out their vital mission—and deliver the highly personalized experience and sense of community our students expect and deserve.”
Over the past three years, CCA has built a community of practice comprising six HBCUs, an Institutional Advisory Council and an HBCU Student Advisory Council, working to understand opportunities to use tech-enabled approaches to help more Black students chart pathways to graduation. CCA’s Digital Learning Infrastructure Initiative included representatives from six HBCUs – Coppin State University, Langston University, Mississippi Valley State University, Virginia State University, Wiley College, and Xavier University.
Early outcomes from the project are promising. One partner launched a new predictive analytics pilot focused on improving its students’ first-year experience, drawing upon students’ demographics, academic history, and semester plans to inform targeted interventions and resources. After one year, the institution achieved a 31% retention rate among students who were statistically the least likely to continue.
The HBCU Digital Learning Infrastructure initiative is a multi-year effort in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that is working to help HBCUs build the resources, capacity and tech functionality needed to improve the HBCU student experience and improve Black student outcomes. To learn more about the HBCU Digital Learning Infrastructure initiative, visit the Complete College America website.
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About Complete College America: Complete College America (CCA) builds movements for scaled change and transforms institutions through data-driven policies, student-centered perspectives, and equity-driven practices. Since its founding in 2009, CCA connects a national network of forward-thinking state and higher education leaders and introduces bold initiatives to help states and institutions confront inequities, close institutional performance gaps, and increase college completion rates, especially for marginalized and historically excluded students. For more information, visit https://www.completecollege.org.
