A group of current and former students from Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) have initiated legal proceedings against the state, accusing it of deliberately underfunding their institution in a manner that perpetuates racial inequities in higher education. The plaintiffs argue that this ongoing financial neglect is part of a broader pattern of historical segregation practices that disadvantage historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The lawsuit highlights a significant disparity in funding allocations where Lincoln University has consistently received less financial support per student compared to institutions like the University of Missouri. Furthermore, the suit claims that Lincoln’s access to state-mandated matching funds is impeded by performance criteria not similarly applied to other universities. This has resulted in the federal government’s failure to provide approximately $361.6 million between 1987 and 2020.
Complainants have cited tangible effects of this underfunding, including deteriorating infrastructure and insufficient student services. One student recounted missing out on crucial courses due to limited class availability, while others faced inadequate nutritional support due to restricted dining hall hours. The suit underscores Missouri’s decision to fully match funds for the University of Missouri without equivalent contingencies for Lincoln, illustrating the targeted nature of this funding discrimination.
In 2022, Missouri legislators approved a measure to align LU’s funding with that required to maximize federal land-grant contributions. Despite this, the university had historically received only 50% of necessary matching funds, forcing it to allocate $43 million from its own reserves over a 16-year period to meet requirements. This funding gap echoes Missouri’s decades-long history of segregated educational policies, a legacy that persisted even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared segregation unconstitutional in 1954. However, the state only amended its segregation statutes in 1976.
Recent federal calls to address disparities in funding between land-grant HBCUs and their predominantly white counterparts have amplified the urgency for redress. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for educational and economic losses under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, alongside declaratory and injunctive relief based on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. More details about the case can be found here.