Decade-long legal battle to scrub segregation from Maryland universities returns to federal court

[TexasTowelie]

A decade-long lawsuit to scrub traces of segregation from Maryland's university system returns to federal court in Baltimore Monday with both sides still firmly entrenched in their positions after years of unsuccessful mediation.

The lawsuit filed in 2006 argued that academic programs at well-funded, traditionally white public universities eroded similar programs at historically black colleges. The complaint called for some of those programs to be stripped from the predominantly white institutions and transferred to the black institutions.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission has balked at the demands, arguing in court filings that removal of key academic programs would harm students of all races at the state's largest universities.

Court-ordered mediation failed in 2011 and 2014. Now U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake has ordered both sides to return to court to decide remedies.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/higher-ed/bs-md-college-segregation-lawsuit-20170108-story.html

[elleng]

1. Without knowing much about this,

I tend to agree that, after the time that's passed, removal of the programs would harm everyone. The erosion at historically black colleges took place years ago, and presumably no longer occurs. One hopes.

Very interesting. Thanks, Towelie.

[TexasTowelie]

2. You're welcome, Ellen.

There were a lot of newsworthy items occurring in Maryland during this sweep of the newspapers in the area. The HBCs throughout the nation are having a lot of financial pressure and accreditation issues so I hope that an equilibrium can be reached where every student interested in the various programs will be offered regardless of which university they attend.

[MichMan]

3. This seems ridiculous to me

Last edited Sun Jan 8, 2017, 06:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Not from Maryland, so don't understand all the specifics, but if I understand what I read in the link, they are trying to increase enrollments at HBC, by forcing popular fields of study to be removed from other colleges and moved to HBC. It does sound that at one time, the state government did dictate what could be offered at the HBC, so apparently this plan is to remedy past issues.

So for the major that my degree was in, Engineering, it would no longer be offered at Towson any longer, so I would be forced to enroll in for example at Morgan State if I wanted to enter that major, thus increasing enrollment at Morgan and decreasing it at Towson. Why cant it be offered at both and why is the state government so controlling of that?

We of course have many great State colleges in Michigan, but the curriculums are not dictated by the State. Michigan State U does have the only Veterinary college in Michigan, but I cant imagine a scenario where it would be stripped and moved to Wayne State in Detroit to boost their enrollment.