Current and former students at Lincoln University of Missouri have filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that Missouri has systematically underfunded the historically Black institution for decades. The plaintiffs are seeking nearly $549 million to be placed in a fund dedicated to campus repairs and other university priorities.
The legal challenge centers on a federal law that requires states to allocate matching funds to land-grant universities. In 2023, the Biden administration identified Missouri and several other states as having shortchanged their Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in this regard.
Although Missouri increased funding for Lincoln University in 2022, the lawsuit argues that the boost was insufficient to correct the long-standing disparity. Lincoln University, which is not named as a defendant, declined to comment on the litigation.
The complaint alleges that Missouri “for more than three decades, withheld from Lincoln University the state funding that federal law required as a condition of the federal land-grant money Missouri accepted, and did so on a basis traceable to Missouri’s prior de jure system of racially segregated higher education.”
The governor’s office has said it has no comment at this time. The lawsuit also points out that the University of Missouri, another land-grant institution in the state, received its full allocated funding, highlighting the unequal treatment.
Don Calloway, an attorney representing the students, told The New York Times: “The ramifications of the underfunding are very present today, and so just because it goes back some time doesn’t mean that we don’t have an obligation to fix it. It is a very clear breach of the state’s statutory and contractual obligation.”
This case comes amid broader scrutiny of how states fund HBCUs relative to predominantly white institutions. For context, similar legal battles have emerged in other states, and the issue has drawn attention from federal policymakers. The outcome could have implications for how land-grant funding is distributed in Missouri and beyond.
Lincoln University, founded in 1866, has historically relied on state support to maintain its facilities and academic programs. Students argue that the chronic underfunding has led to deteriorating campus infrastructure and limited resources, affecting the quality of education.
The lawsuit seeks to compel the state to fulfill its statutory obligations and provide the necessary financial remedy. Legal experts note that if successful, the ruling could set a precedent for other HBCUs facing similar funding gaps.
