Georgia lawmakers are considering legislation to guarantee that graduates of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have a formal role in shaping the state’s higher education policies.
The University System of Georgia’s (USG) Board of Regents, which governs the state’s 26 public colleges and universities, is composed of 19 members—five appointed at-large and 14 representing congressional districts. Floyd Griffin, a Tuskegee University alum and state representative for Georgia’s 149th district, recently introduced House Bill 203, requiring at least one at-large member of the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents to be an HBCU graduate.
Georgia is home to 10 HBCUs, though only three—Albany State University, Fort Valley State University, and Savannah State University—are under USG governance. If passed, the bill would mandate that the designated board member must be an alumi of one of these institutions.
“Under HB 203, we commit to accurately representing our state’s university system by guaranteeing that a position of the Board of Regents is held by a member of a HBCU,” said Griffin in a statement to the Savannah Tribune. “I am grateful for the support of my legislative colleagues on these two pieces of legislation and look forward to their movement through the Georgia General Assembly.”
The bill calls for a gradual adjustment to the board’s makeup, starting with one at-large member who is an in-state HBCU graduate by 2028, and expanding to two members by 2031.
Supporters argue that the bill would allow more accurate representation in critical higher education leadership and decision-making processes, while critics raise concerns about ties between institutional associations and board appointments.
If enacted, it will secure HBCU graduates’ involvement in shaping higher education policies.