Communication from ABC President Forrest Harris to Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation
January 28, 2025
As President of American Baptist College in Nashville, I write to express my strong concern regarding yesterday’s announcement from President Donald Trump regarding a freeze on federal grants and funding.
The proposed freeze would not only affect American Baptist College and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but almost every higher education institution in the country that receives federal funding to support activities ranging from Pell grants for students, to programmatic funding to support community needs, to economic, social, educational, scientific, and technology research. This action, even if temporary, would significantly impact American Baptist College’s ability to serve low-income and under-resourced first-generation students, as well others with limited options who rely on our services to succeed in their educational and career journeys. These students are overwhelmingly Pell grant recipients. If enacted, this freeze would cause us to consider faculty and staff layoffs, as well as disenrollment of current students due to loss of federal aid to apply toward tuition and fees.
American Baptist College has a 100-year history of educating students and providing leaders to communities across Tennessee, throughout the nation, and around the world. As one of the nation’s 100-plus HBCUs, our legacy is centered on providing opportunities to students who have been traditionally marginalized and underserved in the American higher education system. Beyond opportunities for students, our recent funding from the National Telecommunications and Infrastructure Administration has allowed us to address the digital divide in some of Nashville’s poorest neighborhoods by providing access to technology and training to children, youth, and adults. As an HBCU, we also benefit from Title III funds which allow us to grow our academic programs, strengthen our infrastructure, and provide enhanced opportunities for our students – the nation’s next generation of leaders.
Congress already has approved funding for these purposes and directed the appropriate federal agencies to allocate the funds to the institutions and community organizations who can best meet the identified needs. The loss of this funding, even temporarily, would be devastating to Tennessee’s communities and the entire nation. I sincerely ask you to work with your colleagues in Congress to ensure that programs critical to the success of students and the continued thriving of our communities remains secure, and that services are uninterrupted.
Thank you for your commitment to supporting education and opportunity for all students. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Forrest E. Harris,
President
