FORT VALLEY, Ga. — On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education and Agriculture sent a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp saying Fort Valley State University should have received $603,156,480 in additional funding over the past 30 years.
In the letter, the federal agencies cited their findings from the National Center of Education Statistics, which collects and analyzes data related to education.
Fort Valley State should have received the same funding per student as the University of Georgia.
FVSU President Paul Jones serves on the Board of Council of 1890 universities, a group of historically black universities. He says he wasn't surprised to know that FVSU was underfunded.
"We've had a lot of conversations with key stakeholders, just really trying to make sure that our states across the south in particular. But throughout the 18 states that we represent, making sure through our states are doing their very best to meet the 1-to-1 requirement that's mandated by the federal government," Jones said.
What makes FVSU a land-grant institution is a law called the Second Morrill Act. The law required states to equally distribute money to schools with Black students or end racial discrimination at land grant schools.
Of the other governors who also received a letter, most of them were predominately in the South. That includes Florida, Kentucky, Texas and Louisiana.
Jones says it's less about the money and more about making sure the school provides outreach and service to their agricultural partners and students.
"We're doing important research with the University of Georgia right now. Whether it's peanuts, the aflatoxin challenges that our farmers are having, so we're able to do that important research because of that support," Jones said.
Ahmad Harden is a senior at FVSU. He says he came to the school because he "always talked with the alumni" and knew he had the blue and gold in his veins.
"I always talked to my grandfather's family and friends. They always pushed to go to Fort Valley State University," Harden said.
With the resources and everything the school could do for him, he says his should was solidified. Harden says many HBCUs don't receive adequate funding and this affects students' lives after college.
"When we get out there into the real world, and we witness using the equipment, a lot of times we miss that experience because we could've had that experience here," Harden said.
We reached out Gov. Kemp's office and have not heard back.
We did get a response from the University System of Georgia. They sent us a statement saying: "We're working to collect data and facts and then will respond to the letter."