Federal college ratings will hurt colleges and students

By George T. French, Jr., Billy C. Hawkins, Peter E. Millet and Leslie N. Pollard. We are the presidents of four Alabama historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs)— Miles College in Fairfield in metro Birmingham, Talladega College in Talladega, Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, and Oakwood University in Huntsville.  Along with the 33 other private HBCUs that belong to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), we have a track record of enrolling and graduating students from low-income families, the students the nation most needs to get on the path to college and stay there.  HBCUs out-perform non-HBCUs by 14 percentage points when it comes to educating low-income African Americans—and at tuition levels 30 percent lower than at comparable colleges and universities. More...