Facilities and Infrastructure Enhancement

HBCUs are more than one hundred years old, and virtually all of their campuses have buildings that are closed or are in desperate need of repair. Many of these buildings are historic structures and have a unique and critical need to be preserved. The implementation of enrollment management and curriculum enhancement programs will compound the need for capital improvements and preservation.

As a result, a thoughtful and comprehensive review of facilities and campus infrastructure is needed at each institution. Is on-campus housing sufficient to accommodate more students? Are there enough seats and/or equipment in the laboratories to meet the increased demand in science classes and new developments in curriculum? These and similar questions will arise as the capacity of UNCF institutions are strengthened to become more competitive learning environments.

The HBCU Facilities and Infrastructure Enhancement Program will work closely with clusters of UNCF member institutions to create campus inventories of structures of architectural or historic interest. The resulting inventories will identify and assess the current infrastructure needs of the institutions. Further, the inventories will form the basis to develop master campus-wide preservation and new construction plans that are tailored to meet changes in academic programs and enrollment.

Funding permitting, UNCF anticipates launching a pilot phase in fall 2006 that will support at least one cluster of institutions through a comprehensive planning phase that will lay the critical groundwork for facility restoration and new construction.