July 13th 2023.
Morgan State University President David K. Wilson has accused Towson University of duplicating a well-established business doctoral program at Morgan State. This has sparked a debate in Maryland regarding white institutions supposedly copying educational programs from historically Black colleges and universities. In response, Wilson penned a letter to two policy makers, encouraging them to review the Higher Education Commission's review process in order to prevent unnecessary program duplication.
Wilson stated in his letter that Towson's program is too similar to Morgan State's Doctoral Business Administration program. He argued that the 2021 bill to settle the long-running HBCU lawsuit requires the establishment of processes and procedures that would safeguard the state's HBCUs from harm.
In contrast, the MHEC ruled in favour of Towson's program with a 4-3 vote. Mary Pat Seurkamp, Chair of MHEC, explained that the two programs have distinct differences in their curricula, as Towson's criteria for admission are geared towards students with a STEM background. Seurkamp also mentioned that there was not enough evidence to demonstrate harm to Morgan's existing program.
Wilson's letter has sparked even more controversy, as it brings back the 14-year-old settlement of $577 million which allowed white institutions to imitate programs from four HBCUs. He is challenging the lawmakers to find a way to decrease the number of duplicated programs and protect the state's HBCUs from harm.
As the old saying goes, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, however, this particular case has divided the state of Maryland and has raised important questions about the role of white institutions and HBCUs in the education system. It remains to be seen if the lawmakers will be able to establish a process to prevent unnecessary program duplication and protect HBCUs from harm.
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