MAY 31, 2023—The U.S. Department of Education (Department) today announced Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) grants to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that were disrupted by bomb threats last year: Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas was awarded $191,962; Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware was awarded $217,000; Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina was awarded $440,000 and Howard University in Washington, D.C. was awarded $203,000.
Project SERV provides short-term funding for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning. The Department expects additional grants to be awarded in the coming weeks and continues to work with additional impacted HBCUs to support them in the grant application process and expedite the processing of applications once received.
“The bomb threats last year that targeted several Historically Black Colleges and Universities traumatized their campus communities, disrupted learning, and drained resources by prompting costly campus lock- downs, class cancellations, and law enforcement activities,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The Biden-Harris administration will always stand by HBCUs and unequivocally condemn racist efforts to terrorize Black students and educators and deprive them of their right to safe, welcoming, and nurturing environments for teaching and learning. The Project SERV grants announced today will help four HBCUs directly impacted by these bomb threats to better serve students, faculty, and staff by increasing access to mental health and wellness services and improving other vital supports.”
Texas Southern University (TSU) will use its Project SERV funds to provide access to in-person and telemental health services for one year, including through
access to behavioral health providers. TSU will also use funds for a project coordinator to manage and oversee the project.
Delaware State University (DSU) will use its Project SERV funds to develop a Mental Health First Aid Edu- cation Program. DSU will also pay for overtime expenses for counselors, social workers, and law enforcement officers to help address safety and health concerns, and to train employees to serve on the Campus Mobile Crisis Team.
Claflin University will use its Project SERV funds to hire a licensed clinical social worker, as well as to support trainings focused on stress reduction; provide work- shops focused on identifying signs of distress in students and coworkers; and other programs to address stress, anxiety, and safety on campus. Howard University will use its Project SERV funds …
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