Seven current and former students at Lincoln University of Missouri filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Central Division, accusing the state of violating the Constitution and federal civil‑rights law by underfunding the historically Black university for decades.

Allegations and requested relief

The complaint seeks compensatory damages under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for what the plaintiffs describe as “educational and economic injuries” caused by long‑standing funding shortfalls. It also asks the court to order Missouri to fully match Lincoln’s federal land‑grant allocation in the future.

According to the suit, the students are requesting funds for campus repairs, faculty hiring, student services, financial aid and agricultural research programs.

Funding disparity claims

The plaintiffs allege that Missouri appropriated less money per student to Lincoln than to the University of Missouri, the state’s predominantly white land‑grant institution, in most fiscal years from 1987 through 2020. They cite a September 2023 letter in which the U.S. secretaries of agriculture and education calculated that Missouri underfunded Lincoln by $361.6 million over that period, based on federal higher‑education data.

The complaint states that Missouri provided no state matching funds for Lincoln’s federal land‑grant allocation from fiscal year 2000 through 2007, and only a partial match in later years. To cover the state’s share, Lincoln allegedly diverted about $43.5 million from its general operating budget between 2000 and 2016, and returned nearly $8 million in federal funds from 2016 through 2018 when it could not meet matching requirements.

During the same period, the University of Missouri reportedly received full state matches for its land‑grant allocations, according to the lawsuit.

Responses and defendants

The University of Missouri declined to comment, citing “ongoing litigation.” Lincoln University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit names the State of Missouri, the State Coordinating Board for Higher Education, Governor Mike Kehoe, Higher Education Commissioner Bennett Boggs, and University of Missouri System President Mun Choi as defendants. State officials have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Impact on students

Plaintiffs describe deteriorating residence halls, limited dining and health services, scarce course offerings, inadequate advising and financial hardship. One student said she lost weight because dining services closed before band practice ended. Another said a scholarship she expected to cover tuition was withdrawn, forcing her to take loans and work up to 30 hours per week.

“Lincoln is constantly putting Band‑Aids over bullet wounds because they do not have the resources to fully address the blow,” plaintiff Makhi Jaff wrote in the complaint.

Historical context

The lawsuit argues that the funding gap perpetuates the legacy of Missouri’s formerly segregated higher‑education system, in which the University of Missouri served white students while Lincoln was established for Black students.

The case adds to ongoing debates about equitable funding for historically Black colleges and universities across the nation.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.