BRANDON: The HBCU vs. PWI debate misses the point
According to the definition offered by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education that were established and accredited prior to 1964, with a primary intention that was — and continues to be — twofold: permitting the matriculation and education of black students and offering an alternative to predominately white institutions, or PWIs. I stress the significance of the second purpose of HBCUs because it always seems to be neglected whenever the black community — particularly among black college students, faculty and alumni — erupts into the polarizing debate about the superiority or inferiority of PWIs and HBCUs.