In wake of bomb threats, HBCUs to receive federal funding for student security, mental health

On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Historically Black Colleges and Universities will be eligible for new grant funding.

This comes after several bomb threats at HBCUs – in North Carolina and across the country.

Christine McPhail, the president of Saint Augustine's University, says they have not received any threats, but they do plan on taking full advantage of the grant. She says the resources will help them prepare.

In the last three months, more than one-third of our country’s HBCUs have received bomb threats.

Vice President Kamala Harris announced that HBCUs that have recently experienced a threat resulting in a disruption to the campus learning environment are eligible for grant funds of $50,000 to $150,000 per school.

HBCUs can apply for the grant and funds will go towards immediate needs, like targeted mental health resources or enhanced security.

McPhail says her staff and students have been emotionally impacted by the threats across the country, and she believes this grant is a step in the right direction.

"We immediately started to prepare for that. The way we see it, this is not event training anymore. It's a way of life for us. If it happened once; it indeed can happen again. We are looking to keep our university ever-ready for such a threat, and it needs to occur at every level of the institution," said Christine McPhail.

With federal help, McPhail is hoping our local government will also step up and offer extra assistance, especially with two HBCUs in Raleigh.