Ohio's only public historically Black university is getting a "one-time" influx of funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
Central State University was awarded $1.7 million
through a Supplemental Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant. The federal program provides resources to HBCUs to strengthen their institutions and expand educational opportunities for their students, the university said in a Sept. 29 press release.Central State President Morakinyo A.O. Kuti said the federal funding "will help advance key initiatives that elevate both the university and the student experience."
"We are grateful the administration recognizes the vital impact HBCUs have on students and communities, and we are ready to put these resources to work
to support our students, empower our faculty, and advance our mission." Kuti said in the release. "CSU is on a strong upward trajectory, and these dollars will further strengthen this institution that for more than a century has opened doors for countless Ohio students."
Central State University, founded in 1887, is the only public historically Black university in Ohio and was designated a land grant university in 2014.
The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that it would send more than $174 million in grants to historically Black colleges and universities and $61 million to tribal colleges. The department said the “one-time” investments were redirected from programs that funded Hispanic-serving and other minority-serving institutions, according to Inside Higher Ed.
HBCUs and tribal colleges saw investments last fall through similar means. In September 2025, the Education Department abruptly canceled grants for minority-serving institutions, saying those programs were unconstitutionally discriminatory because they require colleges to enroll a certain percentage of students from a particular racial or ethnic background to qualify.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a Sept. 23 press release that “for nearly 200 years, HBCUs have been engines of opportunity in communities, advancing critical innovations and uplifting local industries across the nation. This new investment will help ensure these vital institutions have the resources they need to continue delivering world-class education and to prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving economy.”
The federal investment comes as Central State has been working through a fiscal recovery plan after it was placed on "fiscal watch" in October 2024. A state audit discovered a myriad of financial issues, like an unapproved free-tuition program for alumni and their family members, a rising amount of unpaid tuition along with minimal efforts to collect, scholarships being awarded without considering the budget impact, an outdated accounting system and a failure to provide audited financial statements.
Central State has been working with state officials to rectify the situation. In June, Central State University's Board of Trustees had to agree to transfer oversight authority for the management of the university's facilities to the Ohio Department of Administrative Services or another governmental third party in order to receive the $29,159,024 slated for the university as part of Ohio's capital budget.
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted said in a prepared release that Central State University is "helping prepare Ohio students for success and strengthening the communities it serves."
"Investments like this will help CSU continue providing students with the education and opportunities they need to build successful careers and contribute to Ohio’s future,” Husted said.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton area) said in a statement that he looks forward to partnering with the university as it prepares "the future's innovators."
“As Ohio’s only public HBCU, Central State opens doors for students and strengthens communities across our state," Turner said. "I’ve worked with Central State to expand its access to federal resources as an 1890 land-grant institution, and I’m pleased to see this new $1.7 million investment in its students."
Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central State University lands $1.7 million through one-time federal grant
