Historically black college in Alabama raising funds to repay feds $785K

Published 8:24 am Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Another small, historically black college is in financial trouble in west Alabama.

The Selma Times-Journal reports that Selma University is hosting an event Saturday to raise money that’s needed to pay off a more than $785,000 debt to the federal government.

The school is trying to raise $2 million total. Any proceeds will also go to improve the campus, restore the school’s athletics program and establish an endowment fund.

President Alvin Cleveland says the private school wasn’t recertified for the Federal Student Financial Assistance Program because of inadequate paperwork and incomplete files, so it’s being required to pay back financial aid.

Selma University is affiliated with the Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention.

Another small, church-affiliated school in Selma, Concordia College, closed last year amid declining enrollment and financial problems.