An estimated 50 to 75 colleges and universities — many in urban areas — may fit the description of predominantly Black institutions, or PBIs, by virtue of their high enrollments of Black students. Two of the most prominent are Chicago State University and City University of New York-Medgar Evers College.

“Predominantly Black institutions serve similar students [as HBCUs]. Many of our students are first-generation and low income,” says Dr. Elnora D. Daniel, president of Chicago State.

While leaders of some of these colleges are active in Black college organizations, the institutions do not qualify as HBCUs because they were not created specifically for Blacks after the Civil War or at any time before 1964. As a result, they have not been eligible for funding under the Higher Education Act’s Title III Black college program.

But PBIs could get their own funding program within HEA, which is up for renewal on Capitol Hill this year. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., a Democratic presidential candidate, has introduced legislation to designate a new section of Title III for these institutions.

“To restore America’s competitiveness, we must invest in the success of traditionally underrepresented groups,” Obama has said. “This bill provides a good start in reaching that goal.”

Some observers are calling the Obama bill the best chance in years to pass a PBI proposal. In past years, some proponents had wanted to add PBIs to the existing federal HBCU program, which triggered fears of competition for limited funds as well as concern about potential legal challenges based on the different charters of the institutions.

Adding PBIs to the existing Black college program was a priority for former U.S. Rep. Major Owens, D-N.Y., a longtime Congressional Black Caucus member. Owens had maintained that adding PBIs to the program would broaden political support for Black colleges. But the long-time lawmaker retired in January.