A group of students, faculty, alumni and prospective applicants has filed a federal lawsuit seeking billions of dollars in relief for the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, alleging the state has deliberately underfunded the historically Black university since it became a land-grant institution in 1890.
The complaint, filed Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court in Maryland by a group called ForUMES, names Gov. Wes Moore (D) and several higher education officials from the University System of Maryland and the Maryland Higher Education Commission as defendants. A news conference is scheduled in Baltimore on Tuesday to discuss the lawsuit.
The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is one of 19 historically Black universities in the U.S. that were established as land-grant universities under the Second Morrill Act of 1890. The lawsuit argues the school was meant to be "separate but equal" but instead was treated as a "woefully underfunded stepchild" of the university system.
UMES spokesperson Rudy Williams said Friday the school has a "great relations with the state" and is "happy with the support" it has received. He said UMES looks forward to continued support and good relations with the Moore administration. State funding for a full-time equivalent student at UMES increased from $19,640 in fiscal 2022 to more than $26,000 in each of the following three fiscal years. In April, the University System Board of Regents approved nearly $15 million toward renovations and new construction for the campus's new School of Veterinary Medicine, which began accepting applications last week for a June 2027 opening and will be the state's first veterinary school and the first at a public historically Black college and university in the nation.
A spokesperson for the governor said the office “cannot comment on active litigation” but that the Moore-Miller administration's “dedication to supporting University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is unwavering.” In an email, the spokesperson pointed to “record funding” for UMES as an 1890 land grant university and said the state will continue to invest in the school. University System of Maryland spokesperson Michael Sandler declined comment due to the pending litigation.
The lawsuit claims the alleged underfunding has persisted since the school became a land-grant institution in 1890, and that UMES's mission includes fostering research with significant impact on economic development throughout Maryland. The group's attorneys include prominent Baltimore attorney William “Billy” Murphy, whose office did not return a request for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The suit highlights decades of alleged underfunding of a historically Black land-grant institution, raising questions about states' fulfillment of obligations under the 1890 Morrill Act.
- A ruling could set a precedent for other HBCUs that argue they have been systematically shortchanged compared to predominantly white land-grant institutions.
- The $15 million veterinary school investment signals recent state commitment, but the lawsuit demands a far larger remedy, potentially reshaping UMES's finances for years.
Background
The Second Morrill Act of 1890 required states with racially segregated higher education systems to establish land-grant institutions for Black students, leading to the creation of 19 historically Black land-grant universities, including UMES. The original Morrill Act of 1862 had given states federal land (often taken from Indigenous tribes) to fund agricultural colleges, but Black Americans were excluded from those institutions. UMES was founded in 1886 as the Delaware Conference Academy and became a land-grant institution in 1890.
Key Perspectives
ForUMES (plaintiff group): Claims the state has "deliberately underfunded" UMES since 1890 and calls the university a "woefully underfunded stepchild" of the University System of Maryland. The lawsuit seeks billions of dollars in relief.
UMES officials: Spokesperson Rudy Williams said the school has "great relations with the state" and is "happy with the support" it has received, noting recent increases in per-student funding and the approval of a new veterinary school.
Governor's office: Cannot comment on active litigation but says the Moore-Miller administration's "dedication to supporting University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is unwavering" and points to record investments.
What to Watch
- The Tuesday news conference in Baltimore, where ForUMES may provide additional details on the lawsuit's claims and demands.
- Whether the state files a motion to dismiss or proceeds with settlement discussions given the long historical allegations.
- How the lawsuit affects ongoing state funding commitments, including the veterinary school project and future capital investments.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe lawsuit seeks billions of dollars in relief and alleges 136 years of underfunding.Maryland Matters: “University of Maryland, Eastern Shore backers sue for 136 years of underfunding. The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore has been underfunded and systemically shortchanged by the state and the university system, say supporters of the historically Black university, who are suing to do something about it.”
- SupportedForUMES says Maryland deliberately underfunded UMES since it became a land-grant institution in 1890.Maryland Matters: “The suit claims the state has “deliberately underfunded” UMES since it became a land-grant institution in 1890.”
- SupportedForUMES comprises students, faculty, alumni and prospective applicants.Maryland Matters: “The group called ForUMES, comprised of students, faculty, alumni and prospective applicants, is seeking billions of dollars in relief”
- SupportedThe complaint was filed Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court in Maryland.Maryland Matters: “is seeking billions of dollars in relief for the Princess Anne school in the complaint it filed Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court in Maryland.”
- SupportedThe lawsuit names Gov. Wes Moore and higher education officials as defendants.Maryland Matters: “The suit names Gov. Wes Moore (D) and several higher education officials with the University System of Maryland and Maryland Higher Education Commission as defendants.”
- SupportedA news conference about the lawsuit is scheduled in Baltimore on Tuesday.Maryland Matters: “A news conference has been scheduled in Baltimore Tuesday to discuss the laswsuit”
- SupportedUMES is one of 19 historically Black universities established as land-grant universities under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.Maryland Matters: “The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is one of 19 historically Black universities in the U.S. that were established as land-grant universities under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.”
- SupportedThe lawsuit says UMES was supposed to be “separate but equal” but was a “woefully underfunded stepchild” of the university system.Maryland Matters: ““UMES was supposed to be a separate but equal Land-grant college. Instead, UMES was and continues to be a woefully underfunded stepchild of the University System of Maryland,” says the suit.”
- SupportedUMES spokesperson Rudy Williams said the school has “great relations with the state” and is “happy with the support” it has received.Maryland Matters: “UMES spokesperson Rudy Williams said Friday the school has a “great relations with the state.” “We are happy with the support that we’ve gotten from the state,” he said.”
- SupportedState funding per full-time equivalent student rose from $19,640 in fiscal 2022 to more than $26,000 in each of the next three fiscal years.Maryland Matters: “State funding for a full-time equivalent student increased from $19,640 in fiscal 2022 to more than $26,000 in each of the next three fiscal years.”
- SupportedThe Board of Regents approved nearly $15 million for renovations and new construction for UMES’s School of Veterinary Medicine.Maryland Matters: “In April, the University System Board of Regents approved nearly $15 million toward renovations and new construction of the Eastern Shore campus’ new School of Veterinary Medicine.”
- SupportedThe governor’s spokesperson said the office could not comment on active litigation and that the administration’s dedication to supporting UMES was unwavering.Maryland Matters: “A spokesperson for the governor said that while the office “cannot comment on active litigation, the Moore-Miller administration’s dedication to supporting University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is unwavering.””