the population of black students at many schools in the south including georgia the university of florida etc.. the numbers are promising. at the university of florida over the past four years 50% of the black population terms of the incoming class that is how much it is dropped. at one point they had just under 1000 students coming in the freshman class and currently i believe they have just under 500. in terms of where the opportunity is and where the students are going to go these students need every opportunity and every type of institution to have its doors flung open for them and traditionally they have provided that opportunity. the last thing i would say is the quality of the education you get at a historically black college and i can speak specifically from my alma mater at howard university is an excellent educational products. if you look at what we have from vernon georgia the first african-american president and the american cancer society coming look at the mayor of atlanta and kasim reid and the attorney general in california. i could go on and on. debbie allen and felicia. [sp

black students at many schools in the south including the university of georgia, the university of florida, etcers are plummeting. the university of florida over the past four years, i believe 50% of the black population in terms of incoming class -- that is how much it has dropped. currently, the have just under 500 leading to the freshman class. in terms of where the opportunity is and where the parents -- the students will go to, they need every opportunity and type of institution to have the doors flung open for them. and hbcus have traditionally provided that opportunity. the last thing i was a, the quality of education you get at the historically black colleges and universities -- and i can speak specifically to my on the moderate at howard. it is an excellent product. if you alumni, we have them everywhere. you look at the mayor of atlanta . you look at the attorney general in california. i can go on and on. felicia shot, jesse norman, we have excellence that we have produced and a lot more going to the top of their fields. i think we still have an opportunity to do that. jade washington