HISTORICALLY BLACK, DIGITALLY FORWARD: CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HBCUS

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

Historically Black, Digitally Forward examines how HBCUs can advance equitable outcomes through co-designing digital learning infrastructure. It describes how HBCU student success is strengthened by focused support, culturally responsive approaches, and multifaceted services addressing identity complexity, economic hardship, and mental health impacts. The publication links chronic systemic underfunding to technology infrastructure debt and a digital divide, as well as employee capacity gaps that constrain timely adoption of effective digital tools, including AI.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages42

Reading Time1 h 46 min

AccessFree to download

Key Takeaways

HBCUs Provide a Model for Student Success

Student Identity Complexity

Multifaceted Support

Systemic Underfunding Has Led to Technology Infrastructure Debt

Systemic Underfunding Has Led to Employee Capacity Gaps

Recognizing the Opportunities and Challenges

The Current State of HBCUs

The HBCU DLI Initiative

Informing and Ideating

Workshop Spotlight

Committing to Next Steps

Appendix

Acknowledgments

HISTORICALLY BLACK, DIGITALLY FORWARD CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HBCUS Complete College America (CCA) builds movements for scaled change and transforms institutions. Specifically, CCA drives systemic change that leads to better college completion rates; more equitable outcomes; and greater economic and social mobility, especially for historically excluded students. CCA operates at the federal, state, and institutional levels and works with its national network of forward-thinking state and higher education leaders. Since its founding in 2009, CCA and its network have introduced bold initiatives that help states and institutions implement data-driven policies, student-centered perspectives, and equity-driven practices. This publication is copyrighted by Complete College America. Complete College America grants this limited license for the following uses of this publication: (1) You may copy and redistribute the material in digital or paper format for noncommercial use, and (2) you may adapt this publication by transforming it or building upon the material for any noncommercial use. These licensed uses are granted on the condition that you must give appropriate credit to Complete College America, include a copy of this license language, and indicate if changes were made. You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain. No warranties are given. This license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. Citation: Historically Black, Digitally Forward: Co-Designing Digital Learning Infrastructure for HBCUs. (2024) . HISTORICALLY BLACK, DIGITALLY FORWARD: CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HBCUS ii KEY TAKEAWAYS HBCUs PROVIDE A MODEL FOR STUDENT SUCCESS HBCUs exemplify how focused support and communitybuilding can significantly enhance student achievement and should be studied and emulated by other higher education institutions for better student outcomes. STUDENT IDENTITY COMPLEXITY HBCU students possess a spectrum of intersecting identities that inform their unique needs and potential barriers to success, requiring a culturally responsive and identity-affirming approach to student support which HBCUs provide. MULTIFACETED SUPPORT Support systems must be as diverse and complex asthe students to address historical and systemic barriers. Focused attention must be given to prevalent issues like economic circumstances and mental health challenges from current and past events and trauma impacting students’ educational journeys. SYSTEMIC UNDERFUNDING HAS LED TO TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE DEBT Historically institutionalized systemic underfunding has resulted in significant technology infrastructure deficits anda widening digital divide. Hindering the ability of HBCUs to provide current and effective digital tools for education, especially AI. SYSTEMIC UNDERFUNDING HAS LED TO EMPLOYEE CAPACITY GAPS Chronic underfunding of HBCUs also manifests as gaps in employee capacity, hindering an institution’s provisioning of adequate personnel, support, and resources for their diverse student body. HISTORICALLY BLACK, DIGITALLY FORWARD: CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HBCUS iii iv HISTORICALLY BLACK, DIGITALLY FORWARD: CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HBCUS CONTENTS Key Takeaways iii I. Recognizing the Opportunities and Challenges 1 II. Informing and Ideating 8 Workshop Spotlight 19 III. Committing to Next Steps 27 Appendix 31 Acknowledgments 37 Photo courtesy of Langston University I. RECOGNIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES The Current State of HBCUs Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) consistently create unmatched opportunities for their Black students. While the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on long-standing inequities among postsecondary institutions, HBCUs continue to navigate the compounding impact of chronic

FAQs

What model for student success does the publication highlight in HBCUs?

It emphasizes that HBCUs demonstrate how focused support and community-building, along with culturally responsive and identity-affirming practices, can significantly enhance student achievement and should be studied and emulated by other institutions.

How does the document explain the role of student identity in support needs?

It states that HBCU students have intersecting identities that shape unique needs and potential barriers, requiring an approach that is culturally responsive and affirms identity to support success.

What consequences does systemic underfunding have for HBCU digital learning?

The publication connects chronic underfunding to technology infrastructure debt and a widening digital divide, which limits HBCUs’ ability to provide current educational tools, including AI, and also to employee capacity gaps that reduce institutional provisioning of personnel and resources.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum