Supporters of the Southern University System continue to be unbowed by media and political pressure against the nation’s only black higher ed system, with news breaking this week of a new group recruiting donors to annually commit $1 million to the system.

Timing for raising private funds for the University is critical. For the past three years, the state support to the SU System has been cut more than $40 million. The reduction in state funds and declining enrollment forced the System’s Baton Rouge campus, its largest, to declare a state of financial emergency in 2011.

“Successful fundraising and increased support from graduates and other stakeholders is needed to offset the devastating decline of public resources,” said SU System President Ronald R. Mason.

The goal of 1,000 donors giving $1,000 every year is not only reachable, but a model to encourage smaller and larger campaigns among alumni and students. Who knows? Perhaps the Jaguar students can follow the mold of Claflin University’s student body in giving back to their school, or alumni may be engaged like the sisters of Spelman and their ‘Every Woman, Every Year’ campaign.

We don’t need discussion on the financial trouble Southern is facing, or who’s responsible for it. We do need substantive talk on how to fix it, and the 1880 Society is about that kind of talk.

1880 Society Southern University System