City leaders in Boston and San Francisco are advancing plans to establish satellite campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in their communities. This initiative aims to make HBCU education more accessible to Black students outside the South while addressing workforce diversity gaps, particularly as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs face political challenges nationwide.
Who: The effort is led by municipal officials including Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, in partnership with HBCUs like Huston-Tillotson University. Primary beneficiaries would be students like Kei’Yanii Dawson, a San Francisco high school junior who wants HBCU education without relocation costs.
What: The proposal involves creating physical satellite campuses where students can earn degrees from established HBCUs without leaving their home regions. Boston seeks programs in tech, healthcare and engineering, while San Francisco’s ‘Black 2 San Francisco’ initiative prioritizes business and technology curricula. Huston-Tillotson University plans to open a San Diego location offering business administration in spring 2026.
When: Active discussions began in 2024, with concrete proposals emerging in mid-2025. Boston will hold community listening sessions starting August 26, 2025, while Huston-Tillotson targets spring 2026 for its California launch. Full implementation could take 2-3 years.
Where: Efforts focus on major cities without existing HBCUs, particularly Boston and San Francisco, where the closest HBCUs are over 300 miles away. The model could expand to other regions if successful.
Why: Black students outside the South face significant financial/logistical barriers to attending distant HBCUs. Simultaneously, cities seek to diversify local workforces – Boston projects a $500M economic impact over a decade. The timing responds to DEI program cuts at predominantly white institutions.
How: Cities are negotiating partnerships where HBCUs provide academic programming while municipalities secure facilities through public-private funding. Boston explores credit-transfer systems with local colleges, while Huston-Tillotson is pursuing accreditation for its California site. Funding would avoid sole taxpayer reliance.
Impact: This could significantly increase HBCU access for approximately 200,000 college-aged Black students in target regions. Economically, studies suggest job creation and workforce diversification, particularly in tech and healthcare. Culturally, it preserves HBCUs’ unique environments amid DEI rollbacks elsewhere.
What’s Next: Key milestones include Boston’s August 2025 community feedback sessions, Huston-Tillotson’s accreditation approvals (due late 2025), and formal partnership announcements. Success could inspire similar expansions to Philadelphia, Chicago and other Northern cities by 2027.