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Historically Black Colleges Lawsuit Has Cost Md. Millions

BALTIMORE (AP) — A long-running dispute involving Maryland's historically black colleges has cost the Maryland Higher Education Commission millions.

RELATED: Maryland HBCUs Push For Federal Funding In Lengthy Legal Battle

Our media partner The Baltimore Sun reports the commission has spent more than $2.2 million defending itself in the lawsuit, according to records provided to the paper under a Public Information Act request. The paper reports that about $925,000 went to law firm Venable LLP and $1.3 million to Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.

Advocates for the state's historically black colleges sued Maryland more than a decade ago, accusing the state of running a segregated university system.

Advocates argue that marquee academic programs at well-funded, traditionally white public universities erode similar programs at historically black colleges. They've called for some of the programs to be transferred to the historically black schools.

A trial on remedies began last month.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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