It is imperative that students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) get access to affordable, reliable broadband," said FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, particularly in a time so focused on distance learning.

That is because the pandemic has highlighted, and exacerbated, the systemic inequities in healthcare, education, and employment, he said, and it is HBCU students, and alumni, that are on the front line in the push for political, social and economic justice.

Also Read: Starks Convenes HBCU Roundtable

Starks was speaking at the FCC's HBCU Presidents' Roundtable Feb. 18, which he organized.

One piece of good news is that Pell Grant recipients are automatically eligible for some of the $3.2 billion in Emergency Broadband Benefit funding Congress allocated in the December COVID-19 aide package and for which the FCC has to come up with rules by the end of next week for handing out. Nearly three quarters of HBCU students are eligible for the grants. The EBB provides both a subsidy for home broadband service and money toward devices.

"[W]e must make crucial investments to connect HBCU students, and more broadly, to the communities they come from and the areas surrounding these institutions," he said. "The time to make these investments has never been more urgent."

Also Read: Democrats Push Billions for Distance Learning

The current COVID-19 relief bill being hammered out in Congress includes more than $7 billion in funds for broadband access and devices, including connectivity for HBCUs and their "anchor communities," defined as within a 15-mile radius.

It also creates an Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the White House's chief telecom policy arm, the mission of which is to "develop recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband internet access.

VH1 is looking to turn up the noise on its new original movie Drumline: A New Beat by developing a social media campaign around the movie as well as teaming with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) to promote the film.

VH1 today (Sept. 29) will launch a social media campaign dubbed #PassTheBaton around the Nick Cannon-produced movie in which school bands around the country can upload their top drum routines to Youtube and “pass the baton” to a rival school to top their performance, said network officials. Viewers can also participate by uploading to Instagram, Twitter and Vine a photo or video of themselves “passing” a baton and using the #PassTheBaton hashtag. The top band and user submissions will be featured during an on-air “halftime show” as part of the movie’s Oct. 27 premiere on VH1.

For each #PassTheBaton upload, VH1 will donate $1 to the United Negro College Fund up to a maximum of $20,000. The campaign kicks off today (Sept. 29) and ends Oct. 28, said network officials.    

VH1 will also target several HBCU’s homecoming events and classic football games to drive awareness for the movie, based on the popular 2002 Drumline movie. The HBCU tour will feature cast member appearances, according the network.  Events include the Oct. 4 Atlanta Football Classic; the Oct. 15-18 Howard University homecoming Week; and the Oct. 25 Magic Classic Game between Alabama A&M and Alabama State.

"It's been more than 10 years since the original Drumline movie debuted and became a cult favorite," said Caralene Robinson, senior vice president of Creative Group + Consumer Marketing for MTV. "There's no better place to celebrate drumline culture than at HBCU's. Both fans and students can engage in fun competition while giving back to a great cause."