ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Gov. Larry Hogan's administration is proposing a settlement of up to $100 million to end a lawsuit involving Maryland's historically black colleges.
The proposal announced Wednesday comes more than a decade after advocates for four historically black colleges sued the state, accusing it of operating a segregated university system.
On Tuesday, the state was granted a stay of a judge's order last year outlining possible remedies to what she found to be a constitutional violation due to unnecessary program duplication. Advocates had argued that certain academic programs at traditionally white public universities eroded similar programs at black institutions.
Hogan's office said that before proceeding with its appeal, the state wanted to offer the settlement proposal, which was outlined in a letter Wednesday to the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.
