When Jackson State University officials and their collaborators assembled a proposal for a $12 million social and behavioral research center to combat terrorism, they hoped Federal officials would give a nod of approval to what they believed was a high-value concept. The proposal, Featuring the predominantly White Mississippi State University as the lead and the historically Black Jackson State as a partner, apparently impressed U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials enough that it was among a handful of finalists. Site visits took place. Hopes ran high.