UNCF Statement on the White House Executive Order on HBCUs

Media Contact
Ashlei Stevens, UNCF Communications
astevens@uncf.org
202.810.0226

WASHINGTON, DC—UNCF issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s issuance of an executive order on historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs):

“A new HBCU Executive Order issued in the first 100 days of the Trump-Pence administration is a step in the right direction to promote the critical mission of HBCUs, which have created the nation’s foremost African American leaders for 150 years and counting. The president has set a high bar; however, we await the opportunity to see if the administration will meet their pledges, specifically as it pertains to funding for HBCUs,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO, who joined Trump for a ceremonial signing of the order this afternoon.

As the administration sought UNCF’s input before the final order was issued, UNCF is pleased to see that one of our recommendations was included in the final order: establishing the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the office of the President, moving it from the current purview of the Department of Education.

None of UNCF’s funding recommendations were included, which were:

• Committing to an aspirational goal that HBCUs be awarded five percent of total federal grant, internship and cooperative agreement funding and 10 percent of total federal contract funding awarded to colleges and universities–which would nearly double federal support to HBCUs
• Backing up the federal funding goals with concrete commitments for annual funding growth at each federal agency reflected in agency budgets

“We must continue to work with the administration and with Congress to ensure that these historic institutions get both the recognition and the additional resources they deserve,” Lomax said. “Today, the president said he pledges to do more for HBCUs than any other president has done before, and we look forward to partnering with him to ensure this is a reality for the deserving students and faculty of HBCUs.”

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About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF annually awards $100 million in scholarships and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter, @UNCF and #HBCUsMatter.