TMCF convened 38 of its member-school Presidents and Chancellors from publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions on February 27, 2017 at our Washington, DC headquarters office. The group participated in sessions that covered the TMCF Value Proposition, Enrollment Forecast, Mergers and Acquisitions and the advocacy agenda for the 115th Congress. After a morning of information, dialogue and networking, the group joined some private HBCU Presidents at the White House for an HBCU listening session with Vice President Mike Pence and federal agency staff. The listening session was interrupted by a request from the President of the United States to meet each of the attendees in the Oval Office where he reiterated his interest in working with HBCUs to improve access to higher education and with their help, the communities that HBCUs serve. The listening session reconvened for thirty minutes where the Vice President provided a brief address and a few HBCU presidents shared their concerns. White House domestic policy staff stressed that there will be additional opportunities to hear from more Presidents individually and subsequently at an HBCU Summit. The day ended with a reception at TMCF headquarters which was attended by U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos; U.S. Senator Tim Scott, Congresswoman Alma Adams, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Bobby Scott and some federal agency staff.
The following day, February 28th, our member-school delegation attended the HBCU Fly-In sponsored by U.S. Senator Tim Scott and U.S. Representative Mark Walker at the Library of Congress. They leaders heard from several members of Congress, including Speaker Paul Ryan and private industry leaders wanting to engage more with HBCUs. As a special treat, a tour of the new Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture was arranged. This event included panel discussions from different industry leaders.
For Reference
TMCF Statement on White House HBCU Executive Order
TMCF Guidance on Presidential Executive Orders
How the White House is Messaging the HBCU Executive Order
- President Trump is making HBCUs a priority again by repositioning the HBCU initiative in the White House.
- This repositioning will strengthen the initiative by:
- Allowing it to function across all executive departments and agencies and utilize the full resources of the federal government
- Establishing HBCUs as a strategic partner in the President’s urban agenda of creating jobs, revitalizing communities, and making inner cities safe again
- Increasing the private sector’s role in supporting HBCUs
- Strengthening HBCUs participation in federal programs that partner with outside groups or private organizations
- Each President since Jimmy Carter has issued an executive order on HBCUs. These previous initiatives lost track because they did not have the full force of the White House behind them. That stops with President Trump.
Photo Gallery
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Fly-In Video
Media Round Up
Leadership Encouraged HBCUs a part of National Conversation
Advocates Cautiously Optimistic about White House HBCU Executive Order
Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Charles Koch Foundation Launch ‘Center for Advancing Opportunity’
Will Trump do a better job than Obama with HBCUs?
HBCU Nation Interview on Rep. Walker’s HBCU Fly-in
Robinson to meet Trump Administration, lawmakers
Dozier expected to go to White House
Artis to Attend the HBCU fly-in
Video of White House HBCU Executive Order Signing
White House Readout of HBCU Listening Session
HBCU Meeting in the White House Could Result in New Advocacy
Trump signs executive order on black colleges
LeMoyne-Owen College’s president ‘hopeful’ after meeting with Trump
Trump HBCU executive order is a historic gesture for future of black colleges, leaders say
Trump Pledges Support for HBCUs but no additional money
Sen. Tim Scott helps Republicans lead on HBCUs
New Visibility for HBCUs but not dollars
Acknowledging Unprecedented Support for HBCUs
Trump signs executive order on HBCUs, says schools will be priority in his White House
Trump gives praise but no money to HBCUs
Trump Executive Order resembles Obamas but moves colleges closer to presidential review
Trump’s tentative first step toward black voters
TMCF member-school presidents on News One Now w Roland Martin
Member-School President & Chancellor Quotes
Dr. Harry Lee Williams
President, Delaware State University
Dr. Harry L. Williams, president of Delaware State University, said that the invitation to go to the White House to meet with Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration to discuss the needs and challenges of HBCUs was an opportunity that could not be passed up.
“It was important as HBCU presidents for us be at that important table and collectively share the importance of HBCUs and why the federal government should increase its investment in our black colleges and universities, and most importantly, in our students,” Dr. Williams said. “We have received a commitment from President Trump and his top administration officials that HBCU will be ‘an absolute priority.’ Now it will be the responsibility of HBCU presidents and its advocate organizations to do its part to continue the dialogue with this administration and ensure that it follows through on the commitment it has made.”
Dr. Williams added that the executive order that directed that the White House Initiative on HBCUs be moved from under the Department of Education and instead be housed in the White House is a good first step by the new administration.
“This should provide an improved conduit for communications between the administration and HBCUs; with this change, along with the commitments we have heard from President Trump, his administration officials and congressional representatives, I am cautiously optimistic,” Dr. Williams said. “While some have expressed disappointment that no funding was included in that order, this process should not be viewed as a sprint, but rather as a longer race in which there will be some back and forth over a period of time, but through which, hopefully, the Trump Administration will stay true to its word.”
Dr. Ronald Mason, Jr.
President, University of the District of Columbia
“It has been a while since almost all HBCU presidents were in the same placed at the same time. TMCF should be commended for putting out the call and for organizing the event. The visits with the Executive and Legislative branches of government were necessary. Our message was clear, that we are an important part of the nation’s higher education landscape, and that if properly funded we have much to contribute to the future security of our country. We will see if promises from the President and Congress of enhanced support are real. But they now know of our value and challenges, and that we speak with one voice when we, and the 370,000 students and millions of alumni we represent, need to be heard.
John K. Pierre
Chancellor, Southern University Law Center
“The meeting at the White House Monday gave me an opportunity to provide valuable input about issues facing historically black college law schools which have been engines of access and opportunity for African Americans seeking opportunities to become lawyer leaders and judges in America. The six historically black law schools accredited by the ABA are among the nation’s most racially diverse law schools and while they comprise on 3% of the law schools accredited by the ABA, they produce more than 20% of the African American lawyers in the United States. I had an opportunity to express concerns to the secretary of the department of education related to resources needed for the HBCU law schools to continue to be invaluable assets in diversifying the legal profession and helping the American bar association achieve one of its most important goals, which is to diversify the legal profession.”
Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond
President, Central State University
“HBCU leaders were able to position our mission, vision and intentions regarding the sustainability of our universities. We were heard and we all hope that intentional actions will occur. I want to thank TMCF President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. and the entire staff of TMCF for their unbelievable advocacy and coordination of this massive undertaking. With TMCF, we have friends on the Hill. The experience was hopeful, encouraging and focused!”
Dr. Thomas E. H. Conway
Chancellor, Elizabeth City State University
“As Chancellor at Elizabeth City State University, I am committed to the institution being as well resourced as possible. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) organization is an important partner in the hunt for those resources. Therefore, when TMCF issued the invitation to a strategic meeting of HBCU CEOs, I immediately committed to attending. The Listening Session at the White House was an important part of that meeting. Relating a small set of recommendations, with accomplishable measurable outcomes, to key Executive Branch department leaders was our agreed upon goal for that session. My sense of what we heard from the White House was, we understand the value of what you do and we want to help enhance your success. We see the influence of the Executive Branch as critical; however, we know that the Legislative Branch appropriates resources. The White House visit was a great, and I believe a historic, first step.”