HBCU Presidents spoke out about their White House meeting with President Trump at the Black Enterprise BE SMART HBCU Summit held at Morgan State University on Feb. 27 and 28.
Earl Graves, Jr. President and CEO, Black Enterprise spoke at the Black Enterprise BE SMART HBCU Summit held at Morgan State University. (Courtesy Photo/Twitter)
Morgan State University’s President, David Wilson, Florida Memorial’s President, Roslyn Artis and Johnson C. Smith’s President, Ronald L. Carter were among the more than 90 HBCU presidents who attended the White House meeting last week. The three stopped by the BE SMART HBCU Summit in Baltimore, Md. and discussed the White House meeting with the audience gathered at the University’s Earl Graves School of Business Building.
While each of the presidents acknowledged mis-steps by the Trump Administration including a statement by Department of Education Secretary BetsyDeVos referring to HBCU’s as “choice” programs, they agreed that there was strategic value in connecting with the White House.
Carter emphasized a new mindset is being expressed by the Trump Administration regarding HBCU’s that should not be overlooked. He said HBCU’s can achieve strategic advantage by engaging rather than resisting the Trump Administration.
“I think there was one important point prefaced that America needs to hear. They are saying the question about the relevance of HBCU’s is no longer a “question”. This is a major step forward,” Carter said.
Carter said work must now be done in Congress to ensure that sufficient funding is allocated to HBCU’s.
Artis saw the White House meeting as a first step to bring the Trump Administration up to speed about the unique contribution to society provided by HBCU’s.
“This is an opportunity to educate. To help people understand who we are and the unique contribution of historically black colleges and universities,” Artis said.
Wilson said Morgan State University board, alumni and students urged him to be at the table to advance the federal dialogue for Morgan.
“What we heard from President Trump’s administration is that they were looking for an investment plan in HBCU’s from us. We are working with the Thurgood Marshall Fund, the United Negro College Fund and NAFEO (National Organization for Equal Opportunity in Education) to put together an investment plan and put it in front of the Trump Administration.
Wilson said that HBCU’s are planning to put a $25 billion-dollar investment plan on Trump’s desk in the coming weeks.
“Public HBCU presidents agreed that we are going to ask for a one-time investment of $25 billion dollars in HBCU’s that will be distributed to each institution based on a pre-determined formula. Those dollars will be used at the discretion of the institution to fund scholarships, infrastructure, program development and enhancement or building of new science, technology and engineering facilities,” Wilson told the AFRO.
That’s what we have agreed to present to the Trump administration as a one-time investment opportunity that could reap significant dividends for us in the long term,” Wilson said.
“President Trump said he is extending an open-door invitation to HBCU’s,” Wilson said. “I am taking him at his word,” Wilson added and indicated that he has prepared correspondence to each federal agency requesting their collaboration with Morgan in addition to the initiatives put forth on behalf of all HBCU campuses.
The Black Enterprise BE SMART HBCU Summit focused on both institutional and individual student strategies for success, institutional sustainability and college funding. Black Enterprise partners with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation each year to present 4-5 HBCU conversations across the nation, said Earl Graves, Jr. president and CEO, Black Enterprise. Each event connects the worlds of business and education and brings a mix of representatives from both worlds together for dialogue.
“Based on feedback from this session, our next conversation will probably include parents,” said Graves. “They are an essential component of the HBCU community,” he said.