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DSU president pushes President Trump to boost funding for HBCU's

President Trump vowed last week to make Historically Black Colleges and Universities an “absolute priority” of his administration.

 

And now, HBCU leaders are calling on Trump to make funding for these schools a priority.

 

Delaware State University President Harry Williams and the leaders of other HBCU’smet with Trump and Congressional leaders in Washington D.C. last week

 

"And President Trump said HBCU’s will be a priority of his administration. And that was significant,” said Williams.

 

But HBCU leaders also pushed these political heavyweights to back up their vocal commitment to HBCU’s with some cold hard cash.

 

“And we actually put a price tag out there. We wanted them to know that if Congress would allocate $25 billion to support HBCU’s it would be a significant impact in the sustainability of these institutions,” Williams said. 

 

It’s highly unlikely the schools will get that level of funding.

 

But Williams said he and the other HBCU leaders wanted to push the President to make these schools a higher priority than a border wall, which could realistically cost around $25 billion.

 

The school leaders also asked the president to make Pell Grants available year-round so students can use them for summer school.

 

Trump did take a concrete step to help HBCU’s during the meeting last week. He signed an executive order that makes the director of anHBCU advocacy initiative a member of the White House staff.

Williams said that should help schools like DSU secure more national funding grants.

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Delaware Public Media's James Morrison reports on DSU President Williams' meeting with Pres. Trump.