Presidential DocumentExecutive Order 140412021-19579
White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities
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Published
September 9, 2021
Signed
September 3, 2021
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 172 (Thursday, September 9, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 172 (Thursday, September 9, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 50443-50447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19579]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 50443]]
Executive Order 14041 of September 3, 2021
White House Initiative on Advancing Educational
Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and in order to advance equity in economic and
educational opportunities for all Americans, including
Black Americans, strengthen the capacity of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to
provide the highest-quality education, increase
opportunities for these institutions to participate in
and benefit from Federal programs, and ensure that
HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity, it is
hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. HBCUs have a proud history and
legacy of achievement. In the face of discrimination
against Black Americans by many institutions of higher
education, HBCUs created pathways to opportunity and
educational excellence for Black students throughout
our Nation. That legacy continues. Today, more than 100
HBCUs, located in 19 States, the District of Columbia,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serve nearly 300,000
students annually. HBCUs vary in size and academic
focus and serve a range of diverse students and
communities in urban, rural, and suburban settings.
HBCUs play a vital role in providing educational
opportunities, scholarly growth, and a sense of
community for students. HBCU graduates are barrier-
breaking public servants, scientists, artists, lawyers,
engineers, educators, business owners, and leaders. For
generations, HBCUs have been advancing
intergenerational economic mobility for Black families
and communities, developing vital academic research,
and making our country more prosperous and equitable.
HBCUs are proven means of advancement for people of all
ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds, especially
Black Americans. HBCUs produce nearly 20 percent of all
Black college graduates and 25 percent of Black
graduates who earn degrees in the disciplines of
science, technology, engineering, and math.
HBCUs' successes have come despite many systemic
barriers to accessing resources and opportunities. For
example, compared to other higher education
institutions, on average HBCUs educate a greater
percentage of lower-income, Pell-grant eligible
students, while receiving less revenue from tuition and
possessing much smaller endowments. Disparities in
resources and opportunities for HBCUs and their
students remain, and the COVID-19 pandemic has
highlighted continuing and new challenges. These
challenges include addressing the need for enhanced
physical and digital infrastructure in HBCU communities
and ensuring equitable funding for HBCUs as compared to
other institutions of higher education. The Federal
Government must promote a variety of modern solutions
for HBCUs, recognizing that HBCUs are not a monolith,
and that the opportunities and challenges relevant to
HBCUs are as diverse as the institutions themselves and
the communities they serve.
It is the policy of my Administration to advance
educational equity, excellence, and economic
opportunity in partnership with HBCUs, and to ensure
that these vital institutions of higher learning have
the resources and support to continue to thrive for
generations to come.
[[Page 50444]]
Sec. 2. White House Initiative on Advancing Educational
Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (a) In
furtherance of the policy set out in section 1 of this
order, there is established in the Department of
Education (Department), the White House Initiative on
Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic
Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (Initiative), led by an Executive Director
designated by the President and appointed consistent
with applicable law. The Executive Director shall
manage the day-to-day operations of the Initiative, in
consultation with the Assistant to the President and
Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
as appropriate, and coordinate with senior officials
across the Executive Office of the President, who shall
lend their expertise and advice to the Initiative.
(b) The Initiative, in coordination with senior
officials across the Executive Office of the President,
shall provide advice to the President on advancing
equity, excellence, and opportunity at HBCUs and for
the communities they principally serve by coordinating
a Government-wide policymaking effort to eliminate
barriers HBCUs face in providing the highest-quality
education to a growing number of students. The
Initiative's recommendations shall include advice on
advancing policies, programs, and initiatives that
further the policy set out in section 1 of this order.
(i) To support implementation of this Government-wide approach to breaking
down systemic barriers for HBCU participation in Federal Government
programs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall coordinate closely
with the Secretary of Education (Secretary), the Assistant to the President
and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, the Executive
Director, and the Chair of the President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs (as
established in section 3 of this order) to ensure that the needs and voices
of HBCUs, their faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the communities they
principally serve are considered in the efforts of my Administration to
advance educational equity, excellence, and opportunity.
(ii) The Initiative shall also perform the following specific functions:
(A) supporting implementation of the HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships
Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act (Public Law 116-270)
(PARTNERS Act);
(B) working closely with the Executive Office of the President on key
Administration priorities related to advancing educational equity,
excellence, and economic opportunity through HBCUs, in partnership with
HBCU leaders, representatives, students, and alumni;
(C) working to break down barriers and expand pathways for HBCUs to
access Federal funding and programs, particularly in areas of research and
development, innovation, and financial and other support to students;
(D) strengthening the capacity of HBCUs to participate in Federal
programs, access Federal resources, including grants and procurement
opportunities, and partner with Federal agencies;
(E) advancing and coordinating efforts to ensure that HBCUs can respond
to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and thoroughly support students'
holistic recovery, from academic engagement to social and emotional
wellbeing;
(F) developing new and expanding pre-existing national networks of
individuals, organizations, and communities to share and implement
administrative and programmatic best practices related to advancing
educational equity, excellence, and opportunity at HBCUs;
(G) fostering sustainable public-private and philanthropic partnerships
as well as private-sector initiatives to promote centers of academic
research and program excellence at HBCUs;
[[Page 50445]]
(H) strengthening capacity to improve the availability, dissemination,
and quality of information about HBCUs and HBCU students for the American
public;
(I) partnering with private entities, elementary and secondary education
providers, and other stakeholders to build a pipeline for students that may
be interested in attending HBCUs, facilitate HBCU modernization, address
college affordability, and promote degree attainment;
(J) addressing efforts to promote student success and retention,
including college affordability, degree attainment, campus modernization
and infrastructure improvements, and the development of a student
recognition program for high-achieving HBCU students;
(K) encouraging the development of highly qualified, diverse, culturally
responsive educators and administrators reflective of a variety of
communities and backgrounds in order to ensure that students have access to
educators and administrators who celebrate, cultivate, and comprehend the
lived experiences of HBCU students and effectively meet their learning,
social, and emotional needs;
(L) establishing clear plans to strengthen Federal recruitment activities
at HBCUs to build accessible and equitable pathways into Federal service
and talent programs;
(M) meeting regularly with HBCU students, leaders, and representatives to
address matters related to the Initiative's mission and functions; and
(N) hosting the National HBCU Week Conference, for HBCU executive
leaders, faculty, students, alumni, supporters, and other stakeholders to
share information, innovative educational tools and resources, student
success models, and ideas for Federal engagement.
(c) The head of each ``applicable agency,'' as
defined in section 3(1) of the PARTNERS Act, shall
submit to the Secretary, the Executive Director, the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives, and the President's Board of
Advisors on HBCUs (as established in section 3 of this
order) an Agency Plan, not later than February 1 of
each year, describing efforts to strengthen the
capacity of HBCUs to participate or be eligible to
participate in the programs and initiatives under the
jurisdiction of such applicable agency. The Agency
Plans shall meet the requirements established in
section 4(d) of the PARTNERS Act.
(i) In addition, the Agency Plan shall specifically address any changes to
agency policies and practices that the agency deems necessary or
appropriate to ensure that barriers to participation are addressed and
removed. Each Agency Plan shall include details on grant and contract
funding provided to HBCUs and, where the agency deems necessary or
appropriate, describe plans to address disparities in furtherance of the
objectives of this order.
(ii) The Executive Director shall monitor and evaluate each agency's
progress towards the goals established in its Agency Plan and shall
coordinate with each agency to ensure that its Agency Plan includes
measurable and action-oriented goals.
(d) There is established an Interagency Working
Group, which shall be chaired by the Executive Director
and composed of liaisons and representatives designated
by the heads of each applicable agency as defined in
the PARTNERS Act to help advance and coordinate the
work required by this order. Additional members of the
Interagency Working Group shall include senior
officials from the Office of the Vice President, the
White House Domestic Policy Council, the White House
Gender Policy Council, the Office of Management and
Budget, the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, the White House Office of Public
Engagement, and representatives of other components of
the Executive Office of the President, as the Executive
Director, in consultation with the Secretary and the
Assistant to the President and Director of the White
House Office of Public Engagement,
[[Page 50446]]
considers appropriate. The Interagency Working Group
shall collaborate regarding resources and opportunities
available across the Federal Government to increase
educational equity and opportunities for HBCUs. The
Executive Director may establish subgroups of the
Interagency Working Group.
(e) The Department shall provide funding and
administrative support for the Initiative and the
Interagency Working Group, to the extent permitted by
law and within existing appropriations. To the extent
permitted by law, including the Economy Act (31 U.S.C.
1535), and subject to the availability of
appropriations, other agencies and offices represented
on the Interagency Working Group may detail personnel
to the Initiative, to assist the Department in meeting
the objectives of this order.
(f) To advance shared priorities and policies that
advance equity and economic opportunity for underserved
communities, the Initiative shall collaborate and
coordinate with other White House Initiatives related
to equity and economic opportunity.
(g) On an annual basis, the Executive Director
shall report to the President through the Secretary,
with the support and consultation of the Assistant to
the President and Director of the White House Office of
Public Engagement as appropriate, on the Initiative's
progress in carrying out its mission and function under
this order.
Sec. 3. President's Board of Advisors on Historically
Black Colleges and Universities. (a) There is
established in the Department the President's Board of
Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (Board). The Board shall fulfill the
mission and functions established in section 5(c) of
the PARTNERS Act. The Board shall include sitting HBCU
presidents as well as leaders from a variety of
sectors, including education, philanthropy, business,
finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, science and
technology, and private foundations.
(b) The President shall designate one member of the
Board to serve as its Chair, and may designate another
member of the Board to serve as Vice Chair. The
Department shall provide funding and administrative
support for the Board to the extent permitted by law
and within existing appropriations.
(c) The Board shall be composed of not more than 21
members appointed by the President. The Secretary of
Education and Executive Director of the Initiative or
their designees shall serve as ex officio members.
(d) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the Board, any
functions of the President under that Act, except that
of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the
Chair, in accordance with guidelines issued by the
Administrator of General Services.
(e) Members of the Board shall serve without
compensation, but may receive travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as
authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in
the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
Sec. 4. Administrative Provisions. (a) This order
supersedes Executive Order 13779 of February 28, 2017
(White House Initiative To Promote Excellence and
Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and
Universities), which is hereby revoked. To the extent
that there are other Executive Orders that may conflict
with or overlap with the provisions in this order, the
provisions in this order supersede those prior
Executive Orders on these subjects.
(b) As used in this order, the terms ``Historically
Black Colleges and Universities'' and ``HBCUs'' shall
mean those institutions listed in 34 C.F.R. 608.2.
(c) The heads of executive departments and agencies
shall assist and provide information to the Initiative
and Board established in this order, consistent with
applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out the
functions of the Initiative and the Board.
[[Page 50447]]
(d) Each executive department and agency shall bear
its own expenses of participating in the Initiative
established in this order.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 3, 2021.
[FR Doc. 2021-19579
Filed 9-8-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 9, 2021.
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