White House Initiative To Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

This executive order establishes a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) housed in the Executive Office of the President, along with a President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs in the Department of Education. It requires federal agencies interacting with HBCUs to prepare annual plans for strengthening HBCU participation in federal programs and revokes the previous Obama-era executive order on the same topic.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 12499

Impact dates

Date TBD
Agency Plan submission due after agency identification by Secretary
Date TBD
Annual Board report to President
Date TBD
Annual White House Summit on HBCUs
Date TBD
Updated Agency Plan due annually thereafter
Aug 27, 2017
Board meetings at least once every 6 months
May 29, 2017
Agency Plan due no later than 90 days after being identified by Secretary

Key directives

Establish White House Initiative on HBCUs in Executive Office of the President with Executive Director
Establish President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs in Department of Education with up to 25 members
Secretary of Education to identify agencies that regularly interact with HBCUs
Identified agencies to prepare and submit annual Agency Plans
Agency Plans due no later than 90 days after agency identification, updated annually thereafter
Each identified agency to appoint senior official to report on progress and serve as liaison
Establish Interagency Working Group chaired by Executive Director
Board to meet at least once every 6 months
Board to report annually to President
Convene annual White House Summit on HBCUs
Revoke Executive Order 13532

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

White House Initiative established in EOP
President's Board of Advisors established in Department of Education
Executive Order 13532 revoked

Near term (90d)

Secretary of Education to identify agencies that regularly interact with HBCUs
Identified agencies to submit first Agency Plan within 90 days of being identified
Agencies to appoint senior officials as liaisons to the Initiative

Long term

Annual White House Summit on HBCUs
Annual updated Agency Plans from identified agencies
Annual Board report to President
Board meetings at least every 6 months
Ongoing private-sector and public-private partnership development

Risks & tensions

Subject to availability of appropriations may limit actual funding for Board and Initiative activities
No enforcement mechanism specified for agencies that fail to submit plans or meet requirements
Revocation of prior EO without clear substantive policy change may create administrative disruption
Vague 'as appropriate' qualifiers on agency technical assistance and information sharing reduce binding obligation
Board composition heavily presidentially controlled; no statutory protection for independence