University Business August 18, 2015 Hillary Clinton Targets HBCUs in College Affordability Plan NBC News The middle class and American Dream are again in the spotlight as the 2016 presidential campaign is taking shape, and as part of her pitch, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has rolled out a plan to make college more accessible and affordable to a key constituency - black parents and children attending historically black colleges. "We're going to work closely with (HBCUs) ... because they serve some of America's brightest students, who need the most support and too often have gotten the least of it," Clinton wrote this week in announcing the New College Compact<https://medium.com/@HillaryClinton/the-new-college-compact-73652df9543c> and highlighting<https://www.hillaryclinton.com/p/briefing/factsheets/2015/08/12/college-compact-hbcu/> her support for HBCUs. Under the plan, students at public HBCUs could attend community colleges for free and would not have to take out loans at four-year institutions through federal-state funding partnerships. It includes a $25 billion fund to support low- and middle-income students at private HBCUs - often left off the table in discussions about college affordability, despite their role in educating students with similar financial challenges. The proposal also addresses hefty student loan repayments, which can often handicap all young people as they start life after college, making it harder to build wealth. Clinton's plan would cap repayments at 10 percent of monthly income. Several HBCU presidents and stakeholders, including some who spoke with the Clinton campaign this week, praised the early details of the plan. Supporters noted that HBCUs have gotten some of the political spotlight in recent years, with President Obama signing an executive order<https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/promoting-excellence-innovation-and-sustainability-historically-black-colleges-and-> that established an HBCU initiative and called for Congress to give $2 billion to black colleges in 2010. GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul visited Howard University in 2013 and Bowie State University in March in an effort to reach out to black voters. Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough said the proposal makes sense for schools like his, with a higher percentage of Pell grant-eligible students than most community colleges in Louisiana, despite being a private institution. With renewed attention on community colleges, Kimbrough suggested targeting black schools is also part of the solution to address the access gap. "If you're going to create a new program geared towards low-income students, our sector enrolls more than anyone," said Kimbrough. "We're not just important constituents; we play an important role in moving the nation forward." Baltimore's Morgan State University President David Wilson called the proposal "revolutionary" and "potentially transformative" for students who want to go to college but can't afford to. "Many of them are losing their drive and the ambition to even pursue a college education," Wilson said. "This is the population that's growing in America." The country's 105 public and private HBCUs represent three percent of colleges and universities and enroll 10 percent of African-American undergraduates, but produce one in five black college graduates. The overwhelming majority either take out student loans to pay for school or come from families with an income that qualifies them for federal Pell grants. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.