In a letter Monday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala received praise from historically Black college and university (HBCU) leaders for their work in supporting such institutions during their administration and making higher education more accessible and equitable. The remarks came after Biden announced Sunday that he would end his bid for re-election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
The message of support came from Delaware State University President Tony Allen, PhD, and President Emerita of Tennessee State University Glenda Glover, PhD, JP, CPA, the chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively, of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.
“While many have suggested that they comprehend the importance of America’s HBCUs, no administration, and we do mean NO administration — in the history of our republic — has done more for HBCUs than the Biden-Harris Administration,” Allen and Glover wrote. “Delivering more than $17 billion in investments to the HBCU community in less than three and a half years is unprecedented.”
The letter detailed the specific achievements of the Biden-Harris administration in supporting HBCUs, including the American Rescue Plan, which provided emergency grants for students, campus operations, staffing, and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also lauded the administration for expanding research opportunities for HBCUs and approving nearly $160 billion in student debt cancellation for over 4.5 million people.
Additionally, the letter highlighted infrastructure loan forgiveness for 45 public and private HBCUs, expansion of academic capacity, financial aid for students from low- and middle-income families, and support for HBCUs that faced bomb threats. Allen and Glover emphasized that the return on investment for HBCUs is more than just financial.
“On every indicator of well-being, Black students attending HBCUs fare better than similarly situated students at predominantly white institutions,” the letter reads. “In addition to educating talented people of color and enabling a mobility rate twice that of our peers, we also make confident global citizens who are committed to finding professional success and giving back to their communities.”
In closing, Allen and Glover commended Biden for his “selfless, courageous, and democratic” act and pledged to continue working with the administration throughout the remainder of the term to advance educational equity further.
