Trump executive order already impacting DEI programs for HBCUs

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Yall were saying he was spending all that money on HBCUs

That was COVID era funding

I told you to Vote Democrat. 🫵​

Leave me alone

 

[ReturnOfJudah]

 

[Rekkapryde]

and nikka nerds anyway.

but shouldn't you want the nikka nerds at HBCUs?

 

[JLova]

These disgusting c00ns.

 

[get these nets]

Dictator Trump is/will be trying to bully all colleges into dropping programs and coursework that doesn't fit his agenda. Or lose their federal funding.


At some point, he will attempt to threaten Historically Black Colleges and Universities from offering Black centered courses or carrying depts, that RUN counter to his agenda.
.

02/06/25

UNC System suspends required DEI courses in compliance with Trump executive order

In compliance with a new UNC System Board of Governors memorandum, public North Carolina universities must remove all course credit requirements related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

www.ninertimes.com

 

[Wargames]

We need a new black agenda to get as much of what Trump destroyed passed into law traditionally so a despot can’t just EO them away

 

[OperationNumbNutts]

Trump executive order already impacting DEI programs for HBCUs​

01/24/25

In a move that has sparked widespread reactions, President Donald J. Trump's recent executive orders have forced the cancellation of the HBCUs and Registered Apprenticeship Mini-Conference, which was set to take place next week.

Organized by the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI), the event was designed to showcase the voices and experiences of HBCU leaders and students in the area of workforce development. However, Trump's new policies targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs have effectively shut down federally funded initiatives like this one. The executive orders, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” were issued on January 20 and 21, 2025.

These orders aim to dismantle DEI-focused programs across all federal agencies, including those that provide funding for initiatives benefiting HBCUs. CMSI announced in a statement that they have been directed to cease all work under the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility HUB.

The implications for HBCUs are far-reaching. Many historically Black colleges and universities rely on federal funding to support initiatives aimed at fostering equity and access for their students. By targeting these programs, critics argue that Trump's policies risk undermining the progress HBCUs have made in preparing students for success in the modern workforce. Advocates of these institutions view the executive orders as a direct attack on their mission to address systemic inequities.

The orders have also raised concerns about the broader impact on minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and their students. HBCUs, which already operate under tight financial constraints, face losing critical resources that help them address workforce disparities. Many in the academic and advocacy communities worry this could lead to a chilling effect on diversity efforts across higher education. As the Trump administration moves forward with implementing these sweeping changes, HBCU leaders and supporters are left to figure out how to sustain vital programs in an era of diminished federal support. While the Rutgers CMSI vows to continue its work, the loss of federal funding represents a significant obstacle for institutions committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

@DrBanneker @Rollie Forbes @staticshock @xoxodede

Thanks for the post but I call bullshyt and weak leadership. If they had a mini-conference scheduled for the following week, money was already allocated for the event and there was no need to cancel it. Regardless if they receive federal funds, I seriously doubt all of the expenses from the event was on a reimbursable basis of federal funds.

 

[OperationNumbNutts]

We need a new black agenda to get as much of what Trump destroyed passed into law traditionally so a despot can’t just EO them away

That sounds like but agendas among any people take generations to implement. Indians and Asians didn't start academic excellence and STEM related careers 10 years ago.

 

[get these nets]

USDA suspends scholarship program at historically Black colleges, website shows​

February 20, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seen in Washington

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended a college scholarship program for students from rural and underserved backgrounds who attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), according to the program website.
The 1890 scholars program aims to increase the number of agriculture students at the country's 19 historically Black land-grant universities, which are federally funded and tend to have significant agricultural programs.

The website for the program now has a banner saying it is "suspended pending further review."
The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The administration of President Donald Trump has issued sweeping executive orders rescinding federal diversity and inclusion efforts.
The program provides full tuition, room and board to participants, and the agency spent $19.2 million on scholarships for 94 students in 2024, according to the USDA website.

"This is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody," said Representative Alma Adams of North Carolina, who founded and co-chairs a congressional HBCU caucus, in a statement.
"This program is a correction to a long history of racial discrimination within the land-grant system, not an example of it."
It was not immediately clear when the program was suspended. The website banner noting the program's suspension has been on the program site since at least February 16, according to a Reuters review of archived versions of the pages


Full statement from Rep. Adams

REP. ADAMS RESPONDS TO SUSPENSION OF CRITICAL 1890 SCHOLARS PROGRAM

harlotte, N.C. ‒ Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD, Senior Member of the House Committee on Agriculture and Founding Chairwoman of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, released the following statement regarding the Trump-Vance Administration's suspension of...

adams.house.gov

 

[get these nets]

Trump's education policies concern officials at Johnson C. Smith University​

02/21/25

Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte.


The billions of financial aid dollars disbursed annually by the Department of Education are especially important for students at historically Black colleges and universities, where more than 50% qualify for Pell Grants issued for low-income students.

President Trump’s push to shut down the Education Department and his executive order to end federal funds for education institutions that have diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have HBCU students and administrators worried.
Patrick Martin, Johnson C. Smith University’s provost, talked to WFAE’s Gwendolyn Glenn about some of those concerns.

Patrick Martin: Well, I think the elimination of the Education Department would send huge negative consequences throughout America or if we did major restructuring of it. But at this point, we have been given assurances that the large portion of student aid will remain intact at the current moment. Students who rely on a significant amount of federal financial aid, you know, can continue and finish out the school year.

Gwendolyn Glenn: And, who gave you these assurances?

Martin: We heard assurances from department-designate head Linda McMahon, even after the executive order was issued, that financial aid was not part of the executive order, and so that students who were relying on financial aid could continue to receive that financial aid

Glenn: Are you getting any calls from parents, or are students, you know, bombarding offices of administrators wondering about the future of their aid and the future of the finances of the university?

Martin: Bombarding? Definitely not. When the executive order initially came out, probably the first two or three days after that, students were concerned. We had student leaders who represented certain groups of students reach out to say, ‘Well, what does this mean?’ And we were quickly able to show to them the reports that were coming from the federal government that student financial aid was safe at the current time and that they did not have any concerns regarding their financial aid for the spring 2025 semester.

Glenn: But what about into the future and into next year? Because many students at HBCUs are first-generation college students, and many receive some form of financial aid. What are your thoughts on that?

Martin: Yeah, a lot of our students at Johnson C. Smith and other HBCUs, minority-serving institutions — and for that matter our large majority institutions receive a significant portion of the rising cost of higher education — are subsidized by Pell Grants and other forms of federal financial aid.

I can speak particularly over the academic and research structure, which excludes student financial that we have roughly over the last three years averaged about $10 million in federal aid or federal grants that support academic and research endeavors at the institution. And some of that is, of course, aligned with scholarship dollars as well, but that is not the student federal financial aid.

So, am I concerned? Yes, we're openly concerned about how these funds could be addressed — and especially those that run some of the programs that we run to support our students, such as TRIO, McNair, Upward Bound, and our Title III program. These are student support services funding that comes from the Department of Education. They help support first-generation students and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Glenn: What about the administration's stance regarding DEI programs — diversity, equity, and inclusion — and not wanting DEI programs to continue?

Martin: That's extremely concerning because, again, some of our programs — if you looked at a broad lens of DEI — would fall under that category of DEI, as a lot of our focus is. As we train our students, how do we help them move into fields or arenas or careers that lack people of color, that lack people of certain ethnicities, and people from certain socioeconomic backgrounds.

Yeah, we are very concerned about the removal of DEI wording and naming from a lot of federal funding sources, and it definitely could negatively affect us at Johnson C. Smith and HBCUs. We are looking at how much exposure we have to this and how can we offset that exposure in the short- and long-term.

We're always trying to diversify our portfolio, and a lot of times that diversification does not mean always going after federal dollars. Are there private dollars? Are there philanthropic dollars that we can go after? Is it plausible we can be competitive in the next six months?

Glenn: Has any of the funding been held up from the Trump administration, on dollars that have been already approved?

Martin: Initially, when the executive order initially came out, part of the order did affect some of the electronic finances from the federal government. It was roughly four or five days. After the order was rescinded, the federal government reopened those electronic funding sources, and the money began to flow again.

Glenn: Anything else you'd like to add in terms of, as I said, these are uncertain times, a lot of unknowns.

Martin: I will say, Johnson C. Smith has a bright future. We've seen a significant uptick in our enrollment. We've had over 10% increase in student retention in about a year, year and a half. So, we have some very exciting research and activities going on. And although there is some chaos, JCSU was founded in 1867 to educate recently freed slaves. And I'm pretty sure throughout our 158 years, times have been bleak — maybe even bleaker than that they are now. So, I look at this as an opportunity to overcome challenges. And we will continue to produce the best and brightest students that we can from Johnson C. Smith University

 

[get these nets]

Under pressure, White House reinstates HBCU scholars program

02/25/25

The Trump administration has reopened applications for a federal scholarship that aids studying agriculture at historically Black universities after outcry from lawmakers over its abrupt suspension last week.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the federal 1890 National Scholars Program through its Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), put the program on hold last week “pending further review,” but the program’s USDA website was updated Tuesday to note that the application process has resumed. Eligible students can apply through March 15.

USDA’s OPPE said its review had been completed so applications were reopened.
“The application process was temporarily suspended pending review to ensure that the program, its mission and its metrics ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer resources,” a USDA spokesperson told The Hill. “This review was completed late afternoon on [Monday].”

The spokesperson added that the USDA has planned a public webinar next Tuesday for those who are interested in the program and other efforts to assist students with the application process.
“OPPE will continue to support applicants and selected scholars as they matriculate through the program,” the spokesperson said.

The new administration, under President Trump’s direct order, has sought to shutter many federal programs that are geared toward diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

The HBCU scholars program, which was created in 1992, provides tuition and room and board for selected students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or related fields at 19 historically Black schools across the country. Ninety-four students received the scholarship last year.

“I’m pleased the Secretary has lifted the suspension of and reopened the application for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program,” Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) said in a statement on the reversal. “This program has been in place since 1992, and I hope we can work together to address the real challenges and real opportunities for our 1890s and our HBCUs.”

Adams is a founding member of the bipartisan HBCU caucus in Congress and a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, and she had been a vocal opponent of the proposed change.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) also had blasted the pause before its reversal. In a statement to The Hill after the program was reopened, Ossoff said he would continue to watch for other attempts at program changes that would affect HBCU funding.

“The Trump Administration should never have paused this funding in the first place,” he said. “I will continue my oversight to ensure that Georgia HBCU students receive the support Congress directed to them.”

 

[get these nets]

S.C. State President talks state appropriations, campus projects, DEI impacts

Summary: S.C. State University President Conyers seeks state funding for capital projects, updates trustee board on campus improvements, addresses academic program evaluation, and discusses potential DEI impact on federal funding.

thetandd.com

03/06/25

New convocation and wellness centers and the renovation of Nance Hall are among the capital projects for which the president of South Carolina State University is seeking state funding.

President Alexander Conyers​

After making the latest push for those funds following presentations before the state House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees on Jan. 21, S.C. State President Alexander Conyers updated the S.C. State trustee board on his campus improvement goals during their Feb. 20 meeting

DEI impact on federal funding
Board Vice-Chairperson Dr. Macie Smith asked the president about the whether the “ill perception” of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, concept that current federal government administration officials seemed to have could impact the university’s federal funding.



“Do you have a plan to mitigate some of the effects it could have on our financial bottom line?” Smith asked.
Conyers said the university did not have a DEI office of officer.
“We’ve always educated students from all races. South Carolina State University had white students here in the ‘60s. I tell General Assembly members, South Carolina State isn’t 90 percent African American by choice because if you gave us the funding and you gave us new buildings, we will attract more students of other ethnicities and races here in South Carolina,” he said.
“I have instructed our folks to monitor and then start providing you with a bi-weekly rollup on where we think we are with these federal fundings,” the president said.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but being an HBCU so far in and of itself is not a disadvantage.” Conyers said.

He continued, “The dilemma we face now - and this is what I’m most fearful of - is that just a year ago, say, for instance, a PWI wanted a $80 million grant. It was preferable that they partner with an HBCU for diversity.

“Now, when that grant is held up at that PWI, hopefully they don’t say, ‘OK, we’re just going to cut the diversity piece that was in that and, therefore, the 75 percent that was designated here will continue to go and the 25 percent that we got because partnered with a minority-serving institution, is cut.’”

Conyers said, “That’s my greatest fear. I don’t see that happening just yet, but things are changing every day…. We all know, if you watch the news, the state of South Carolina is proposing a very similar operation on efficiency that will mirror what is happening at the federal level.”
“Obviously, we don’t know what they may come after. So we’re at a point where we just don’t know what we don’t know, but I do know for sure they’re going to start looking … in detail at program productivity at the 33 public universities across South Carolina,” he said.