Sources close to the prolonged search for a new executive director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, said that a new leader will be announced in coming weeks and will likely be a ranking official from the United Negro College Fund.
According to one former HBCU executive and one source connected to the U.S. Department of Education, the search was recently narrowed based upon a request from White House Presidential Advisor and Morehouse College alumnus Cedric Richmond for the new director to have working ties to private historically Black institutions.
UNCF is the nation’s largest legislative advocacy and fundraising organization on behalf of private HBCUs, representing 37 of the nation’s 100 federally-designated historically Black colleges and universities.
Private colleges nationwide, particularly historically Black and minority-serving institutions, have been labeled among higher education’s most financially vulnerable institutions and in the greatest need of public and private support.
The presidential executive order authorizing the initiative was signed into law on Sept. 3, and five days later Delaware State University President and former chair of the Biden-Harris Inaugural Committee Tony Allen was named chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.
