Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Presidential Documents 50443 

Executive Order 14041 of September 3, 2021 

White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, and in order to advance equity in 

economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, including Black 

Americans, strengthen the capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from Federal programs, 

and ensure that HBCUs can continue to be engines of opportunity, it is 

hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. HBCUs have a proud history and legacy of achievement. 

In the face of discrimination against Black Americans by many institutions 

of higher education, HBCUs created pathways to opportunity and educational 

excellence for Black students throughout our Nation. That legacy continues. 

Today, more than 100 HBCUs, located in 19 States, the District of Columbia, 

and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serve nearly 300,000 students annually. HBCUs 

vary in size and academic focus and serve a range of diverse students 

and communities in urban, rural, and suburban settings. 

HBCUs play a vital role in providing educational opportunities, scholarly 

growth, and a sense of community for students. HBCU graduates are barrierbreaking public servants, scientists, artists, lawyers, engineers, educators, 

business owners, and leaders. For generations, HBCUs have been advancing 

intergenerational economic mobility for Black families and communities, 

developing vital academic research, and making our country more prosperous 

and equitable. HBCUs are proven means of advancement for people of all 

ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds, especially Black Americans. 

HBCUs produce nearly 20 percent of all Black college graduates and 25 

percent of Black graduates who earn degrees in the disciplines of science, 

technology, engineering, and math. 

HBCUs’ successes have come despite many systemic barriers to accessing 

resources and opportunities. For example, compared to other higher education institutions, on average HBCUs educate a greater percentage of lowerincome, Pell-grant eligible students, while receiving less revenue from tuition 

and possessing much smaller endowments. Disparities in resources and opportunities for HBCUs and their students remain, and the COVID–19 pandemic has highlighted continuing and new challenges. These challenges 

include addressing the need for enhanced physical and digital infrastructure 

in HBCU communities and ensuring equitable funding for HBCUs as compared to other institutions of higher education. The Federal Government 

must promote a variety of modern solutions for HBCUs, recognizing that 

HBCUs are not a monolith, and that the opportunities and challenges relevant 

to HBCUs are as diverse as the institutions themselves and the communities 

they serve. 

It is the policy of my Administration to advance educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity in partnership with HBCUs, and to ensure 

that these vital institutions of higher learning have the resources and support 

to continue to thrive for generations to come. 


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50444 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Presidential Documents 

Sec. 2. White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, 

and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (a) In furtherance of the policy set out in section 1 of this order, 

there is established in the Department of Education (Department), the White 

House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic 

Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative), 

led by an Executive Director designated by the President and appointed 

consistent with applicable law. The Executive Director shall manage the 

day-to-day operations of the Initiative, in consultation with the Assistant 

to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement 

as appropriate, and coordinate with senior officials across the Executive 

Office of the President, who shall lend their expertise and advice to the 

Initiative. 

(b) The Initiative, in coordination with senior officials across the Executive 

Office of the President, shall provide advice to the President on advancing 

equity, excellence, and opportunity at HBCUs and for the communities 

they principally serve by coordinating a Government-wide policymaking 

effort to eliminate barriers HBCUs face in providing the highest-quality 

education to a growing number of students. The Initiative’s recommendations 

shall include advice on advancing policies, programs, and initiatives that 

further the policy set out in section 1 of this order. 

(i) To support implementation of this Government-wide approach to breaking down systemic barriers for HBCU participation in Federal Government 

programs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the 

Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall coordinate closely 

with the Secretary of Education (Secretary), the Assistant to the President 

and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, the Executive 

Director, and the Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs 

(as established in section 3 of this order) to ensure that the needs and 

voices of HBCUs, their faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the communities 

they principally serve are considered in the efforts of my Administration 

to advance educational equity, excellence, and opportunity. 

(ii) The Initiative shall also perform the following specific functions: 

(A) supporting implementation of the HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act (Public Law 116– 

270) (PARTNERS Act); 

(B) working closely with the Executive Office of the President on key 

Administration priorities related to advancing educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity through HBCUs, in partnership with 

HBCU leaders, representatives, students, and alumni; 

(C) working to break down barriers and expand pathways for HBCUs 

to access Federal funding and programs, particularly in areas of research 

and development, innovation, and financial and other support to students; 

(D) strengthening the capacity of HBCUs to participate in Federal programs, access Federal resources, including grants and procurement opportunities, and partner with Federal agencies; 

(E) advancing and coordinating efforts to ensure that HBCUs can respond 

to and recover from the COVID–19 pandemic and thoroughly support 

students’ holistic recovery, from academic engagement to social and emotional wellbeing; 

(F) developing new and expanding pre-existing national networks of 

individuals, organizations, and communities to share and implement administrative and programmatic best practices related to advancing educational equity, excellence, and opportunity at HBCUs; 

(G) fostering sustainable public-private and philanthropic partnerships 

as well as private-sector initiatives to promote centers of academic research 

and program excellence at HBCUs; 


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(H) strengthening capacity to improve the availability, dissemination, 

and quality of information about HBCUs and HBCU students for the American public; 

(I) partnering with private entities, elementary and secondary education 

providers, and other stakeholders to build a pipeline for students that 

may be interested in attending HBCUs, facilitate HBCU modernization, 

address college affordability, and promote degree attainment; 

(J) addressing efforts to promote student success and retention, including 

college affordability, degree attainment, campus modernization and infrastructure improvements, and the development of a student recognition 

program for high-achieving HBCU students; 

(K) encouraging the development of highly qualified, diverse, culturally 

responsive educators and administrators reflective of a variety of communities and backgrounds in order to ensure that students have access to 

educators and administrators who celebrate, cultivate, and comprehend 

the lived experiences of HBCU students and effectively meet their learning, 

social, and emotional needs; 

(L) establishing clear plans to strengthen Federal recruitment activities 

at HBCUs to build accessible and equitable pathways into Federal service 

and talent programs; 

(M) meeting regularly with HBCU students, leaders, and representatives 

to address matters related to the Initiative’s mission and functions; and 

(N) hosting the National HBCU Week Conference, for HBCU executive 

leaders, faculty, students, alumni, supporters, and other stakeholders to 

share information, innovative educational tools and resources, student 

success models, and ideas for Federal engagement. 

(c) The head of each ‘‘applicable agency,’’ as defined in section 3(1) 

of the PARTNERS Act, shall submit to the Secretary, the Executive Director, 

the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, 

the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, 

and the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs (as established in section 

3 of this order) an Agency Plan, not later than February 1 of each year, 

describing efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to participate or 

be eligible to participate in the programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction 

of such applicable agency. The Agency Plans shall meet the requirements 

established in section 4(d) of the PARTNERS Act. 

(i) In addition, the Agency Plan shall specifically address any changes 

to agency policies and practices that the agency deems necessary or appropriate to ensure that barriers to participation are addressed and removed. 

Each Agency Plan shall include details on grant and contract funding 

provided to HBCUs and, where the agency deems necessary or appropriate, 

describe plans to address disparities in furtherance of the objectives of 

this order. 

(ii) The Executive Director shall monitor and evaluate each agency’s 

progress towards the goals established in its Agency Plan and shall coordinate with each agency to ensure that its Agency Plan includes measurable 

and action-oriented goals. 

(d) There is established an Interagency Working Group, which shall be 

chaired by the Executive Director and composed of liaisons and representatives designated by the heads of each applicable agency as defined in the 

PARTNERS Act to help advance and coordinate the work required by this 

order. Additional members of the Interagency Working Group shall include 

senior officials from the Office of the Vice President, the White House 

Domestic Policy Council, the White House Gender Policy Council, the Office 

of Management and Budget, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House Office of Public Engagement, and representatives of other components of the Executive Office of the President, as the 

Executive Director, in consultation with the Secretary and the Assistant 

to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, 


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considers appropriate. The Interagency Working Group shall collaborate regarding resources and opportunities available across the Federal Government 

to increase educational equity and opportunities for HBCUs. The Executive 

Director may establish subgroups of the Interagency Working Group. 

(e) The Department shall provide funding and administrative support for 

the Initiative and the Interagency Working Group, to the extent permitted 

by law and within existing appropriations. To the extent permitted by law, 

including the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535), and subject to the availability 

of appropriations, other agencies and offices represented on the Interagency 

Working Group may detail personnel to the Initiative, to assist the Department 

in meeting the objectives of this order. 

(f) To advance shared priorities and policies that advance equity and 

economic opportunity for underserved communities, the Initiative shall collaborate and coordinate with other White House Initiatives related to equity 

and economic opportunity. 

(g) On an annual basis, the Executive Director shall report to the President 

through the Secretary, with the support and consultation of the Assistant 

to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement 

as appropriate, on the Initiative’s progress in carrying out its mission and 

function under this order. 

Sec. 3. President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities. (a) There is established in the Department the President’s Board 

of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Board). The 

Board shall fulfill the mission and functions established in section 5(c) 

of the PARTNERS Act. The Board shall include sitting HBCU presidents 

as well as leaders from a variety of sectors, including education, philanthropy, 

business, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, science and technology, and 

private foundations. 

(b) The President shall designate one member of the Board to serve as 

its Chair, and may designate another member of the Board to serve as 

Vice Chair. The Department shall provide funding and administrative support 

for the Board to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. 

(c) The Board shall be composed of not more than 21 members appointed 

by the President. The Secretary of Education and Executive Director of 

the Initiative or their designees shall serve as ex officio members. 

(d) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 

App.), may apply to the Board, any functions of the President under that 

Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the 

Chair, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Administrator of General 

Services. 

(e) Members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but may 

receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service 

(5 U.S.C. 5701–5707). 

Sec. 4. Administrative Provisions. (a) This order supersedes Executive Order 

13779 of February 28, 2017 (White House Initiative To Promote Excellence 

and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities), which is 

hereby revoked. To the extent that there are other Executive Orders that 

may conflict with or overlap with the provisions in this order, the provisions 

in this order supersede those prior Executive Orders on these subjects. 

(b) As used in this order, the terms ‘‘Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities’’ and ‘‘HBCUs’’ shall mean those institutions listed in 34 C.F.R. 

608.2. 

(c) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall assist and 

provide information to the Initiative and Board established in this order, 

consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out the functions 

of the Initiative and the Board. 


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(d) Each executive department and agency shall bear its own expenses 

of participating in the Initiative established in this order. 

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed 

to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, 

or the head thereof; or 

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and 

subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

September 3, 2021. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19579 

Filed 9–8–21; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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