Page:Executive Order 14041.pdf/2

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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;