ICYMI: Hillary Clinton Pledges $25 Billion Investment in HBCUs

By Sameer Rao Nov 02, 2016

In a new op-ed for The Root, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton explained her ideas to help Black college students, including a $25 billion investment in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

"This work has never been more important, she wrote in Monday’s (October 31) article. "Over the past few decades, more Americans of every background have been enrolling in higher education. But African Americans still face unique barriers when it comes to graduating college. Black students are still less likely to graduate within six years, and they are significantly more likely to need to work part time while in school. So we need to do more to close the gaps and give all our kids the best chance to succeed."

Part of her plan includes across-the-board reforms, which were drafted with former Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders. In the article, Clinton pledged "to make sure every student whose family makes under $125,000 can attend an in-state public university tuition-free, and [for] all students [to] attend community college tuition-free." Clinton also said she would work to make sure public HBCU students can afford supplemental education costs without taking out loans. She added that her plan would allow graduates of all races to refinance their existing loan debt, "ensuring they never have to pay more than 10 percent of their income."

Most significantly, she pledged a $25 billion investment into both public and private HBCUs, giving these schools a stronger financial base to continue offering important services. "That includes expanding on-campus child care and creating more scholarships for students who are also parents to make it easier for them to obtain a degree," she wrote.

Read the full op-ed here.