Hillary Clinton Targets HBCUs in College Affordability Plan

First Published Aug 16 2015, 10:57 am ET


http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/hillary-clinton-targets-hbcus-college-affordability-plan-n410591



Aug 16 2015, 10:57 am ET
Hillary Clinton Targets HBCUs in College Affordability Plan

by Errin Whack
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The middle class and American Dream are again in the spotlight as the 2016 presidential campaign is taking shape, and as part of her pitch, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has rolled out a plan to make college more accessible and affordable to a key constituency - black parents and children attending historically black colleges.

"We're going to work closely with (HBCUs) ... because they serve some of America's brightest students, who need the most support and too often have gotten the least of it," Clinton wrote this week in announcing the New College Compact and highlighting her support for HBCUs.

Under the plan, students at public HBCUs could attend community colleges for free and would not have to take out loans at four-year institutions through federal-state funding partnerships. It includes a $25 billion fund to support low- and middle-income students at private HBCUs - often left off the table in discussions about college affordability, despite their role in educating students with similar financial challenges.


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The proposal also addresses hefty student loan repayments, which can often handicap all young people as they start life after college, making it harder to build wealth. Clinton's plan would cap repayments at 10 percent of monthly income.
""We're not just important constituents; we play an important role in moving the nation forward.""

Several HBCU presidents and stakeholders, including some who spoke with the Clinton campaign this week, praised the early details of the plan. Supporters noted that HBCUs have gotten some of the political spotlight in recent years, with President Obama signing an executive order that established an HBCU initiative and called for Congress to give $2 billion to black colleges in 2010. GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul visited Howard University in 2013 and Bowie State University in March in an effort to reach out to black voters.

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