Executive Order 12677—Historically Black Colleges and Universities

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, in order to advance the development of human potential, to strengthen the capacity of historically Black colleges and universities to provide quality education, and to increase opportunities to participate in and benefit from Federal programs, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. There shall be established in the Department of Education, an Advisory Commission, the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The members of the Board shall be appointed by the President. The Secretary of Education, with the advice of the Board of Advisors, shall supervise the annual development of a Federal program designed to achieve an increase in the participation by historically Black colleges and universities in federally sponsored programs. The Board of Advisors will also provide advice on how to increase the private sector role in strengthening historically Black colleges and universities. Particular emphasis shall be given to facilitating technical, planning, and development advice to historically Black colleges and universities, with the goal of ensuring the long-term viability of these institutions. T4Sec. 2. The Board of Advisors shall include appropriate representatives of historically Black colleges and universities, of other institutions of higher education, of business and finance, of private foundations, and of secondary education. Sec. 3. The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, housed in the Department of Education, shall provide the staff, resources, and assistance for the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; shall assist the Secretary of Education in the role of liaison between the Executive branch and historically Black colleges and universities; and shall serve the Secretary of Education in carrying out his responsibilities under this order. Sec. 4. Each Executive department and those Executive agencies designated by the Secretary of Education shall establish an annual plan to increase the ability of historically Black colleges and universities to participate in federally sponsored programs. These plans shall describe measurable objectives for proposed agency actions to fulfill this order and shall be submitted at such time and in such form as the Secretary of Education shall designate. In consultation with participating Executive agencies, the Secretary of Education shall review these plans and develop an integrated Annual Federal Plan for Assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities for consideration by the President. Sec. 5. The Secretary of Education shall ensure that each president of a historically Black college or university is given the opportunity to comment on the proposed Annual Federal Plan prior to its consideration by the President. Sec. 6. Each participating agency shall submit to the Secretary of Education a midyear progress report and at the end of the year an Annual Performance Report that shall specify agency performance against its measurable objectives. Sec. 7. Every third year, the Secretary of Education shall oversee a special review by every designated Executive department and agency of its programs to determine the extent to which historically Black colleges and universities are given an equal opportunity to participate in federally sponsored programs. This review will examine unintended regulatory barriers, determine the adequacy of announcements of program opportunities of interest to these institutions, and identify ways of eliminating inequalities and disadvantages. Sec. 8. The Board of Advisors, working through the White House Initiative, shall provide advice on how historically Black colleges and universities can achieve greater financial security through the use of improved business, accounting, management, and development techniques. To the maximum extent possible, the Board of Advisors shall enlist the resources and experience of the private sector in providing the assistance. To this end, historically Black colleges and universities shall be given high priority within the White House Office of National Service. Sec. 9. The White House Office of National Service, along with other Federal offices, shallw ork to encourage the private sector to assist historically Black colleges and universities through increased use of such devices and activities as: (1) private sector matching funds to support increased endowments, (2) private sector task forces for institutions in need of assistance, and (3) private sector expertise to facilitate the development of more effective ways to manage finances, improve information management, strengthen faculties, and improve course offerings. These steps will be taken with the goals of enhancing the career prospects of their graduates and increasing the number of those with careers in science and technology. Sec. 10. IN all its endeavors the Board of Advisors shall emphasize ways to support the long-term development plans of each historically Black college and university. The Secretary of Education, with the advice of the Board of Advisors, shall develop alternative sources of faculty talent, particularly in the fields of science and technology, including faculty exchanges and referrals from other institutions of higher education, private sector retirees, Federal employees and retirees, and emeritus faculty members at other institutions of higher education. Sec. 11. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor, shall develop a program to improve recruitment and participation of graduates and undergraduate students of historically Black colleges and universities in part-time and summer positions in the Federal Government. Sec. 12. Each year the Board of Advisors shall report to the President on the progress achieved in enhancing the role and capabilities of historically Black colleges and universities, including an Annual Performance Report on Executive Agency Actions to Assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities that appraises agency actions during the preceding year. The Secretary of Education shall disseminate the annual report to appropriate members of the Executive branch and make every effort to ensure that findings of the Board of Advisors are taken into account in the policies and actions of every Executive agency, including any appropriate recommendations for improving the Federal response directed by this order. Sec. 13. Participating Executive agencies shall submit their annual plans to the Secretary of Education not later than January 15 of each year. The Annual Federal Plans for Assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities developed by the Secretary of Education shall be ready for consideration by the President not later than April 30 of each year. Sec. 14. The Secretary of Education is directed to establish an Advisory Commission entitled the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Executive order, the responsibilities of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended which are applicable to the Advisory Commission to be established by this order, shall be performed by the Secretary of Education, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services. Sec. 15. Executive Order No. 12320 of September 15, 1981, is revoked. George Bush The White House, April 28, 1989.