WS Chronicle

In above photo: Above front left is WSSU Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson, back left is Secretary Arne Duncan, and center at the podium is U.S. Rep. Alma Adams at Bennett College. They and others above met to discuss issues affecting HBCUs. (Submitted photo)

GREENSBORO – U.S. Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12) and the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan met on June 25 with presidents, chancellors and representatives from North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of the roundtable was to hear directly from local HBCUs about the issues impacting their schools.

“HBCUs have long been a top priority for me, which is why I launched the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Secretary Duncan has remained a strong supporter of our students and institutions of higher learning; I am happy he was able to hear first-hand from the HBCUs in North Carolina’s 12th District. I look forward to working with the administration and my colleagues in Congress, to ensure our HBCUs are not left out of important higher education conversations.”

There are more than 100 HBCUs in the United States, with five HBCUs in North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District. HBCUs enroll more than 300,000 students every year and graduate 25 percent of African American students in the growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) sectors.

During the roundtable discussion, Adams and Duncan met with presidents, chancellors and representatives from Livingstone College, Bennett College, Winston Salem State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Johnson C. Smith University.

Adams is the co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus and member of the House Education and the Workforce committee, and subcommittee on Higher Education.

The Bipartisan HBCU Caucus is currently comprised of 50 Members of Congress. The mission of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus is to promote and protect the interest of HBCUs by creating a national dialogue; educating Members of Congress and their staffs about the issues impacting HBCUs; drafting meaningful bipartisan legislation to address the needs of HBCUs; supporting students and graduates of HBCUs by increasing access and career opportunities.

Bipartisan congressional HBCU Caucus:

Co-Chairs:
Alma S. Adams (D-NC)
Bradley Byrne (R-AL)

Vice Chairs:
Terri Sewell (D-AL)
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Bruce Westerman (R-AR)
Randy Forbes (R-VA)