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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2017)
March 8, 2017 The Skanner Page 9 News NAFEO’s Lezli Baskerville Calls HBCU White House Meetings Successful By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Con- tributor) T hrough the vitriol- ic, and sometimes venomous, atmo- sphere of the presi- dential campaign, a high- ly-regarded member of then-Republican presi- dential candidate Don- ald Trump’s inner circle focused on one issue that was largely ignored: the future of Historically Black Colleges and Uni- versities (HBCUs). “[Omarosa] Manigault was strategically plac- ing HBCUs high on the agenda of candidate Trump and she kept HB- CUs on his agenda,” said Dr. Lezli Baskerville, the president and CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportuni- ty in Higher Education (NAFEO), a membership association for the pres- idents and chancellors of the nation’s HBCUs. The White House meet- ings on Feb. 27 and Feb. “ ships with Republican members of Congress.” Baskerville continued: “NAFEO has consistent- ly advanced the position that federal, state, and private teacher prepa- ration programs should be designed to expand the pool of excellent, diverse teaching pro- fessionals, especially African-American, and Hispanic teaching pro- fessionals, and Black male teachers.” While Baskerville left the meetings with Trump encouraged, others were more guarded in their optimism. “As I understand it, it means that the White House initiative on HB- CUs returns to the White House rather than re- maining with the De- partment of Education,” said Loretta Parham, the CEO and director of the Atlanta University Cen- ter Robert W. Woodruff Library. “This suggests that the president’s ear will be closer and it sug- ‘We didn’t expect to have an audience with the pres- ident...it really was a photo opportunity’ 28 with HBCU presidents and chancellors, and the signing of the executive order on HBCUs, grew out of the Manigault’s understanding of the importance of HBCUs and the realization of so many of the nation’s do- mestic, foreign, security, scientific, technological, research, and innovation goals, Baskerville said. “It happened, because President Trump knows and trusts the leadership and judgment of Omaro- sa,” Baskerville added. Baskerville, who also attended the meetings, described them as suc- cessful. “The success must be measured against the reasonable expectations going into the meeting,” said Baskerville. “Rela- tive to the ‘HBCU Fly-In’ on Feb. 28 hosted by Con- gressman Mark Walker of North Carolina and Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina and oth- ers, HBCU presidents were also engaged with leaders of the 115th Con- gress about inclusion and diversity and about the centrality of HBCUs to American progress, the legislative and ap- propriations priorities of HBCUs and ways in which the NAFEO-mem- ber institutions might move forward and strengthen our relation- gests that HBCUs will be included in conversa- tions about the economy and education.” Walter Kimbrough, president of Dillard University in New Orle- ans, La., reflected on the meetings and said that not enough time was af- forded to discuss press- ing issues. “We didn’t expect to have an audience with the president, and that really, you know—it re- ally was a photo oppor- tunity,” Kimbrough told National Public Radio (NPR). “We didn’t have any significant conversation. I mean he’s working on his [address to Congress] for the night. So, that was okay, but I didn’t go there for that. That wasn’t my intent. It’s just some- thing that happened.” Kimbrough continued: “I really was interested more in a conversation with [Secretary Betsy DeVos], because she’s new. She doesn’t really know higher education. She doesn’t know HBCUs. And, so this is an oppor- tunity to educate her.” An opportunity that Kimbrough said was missed. However, Baskerville argued that it’s import- ant to note that many, like Representative Mia Love, a first-term con- gresswoman from Utah, participated in the HBCU Fly-In and made a num- ber of thoughtful contri- butions to the discussion. “One of the things she said that is telling of who she is at the core is that she is a member of the Republican Study Com- mittee and the Congres- sional Black Caucus,” said Baskerville. “[Love] quipped that, ‘there are some things that trump political parties.’ This is important, because this is the manner in which the African-American community has always operated.” Baskerville continued: “We have understood through the years that we need friends in all camps and that we have, ‘no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent inter- PHOTO BY FREDDIE ALLEN/AMG/NNPA NAFEO President Praises Omarosa Manigault for Orchestrating Trump’s Meetings with HBCU Presidents Lezi Baskerville, the president and CEO of NAFEO said that she was encouraged by the meetings that were held with President Trump and 88 presidents and chancellors of HBCUs. Photo was taken during a press conference on an anti-hazing campaign at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. in January 2012. ests.’ We have built and maintained bridges to all houses of power and with all political parties. “We have had a core group of African Amer- icans, who have served in leading positions and championed the issues and interests of Black Americans and Blacks around the globe.”
