Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker has announced an ambitious plan to support and protect HBCUs and MSIs.
To create pathways to opportunities and empower Black community members, Booker promised to invest an additional $30 billion on HBCUs and MSIs to improve STEM education, recruitment, retention, and graduation rates.
He proposed another $30 billion to provide such institutions with world-class facilities by investing in upgrading infrastructure, including facilities and technology.
“Cory Booker is running for president to create opportunity for all Americans—especially communities that have been left out and left behind, like communities of color that have for centuries been deprived of wealth, opportunity, and their voices as citizens,” the plan document reads.
In his plan, Booker promised to pass the HBCU PARTNERS Act, which would direct federal agencies to make a concerted effort to support HBCU participation in federal programs and grants. His plan would also base 10 percent of his $400 billion 50-State Climate Moonshot Hubs in HBCUs and MSIs.
Low-income students who are struggling to pay their debts and those who received their degrees at failed for-profit colleges will have their debt forgiven under the plan.
Overall, he plans to fight for the passage of the Debt-Free College Act which would allow students to graduate without debt by providing public funding to cover the full cost of college, including tuition, fees, and living expenses. Booker said he would double the value of Pell Grants from $6,200 to $12,400.
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