Washington -- for the first time since he assumed office in 1992. President Bill Clinton met with several dozen members of the National Association For Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) to discuss issues of concern to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

"Our members have wanted to meet with the president ever since he took office," said Dr. Henry Ponder Jr., the president of NAFEO, which represents the interests of 116 historically and predominantly Black colleges and universities.

The Monday, February 24, meeting -- called by NAFEO and held in the State Dining Room of the White House -- focused on various higher education aspects of the proposed Clinton budget, support for the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), and continued HBCU exemption from a law that would otherwise bar twenty-two HBCUs from participating in federal loan programs because of high default rates. President Clinton took advantage of the opportunity to highlight his administration's record in expanding educational opportunities for African Americans.

"Over the last four years, we have put in place a comprehensive college opportunity strategy to make college available to every American citizen," the president said. "I directed the Department of Education and the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges to work to increase funding to HBCUs. We've made student loans less expensive and much easier to obtain under the Direct Student Loan Program.... Last year we increased the Pell Grant program by 20 percent, taking the maximum grant up to $2,700 from $2,460. That was the biggest increase in twenty years."

Following his remarks, the president responded to six questions prepared by NAFEO, which the White House staff had scrutinized in advance. The hour-long conversation was restricted to these six areas of inquiry.

One of NAFEO's concerns was that the $1, 500 HOPE scholarship tax credit included in the president's recent budget proposal would not benefit many HBCU students, 90 percent of whom are Pell grantees. Pell recipients would not be eligible to participate in the president's proposed HOPE Scholarship program.