On April 26th-28th, 2010, we had the good fortune to attend the White House Initiative On HBCUs Technical Conference, which was held in Normal, Alabama on the beautiful campus of Alabama A&M university. We got the chance to meet a lot of people and the information gained was invaluable. What quickly became apparent is the fact that this is A New Era For HBCUs. Here are some the issues facing HBCUs:

• State budget cuts and general economic problems have placed tremendous financial pressures on HBCUs
• The competition for students has led to continued calls for some HBCUs to close or merge with other institutions
• The explosion of online education is forcing HBCUs to consider how to best use technology to maintain and/or increase their market share

The Obama Administration has fostered a renewed spirit of cooperation and support for HBCUs. While government support is only part of the equation, it is greatly appreciated, especially after many years of neglect.

Also, HBCUs are going to have to step up and work hard to improve perceptions that the HBCU educational experience will be to equal to or greater than what can be experienced at any other institution. HBCUTAP promises to work with students, their families, and HBCU administrations to help these great institutions become even greater.