WH SPOKESMAN: Obama 'Has A Bias In Favor Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities'

When asked about challenges for students and parents to receive student loans for historically black universities, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that although he wasn’t familiar with that policy issue the President has always been focused on historically black universities.

“Funding for those colleges and universities has increased under President Obama. And the President was pleased to have the opportunity earlier this spring to speak at the commencement at Moorehouse College down in Atlanta. So the record — the President’s record on these issues — he has a bias in favor of historically black colleges and universities because of the service they provide and because of the quality education that they provide to their students,” Earnest said.

TRANSCRIPT:

Q Josh, since you’re talking about the President and the college tour, well, the tour that he’s having and college is one of the issues, and how college makes many persons middle class, within the middle-class status, there is an issue right now where HBCUs are very concerned and have petitioned the President for a meeting and petitioned the Department of Education about something called the Parent PLUS Loan. It’s a federal loan that has — now has strict requirements where parents are now being rejected. And many schools are losing money. Apparently if you have a blemish on your credit report over the last five years, you are not getting that loan. What is the President saying about this? Is he planning on meeting with these university presidents? And what is the Education Department going to do about this?

MR. EARNEST: Well, I’m not aware of the specific meeting request, but I can certainly take a look into it.

The President and this administration have been strong supporters of historically black colleges and universities all across the country. Funding for those colleges and universities has increased under President Obama. And the President was pleased to have the opportunity earlier this spring to speak at the commencement at Moorehouse College down in Atlanta. So the record — the President’s record on these issues — he has a bias in favor of historically black colleges and universities because of the service they provide and because of the quality education that they provide to their students.

In terms of this issue with the Parent PLUS Loan, I’m not familiar with this specific policy issue. But we can try to find somebody here at the White House who is a little more conversant in the issue who can talk to you about it.