Donald Trump is struggling to find a leader for a White House initiative supporting historically black colleges and universities, according to reports.
The US president signed an executive order in February moving the scheme from the Department of Education into the West Wing, but has so far failed to appoint an executive director.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that filling the vacancy had “proved to be difficult”, with potential candidates expressing doubts about the Trump administration’s commitment to historically black colleges. Funding cuts initiated by the White House have also hit the institutions.
The executive director’s primary role is to advocate for policies and funding to support historically black colleges, and the last four US administrations had appointed someone to the post by this stage of a president’s inaugural year in office.
A White House spokesman said that the administration had “several finalists for this position”, but that no final decision had been made, the Chronicle said.
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