When Leonard Haynes III came to Washington in 1989 as an assistant secretary of education, the Southern University-trained historian found a national government marked by bipartisanship, collaboration and cooperation on a wide range of topics of importance to people of color in higher education. Today, the landscape and environment are "more partisan and less collaborative and cooperative," says Haynes, who at 65, is marking 15 years of continuous service in Washington as an inside advocate for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other institutions with histories of serving students of color. The historical ties have thinned, Haynes says. That has translated into Capitol Hill and administration department staffers with little or no history with HBCUs and other institutions focused on serving people of color. He says that HBCUs need to understand some potential facts as they ponder the next 10 years and take some actions sooner and on a more regular basis to enhance their standing and potential to persevere and grow in the future.