Walter Hudson, a journalist for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, has analyzed recent federal funding and its impact on educational equity.
On Monday, he reported that the U.S. Department of Education announced a $1.6 billion investment in select minority-serving institutions, shortly after cutting funding for others by millions of dollars just days earlier.
The education department revealed that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) received $495 million in this new round of funding.
Hudson pointed out that these investments come just days after the department announced it would end $350 million in discretionary funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Predominantly Black Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions.
The education secretary stated that, following scrutiny of federal grants, they have aimed to ensure that taxpayers are not funding racially discriminatory programs.
Hudson noted that HBCUs and TCCUs are federally designated based on their historical missions rather than the enrollment of at least 25% Hispanic students.
The Higher Education Act defines HSIs as not-for-profit colleges and universities where at least 25% of the full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate enrollment is Hispanic.
According to the education department, the new funding for HBCUs and TCCUs will total over $1.34 billion for HBCUs and over $108 million for TCCUs in 2025.
Leaders at the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund expressed their commitment to promoting the value of HBCUs.
The education department did not specify how the $350 million in redirected funds for minority-serving institutions will ultimately be allocated, other than stating it will align with administration priorities.
In July, LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), which represents more than 600 HSIs across the country, including those in Tennessee, in the case of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. U.S. Department of Education.
The HSI Program serves over 5.6 million students nationwide, including two-thirds of all Latino undergraduates in the country.
David Mendez, Interim CEO of HACU, stated that cutting this funding removes critical investments in under-resourced and first-generation students and would destabilize colleges in 29 states.
The funds granted to HSIs have never supported only Latino students; they strengthen entire campuses, creating opportunities and resources that benefit all students, especially those pursuing STEM fields, while also enhancing the surrounding communities.