NiLP Guest Commentary
Hispanic-Serving Institutions:
Challenges from the Federal
Higher Education Budget
By Felix V. Matos Rodriguez and Antonio R. Flores
The NiLP Report (April 23, 2018)
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Felix V. Matos Rodriguez Antonio R. Flores
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The report card on the higher education budget deal recently reached by Congress and the president includes both improved and incomplete grades. There was significant support for research and financial aid. In particular, the National Institutes for Health, the National Science Foundation, Energy Department Research Projects, and NASA Science Programs all received bigger appropriations. The increase of $175 in the maximum Pell Grant award and the additional funding for Federal Work Study and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants will assist needy students all across our nation.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined as colleges, universities, or systems/districts where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment. "Total Enrollment" includes full-time and part-time students at the undergraduate or graduate level (including professional schools) of the institution, or both (i.e., headcount of for-credit students).
For Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) there are more good grades. HSIs saw a rise in appropriations for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. These allocations include a 14.3 percent increase in total funding for HSI undergraduate and graduate programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
On the other hand, to keep pace with the significant growth in the number of HSIs-from 311 in 2010 to 492 in 2016-allocations for undergraduate support need to be much more substantial. An appropriation of $150 million is needed for the Developing HSIs program for undergraduate support under Title V, Part A of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
Four years ago, with the expiration of an annual $10 million allocation, we saw a huge cut in total funding for graduate education under Title V, Part B of that same act. The economic future of the United States depends on developing an extensive pool of employees with advanced skills. Today, HSIs are responsible for 41.2 percent of all Hispanic graduate degrees.
The data sounds encouraging until you realize that only 41 percent of HSIs offer a post-baccalaureate program, and just 23 percent of these schools offer a doctorate. To recover lost ground and to move forward, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is requesting an HEA appropriation of $30 million for Promoting Post-baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
At this point, the entire Higher Education Act, last authorized in 2008, is due for reauthorization. While allocations should be increased, we are not merely advocating for greater funding. We also want to see an expansion of what that funding covers. There is tremendous potential, for example, in allowing Title V funds to be used to promote collaborations between HSIs and international higher education institutions. We urge the creation of a new Part C that would support collaborations between HSIs, Emerging HSIs, Hispanic-Serving School Districts, and emerging Hispanic-Serving School Districts.
We are deeply concerned about another matter of great importance to all groups confronting immigration issues: DACA. Renewal of this program is the best solution both for the people involved and for our country, which gains so much from the talent and energy of these deserving young men and women. It is imperative that Congress take action on this matter and not simply wait for the courts to determine its fate.
Finally, at HACU we are concerned about the "saber-rattling" talk of federal budget rescissions, which would renege on the recently passed and signed budget. Our member institutions are serving vital constituencies, including millions of students and families whose educational successes are vital to the future of our nation. We must retain the ability to plan for their futures and not have the rug pulled out from under their feet. We respectfully call upon Congress to both protect the gains made thus far and continue to focus on further advancements. Our country deserves nothing less than an honors report card from its federal leaders.
Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
is Chair of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), and President of Queens College of The City University of New York. He can be reached at [email protected].
Dr. Antonio R. Flores
is President & CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). He can be reached at [email protected].
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 with a founding membership of eighteen institutions. Today, HACU represents more than 470 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Spain. Although our member institutions in the U.S. represent only 13% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to two-thirds of all Hispanic college students. HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
