The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities announced that the U.S. Department of Education is planning to eliminate $350 million in grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
The designation of Hispanic-Serving Institutions is given to colleges and universities where at least 25% of the student body is of Latino descent. HSIs enroll over 5.6 million students nationwide, accounting for two-thirds of all Latino undergraduates in the country.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has indicated that federal funding will also cease for other minority-serving institutions, including those serving Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Asian American, and Native American Pacific Islander populations.
This decision aligns with a July letter from the Department of Justice to Congress, in which the department argued that these grants are discriminatory and unconstitutional.
There are six federally designated types of minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities represents over 500 colleges and universities across the United States, Latin America, Spain, and various school districts throughout the U.S.
Its programs and services are available to all students, faculty, and staff at HACU member institutions. HACU is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, and has offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, California, and Chicago, Illinois.
HACU has pledged to continue fighting alongside students and institutions to defend these critical programs and ensure that opportunities, equity, and investments in higher education are not diminished.
David Mendez, interim CEO of HACU, emphasized that cutting this funding removes vital resources for under-resourced and first-generation students, threatening to destabilize colleges in 29 states.
He noted that the funds granted to HSIs have never been exclusive to Latino students; rather, they enhance the entire campus experience and create opportunities that benefit all students, especially those pursuing STEM fields, while also enriching the communities surrounding these institutions.
HACU has released a statement on the cutting of $350M in Federal Grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Read more: https://t.co/BMoaagUd9d pic.twitter.com/cfJIhdsuIe
— HACU (@HACUNews) September 11, 2025
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked with…
Brown and Caldwell, a leading environmental engineering and construction firm,…
Humboldt State University, one of four campuses within the California…
