The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) released a statement Thursday supporting passage of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act. The House passed the FUTURE Act on September 17. Now enacted by the Senate, the FUTURE act will sustain mandatory appropriations for certain programs for Minority-Serving Institutions that would otherwise have expired at the end of 2019.
The FUTURE Act seeks to reauthorize $255 million in critical funding. According to one foundation, for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, the FUTURE Act would ensure that:
• American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) continue to receive $30 million per year.
• Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) continue to receive $100 million per year.
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHs) continue to receive $15 million per year.
• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) continue to receive $5 million per year.
• Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs) continue to receive $5 million per year.
“HACU applauds the passage of the amended FUTURE Act by the U.S. Senate, which permanently extends Title III, Part F of the Higher Education Act. This will allow $255 million of critical annual funding to continue to be invested in Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority-Serving Institutions,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores in the statement. “The bill’s passage will benefit nearly 6 million students, 4.5 million enrolled at HSIs alone.”
The statement continued to give thanks to Senators Lamar Alexander (TN), Patty Murray (WA), Doug Jones (AL), and Tim Scott (SC) “for their leadership and continued commitment to our institutions. HACU looks forward to working with the House of Representatives to promptly pass the FUTURE Act and restore critical STEM funding to HSIs,” HACU said.
Nearly 6 million undergraduate students rely on funding to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs and equip campuses with the technology necessary to educate students for in-demand jobs.
The FUTURE Act continues funding (Title III-Part F of the Higher Education Act of 1965), which boosts minority institutions, and their students, most of whom are first in their family to go to college. Title III Part F funding is described as ‘vital federal financial support which helps eligible colleges and universities expand their capacity to serve their students through the strengthening of their academic programming, including STEM.’
Earlier this fall, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities joined their counterparts from advocacy organizations to call on Congress to pass the FUTURE Act. These institutions represent 42 states and account for more than one-quarter of all undergraduates in the U.S. under-graduate system.
“At Tribal Colleges and Universities, Title III-Part F funding has been the means for building a foundation for American Indian and Alaska Native post-secondary success and targeted workforce development – both essential elements for community prosperity,” said Carrie Billy, president & CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium.
Flores added that Title III, Part F of the Higher Education Act has played a vital role in enhancing the STEM pipeline at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and expanding institutional capacity at Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions.
“As the nation becomes increasingly diverse and the number of our institutions continues to grow, federal funding for these schools is more important than ever to ensure that we prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs,” said Antonio R. Flores, president and CEO, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
Title III-Part F funding of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is federal financial support, which helps colleges and universities expand their capacity to serve students through the strengthening of their academic programming, including STEM.
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