Department of Education ending discretionary funding for Minority-Serving Institutions; UTEP reacts

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The U.S. Department of Education is ending discretionary funding to several Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) grant programs. ABC-7 reached out to UTEP to find out if the university is being impacted by this change. A spokesperson sent the following statement:

"We are monitoring recent action by the U.S. Department of Education to determine what impact it may have on our programs. Regardless of any impact, UTEP will continue to proudly serve our community by providing access to educational excellence. We have no further comment at this time."

Victor H. Arreola
UTEP Assistant Director of Media Relations

The Department of Education says that this change comes after the U.S. Solicitor General determined in July that Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) programs "violate the equal-protection component of the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause." The Solicitor General also determined that the Department of Justice would not defend them in ongoing litigation.

"The Department agrees that the racial quotas in the HSI programs are unconstitutional," a Department of Education spokesperson stated. "Due to similar issues with all MSI programs, the Department is using its statutory authority to reprogram discretionary funds to programs that do not present such concerns."

The department will stop funding both 2025 new awards and non-competing continuations. It estimates $350 million would have been distributed. The following programs will be impacted:

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Title III Part A);  
• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (Title III Part A); 
• Strengthening Asian American- and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (Title III Part A); 
• Strengthening Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (Title III Part A); 
• Minority Science and Engineering Improvement (Title III Part E); 
• Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (Title V Part A); and 
• Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (Title V Part B).