The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of more than $104 million to Minority Serving Institutions. These five-year grants provide resources to 104 institutions, in 13 states, to improve and expand their capacity to serve Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, and low-income students.
“All students deserve the resources to enhance their knowledge and skills in order to compete in today’s 21st century careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “These grants will help build a stronger pathway for some of our country’s hardest-working, low-income students, allowing them to unlock their unique potential, and contribute to the development of our country’s future.”
Institutions of higher education are deemed eligible to receive funds under the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions programs, if at the time of submission, undergraduate enrollment of Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander students was at least 10 percent. Under the Hispanic-Serving Institutions – Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics and Articulation program, eligible applicants include Hispanic Serving Institutions with an undergraduate full-time enrollment of at least 25 percent Hispanic students, at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.
The grant programs provide additional layers of student supports and resources via institutional aid to advance the postsecondary attainment rates of both minority and lower income students.
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant
The Department awarded $4.7 million in new grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 14 institutions, in five states to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, low-income students. The maximum grant award is $350,000 per year for five years for a total award of $1,750,000. The average award ranges from $300,000 – $350,000 per year.
The grant funds can be used to increase student retention and progression through college level courses by re-engineering student support services and supplemental instruction, or providing enhanced faculty profession development. It can also be used to develop summer programs to bridge the gap between two-year and four-year colleges and universities, strengthen assessments and integrate academic advising, academic support and academic enrichment, or developing endowment funds to meet ongoing costs for maintenance or upgrades to technology.
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant
The Department awarded $7.2 million in grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 19 institutions, to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.
Grants awarded under this section shall be used by Native American nontribal-serving institutions to assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such institutions’ capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.
Types of projects may include:
- Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes;
- Renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities;
- Support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction;
- Curriculum development and academic instruction;
- Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials;
- Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management;
- Joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries;
- Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services; and
- Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students’ families.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions—STEM Grant
The Department awarded $92 million in new grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 91 institutions, to increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; and to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions in such fields.
Funds may be used for: improving academic quality of STEM programs through curriculum revision and development, or faculty development; developing research opportunities for students in STEM fields; providing or improving student services including counseling, tutoring, mentoring or establishing learning communities; encouraging secondary students to pursue STEM degrees and careers through outreach activities; and improving STEM facilities and equipment needed for science instruction and computer laboratories.
The Obama Administration has taken a number of steps to widen access to higher education by empowering students to choose the best institutions for them through the College Scorecard, boosting Pell Grant funding, streamlining the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and maintaining low interest rates on federal subsidized Stafford Loans.
The grant programs are funded by the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant
New Awards
State Institution………………………………………………. 2016-17 Approved Funding
CA….. American River College………………………………………………………… $350,000
CA….. CSU East Bay……………………………………………………………………… $349,998
CA….. Mt. San Antonio College………………………………………………………. $350,000
CA….. Peralta Community College/Laney College……………………………… $349,966
CA….. San Francisco State University ……………………………………………… $348,509
CA….. University California Irvine…………………………………………………… $302,242
CA….. University Enterprises, CSU Sacramento………………………………… $349,586
MA….. Bunker Hill Community College……………………………………………. $344,859
MA….. Middlesex Community College……………………………………………… $346,449
MA….. University of Massachusetts Boston………………………………………. $350,000
MN….. University of Minnesota……………………………………………………….. $349,988
NV….. University of Nevada Las Vegas……………………………………………. $349,999
NY….. CUNY Hunter…………………………………………………………………….. $349,565
WA…. Pierce College……………………………………………………………………… $300,000
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant Continuation Awards
CA….. Coast Community College District/Coastline Community College $300,000
CA….. Mission College…………………………………………………………………… $300,000
CA….. San Jose Evergreen Com. College District (Evergreen Valley College) $284,710
CA….. SOCCCD, dba Irvine Valley College…………………………………….. $300,000
IL……. University of Illinois Chicago………………………………………………… $280,114
MA….. University of Massachusetts Boston………………………………………. $299,999
MP….. Northern Marianas College……………………………………………………. $289,090
NV….. University of Nevada Las Vegas……………………………………………. $299,999
TX…… Richland College…………………………………………………………………. $300,000
WA…. Highline College………………………………………………………………….. $300,000
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant 2016
New Awards
State Institution………………………………………………. 2016-17 Approved Funding
AK….. University Of Alaska Fairbanks………………………………………… $348,888.00
CO….. Fort Lewis College………………………………………………………….. $350,000.00
NC….. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke………………………… $349,643.00
NM….. San Juan College……………………………………………………………… $346,210.00
OK….. Connors State College Of Agricultural & Applied Science…… $349,998.00
OK….. Redlands Community College…………………………………………… $349,376.00
OK….. Seminole State College…………………………………………………….. $349,997.00
OK….. University Of Science And Arts Of Oklahoma…………………… $348,845.00
OK….. State Of Oklahoma East Central University……………………….. $350,000.00
OK….. Murray State College……………………………………………………….. $349,360.00
OK….. St. Gregory’s University…………………………………………………… $344,103.00
OK….. Northern Oklahoma College……………………………………………… $349,993.00
OK….. Northeastern State University…………………………………………… $338,977.00
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant
Continuation Awards
AZ…… Navajo County Community College District………………………. $316,707.00
MN….. Regents Of The University Of Minnesota…………………………… $399,039.00
MT….. Montana State University, Inc…………………………………………… $391,184.00
OK….. Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College…………………………….. $339,739.00
OK….. Redlands Community College…………………………………………… $399,857.00
OK….. Carl Albert State College………………………………………………….. $399,605.00
UT…… Utah State University………………………………………………………. $392,758.00
Hispanic-Serving Institutions—STEM Grant
State… Institution Name………………………………………… FY 2016 Award Amount
AZ…… Pima County Community College District – East Campus…………. $736,714
AZ…… Yuma/La Paz Counties Community College District……………… $1,200,000
CA….. Cabrillo College………………………………………………………………… $1,096,785
CA….. California Lutheran University………………………………………………. $855,132
CA….. California State University, Bakersfield……………………………….. $1,199,994
CA….. California State University, Channel Islands………………………… $1,199,297
CA….. California State University, Dominguez Hills……………………….. $1,191,269
CA….. California State University, Fullerton…………………………………… $1,171,681
CA….. California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation.. $1,153,233
CA….. California State University, San Marcos (UARSC on Behalf of) $1,199,868
CA….. California State University, Stanislaus…………………………………. $1,141,992
CA….. Chaffey Community College…………………………………………………. $735,470
CA….. Contra Costa Community College District……………………………. $1,199,013
CA….. Cuyamaca College…………………………………………………………….. $1,189,896
CA….. East Los Angeles College…………………………………………………… $1,200,000
CA….. Gavilan College…………………………………………………………………… $947,491
CA….. Hartnell Community College District…………………………………… $1,194,549
CA….. Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation……. $643,374
CA….. Los Angeles City College…………………………………………………… $1,200,000
CA….. Los Angeles Harbor College……………………………………………….. $1,200,000
CA….. Los Angeles Valley College……………………………………………….. $1,200,000
CA….. Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento City College.. $930,006
CA….. Mission College…………………………………………………………………… $967,816
CA….. Pasadena City College……………………………………………………….. $1,200,000
CA….. Reedley College………………………………………………………………… $1,013,421
CA….. Riverside Community College District/Moreno Valley College. $1,200,000
CA….. Riverside Community College District/Norco College…………… $1,200,000
CA….. Saint Mary’s College of California…………………………………………. $651,230
CA….. San Diego Mesa College……………………………………………………….. $925,769
CA….. San Mateo County Community College District- Canada College $868,726
CA….. San Mateo County Community College District- College of San Mateo $732,446
CA….. Santa Barbara City College………………………………………………… $1,177,851
CA….. Santa Monica College………………………………………………………… $1,199,413
CA….. The CSU, Chico Research Foundation……………………………………. $770,809
CA….. The Regents of The University of California, Santa Cruz……….. $1,142,309
CA….. The University Corporation………………………………………………… $1,199,483
CA….. University Corporation At Monterey Bay…………………………….. $1,129,739
CA….. University Enterprises Corporation At CSUSB……………………….. $969,198
CA….. University of La Verne………………………………………………………. $1,199,941
CA….. Ventura County Community College District……………………….. $1,199,230
CO….. Colorado State University – Pueblo……………………………………… $1,199,663
CO….. Community College of Denver………………………………………………. $588,694
FL…… Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees…………………………. $756,415
FL…… Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry Campus…………. $1,193,819
FL…… Miami Dade College………………………………………………………….. $1,197,165
FL…… Miami Dade College North Campus………………………………………. $917,502
FL…… South Florida State College………………………………………………… $1,122,899
FL…… Universidad Politecnica De Puerto Rico – Orlando…………………… $995,358
IL……. National Louis University……………………………………………………… $727,375
IL……. Northeastern Illinois University…………………………………………… $1,199,770
IL……. The Board of Trustees of The University Of Illinois…………………. $886,571
MA….. Springfield Technical Community College………………………………. $676,668
NJ……. Bergen Community College……………………………………………….. $1,121,725
NJ……. Cumberland County College…………………………………………………. $945,851
NJ……. New Jersey City University………………………………………………… $1,197,381
NJ……. Passaic County Community College………………………………………. $833,542
NJ……. Saint Peter’s University…………………………………………………………. $969,403
NM….. Eastern New Mexico University…………………………………………….. $413,088
NM….. Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell……………………………….. $764,564
NM….. New Mexico Highlands University………………………………………… $555,884
NM….. New Mexico State University – Carlsbad………………………………… $911,854
NM….. University of New Mexico Valencia Branch Campus…………….. $1,092,572
NY….. CUNY Queens College………………………………………………………… $968,562
NY….. CUNY Research Foundation on Behalf of LaGuardia Comm College $809,923
NY….. CUNY Research Foundation on Behalf of BMCC……………….. $1,200,000
NY….. CUNY Research Foundation on Behalf of Lehman College…… $1,047,488
NY….. CUNY The Research Foundation- The City College……………… $1,042,865
NY….. Mercy College……………………………………………………………………… $696,572
NY….. Vaughn College of Aeronautics And Technology…………………. $1,199,970
PR…… Bayamon Central University………………………………………………. $1,191,498
PR…… Dewey University-Carolina…………………………………………………… $997,059
PR…… Humacao Community College…………………………………………….. $1,085,889
PR…… Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon Campus…. $1,199,021
PR…… Universidad Del Este…………………………………………………………. $1,200,000
PR…… Universidad Politecnica De Puerto Rico – San Juan……………….. $1,199,803
TX…… Alvin Community College…………………………………………………….. $849,134
TX…… Amarillo College………………………………………………………………….. $994,819
TX…… Dallas County Community College District- Eastfield College.. $1,180,430
TX…… El Centro College……………………………………………………………… $1,141,128
TX…… Laredo Community College……………………………………………….. $1,200,000
TX…… Lee College District……………………………………………………………… $701,256
TX…… Palo Alto College…………………………………………………………………. $775,000
TX…… San Antonio College…………………………………………………………….. $775,000
TX…… Schreiner University………………………………………………………….. $1,199,720
TX…… St. Mary’s University…………………………………………………………. $1,065,195
TX…… Texas State University……………………………………………………….. $1,137,755
TX…… The University of Texas At El Paso…………………………………….. $1,089,444
TX…… University of Houston – Clear Lake……………………………………….. $724,820
TX…… University of St. Thomas………………………………………………………. $775,000
WA…. Big Bend Community College………………………………………………. $949,125
WA…. Yakima Valley Community College……………………………………….. $859,305