Hispanic leaders seek funding increase for HSIs - Washington Update - Hispanic-serving institutions - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Black Issues in Higher Education, May 9, 2002

Hispanic higher education leaders are seeking a 50 percent increase next year in the federal government's Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI) program.

Latino leaders outlined the plan at the recent legislative meeting of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) in Washington. HACU is asking Congress for $125 million in fiscal 2003, up from the current $86 million, for the HSI program under Title V of the Higher Education Act.

In its budget earlier this year, the Bush administration requested a 3.6 percent funding increase, or $89.1 million for HSIs next year. The White House proposed similar small percentage increases for Black colleges and tribal colleges.

HACU also is promoting a plan to create a new federal funding program for Hispanic-serving graduate institutions. The program would operate in a similar way to the current federal program that Congress funds for historically Black graduate institutions.

The association is seeking $20 million for start-up funding for the graduate initiative.