On Sept. 10, the U.S. Department of Education announced $350 million in cuts to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Texas State has been a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSIs) since 2011, with HSIs now at severe risk due to funding cuts.
Hispanic students are vital to Texas State, and during Hispanic Heritage Month, advocating for Hispanic peers is necessary. Being an HSI not only provides a unique culture to Texas State, but also provides a safe space for all Hispanic and minority students.
Texas State prides itself on serving Hispanic students and claims to provide a safe space for them in the process. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated federal cuts were needed end government-mandated racial quotas, which MSIs supposedly promote. Due to this narrative, Texas State will see a major decrease in grants. Programs like Spanish and Latino Studies will be more difficult to maintain. These programs allow all students to learn about cultures other than their own, as well as contribute to a shared cultural understanding throughout Texas State.
For decades, minority students have been underrepresented in education, leading to Congress introducing the Education Act of 1992, which created HSI grants. Texas State became a Hispanic-Serving Institution in 2011 after surpassing the 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold, receiving more than $58.7 million in aid since then.
HSIs are vital because they provide equal opportunities for Hispanic students, who, according to the U.S. Department of Education (ED), are less likely to enter
higher education.
Dani Lazo, a first-generation Spanish sophomore, said HSIs provide equal opportunities to all students and do not favor a certain group
over another.
“It’s kind of ridiculous to say that just because we get this [HSI funding], we’re being favored,” Lazo said. “We’re already struggling to go to school in the first place; they’re taking away that opportunity from us. It’s actively just putting out more barriers for Hispanic students.”
The ED stated the cuts to MSIs would be redirected to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by claiming that HBCUs have “less discriminatory practices.” The ED claims HBCUs are based on merit and not government-mandated quotas that MSIs are “based on.”
Texas State reported a 40% Hispanic student population in 2024, while also providing services to 18,730 first-gen students. Cuts to HSI funding make services to first-gen students much more difficult to provide.
Lazo said redirecting the funds to HBCUs is deflection and looks good initially, but furthers the negative narrative on Hispanic people.
“They’re both colleges supporting two different groups of minorities. I personally feel like him [Donald Trump] sending the money over is a deflection,” Lazo said. “It just feels like a full deflection being, he’s still doing a good thing, but is actively attacking and taking away from a group that is already constantly
being attacked.”
Equity must exist in all forms of higher education; Texas State must continue to provide vital Hispanic programs despite the cuts and continue to keep Hispanic culture alive on campus. Providing minority students with an equal college education will not cause any harm to non-minority students and will uplift all students.
-Shar Kiefer is a political science sophomore
The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor in Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.
