U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is attempting to save funding for Hispanic Serving-Institutions, or HSIs, which are colleges and universities where 25% of students are Hispanic.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, Gonzales, R-San Antonio, chair of the Republican Congressional Hispanic Caucus, called on the agency to reverse its decision to withdraw $350 million in HSI grant funding.
Gonzales was joined by five other caucus members in his call to the Department of Education.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and other congressional Democrats made a similar plea in a letter sent to the Trump administration.
Neither Escobar or Gonzales were available to comment on why they have not joined forces on this common-ground matter critical to Borderland students.
The issue is especially important to the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas, which is home to the second-largest number of HSIs in the nation. Across the country, HSIs enroll 5.6 million students and generate billions in economic revenue each year.
“Reprogramming roughly $350 million in discretionary funds away from HSI programs risks undermining critical investments in America’s workforce and research capacity,” the lawmakers wrote. “These programs play a vital role in preparing students from HSIs for careers in STEM, developing the next generation of teachers, and advancing research in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.”
“Redirecting these funds away from HSI-designated institutions could disproportionately harm all the students at these colleges and universities — regardless of their ethnicity — and weaken the talent pipeline needed to meet the challenges facing our country,” the letter continued. “For these universities and many others serving predominantly Hispanic communities, failing to meet the 25% undergraduate population necessary for HSI designation would mean failing to serve their communities. Their eligibility is a byproduct of their mission — not a pursuit of quotas.”
Trump administration HSI policy threatens UTEP
For Heather Wilson, president of the University of Texas at El Paso, the loss of funding represents a real threat to the university’s offerings.
“UTEP is the only R1 university in America that has kept our open access mission,” she said in a news release. “As America’s leading Hispanic-Serving university, our enrollment reflects the demographics of our region and our commitment to intentionally serve. The programs now at risk have advanced STEM innovation, teacher preparation, and student success for all students.”
“We are grateful to congressman Gonzales for his leadership in defending these programs,” Wilson added, “which expand the pathway to build the workforce our nation needs.”
US Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrats also calling for funding
Gonzales’ letter comes just under a month after U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and more than 80 House Democrats made a similar plea to the Trump administration.
In a Sept. 19 letter, House Democrats urged Education Secretary Linda McMahon to reconsider a plan to revoke crucial funding for minority-serving institutions, including HSIs, Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNIs), and divert them to other universities.
“These college and universities play a critical role in advancing opportunities for students from all backgrounds who would otherwise be left behind,” the letter stated. “Diverting funds would not only hurt these institutions’ ability to serve underrepresented students, but it would also disproportionately harm the students who rely on them for access to affordable, high-quality higher education.”
“We urge you to reject efforts to pit these institutions against one another and instead champion comprehensive solutions that recognize the unique and complementary contributions of each,” the lawmakers continued. “Our collective goal must be to uplift all students, no matter which institutions they attend.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
