Dear Colleagues,
The Trump administration, in less than 10 days, announced federal funding shifts that cut support for Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions and redirected funding to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges. At its core, this is not a win for students — it is a zero-sum approach where funding resources are already scarce, and potentially results in these institutions being pitted against each other.
All of these institutions — HBCUs, tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving and minority-serving institutions — play a vital role in expanding access and opportunity for all students, including students who have been historically underrepresented in two- and four-year institutions. Whether intended to or not, this attempt to pit institutions against one another undermines the collective progress we have made in higher education to expand participation and brighter futures across a wider range of communities.
Students should not have to ‘win’ or ‘lose’ depending on the political priorities of the moment. What they deserve is a sustained, comprehensive investment in all institutions that serve underrepresented communities. Funding should not come at the expense of one group of students to benefit another.
At NADOHE, we call on policymakers and leaders across the sector to demand that federal support not penalize minority-serving institutions, and address their needs equitably, so that no community is left behind.
In Solidarity,
Paulette Granberry Russell, J.D.
President & CEO, NADOHE