Education Secretary Linda McMahon
The decision affects seven major grant programs supporting Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, and colleges serving Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Asian American, and Native American Pacific Islander students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the programs violate constitutional equal protection principles by "restricting eligibility to institutions that meet government-mandated racial quotas."
The California State University system, where 21 of its 22 campuses qualify as Hispanic-Serving Institutions, will be among those hit hardest by the funding cuts. CSU Chancellor Dr. Mildred García called the decision "deeply troubling" and warned it would cause "immediate impact and irreparable harm to our entire community."
"Hispanic students account for nearly half of the CSU's total student population," said García "Without this funding, students will lose the critical support they need to succeed in the classroom, complete their degrees on time, and achieve social mobility for themselves and their families."
The Department of Education cited a July determination by the U.S. Solicitor General that Hispanic-Serving Institution programs "violate the equal-protection component of the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause." The Department of Justice declined to defend these programs in ongoing litigation brought by Tennessee and the advocacy group Students for Fair Admissions.
McMahon said the administration will "reprogram" the eliminated funding into programs that "advance Administration priorities" without racial or ethnic eligibility requirements. She argued that "diversity is not merely the presence of a skin color" and that "stereotyping an individual based on immutable characteristics diminishes the full picture of that person's life and contributions."
The terminated programs include:
