U.S. Department of Education awards $104M to minority serving institutions

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 18, 2016) — The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesdat announced the award of more than $104 million to Minority Serving Institutions. These five-year grants provide resources to 104 institutions, in 13 states, to improve and expand their capacity to serve Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, and low-income students.

“All students deserve the resources to enhance their knowledge and skills in order to compete in today’s 21st century careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “These grants will help build a stronger pathway for some of our country’s hardest-working, low-income students, allowing them to unlock their unique potential, and contribute to the development of our country’s future.”

Institutions of higher education are deemed eligible to receive funds under the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutionsprograms, if at the time of submission, undergraduate enrollment of Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander students was at least 10 percent. Under the Hispanic-Serving Institutions – Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics and Articulation program, eligible applicants include Hispanic Serving Institutions with an undergraduate full-time enrollment of at least 25 percent Hispanic students, at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.

The grant programs provide additional layers of student supports and resources via institutional aid to advance the postsecondary attainment rates of both minority and lower income students.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant

The Department awarded $4.7 million in new grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 14 institutions, in five states to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, low-income students. The maximum grant award is $350,000 per year for five years for a total award of $1,750,000. The average award ranges from $300,000 – $350,000 per year.

The grant funds can be used to increase student retention and progression through college level courses by re-engineering student support services and supplemental instruction, or providing enhanced faculty profession development. It can also be used to develop summer programs to bridge the gap between two-year and four-year colleges and universities, strengthen assessments and integrate academic advising, academic support and academic enrichment, or developing endowment funds to meet ongoing costs for maintenance or upgrades to technology.

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant

The Department awarded $7.2 million in grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 19 institutions, to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

Grants awarded under this section shall be used by Native American nontribal-serving institutions to assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such institutions’ capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

Types of projects may include:

• Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes;
• Renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities;
• Support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction;
• Curriculum development and academic instruction;
• Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials;
• Funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management;
• Joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries;
• Academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services; and
• Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students’ families.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions—STEM Grant

The Department awarded $92 million in new grant funds. These five-year grants provide resources to 91 institutions, to increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; and to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions in such fields.

Funds may be used for: improving academic quality of STEM programs through curriculum revision and development, or faculty development; developing research opportunities for students in STEM fields; providing or improving student services including counseling, tutoring, mentoring or establishing learning communities; encouraging secondary students to pursue STEM degrees and careers through outreach activities; and improving STEM facilities and equipment needed for science instruction and computer laboratories.

The Obama Administration has taken a number of steps to widen access to higher education by empowering students to choose the best institutions for them through the College Scorecard, boosting Pell Grant funding, streamlining the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and maintaining low interest rates on federal subsidized Stafford Loans.

The grant programs are funded by the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant
New Awards

State    Institution……………….……………………………… 2016-17 Approved Funding

CA….. American River College…………………..……………………………………. $350,000

CA….. CSU East Bay……………………………………………………………………… $349,998

CA….. Mt. San Antonio College…………………..………………………………….. $350,000

CA….. Peralta Community College/Laney College…………………..…………. $349,966

CA….. San Francisco State University ……………………………………………… $348,509

CA….. University California Irvine…………………………………………………… $302,242

CA….. University Enterprises, CSU Sacramento………………..………………. $349,586

MA….. Bunker Hill Community College…………………..……………………….. $344,859

MA….. Middlesex Community College…………………..…………………………. $346,449

MA….. University of Massachusetts Boston………………………………………. $350,000

MN….. University of Minnesota……………………………………………………….. $349,988

NV….. University of Nevada Las Vegas…………………….……………………… $349,999

NY….. CUNY Hunter…………………………………………………………………….. $349,565

WA…. Pierce College…………………..…………………………………………………. $300,000

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Grant Continuation Awards

CA….. Coast Community College District/Coastline Community College $300,000

CA….. Mission College…………………..………………………………………………. $300,000

CA….. San Jose Evergreen Com. College District (Evergreen Valley College) $284,710

CA….. SOCCCD, dba Irvine Valley College…………………..………………… $300,000

IL……. University of Illinois Chicago…………………..……………………………. $280,114

MA….. University of Massachusetts Boston………………………………………. $299,999

MP….. Northern Marianas College…………………..……………………………….. $289,090

NV….. University of Nevada Las Vegas…………………….……………………… $299,999

TX…… Richland College…………………..…………………………………………….. $300,000

WA…. Highline College…………………..……………………………………………… $300,000

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant 2016
New Awards

State    Institution……………….……………………………… 2016-17 Approved Funding

AK….. University Of Alaska Fairbanks………………………………………… $348,888.00

CO….. Fort Lewis College…………………..……………………………………… $350,000.00

NC….. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke………………….…….. $349,643.00

NM….. San Juan College…………………..…………………………………………. $346,210.00

OK….. Connors State College Of Agricultural & Applied Science…… $349,998.00

OK….. Redlands Community College…………………..………………………. $349,376.00

OK….. Seminole State College…………………..………………………………… $349,997.00

OK….. University Of Science And Arts Of Oklahoma…………………... $348,845.00

OK….. State Of Oklahoma East Central University………………..……… $350,000.00

OK….. Murray State College…………………..…………………………………… $349,360.00

OK….. St. Gregory’s University………………..…………………………………. $344,103.00

OK….. Northern Oklahoma College…………………..…………………………. $349,993.00

OK….. Northeastern State University………………..…………………………. $338,977.00                                                                            
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant
Continuation Awards

AZ…… Navajo County Community College District………………….…… $316,707.00

MN….. Regents Of The University Of Minnesota…………………………… $399,039.00

MT….. Montana State University, Inc…………………………………………… $391,184.00

OK….. Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College…………………..………… $339,739.00

OK….. Redlands Community College…………………..………………………. $399,857.00

OK….. Carl Albert State College…………………..……………………………… $399,605.00

UT…… Utah State University………………..…………………………………….. $392,758.00

Hispanic-Serving Institutions—STEM Grant

State… Institution Name……………………..…………………. FY 2016 Award Amount

AZ…… Pima County Community College District – East Campus…………. $736,714

AZ…… Yuma/La Paz Counties Community College District……………… $1,200,000

CA….. Cabrillo College…………………..……………………………………………. $1,096,785

CA….. California Lutheran University………………..…………………………….. $855,132

CA….. California State University, Bakersfield……………….………………. $1,199,994

CA….. California State University, Channel Islands…………………..……. $1,199,297

CA….. California State University, Dominguez Hills…………………….…. $1,191,269

CA….. California State University, Fullerton…………………………………… $1,171,681

CA….. California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation.. $1,153,233

CA….. California State University, San Marcos (UARSC on Behalf of) $1,199,868

CA….. California State University, Stanislaus………………..……………….. $1,141,992

CA….. Chaffey Community College…………………..…………………………….. $735,470

CA….. Contra Costa Community College District………………….………… $1,199,013

CA….. Cuyamaca College…………………..………………………………………… $1,189,896

CA….. East Los Angeles College…………………..………………………………. $1,200,000

CA….. Gavilan College…………………..………………………………………………. $947,491

CA….. Hartnell Community College District………………….……………….. $1,194,549

CA….. Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation……. $643,374

CA….. Los Angeles City College…………………..………………………………. $1,200,000

CA….. Los Angeles Harbor College…………………..…………………………… $1,200,000

CA….. Los Angeles Valley College…………………..…………………………… $1,200,000

CA….. Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento City College.. $930,006

CA….. Mission College…………………..………………………………………………. $967,816

CA….. Pasadena City College…………………..…………………………………… $1,200,000

CA….. Reedley College…………………..……………………………………………. $1,013,421

CA….. Riverside Community College District/Moreno Valley College. $1,200,000

CA….. Riverside Community College District/Norco College…………… $1,200,000

CA….. Saint Mary’s College of California………………..……………………….. $651,230

CA….. San Diego Mesa College…………………..…………………………………… $925,769

CA….. San Mateo County Community College District- Canada College $868,726

CA….. San Mateo County Community College District- College of San Mateo $732,446

CA….. Santa Barbara City College…………………..……………………………. $1,177,851

CA….. Santa Monica College…………………..……………………………………. $1,199,413

CA….. The CSU, Chico Research Foundation………………..………………….. $770,809

CA….. The Regents of The University of California, Santa Cruz……….. $1,142,309

CA….. The University Corporation……………….……………………………….. $1,199,483

CA….. University Corporation At Monterey Bay…………………………….. $1,129,739

CA….. University Enterprises Corporation At CSUSB…………………….…. $969,198

CA….. University of La Verne…………………….………………………………… $1,199,941

CA….. Ventura County Community College District………………….……. $1,199,230

CO….. Colorado State University – Pueblo……………………………………… $1,199,663

CO….. Community College of Denver………………………………………………. $588,694

FL…… Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees………………….……… $756,415

FL…… Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry Campus…………. $1,193,819

FL…… Miami Dade College…………………..……………………………………… $1,197,165

FL…… Miami Dade College North Campus………………………………………. $917,502

FL…… South Florida State College…………………..……………………………. $1,122,899

FL…… Universidad Politecnica De Puerto Rico – Orlando…………………... $995,358

IL……. National Louis University………………..……………………………………. $727,375

IL……. Northeastern Illinois University………………..…………………………. $1,199,770

IL……. The Board of Trustees of The University Of Illinois…………………. $886,571

MA….. Springfield Technical Community College…………………..………….. $676,668

NJ……. Bergen Community College…………………..…………………………… $1,121,725

NJ……. Cumberland County College…………………..…………………………….. $945,851

NJ……. New Jersey City University………………..………………………………. $1,197,381

NJ……. Passaic County Community College…………………..………………….. $833,542

NJ……. Saint Peter’s University………………..……………………………………….. $969,403

NM….. Eastern New Mexico University………………..…………………………… $413,088

NM….. Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell……………………………….. $764,564

NM….. New Mexico Highlands University………………..………………………. $555,884

NM….. New Mexico State University – Carlsbad………………….…………….. $911,854

NM….. University of New Mexico Valencia Branch Campus…………….. $1,092,572

NY….. CUNY Queens College…………………..……………………………………. $968,562

NY….. CUNY Research Foundation  on Behalf of LaGuardia Comm College $809,923

NY….. CUNY Research Foundation on Behalf of BMCC……………….. $1,200,000

NY….. CUNY Research Foundation on Behalf of Lehman College…… $1,047,488

NY….. CUNY The Research Foundation- The City College……………… $1,042,865

NY….. Mercy College…………………..…………………………………………………. $696,572

NY….. Vaughn College of Aeronautics And Technology……………….... $1,199,970

PR…… Bayamon Central University………………..…………………………….. $1,191,498

PR…… Dewey University-Carolina………..…………………………………………. $997,059

PR…… Humacao Community College…………………..………………………… $1,085,889

PR…… Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon Campus…. $1,199,021

PR…… Universidad Del Este……………………..………………………………….. $1,200,000

PR…… Universidad Politecnica De Puerto Rico – San Juan……………….. $1,199,803

TX…… Alvin Community College…………………..………………………………… $849,134

TX…… Amarillo College…………………..……………………………………………… $994,819

TX…… Dallas County Community College District- Eastfield College.. $1,180,430

TX…… El Centro College…………………..…………………………………………. $1,141,128

TX…… Laredo Community College…………………..…………………………… $1,200,000

TX…… Lee College District………………….………………………………………….. $701,256

TX…… Palo Alto College…………………..…………………………………………….. $775,000

TX…… San Antonio College…………………..………………………………………… $775,000

TX…… Schreiner University………………..………………………………………… $1,199,720

TX…… St. Mary’s University………………..……………………………………….. $1,065,195

TX…… Texas State University………………..……………………………………… $1,137,755

TX…… The University of Texas At El Paso……………………..……………… $1,089,444

TX…… University of Houston – Clear Lake……………………..………………… $724,820

TX…… University of St. Thomas………………………………………………………. $775,000

WA…. Big Bend Community College…………………..………………………….. $949,125

WA…. Yakima Valley Community College…………………..…………………… $859,305