Marin colleges eye risks to federal funding for minorities

Two efforts are underway that could strip more federal funding from college programs that aid minority students.

A lawsuit in Tennessee filed by the state government and a nonprofit that opposes any affirmative-action-type measures accuses the U.S. Department of Education of supporting a federal Hispanic Serving Institution program at several colleges in Tennessee.

Under the federal program, an HSI designation is awarded to colleges that have at least a 25% Latino student population. The federal lawsuit was filed by the nonprofit Students for Fair Admission (SFFA) and Tennessee, both of whom oppose the HSI program.

“This lawsuit is not about denying opportunity to any racial or ethnic group,” SFFA president Edward Blum said in a statement. “It is about ensuring that opportunity is extended to everyone on an equal basis.”

On Thursday, Blum said his group had not yet heard back from the defendants — the U.S. Department of Education and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. While the suit is limited to schools in Tennessee, it was not immediately clear if it could affect colleges that have Hispanic Serving Institution designations in other states.

Those include Dominican University of California in San Rafael, which was awarded a total of $6 million for separate HSI designations undergraduates and graduate students.

Nicola Pitchford, the Dominican president, said the funds have been used to create a new program, La Vida Dominican. La Vida provides increased educational access and support services for all students from all backgrounds, Pitchford said.

“The work Dominican is doing under the auspices of these grants helps us be more effective at serving all students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Pitchford said. “La Vida is fully aligned with every part of our research-backed student support structures that work for all students, including creating more equitable outcomes for underserved students.”

The second effort, launched this week, specifically targets undocumented students. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education announced it was canceling subsidies that allow undocumented students to attend career, technical and adult education programs. The rule rescinds a letter from the Clinton administration that enabled undocumented students to access those benefits.

Augustus Mays, vice president of the nonprofit EdTrust, called the move “a deliberate attack on opportunity and the American dream.”

“Let’s be clear: this move is part of a broader, deeply disturbing trend,” Mays said. “Across the country, we’re seeing migrant communities targeted with sweeping raids, amplified surveillance and fear-based rhetoric designed to divide and dehumanize.”

Mays added the new rule is “not about protecting taxpayers. It’s about punishing students.”

At College of Marin, president Jonathan Eldridge called the move “unfortunate and short-sighted.” However, since the school’s education programs are supported by Marin taxpayers, they would not be directly affected by the new rule, Eldridge said.

“We receive no federal funding for our academic programs, career-related or otherwise,” Eldridge said. “The College of Marin continues to welcome and support all members of our diverse community. Period.”

Both Dominican and College of Marin administrators said they are helping students who are affected by Trump administration cutbacks in federal Pell grants, which provide scholarships for low-income residents. About 700,000 California students rely on Pell grants to support their higher education. Some students said they would have to drop out without the financial aid.

Eldridge said College of Marin “will continue to make available whatever additional scholarship and basic assistance that may be needed for any student whose federal financial aid is negatively impacted by the passage of recent legislation.”

Pitchford said Dominican has expanded its focus on fundraising, connecting with foundations, alumni and donors who are particularly interested in supporting educational equity in Marin. In addition to its Hispanic Serving Institution designation, the college also has received federal funding awards for serving Asian, American Indian and Pacific Islander students.

“Our focus remains ensuring all students can access a Dominican education,” Pitchford said. “Our goal is to provide all students with an environment that fosters holistic growth, free from the constant worry of juggling multiple jobs or scrambling to cover tuition.”

About one-quarter of the university’s 1,127 undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college, she said.