The Trump administration redirected nearly half a billion dollars in federal education funding to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges. The decision creates new opportunities for institutions such as Alabama State University while reducing programs that have long supported Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).
According to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), the reallocation was made possible by eliminating $350 million in grants for HSIs. Department officials said those grants relied on enrollment thresholds that were unconstitutional under federal law. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon defended the shift in a prepared statement, saying the department was moving money toward “programs that support student success” and away from what she described as “ineffective and discriminatory funding streams,” according to the Associated Press (AP).
For the university, the announcement marks a significant boost in federal support. The AP, citing budget figures from the Department of Education, reported that HBCUs would receive a one-time 48 percent increase in federal funding.
Diamonique Franklin, student accounts coordinator at the university.
Diamonique Franklin, student accounts coordinator at the university stated, “This funding can strengthen our ability to serve students and expand programs that build opportunities for the future, “At the same time, I do not agree with cutting the funds. Everybody should receive whatever amount they deserve.”
Shanata Morris, who manages student refunds for the university, said the decision could have consequences beyond campus.
“It might expand historically Black colleges and universities, but I think it is going to cause more division and more issues,” Morris said. “They are going to take their frustration out on us, but there is nothing we can do about that. It is just wrong on a lot of levels.”
Congressional records show that lawmakers created the Hispanic-Serving Institutions program in 1998 to address low enrollment and graduation rates among Latino students. The grants have since funded essential programs for first-generation students and families navigating higher education for the first time. Democratic lawmakers in Washington, D.C., criticized the cuts, saying the decision dismantled decades of bipartisan support for minority-serving institutions. Education advocacy groups added that the cuts will reduce opportunities for Latino students across the country.
Students at the university also voiced concerns about fairness.
“I feel like it is unfair because everybody should have an equal amount of money, no matter what race you are,” said Nikaya Burgess, a sophomore criminal justice major.
Jamarcio Randolph, a sophomore psychology major, said the reallocation gives HBCUs an advantage at the expense of HSIs.
“Granted, if we get the money, yes, we do have an advantage, but you are also giving Hispanics a disadvantage,” Randolph said. “Some of them are not even from here, and it makes it harder for them. It should just be even.”
Matthew Cockrell, a sophomore criminal justice major, connected the decision to past inequities.
“We as Black people know what that feels like, so we should not want another race to be down trodden and not have the right materials as we did in the past,” he said.
Desmond Bristow, a sophomore criminal justice major, said the decision is both positive and negative.
“Historically Black colleges and universities need help, but at the same time, they are taking from minorities and giving to other minorities,” Bristow said. “It is like taking from (the) poor and giving to (the) poor, and that is not it.”
The DOE confirmed that they are directing $60 million to charter schools and $137 million to history and civics initiatives. According to the AP, citing federal budget documents, programs for magnet schools, teacher training, and international education lost funding and may be eliminated in the upcoming federal budget. The AP also reported that the reallocation was made possible by a stopgap funding measure passed by Congress earlier this year, which gave the executive branch broader authority over discretionary spending.
“This decision dismisses both the promise and the challenge of federal education policy,” Morris said. “While historically Black colleges and universities may benefit today, equity in education requires sustained commitment to every community that has historically been left behind.”
