California's public colleges and universities benefit from federal grants designated for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, receiving over $600 million since 1995. These institutions have at least 25% Latino undergraduate enrollment and serve a low-income student population. California houses the most HSI campuses in the U.S., with 167 total. However, a recent lawsuit from Tennessee argues that HSI criteria are unconstitutional and excludes other ethnic groups, threatening this funding. The HSI designation enables institutions to apply for competitive grants aimed at enhancing student support services for all students, not solely for Latino ones.
The federal government sets aside millions of dollars in grants annually for colleges it classifies as Hispanic-Serving Institutions, a designation earned by having an undergraduate student body that is at least 25% Latino.
California, with its large Latino population, has the most HSI campuses in the nation - 167, or more than a quarter of the 602 HSIs in the country.
The suit, filed last month in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, alleges the criteria to become an HSI are unconstitutional and discriminatory against other ethnic groups.
The HSI grants have allowed many California campuses to improve their student support services.
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