Oregon Universities Caught in National Backlash as Federal Minority-Serving Grants Are Canceled

The U.S. Department of Education’s withdrawal of $350 million in funding to several Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) has impacted Western Oregon University and Portland State University.

Western Oregon University became the first designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in the state this spring, requiring a minimum 25% Hispanic  student enrollment to qualify for federal funding.

Despite the fact that 50% of its students are Hispanic, the university does not qualify for a federal grant because of a recent statutory ruling.

As a designated Asian American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Portland State University has been informed that its remaining $1.9 million federal grant has been canceled.

U.S. Solicitor General Rules That MSI Violates the Fifth Amendment

The withdrawal of funding is the outcome of the U.S. Solicitor General’s ruling that HSI programs violate the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection component.

The national education Department then announced the end of ‘discretionary funding’ to several MSI programs ‘that discriminate by conferring government benefits exclusively to institutions that meet racial or ethnic quotas.’

Funds will no longer be awarded to institutions serving the following nationalities: predominantly Black, Alaskan and Hawaiian Native, Asian American, Native American Pacific Islander, Native American Non-Tribal, and Developing Hispanic.

However, the Department will send $132 million of this year’s grant allocation appropriated by Congress to strengthen predominantly Black, Asian American, Native American Pacific Islander, and Native American non-tribal institutions.