The U.S Department of Education has eliminated discretionary grants for Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
For Columbia, with a campus where roughly 27 percent of students identify as Hispanic, the loss will be significant.
For two years, Columbia has qualified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a designation given to colleges where at least 25 percent of full-time undergraduates identify as Hispanic.
This year, the college would have been eligible to apply for the federal grant funding that has now been eliminated, as the Chronicle previously reported.
The funding is often used for financial aid, mentoring and the development of programs that create a stronger sense of belonging on campus.
Despite this setback, Columbia has already made strides to make Latino students feel more included and supported on campus, with additional programming and a CCX course that centers the Latino experience.
Now it must do even more.
The college can assist students and families by holding FAFSA completion workshops and offering its own mentorship programs.
Most importantly, Columbia must prioritize Latino students in its role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and ensure they feel seen, supported and empowered to succeed.
In the past, the college has put on an annual Día de los Muertos celebration for the Day of the Dead. This year, student groups and schools are holding events for Hispanic Heritage Month, which started this week. For example, the Latino Alliance is hosting a series of events to honor Latin American culture, voices and stories. Student Diversity and Inclusion will have Movimiento Martes, a Latin dance event, and the School of Communication and Culture will host award-winning writer Claudio Remeseria for a talk on issues in Latino media.
While these events are a great way to celebrate Latino culture, students also need individualized support and additional resources that set them up for success.
In today’s climate, it is not enough to celebrate and then move on. In order to truly support Latino students, Columbia must find a way even without federal funding to step in. We know resources are tight. But as the college looks to stop its enrollment decline, this is non-negotiable, and we call on our new president to make it a priority.
Copy edited by Matt Brady
