The Department of Education announced on Sept. 10 that they would be ending grant programs to minority serving schools, such as Hispanic Serving Institutions like Texas State.

According to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, HSIs are defined as not-for-profit colleges and universities in which at least 25% of full-time equivalent undergraduate students are Hispanic. The Department of Education has removed their webpage defining HSIs.

The Department of Education’s press release the decision comes after The Solicitor General determined the grants violated the 5th Amendment in July. The press release further states that the Trump Administration considers the programs racially discriminatory. 

“To further our commitment to ending discrimination in all forms across federally supported programs, the Department will no longer award Minority-Serving Institution grants that discriminate by restricting eligibility to institutions that meet government-mandated racial quotas,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the press release.

The press release said that $350 million that was planned to go to minority grant programs will instead go to other programs that “advance Administration priorities.” According to Texas State’s website, the university has received 44 grants and financial awards totaling over $58.7 million since becoming an HSI.

This is a developing story. The University Star will update as information becomes available.