By Quintina Barnett Gallion, Associate Executive Director at ̽»¨Â¥
, redirecting hundreds of millions of dollars away from grant programs for Minority-Serving Institutions and other education initiatives and shifting its investments toward charter schools, civics education, and one-time allocations for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities.
In total, the Department will , which have long been used to strengthen:
Hispanic-Serving Institutions
Predominantly Black Institutions
Asian American- and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions
Simultaneously, the Department will make a of $495 million for HBCUs and TCUs that is in addition to their anticipated FY 2025 funding.
Winners and Losers in the Reallocation
These cuts arrive at a time when enrollment management is already under strain. Declining demographics and affordability concerns compound the challenges for under-resourced institutions. The loss of MSI-specific funding further limits the tools available to address these pressures.
For HBCUs, the announcement represents an unprecedented increase: a 48% boost in federal grant funding for FY 2025. citing the opportunity to invest in long-deferred maintenance, laboratory upgrades, and student services.
For TCUs, the one-time allocation is both welcome and worrisome. While the infusion of funds could provide immediate relief for institutions already struggling with infrastructure and capacity needs, the elimination of other MSI programs removes a critical layer of sustained, flexible funding.
For MSIs, especially HSIs and AANAPISIs, the cuts are devastating. Institutions that have built programming around Title III and V grants now face abrupt funding gaps, even as demographic shifts mean they are serving the fastest-growing student populations in higher education.
Essential Conversations About Strategic Enrollment Management
These policy changes highlight the urgency of a collective strategy. Strategic Enrollment Management is not only about optimizing enrollment pipelines; it is about advancing institutional missions, ensuring learner success, and sustaining communities. For TCUs and HBCUs, the stakes are exceptionally high, and for ̽»¨Â¥ members working within or alongside these institutions, the conversation is essential.
This context makes the ̽»¨Â¥ Pre-conference Workshop, “TCU and HBCU Peer Learning Exchange” at the 35th Annual ̽»¨Â¥ SEM Conference especially timely. The workshop is designed to bring together leaders from TCUs and HBCUs to:
Unpack the policy environment and consider the near- and long-term effects of funding.
Share institutional strategies for sustaining enrollment and supporting learners when external resources are uncertain.
Highlight culturally grounded practices that strengthen belonging, retention, and graduation outcomes.
Build a collective voice that can advocate for sustainable supports beyond federal programs.
Meeting Urgency with Focused Collaboration
SEM is not just about numbers on a dashboard—it is about mission and serving your community. TCUs and HBCUs have, for generations, demonstrated resilience that supports learners and communities. New resources could expand student services and institutional capacity. Still, institutions will need strategic enrollment plans to ensure the funds translate into measurable gains in retention, completion, and learner success. Additionally, loss of MSI funds for peer institutions could destabilize partnerships, transfer pipelines, and broader equity-focused collaboration across sectors.
The upcoming SEM Conference offers a venue not only to address today's policy shifts, but also to chart pathways forward. By centering the lived experiences of TCUs and HBCUs, the pre-conference peer learning workshop will help participants strategize, innovate, and advocate together.
The federal retreat from MSI grant programs underscores the urgency of collaboration. ̽»¨Â¥ members have a unique role to play in ensuring that these shifts strengthen, rather than destabilize, the enrollment strategies that bolster learner success.