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-Editorial
Imperial Valley College officials say student support programs will continue without interruption this academic year, despite the U.S. Department of Education’s recent decision to eliminate funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), a move that jeopardizes a five-year, $511,740 federal grant awarded to the college last year.
The grant, which was still in the early stages of implementation, was intended to expand critical student support services, including tutoring, additional faculty and staff time, STEM pathways, university transfer pipelines, and undergraduate research opportunities. College leaders said these programs serve a large percentage of students annually, with particular benefits for first-generation and STEM students.
“Imperial Valley College’s mission has always been to expand opportunity for our community, and that commitment does not change with shifts in federal policy,” President and Superintendent Lennor Johnson, Ed.D., said. “Students can be confident that the programs and services they rely on will remain in place throughout this academic year.”
Johnson said the college had anticipated potential federal funding shifts and established contingency measures, including the use of institutional reserves to cover short-term gaps in funding. While the immediate impact of the grant elimination is limited, the loss threatens the college’s long-term plans to enhance academic support for all students.
The Department of Education said the cuts, which eliminate approximately $350 million in discretionary grants nationwide for Minority-Serving Institutions, were necessary to end programs that use unconstitutional “racial quotas.” The federal action follows a lawsuit from the activist group Students for Fair Admissions, which successfully challenged race-conscious admissions before the Supreme Court. The Department of Justice declined to defend the HSI program in court, agreeing with the plaintiffs that the eligibility requirement—that at least 25% of undergraduates be Hispanic—was unconstitutional.
HSI advocates emphasize that federal grants are institutional, designed to build capacity for all students on campus rather than to provide benefits to individuals based on race. Johnson said the funding “is not about preferential treatment but about a shared commitment to building opportunity” for every student.
The funding loss has broader implications for California, which has the largest number of HSIs in the United States. State community colleges are projected to lose roughly $20 million annually. Regionally, the San Diego and Imperial County Community College Association, which includes IVC, faces a combined estimated loss of about $15 million each year.
IVC officials said the college is actively exploring alternative state and philanthropic funding sources to sustain these programs. Additionally, the college is engaged in statewide advocacy efforts, and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is evaluating potential legislation to establish a state-based HSI block grant.
Despite federal setbacks, Johnson reaffirmed the college’s commitment to student success, stating that IVC will continue to prioritize academic support programs and resources that benefit the entire student body.
