UW–Madison’s Anthony Hernandez, a faculty member in the School of Education’s Department of Educational Policy Studies, was featured in El Paso Matters discussing the potential impact of federal cuts to grant programs for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and how campuses are responding.
Hernandez spent part of his summer visiting institutions with large Latino student populations, where leaders described the steps they are taking to protect students and their opportunities. These include diversifying revenue streams, forming cross-functional planning teams, and auditing federally funded programs. Some are even using internal funds to “triage” critical programs.
He noted that officials have prioritized intrusive advising, wraparound support, bilingual counseling, and free meals for students who cannot afford them. For many, he said, HSI grants represent hope and opportunity for the next generation — and when those grants are cut, the community suffers.
“As one of the leaders at an organization told me,” Hernandez said, ‘We can’t control Washington, but we can control how we show up for students.’”