Colorado Legislative Affinity Caucuses Urge Action on MSI Funding Cuts

DENVER, CO — On Monday, October 7th the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado, and Joint MENASA Muslim Caucus of Colorado, sent a letter to Colorado's Congressional DLos comités legislativos de Colorado instan a tomar medidas ante los recortes de fondos a las instituciones que prestan servicios a las minoríaselegation and Governor Jared Polis urging action be taken to reverse funding cuts to Colorado's Minority Serving Institutions.

The full text of the letter is below:

To the Members of the Colorado Congressional Delegation and Governor Jared Polis,

On September 10th the U.S. Department of Education announced the termination of $350 million in discretionary funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). In a time when such cuts have become a part of the weekly barrage of chaos inflicted on our communities, we'd like to take a moment to highlight what this action truly means for Colorado.  

Colorado has 14 public MSIs, 13 of which fall under the classification of a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and one with the designation of Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution. Of these institutions, six receive federal grant funding. This funding goes towards providing essential student services including advising, tutoring, and student retention. The decision by the Trump administration to cut funding for MSIs will primarily impact two-year colleges and rural institutions. Meaning that once again, we are taking away opportunities for economic mobility from those already at the greatest disadvantage. Our federal government has chosen to limit access to educational opportunity in pursuit of a harmful narrative that serves to only further divide Americans from one another.
Though these grants may have a disproportionate impact on the Hispanic community of Colorado, the ramifications will be felt by many more. By high school students who are no longer offered concurrent enrollment, by a rural student who can no longer afford tuition, by a single mom who went back to school to finish her degree and no longer has the support she needs to continue her education. An attack on one Coloradan, is an attack on all. The Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus is proud to join in coalition with the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado and Joint MENASA Muslim Caucus of Colorado to fiercely defend the Minority-Serving Institutions of Colorado.

We call on Colorado’s Congressional Delegation and Governor Polis to work to ensure that the funds promised to these institutions are released and to join us in our fierce defense of MSIs.

Listed are all public MSIs in Colorado. Institutions bolded are those that will be most impacted by funding cuts.

• Adams State University

• Aims Community College

• Colorado Mountain College

• Colorado State University Pueblo

• Community College of Aurora

• Fort Lewis College (Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution)

• Front Range Community College

• Lamar Community College

• Metropolitan State University of Denver

• Morgan Community College

• Pikes Peak State College

• Pueblo Community College

• Red Rocks Community College

• The University of Northern Colorado

With Respect,

            The Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus
            The Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado
            The Joint MENASA Muslim Caucus of Colorado