Season 7

Balancing Hope and Loss Amidst Title V Defunding

In this episode of ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? we discuss the road to healing following the defunding of Title V grants that support HSIs. Our guests Dra. Melissa Menendez and Nathalie Quintero share their personal stories working at a Title V-funded HSI, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), and the aftermath of the September 10, 2025 announcement to reprogram enrollment-based MSI funding. They describe how the Title V grants were used to create programs and initiatives that cultivated a sense of community, celebrated Latine/x culture, and provided academic and student support services. Funding was also used to create the Raíces Faculty Institute which supported the training and professional development of faculty at SBCC. The sudden loss of this funding has created uncertainty and grief, and our guests grapple with the loss of jobs, services, and programs. Despite the challenges, Melissa and Nathalie express hope in finding joy through their communities of fellow HSI practitioners and a shared commitment to continuing this important work.
Guests: 
Melissa  Menendez (she, her, ella)
Title V HSI Grant Director & Professor, Santa Barbara City College
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/melissa-menendez-ph-d-880220336 
 
Nathalie Quintero (she, her)
Raíces Program Advisor, Raíces First Year and Beyond, Santa Barbara City College
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-quintero
 
Attachments / Show notes: 
https://sbcc.edu/raices/   
 
APA Citation: 
Garcia, G.A. (Host). (2026, February 1). Balancing Hope and Loss Amidst Title V Defunding (No.702) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?.

The $507.9 Million Loss: HSIs Under Attack and Fighting Back

We kick off season 7 of ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? discussing the $507.9 million loss to HSIs following the Department of Education’s announcement to defund enrollment-based MSIs on September 10, 2025. This conversation explores the current state of HSIs under the 47th president of the United States as well as the complex ways HSIs have leveraged Title V funds over the last 25 years. Our guest Dr. Rebecca Perdomo provides key insights into policy research including the ways HSIs have taken an "opportunistic" approach to grant-seeking amidst chronic underfunding compared to predominantly white institutions, with lower expenditures per student and significant deferred maintenance backlogs. We also explore the research on how HSIs promote upward social and economic mobility for their students showing that HSI outperform non-HSIs in promoting mobility. Dr. Perdomo’s stance is clear: racialized funding streams like Title III and Title V are critical to supporting HSIs and the students they serve. Despite the grief and anger over HSI funding losses, the HSI community must fight back and remain resolute in continuing their mission-driven work to support Latine/x students and communities. In this episode we call on HSI advocates to elevate the stories of resilience, hope, and success and to make the case for continued investment in HSIs.
Guest: 
Rebecca Perdomo (she, her)
Senior Research Associate & Independent Consultant, Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Justice
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-perdomo-phd
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rebeccaperdomophd
Show Notes:
Generational Jumps? How HSIs Promote Upward Mobility
Caring vs. Capitalizing: How HSIs Leverage Title V Funds
The Impact of Trump Administration Funding Cuts on Hispanic-Serving Institutions
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethgasman/2026/01/08/experts-chime-in-on-ed-depts-assessment-of-race-based-minority-serving-institutions/
APA Citation: 
Garcia, G.A. (Host). (2026, January 11). The $507.9 Million Loss: HSIs Under Attack and Fighting Back. (No.701) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?.