H.R. 333: Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions

What is the legislative history of H.R. 333?

• Introduced by Congressman David Wu in the 108 th Congress on January 8, 2003.
• Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
• 45 cosponsors as of January 24, 2003.
• In the 107 th Congress, introduced as H.R. 4825 by then Congressman Robert Underwood.

What does the legislation do?

H.R. 333 would provide the U.S. Department of Education with the authority to provide grants and assistance to institutions of higher education designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions to enable such institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

What are the requirements for AAPI Serving Institutions?

• Minimum 10% AAPI undergraduate enrollment
• Minimum 50% of its degree-seeking students receiving need-based assistance under Title IV (federal Pell Grants, federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, federal Work Study, federal Perkins Loans); or a substantial percentage of students receiving Pell Grants
• Low general and educational expenditures.

Priority consideration will be given to institutions that serve a significant percentage of low-income AAPI students.

Why is this legislation necessary?

The current educational support system fails to meet many of the substantial needs of the AAPI population. Societal assumptions regarding Asian Americans disregard the distinct cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and historical experiences which delineate the multitude of communities within the AAPI population. Particularly damaging is the myth of the "model minority" which categorizes a complex youth population of over 3 million as a homogenous, academically successful unit that is not in need of outreach or academic support systems. This lack of resources is especially detrimental to low-income AAPI students whose unique needs are overlooked due to these wide-reaching preconceptions based on anecdotal evidence and aggregate perceptions.

Under current law, The U.S. Department of Education is authorized to provide grants and assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. These federal grants allow institutions to expand their capacity to meet the needs of underserved low-income minority students. H.R. 333 seeks equity by providing increased higher education opportunities for low-income and underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander students.

Where will the funding come from? Will it impact other minority serving institutions?

This legislation establishes a new program to be funded under the Higher Education Act. It will not affect other minority serving institutions as it would require a separate appropriation.

How many schools will be eligible should this legislation become law?

Of the approximately 380 institutions of higher education that have a minimum of 10% AAPI population, 86 would be eligible to apply under requirements specified in Title III of the Higher Education Act (based on 2003 data). This number can fluctuate as student enrollment levels change from year to year. These eligible institutions are in the bottom quartile (in terms of institutional expenditures and student financial ability) of all institutions that serve high populations of AAPIs. Funding is targeted to these institutions with the most need.

Where do you get the definitions for race and ethnicity under the bill?

The 1997 OMB Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Data on Race and Ethnicity are the federal guidelines that govern data collection for race and ethnicity, program administrative reporting, and civil rights compliance reporting. Under these standards, there is an “Asian” category and a “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander” category. H.R. 333 includes both categories.

WASHINGTON-Congressman David Wu, Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, has introduced legislation to improve higher education for APA students.

"A quality education opens doors of opportunity," said Congressman Wu.

"A high school diploma is not enough to make it in today's economy, and I am proud to have introduced legislation to ensure that America's colleges and universities meet the educational needs of Asian and Pacific Americans."

Congressman Mike Honda, Vice-Chair of CAPAC, is an original cosponsor of the bill.

"This bill is crucial for APA communities that are often overlooked in the education funding process," said Rep. Mike Honda. "The APA community is diverse, and contrary to popular belief, many APAs come from low-income households and must overcome great obstacles to succeed in higher education. It is time we respond by providing institutional support for these students."

The bill, HR 333, authorizes grants for institutions of higher education that serve high numbers of APA students. The grants would be used to help schools improve and expand upon their capacity to serve APA students. Schools with an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 10% APA would be eligible to apply for the grants. Schools where a majority of the APA students are low-income would receive preference in grant approval.

The bill would add an APA designation to the Higher Education Act for the first time. There are currently similar provisions for colleges and universities that serve large numbers of African American and Hispanic students.

Passage of the bill would have ramifications well beyond higher education. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) both have extensive partnerships and outreach programs in African American, Hispanic and Native American communities. These programs are determined by designations in the Higher Education Act. Amending the Act to include Asian Pacific Americans would result in an incentive and infrastructure for federal agencies to work more effectively with APA communities.