Bill > H4544

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for supporting Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) in Massachusetts, defining them as higher education institutions that are accredited, have at least 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, offer two-year or longer academic degree programs, and serve students in need. The legislation creates a funding mechanism that allows the commissioner of higher education to provide grants to HSIs for a wide range of activities aimed at improving educational opportunities and institutional capacity. These activities include purchasing scientific equipment, renovating educational facilities, supporting faculty development, providing student support services like tutoring and counseling, developing articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions, establishing community outreach programs, enhancing distance learning technologies, creating teacher education programs, expanding support for underrepresented graduate students, and providing financial literacy education. The grants are intended to help these institutions better serve Hispanic students and other low-income students by addressing academic, infrastructural, and support needs across multiple dimensions of higher education. The bill emphasizes that such funding is subject to legislative appropriation and is designed to strengthen the ability of Hispanic-serving institutions to provide high-quality, accessible education.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4544