[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 15448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7274]



[[Page 15448]]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.031A]


Grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Authorized by 
Section 316 of Title III of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as 
Amended

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 1995.
    Purpose of Program: Provide grants to eligible institutions of 
higher education to assist them to improve and expand their capacity to 
serve Hispanic and other students.
    This grant program provides applicants an opportunity to support 
those elements of the National Education Goals that are relevant to 
their unique missions.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 8, 1995.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 8, 1995.
    Applications Available: The Department will mail applications by 
March 24, 1995, to the office of the president of all institutions that 
have applied to be designated as eligible for a grant under the 
Strengthening Institutions Program.
    Available Funds: $12,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $350,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $325,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 35 development grants.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: 60 months.
    Special Funding Considerations: A HSI that is eligible for and 
receives a grant under section 316 of the HEA may not concurrently 
receive funds under the Strengthening Institutions Program, the 
Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, or 
the Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions Program.
    In tie-breaking situations described in 34 CFR 607.23 of the 
Strengthening Institutions Program regulations, the Secretary awards 
additional points under 34 CFR 607.22 to an application from an 
institution that has an endowment fund for which the current market 
value, per FTE student, is less than the average per FTE student at 
similar type institutions; and has expenditures for library materials, 
per FTE student, that are less than the average, per FTE student, at 
similar type institutions.
    For the purposes of these funding considerations, an applicant must 
be able to demonstrate that the current market value of its endowment 
fund, per FTE student, or expenditures for library materials, per FTE 
student, is less than the following national average for base year 
1992-93.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Average       Average  
                                                  market       library  
                                                 value of   expenditures
                                                endowment        for    
                                                fund, per    materials, 
                                                   FTE         per FTE  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two-year public institutions.................       $1,222           $41
Two-year nonprofit, private institutions.....       12,600           104
Four-year public institutions................        1,862           141
Four-year nonprofit..........................       32,164           239
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Department of Education General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
85, and 86; and (b) the Strengthening Institutions Program regulations 
in 34 CFR Part 607, as amended and published elsewhere in this issue of 
the Federal Register.
    Priorities: The Secretary gives an absolute preference to an 
application that contains satisfactory evidence that the applicant has 
entered into or will enter into a collaborative arrangement with at 
least one local educational agency to provide that agency with 
assistance, from funds other than grant funds, in reducing Hispanic 
dropout rates, improving Hispanic rates of academic achievement, and 
increasing the rates at which Hispanic high school graduates enroll in 
institutions of higher education.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To be eligible to receive a grant, an 
institution must qualify as an eligible institution under the 
Strengthening Institutions Program and must be determined by the 
Secretary to be an HSI. The Secretary determines that an eligible 
institution under the Strengthening Institutions Program qualifies as 
an HSI if--(1) when it applies for a grant, at least 25% of its 
enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students are Hispanic 
students; and (2) it assures that not less than 50% of its Hispanic 
students are low-income individuals who are first-generation college 
students, and another 25% of its Hispanic students are either low-
income or first-generation college students.
    The Secretary will conduct for fiscal years 1995 and 1996 a 
biennial grant award competition for grants to HSIs under section 316 
of the HEA. Under a biennial grant award competition, an institution 
submits a grant application that may be considered for funding under 
two successive fiscal year grant award competitions. Applications are 
evaluated and ranked by field readers for the first competition. If the 
institution's application is not selected for funding under the first 
fiscal year's award competition, it will be considered for funding 
under the second fiscal year's award competition for new awards, based 
upon the score it received in the first competition. As part of the 
plan, the Secretary will not invite applications for new awards for the 
second fiscal year. Accordingly, if an HSI wishes to apply for a new 
grant award for fiscal year 1995 or fiscal year 1996, the HSI must 
submit an application by the closing date of May 8, 1995. The applicant 
should identify the fiscal year (1995 and/or 1996) for which it seeks 
funding.
    The Secretary will not make awards for planning grants under this 
competition.
    For Applications or Information Contact: Jerry M. Whitlock, U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals 
Building, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20202-5335. Telephone: (202) 708-
9926. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through 
Friday.
    You may view information about the Department's funding 
opportunities, including copies of application notices for 
discretionary grant competitions, on the Department's electronic 
bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet 
Gopher Server at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins and 
Press releases). However, the official application notice for a 
discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal 
Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1057.

    Dated: March 17, 1995.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 95-7274 Filed 3-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P