This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on September 10, 2025.
Aloha UH ʻohana,
The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) today announced it will end discretionary funding for several Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) grant programs, including those for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiʻi (ANNH) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving-Institutions (AANAPISI), because they tie eligibility to race/ethnicity quotas. The USDOE also indicated that mandatory MSI funds appropriated by Congress will continue for now, while longer-term legal questions are reviewed.
This is a deeply concerning development raising important questions for all 10 campuses. It will affect all of our students, the programs that support them and the dedicated staff who carry out this work. Today’s announcement in no way diminishes the value or importance of that work. Like many in the UH ʻohana, I am deeply saddened by this development.
We are actively assessing the impact on each UH campus and program, and we will share campus-specific details as soon as they are available.
What we can say today:
- Discretionary ANNH and AANAPISI grants are ending in FY25 (September 30). This termination will affect students and programs across the system and positions funded by these grants.
- Congressionally mandated ANNH and AANAPISI funds will continue but their long-term status is uncertain.
- Institutional funds are limited and will be prioritized to provide mission-critical and short-term bridge support.
To our community, we say unequivocally that UH remains committed to the care and success of every student and the preservation and advancement of Hawaiʻian ʻike (knowledge) and ʻōlelo (language). It is central to our mission as a Native Hawaiian place of learning and an Indigenous-serving institution, as articulated in our system and campus strategic plans.
We are united in our determination to meet the demands of this moment and continue to serve our students and our community. We will find a way to work within any new framework created and partner with our campus stakeholders, congressional delegation and state leaders to address this latest challenge.
In the days ahead, campus leaders will identify programs that have been terminated or are at risk and implement contingency plans to sustain high-priority student services. We will provide regular updates to students, faculty and staff as more information becomes available and as federal guidance evolves. Specific questions from program leads should be directed to your campus leadership.
Mahalo for your patience and partnership as we work through this dramatic change in federal policy. Our shared kuleana to support all students and communities and to steward ʻike Hawaiʻi remains steadfast.
Me ke aloha,
Wendy Hensel
UH President
