Recently Released: Minority-Serving Institutions of Higher Education: Developing Partnerships to Revitalize Communities

HUD's Office of University Partnerships recently released
a new report detailing the accomplishments of the
minority-serving institutions that participate in four
HUD grant programs:

o The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
program;
o The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities
(HSIAC) program;
o The Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP);
and
o The Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions
Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) program.

These grant programs have enabled campus-community
connections to be forged in both rural and urban locales  
with large minority populations, such as Modesto, CA and
Lawton, OK.

"Minority-Serving Institutions of Higher Education:
Developing Partnerships to Revitalize Communities" takes
a close look at HUD's role in developing these
partnerships, the OUP grant programs that target
minority-serving institutions, and the specific
activities that 26 OUP grantees are carrying out in their
neighborhoods.

Many of these institutions were involved in stabilizing
and improving nearby neighborhoods. HUD has encouraged
participating colleges and universities to work as
partners with their neighboring communities and has
empowered them with federal funds and programs that could
attract additional resources. The result has been a
significant increase in neighborhoods that have gone from
distressed to desirable and a marked increase in the
number of minority students who choose careers in urban
affairs.

In the report, HUD highlights the accomplishments
ofminority-serving institutions in terms of how they can
help local communities:

o Shape their physical characteristics. For example,
architecture and planning programs work with local
community development corporations to revitalize
distressed neighborhoods. Business schools lend their
expertise to neighborhood entrepreneurs.
o Shore up their economies. Colleges and universities
employ large numbers of community members, purchase large
amounts of goods from local business, and generate demand
for housing in proximity to the university. In addition,
minority-serving institutions lend credibility and
visibility to local projects and help communities
leverage additional resources to fund community efforts.
o Celebrate local culture. Minority-serving institutions
help communities plan cultural events and celebrations,
give area residents an opportunity to participate in fine
and performing arts classes and performances, and help
preserve the best in local culture, history, and
traditions.

Educators and students who work on community projects
learn valuable lessons from the practical application of
ideas and from residents who have an intimate
understanding of neighborhood challenges. The report
describes in more detail how the grant programs for
minority-serving institutions are organized and who they
serve, and highlights the work that 26 grantees and their
community partners are carrying out to revitalize their
neighborhoods, assist businesses, bridge the digital
divide, and provide social and supportive services.

The OUP grant programs featured in this report expand the
effectiveness of minority-serving institutions by
addressing community development needs, such as
neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic
development. Activities must meet both a Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) program national objective
and CDBG eligibility requirements. Programs must benefit
low- or moderate-income individuals, aid in the
prevention of slums or blight, or meet other community
development needs. Examples of activities include:
acquiring property; clearing lots and demolishing rundown
buildings; rehabilitating residential structures;
assisting with the temporary relocation of individuals,
families, and nonprofits; providing direct homeownership
assistance; providing public service activities,
including those concerned with employment, crime
prevention, childcare, healthcare, drug abuse and
education; and offering fair housing services in order to
further the objectives of the Fair Housing Act.

"Minority-Serving Institutions of Higher Education:
Developing Partnerships to Revitalize Communities" is
available for download from the Office of University
Partnerships at http://www.oup.org/pubs/minority-report.pdf
or in printed form for a nominal charge by calling the
University Partnerships Clearinghouse at
1-800-245-2691 and choosing option 3 from the main
menu.
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