Call for Comments on proposed certification process for HSACU institutions

HACU urges institutions to submit comments on proposed regulations for Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) before the August 12, 2011, deadline. 

After a 10 year battle with policy makers, HACU persuaded Congress to include provisions for Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) in the 2008 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. While not fully equivalent to the land grant status enjoyed by the 1890 HBCUs or the Tribal Colleges and Universities, the HSACU designation is an important step forward for qualified HSIs and authorizes several potentially significant new funding vehicles. 

The Department of Agriculture, through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), has now proposed regulations to define the eligibility criteria for Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) institutions.  NIFA expects to announce its final rule on September 1, 2011. The proposed regulations include an initial list of 57 institutions as potential HSACUs.  

When this new distinction becomes finalized, it will provide a new funding stream for HSIs which are HSACUs. If Congress makes an appropriation to fund the HSACU Endowment Fund as included in the President’s 2012 budget request, it would be the first HSACU appropriation.  

The Federal Register announcement of the Call for Comment and the proposed regulations can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NIFA_FRDOC_0001-0023. 

You may submit comments, identified by Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 0524-AA39, to the U.S. Department of Agriculture by August 12, 2011, by any of the following methods:   

·         Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.  

·         E-mail: hsacu@nifa.usda.gov. Include RIN 0524-AA39 in the subject line of the message.