CSN recognized by feds as minority-serving institution for Asian students

The College of Southern Nevada is now a minority-serving institution for Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander students.

The designation, announced Monday and issued by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes the CSN student body is composed of more than 50 percent low-income or Pell Grant eligible students and at least 10 percent of the student population identifies with the ethnicities indicated by the award.

“It allows us to compete for federal funding and other competitions that designate funding” under Title III, said Maria Marinch, CSN’s director of diversity, inclusion and multicultural services.

Title III is a U.S. Department of Education program that helps colleges increase their ability to serve low-income students.

CSN is in the process of applying for Title III grants. Next year, CSN will apply to become Nevada’s first Hispanic-serving institution, based on 2012 numbers. Designations are based on enrollment data from two years prior. Applications require data on population makeup and financial aid. The grant amounts vary, she said.

“It’s a competitive process and each time it gets more competitive because we have more and more colleges becoming Title V or HSI,” Marinch said. Title V develops Hispanic-serving institutions, or HSI.

In fall 2013, CSN’s enrollment was 10 percent Asian American, 1 percent Native American and 2 percent Pacific Islander.

Student demographics also show enrollment is 38 percent white, 26 percent Hispanic and 11 percent African-American.

Minority-serving institutions also include historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges and universities.

Contact reporter Kristy Totten at ktotten@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3809. Find her on Twitter: @kristy_tea.