A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Biennial Evaluation Report - FY 93-94

Chapter 515

Strengthening Institutions Program (Title III, Part A)

(CFDA No. 84.031)

I. Program Profile

Legislation: Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, Title III, Part A, amended by P.L. 102-325 (20 U.S.C. 1051-1059b) (expires September 30, 1997).

Purpose: To help institutions of higher education with limited financial resources serving significant percentages of needy students become financially self-sufficient.

Funding History

Fiscal Year Appropriation 1/
1987 $75,467,000
1988 60,060,000
1989 77,459,000
1990 82,911,000
1991 87,830,000
1992 87,831,000
1993 86,257,000
1994 88,586,000

1/ The Title III discretionary program was first funded in FY 1966. However, this version with three parts was not funded until FY 1987.

II. Program Information and Analysis

Performance Indicators

The program office is currently developing the performance indicators that will be used to assess the program's performance. Program staff believe that the most appropriate indicators would be the number and percentage of institutional activities' objectives achieved and subsequently the number and percentage of projects institutionalized. More specifically, these indicators could demonstrate reductions in attrition rates, increases in transfer rates from 2-year colleges to 4-year colleges, the development of new curricula, the implementation of improved and effective teaching styles, and improved management capabilities among others.

Population Targeting

When the appropriation equals or exceeds $60.5 million, 25 percent of the funds in excess of $60.5 million must be made available to institutions that enroll at least 60 percent minority students.

The distribution of Part A funds to institutions has remained relatively constant since 1991 (see Table 1).

Table 1

Strengthening Institutions Program Obligations by Institutional Racial/Ethnic Identification and Institutional Type and Control Fiscal years 1991, 1992 and 1993

Instititutional Racial/Ethnic Identification* FY 1991 FY 1992 FY 1993
Number of Awards Obligations % of Total Dollars Number of Awards Obligations % of Total Dollars Number of Awards Obligations % of Total Dollars
Historically Black** 1 $488,053 0.6% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Predominantly Black 15 3,906,022 4.4 17 5,003,294 5.7 16 5,512,760 6.4
Predominantly White 231 70,239,282 80.0 236 71,114,004 81.0 224 69,617,471 2.4
American Indian 17 3,520,166 4.0 13 2,598,919 3.0 8 2,040,159 2.4
Asians/Pacific Islanders 5 1,195,48 1.4 4 990,868 1.1 5 1,172,374 1.3
Hispanic 37 8,477,263 9.7 28 8,123,915 9.2 22 7,914,236 9.2
Total 306 $87,826,270 100.1%*** 298 $87,831,000 100.0 275 $86,257,000 100.0
Type and Control
Four-Year Private 60 $12,783,491 14.6 54 $12,102,510 14.0 50 $12,850,022 15.0
Four-Year Public 38 10,320,169 11.8 35 11,230,528 13.0 38 12,533,197 14.5
Two-Year Private 14 3,361,495 3.8 14 2,876,184 3.0 11 3,041,183 3.5
Two-Year Public 194 61,361,115 69.9 195 61,621,778 70.0 176 57,832,598 67.0
Total 306 $87,826,270 100.1%*** 298 $87,831,000 100.0 275 $86,257,000 100.0
Source: III.1

*HBCUs are defined as colleges founded before 1964 for the purpose of educating black Americans. The predominant racial/ethnic categories are institutions where more than 50 percent of students are of that racial/ethnic category.
**Note that HBCUs may not receive funding under both Part A and Part B, the HBCU formula grant program, in the same year.
***Numbers add to more than 100% due to rounding.

Services

The Strengthening Institutions program supports an annual funding competition for two types of discretionary grants: 1-year planning grants and 5-year development grants. Institutions may use their funds to plan, develop, and implement activities for faculty and academic program development, funds and administrative management, joint use of libraries and laboratories, acquisition of equipment to be used in strengthening fiscal management and academic programs, and student services.

Program Administration

To apply for a grant, an institution must meet basic eligibility requirements. Basic eligibility requires an institution to be accredited or pre-accredited by the State to grant Bachelors or Associates degrees.

In addition, to be eligible to compete in Part A, institutions must show that they serve substantial numbers of needy students and have limited resources. Need is defined by the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants enrolled at an institution, and resources is defined by education and general (E&G) expenditures per full-time-equivalent student. Each year, cut-off values are published for both measures, and institutions with higher Pell participation rates and lower E&G expenditures per student are eligible to compete for funds. There are several allowable waivers to these requirements, for which a written justification is needed.

Management Improvement Strategies

An annual national workshop is held that includes technical assistance workshops to improve continuation applications and projects.

III. Sources of Information

  1. Program files.

IV. Planned Studies

An evaluation of the Title III programs is planned to begin in FY 1995.

V. Contacts for Further Information

Program Operations:
Caroline J. Gillin, (202) 708-8816

Program Studies:
Jim Maxwell, (202) 401-0182

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[Training Program for Special Programs Staff and Leadership Personnel] [Table of Contents] [Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Univeersities (Title III, Part B)]