The future of college preparation for low-income and first-generation students at Pima Community College has taken an unexpected turn. The college’s TRiO Upward Bound grant programs, which have been a crucial support for these students, are set to be discontinued following a decision by the Department of Education.
On September 12, the Department of Education informed Pima Community College that the TRiO Upward Bound grants would be terminated by the end of the month. The decision was influenced by concerns over Pima’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy and the inclusion of racial justice workshops within the grant program.
In a letter dated September 12, the Department expressed that the college’s grant application contained proposed activities that might conflict with federal priorities, emphasizing that the continuation of the project is not aligned with the “best interest of the Federal Government.” According to the letter, these activities conflicted with the department’s emphasis on “merit, fairness, and excellence in education.”
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