The future of Southern Adventist University’s largest grant is uncertain after the U.S. Department of Justice declined to defend a federal program that helps fund Hispanic-serving colleges and universities against a lawsuit.
The lawsuit, brought by the state of Tennessee and a legal advocacy group, alleges the program is unconstitutional because it discriminates against colleges and universities that do not meet the student population requirements necessary to qualify for the grant.
Southern Adventist University in Collegedale is the only university in Tennessee where 25% or more of the student body is Hispanic — the minimum requirement for the designation. The university first gained the Hispanic-serving designation in 2018 and won a grant in 2023.
The university will disburse the $3 million Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant from the Department of Education over five years. It aims to fund internships, develop curriculum and improve facilities for science, technology, engineering and math.