Expressing support for the recognition of September 28, 2020, to October 2, 2020, as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week.

Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions are degree-granting postsecondary institutions that have a full-time equivalent undergraduate enrollment of not less than 10 percent Asian-American and Pacific Islander students; Whereas the purpose of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program is to improve the availability and quality of postsecondary education programs to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and low-income students; Whereas the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program was originally authorized on September 27, 2007, by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007; Whereas, since 2007, 217 colleges and universities have been eligible to be designated as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions throughout the United States, including the United States territories; Whereas, as of the 2020–2021 academic year, 39 Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions are or have been funded in the United States, including the United States territories; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions are of critical importance, as they enroll and graduate large proportions of Asian-American and Pacific Islander college students, the majority of whom are overwhelmingly low-income and first-generation; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions comprise 5.1 percent of all institutions of higher education, yet enroll nearly 40 percent of all Asian-American and Pacific Islander undergraduate students; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions employ many of the Nation’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander faculty and staff; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions award almost half of the associate’s degrees and approximately one-third of the bachelor’s degrees attained by all Asian-American and Pacific Islander college students; Whereas over half of funded Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions have an Asian-American and Pacific Islander enrollment of over 20 percent; Whereas one-third of the funded Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions have active Asian American Studies programs that play a vital role in preserving the heritage, culture, history, and experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; Whereas Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions create culturally relevant academic programming, programs, research, and services to support low-income and first-generation students and increase the graduation rates and educational experiences of Asian-American and Pacific Islander students; Whereas celebrating the vast contributions of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions strengthens the culture of the United States; and Whereas the achievements and goals of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions deserve national recognition: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the achievements and goals of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions in their work to provide quality educational opportunities to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other students who attend their institutions; (2) encourages institutions of higher education that are eligible for designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution to obtain such designation and establish programs to serve the unique needs of Asian-American and Pacific Islander students and families; and (3) calls on the people of the United States and interested groups to observe Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate support for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions.

Summary: This resolution recognizes the achievements and goals of institutions of higher education that are designated as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions on Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week and encourages eligible institutions to obtain the designation.