In a federal rollback reshaping equity programs nationwide, Delta College is bracing for the loss of millions in aid that has powered its Asian American and Pacific Islander learning communities. The halt follows the Trump administration’s decision to end Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) grants, including those sustaining the college’s Empowering Positive Initiatives for Change (EPIC) Center.
The cut freezes the final two years of a five-year Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (ANAPISI) grant that has funded tutoring, counseling, and cultural programs for hundreds of first-generation and immigrant students, according to public comments from faculty at the Oct. 7 Board of Trustees meeting.
Faculty and students urged trustees to safeguard the program, while President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson said the college plans to “institutionalize” EPIC — shifting it from federal funding to permanent college support — so services continue even after the grant ends.
Lawrenson described the grant as “seed money” that was always meant to expire in 2027, adding that finding alternative funding sources has been part of the college’s plan.
“Fortunately, we have sufficient grant funds to sustain the program through September 2026, giving us time to develop a thoughtful and effective strategy. That said, we recognize the importance of moving forward with urgency. We will conduct a thorough review of the program’s budget and explore other funding opportunities,” Lawrenson said.
MSI grants cuts
The Sept. 10 executive order freezes about $350 million in federal MSI grants nationwide, impacting Hispanic-Serving, Historically Black, and AANAPISI institutions.The administration argues such programs “rely on unconstitutional racial quotas,” citing a lawsuit filed by the State of Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions, the group behind the 2023 Supreme Court case that ended affirmative action. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said funds will be redirected toward “race-neutral” initiatives.
The decision is already facing legal challenges and motions to intervene. The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and other higher-education advocacy groups have filed to defend the MSI programs in Tennessee v. U.S. Department of Education, arguing the administration’s interpretation “misapplies the Equal Protection Clause and threatens decades of equity work.”
At Delta, the ANAPISI Part A grant — a five-year federal award that helps colleges develop academic and support programs for students — was awarded in 2022 and has funded the EPIC Center, a learning community offering linked courses, mentoring, and culturally responsive workshops for Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Filipino students. Housed in the Science and Math Building, EPIC also provides academic counseling, cultural celebrations, and leadership opportunities through the EPIC Club, according to Delta’s website.
“The program has been vital in advancing equity and student success for our communities,” said Eugene Gamble, president of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Staff Association. “While the federal decision may be outside our control, our institution can still take decisive action.”
Dr. Cirian Villavicencio, political science professor and EPIC co-founder, called the decision “deeply misguided and harmful,” saying it dismantles programs that “expand opportunity and foster student success.”
During public comment, students described EPIC as more than a program.
Second-year student Brian Tao said the community helped him raise his GPA to 3.02. “EPIC gave me something much more valuable, a family and a home,” he said.
Brandon Young, a Hmong American student, told trustees that EPIC kept him in school after a four-year break.
“Statistically, I wasn’t supposed to be here,” he told trustees.
Anne Marin, vice president of the EPIC Club, called it “a family within the thousands of people at Delta College,” helping first-generation students “find belonging and confidence.”
EPIC’s response
EPIC Director Susan Vang said the announcement blindsided campuses nationwide.
“We were all just surprised the day it came out,” she said. “The statement calling our work racist felt like a slap in the face.”
Vang said the grant supports the director, academic advisor, and counselor positions, as well as the EPIC Learning Community, which currently serves 35 students. The center has supported more than 150 students since the grant began, many of whom transferred to universities through their advising and mentoring network.
Despite the freeze, Vang said the center will remain open through at least September 2026, using rolled-over funds and a no-cost extension from the U.S. Department of Education. “We’ll keep supporting students — budget or no budget — and get creative,” she said. “My center is not closed off to anyone. It may be AAPI-focused, but we have tons of students who find community here.”
Vang added that she is collaborating with the president’s office and Academic Affairs to secure the program’s long-term future.
“We want to make sure that all three staff positions stay, that we don’t lose the counselor or advisor, and that we continue to grow,” she said. “The plan is to expand to about 100 students within the next few years.”
“Programs like EPIC close equity gaps and transform lives,” Villavicencio said. “Our students are watching. We must stand by them.”
Meanwhile, students and faculty continue to advocate for local support. Delta administrators say they are working to maintain the three grant-funded positions and keep the center’s services intact while awaiting statewide guidance from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, which did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
