Minority Serving Institutions: A Data-Driven Student Landscape in the Outcomes-Based Funding Universe

Oct 15, 2026

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Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) emerged to address racial inequity and social injustice, driven by racial and ethnic minorities’ limited access to predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Enrolling about 20% of U.S. college students, MSIs contribute to postsecondary education through outcomes linked to men of color, teacher education, STEM education, and performance within two-year MSIs. Using descriptive statistics from NCES and the National Science Foundation, the study calls for deeper consideration of MSIs’ unique mission, especially for low-income students of color, and ends with policy recommendations and implications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Literature Review

Types of MSIs and their niches

Student support and educational opportunities

UC Berkeley Berkeley Review of Education Title Minority Serving Institutions: A Data-Driven Student Landscape in the Outcomes-Based Funding Universe Permalink [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2s64k4mb](https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2s64k4mb) Journal Berkeley Review of Education, 7(1) Authors Gasman, Marybeth Nguyen, Thai-Huy Samayoa, Andrés Castro et al. Publication Date 2017-01-01 Peer reviewed [eScholarship.org](eScholarship.org) Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Minority Serving Institutions: A Data-Driven Student Landscape in the Outcomes-Based Funding Universe Marybeth Gasman,a 1 Thai-Huy Nguyen,b Andrés Castro Samayoa,c and Daniel Corrald aUniversity of Pennsylvania bSeattle University cBoston College dUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Abstract Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) emerged in response to a history of racial inequity and social injustice due to racial and ethnic minorities’ lack of access to Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). Enrolling 20% of the nation’s college students, MSIs are an integral part of U.S. higher education. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the contributions that MSIs are making to postsecondary education, specifically contributions related to performance with men of color; teacher education; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; and outcomes measures within two-year MSIs. We use descriptive statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics and the National Science Foundation to call for deep consideration of the unique mission MSIs serve, especially with regard to educating low-income students of color within the universe of outcomes and performance-based evaluation. We conclude with recommendations and implications for policy. Keywords: Minority Serving Institutions, outcomes, accountability, performance Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) emerged in response to a history of racial inequity and social injustice due to racial and ethnic minorities’ lack of access to Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) , as well as significant demographic shifts over the past 40 years (Cunningham, Park, & Engle, 2014; Nuñez, Hurtado, & Calderón Galdeano, 2015) . Today, even more significant demographic changes in the country have created clusters of racial and ethnic minorities throughout the nation and within college and university settings. Representing 20% of the nation’s college students, MSIs are now an integral part of U.S. higher education (Conrad & Gasman, 2015) . Since the establishment of Cheyney University, a historically Black institution, in 1837 , MSIs have represented a key point of access for those populations that have been legally and socially excluded from PWIs. In this article, we detail the ways in which widened access to opportunity in higher education has positively influenced areas that are considered vital at 1 Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to: Marybeth Gasman, Judy & Howard Berkowitz Professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, 3819 Chestnut Street, Suite 140, Philadelphia, PA, [19104. E-mail: mgasman@gse.upenn.edu](19104. E-mail: mgasman@gse.upenn.edu). Berkeley Review of Education Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 5–24 both the state and federal levels (Cunningham et al., 2014; Orfield, 2014) . Rather than asking if and why MSIs matter in education and to the workforce, this article represents a response to how they matter. In the following sections, we offer an overview of the current literature focused on achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, teacher preparation, and outcome measures (e.g., graduation rates) within the subset of two-year MSIs. Our overview of these areas connects to current trends calling for the diversification of the teaching profession, the need for graduates with competencies in STEM, and the value of attaining

FAQs

What problem do Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) address?

MSIs emerged in response to racial inequity and social injustice, particularly the lack of access racial and ethnic minorities had to predominantly white institutions (PWIs).

How large is the MSI sector in U.S. higher education?

MSIs enroll about 20% of the nation’s college students and are described as an integral part of U.S. higher education.

What does the paper focus on regarding MSI contributions?

It highlights MSI contributions related to performance with men of color, teacher education, STEM education, and outcomes measures within two-year MSIs.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ben