This is an optional Innovation & Leadership credit. These credits recognize exemplary practices and performance above and beyond what is recognized in standard credits and may not be relevant to every institution. Scoring in the Innovation and Leadership section is capped at 4 bonus points total.
Credit Language
IN 31: Serving Underrepresented Groups – version 2.2
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of Minority-Serving Institutions are typically reported under this credit?
Examples of designated MSIs in a U.S. context include:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
- Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions
Globally, other nomenclature is used to designate minority-serving institutions, e.g. “historically disadvantaged institutions”, “indigenous colleges and universities”, and “minority status institutions”.
Example Responses
- California State University, Dominguez Hills – Uploaded document affirms formal status as a Minority Serving Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution, and provides background information on the institution’s historical mission to educate underrepresented students.
- California State University, Sacramento – Links directly to the institution’s Hispanic Serving Institution web page and includes an attached list of Hispanic Serving Institutions that includes this institution.
- University of Illinois at Chicago – Response references an institutional website that includes clear documentation affirming recognition as a Minority Serving Institution, Hispanic Serving Institution, and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI).
- University of Minnesota, Morris – Response provides clear documentation that the institution is officially recognized as Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI).
Common Issues Identified During Review
- Institutions must be on one or more official lists for minority-serving institutions, historically disadvantaged institutions, indigenous institutions, or the equivalent. US institutions: See lists of minority-serving institutions by the U.S. Department of Education.