Colleges disagree over what constitutes an agricultural program and therefore who qualifies for limited federal agricultural resources.

For minority-serving institutions coping with the greatest recession in decades, there may be major gains for those who earn the title of “Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university.”

Already called “HSACU” among government relations experts, the designation may pay off big for some Hispanic-serving institutions. The 2008 Farm Bill created six new small programs for such colleges and universities, and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is asking Congress for $260 million in total start-up funding for next year.

With university endowments down and states cutting back on public-college funding, such new pots of money, however small, are attracting interest among college leaders. In addition to this battle, minority-serving institutions are asking Congress to fund a new — but as yet unfunded — program to address the digital divide at Black colleges, HSIs and tribal colleges.

Minority-serving institutions also are looking to the Department of Defense, Department of Energy and other agencies for new federal dollars.

“Our schools are facing increasingly large challenges with the global economic conditions right now,” says Edith Bartley, government affairs director at the United Negro College Fund.

While long-standing pots of money under the Higher Education Act remain essential to MSIs, here is a look at some of the emerging funding battles elsewhere:

Farm Bill: For HSIs, implementing the Farm Bill is a two-front battle. The first is asking Congress to fund the new programs. The other is how to define “Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university.”