September 30, 2011

HACU Statement on House Draft Budget Cuts to Title V

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) strongly opposes the House Committee on Appropriations latest attempt to cut funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) for FY 2012. Yesterday, Congressman Rehberg, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies, issued a draft bill that proposed a $100 million cut to the Title V Part A program for HSIs from the $117 million FY 2010 level.

The proposal from the House would fund the Title V Part A program at $17 million for FY 2012 dramatically lower than the $104.3 million the program received in FY 2011, which was already a $13 million reduction from 2010. The FY 2011 cut forced the Department of Education to fund down the slate rather than host a new competition. The additional proposed cut for 2012 would affect not only the program’s ability to make new awards: it would require cuts to the five-year awards made since FY 2007.  The proposed cuts for HSI programs would significantly impair the ability of our institutions to serve our nation’s students. 

In order to prevent these cuts from getting to the President’s desk, HACU will work closely with the Senate as it moves to approve its version of the FY 2012 appropriations bills which keeps funding for the program at $104.3 million. Even though HACU’s DC staff has been meeting with key Members and staff, Members of Congress need to hear directly from institutions and people affected by the proposed cuts.

For more information, please contact HACU Government Relations staff at 202-261-2090 or at lmaristany@hacu.net.