June 27, 2017

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities' (HACU) President and CEO Antonio R. Flores is in Washington D.C. to meet with legislators and federal agency heads on the current state of Hispanic higher education. Flores will highlight the role Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) play in educating and preparing the America's workforce and the federal support needed for that preparation. Congress will soon enter the summer recess and the end of the fiscal year, and funding support at the federal level is of critical importance.

Flores met on June 27 with the office of Senator Marco Rubio regarding federal funding for HSIs - Rubio is a member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee. Flores also met with Kathleen Smith, the new acting assistant secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education to discuss expanding the collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education and HACU to increase support for HSI funding programs in the department and among its grantees. HACU's president discussed the formation of the National Science Foundation (NSF) HSI grant program with NSF Director France A. Córdova, as well as speaking with the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein on HSI programs in education, NSF and defense.