November 3, 2017
More than 40 higher education representatives participated in a California Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Summit convened by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Western Regional Office, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront on Oct. 29, 2017.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a California higher education funding proposal from HACU recently introduced in the California state legislature. The proposal grew out of several years of conversations with California HACU members about ways HACU can best impact funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the state.
HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores provided an update on the proposal, which is intended to reduce the educational attainment gap of underserved students by providing supplementary funds for targeted support services and programs to assist low income, English language learners, foster youth, and potentially first generation students.
The funding formula proposed would:
Presentations included a Higher Education Legislation and Budget Overview from Calif. Assembly Member Monique Limón of the 37th Assembly District (Santa Barbara and Ventura County) who is authoring the legislation, and Assembly Member Kevin McCarty, 7th Assembly District (Sacramento) who is chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. Both members discussed the budget implications of the bill and the need for increased funding to support underrepresented students across the state.
The Education Trust's Director of Higher Education Policy, Tiffany Jones, Ph.D., provided a historical context and research on higher education funding. Los Angeles Mission College President Monte E. Perez, Ph.D., and vice chair of HACU’s Governing Board, and Larry Salinas, executive director of government relations for Fresno State University, spoke about the need for enhanced higher education funding for underserved students and opportunities and strategies to build advocacy and support for the proposal.
Photo: (Left) Maria Alvarez Executive Director of Legislative Affairs gives remarks during the California HIS Meeting in San Diego, Calif. on Oct. 29. 2017.
The HACU California HSI Summit brought together superintendents, college and university presidents/CEOs, vice-presidents, directors, deans, chancellors and other academic leaders. Representatives from the following institutions were among those in attendance.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University Channel Islands
California State University System Office
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge