FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30, 2006

HACU Applauds CA Assembly Passage of Senate Bill (SB) 160

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) applauds the California State Assembly’s passage of Senator Cedillo’s SB 160. 

SB 160 would allow AB 540 students access to student financial aid programs as permitted by federal law, including access to Board of Governor waivers at the community colleges.  Assembly Bill 540 allowed California high school graduates who had spent at least three years at a California high school the right to pay in-state tuition.  However, without access to financial aid, the dream of a college education is still out of reach for many of these students. 

“California’s economic success depends on the education of its population.  We hope that the state will allow these deserving students access to the financial resources needed to complete their dreams and become economic contributors to the Golden State,” said Antonio Flores, President and CEO of HACU.
“HACU commends the California State Assembly for passing this important bill. We now encourage the California State Senate to concur in amendments and the Governor to sign this historic legislation which keeps the promise of the Master Plan for an affordable college education for all Californians.”

Currently, HACU has over 97 members in the state of California and in 2005 opened a regional office located in Sacramento to handle Hispanic higher education legislative and policy issues in the western region of the U.S.

HACU represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Portugal and Spain.  Although its member institutions in the U. S. represent less than 10% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.  HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

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