FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2006

HACU Praises CA Legislature for Passing Senate Bill (SB) 1563

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) today commended the California State Senate for its passage of Senator Escutia’s SB 1563. 

SB 1563 would create the Community College Early Assessment Pilot Program.  Currently, 80% of all Latino students attending a public California college or university are at a community college.  The Community College Early Assessment Program would give Latino students a better understanding of their readiness for college-level work, as well as allow time for them to adequately prepare to succeed at a California community college.  The California State University System already provides this invaluable service to prospective students and expanding the program to community colleges should increase the number of students going on to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees.
 
“Unfortunately, many Latino students are not taking or do not have access to the rigorous coursework that prepares them for a college education,” said Antonio Flores, President and CEO of HACU.  “While community colleges are open to everyone, many students may not realize they need remedial coursework that does not count as college credit.  SB 1563 would give students a better idea of where they stand academically.  We encourage the Governor to sign SB 1563 into law.”

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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