Norma Jean Revilla-Garcia
HACU Director of Communications
Hispanic Assoc. of Colleges & Universities
Phone: (210) 576-3206
E-Mail: news@hacu.net
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Statement by HACU President on the nomination of the
new U.S. Secretary of Education
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President and CEO Antonio Flores issued the following statement today on the nomination of Arne Duncan as the next U.S. Secretary of Education.
“The nomination of Mr. Arne Duncan as the next U.S. Secretary of Education is another step towards improving our schools so that all of our children have the opportunity to succeed in school, to graduate from high school, and to pursue their aspirations to college and university or to their chosen career.
"Having led the country’s third-largest school district for the past seven years, Mr. Duncan is surely familiar with the challenges to our nation’s ability to educate our youth. The majority of Hispanic young people are enrolled in large and often under-funded school districts. We trust that Mr. Duncan’s experience will raise awareness of the urgent need to increase the achievement rates of all students, but especially of those Hispanics who too often are denied the higher educational opportunities to develop their talents and make their best contributions to the American way of life.
"HACU will continue to work for more adequate funding to strengthen the capacity of Hispanic-Serving Institutions of higher learning (HSIs) and Hispanic-Serving School Districts.
"HACU pledges to work with Mr. Duncan to assure equal access to education for every student. We look forward, under this new administration, to a renewed commitment to educational access and success for all Americans as the only sure and solid foundation of our country’s future."
HACU will be gathering in Washington D.C., March 1-3, 2009 to meet with members of the new Administration and the Congress and to present its Legislative Agenda at the association’s annual Capitol Forum.
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About HACU
HACU is a national organization that represents more than 400 colleges and universities that collectively serve two-thirds of the more than 2 million Hispanic students in U.S. higher education across 37 states and Puerto Rico. HACU has headquarters in San Antonio, and offices in Washington, DC, and Sacramento, California. Visit www.hacu.net.
Antonio Flores, Ph.D., has been president and CEO of HACU since 1996. During his tenure he has tripled HACU’s membership, expanded its programs, and increased federal funding for HSIs from 12 million in 1995 to more than 100 million. In 2008, $93.2 million were appropriated for HSIs under Title V of the Higher Education Act. HACU has recommended $175 million be appropriated for fiscal year 2009. Flores is the recipient of numerous awards including recognition among the Top Influential Leaders in the U.S. and Latino Community (June 2008 issue) and a top Latino Leaders in Education (September/October 2008 issue) of Latino Leaders Magazine. Hispanic Business Magazine recognized him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.