February 19, 2009
HACU Media Contact:
Norma Jean Revilla-García
njgarcia@hacu.net
210.692.3805

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan expected to speak at HACU Capitol Forum 

Washington, D.C. March 1-3, 2009

Advocates of Hispanic higher education will gather for HACU's 14th Annual National Capitol Forum, "New President, New Administration, New Agenda," which will take place March 1-3, at the Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C.

“It’s a critical time in history and we want to make sure that Hispanic higher education is not forgotten,” said Antonio Flores, HACU president and CEO.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is among those expected to lead the roster of distinguished keynote speakers. Capitol Forum sessions include:

  • Preparing Our Students for a 21st Century Economy
  • The Budget Process and an Appropriations Outlook for FY 2010
  • The Role of Hispanic Serving Institutions in Preparing the Nation’s Workforce
  • Key Legislative Proposals in the 111th Congress: ESEA, Energy, Minority Health Disparities
  • Current & Future Legislation Impacting HSIs: The American DREAM Act and 
    U.S. International Relations
  • Strategic Advocacy: Working Effectively with Congress
  • HACU’s Legislative Priorities

Special events include:

  • a Capitol Hill Reception, Honoring our Champions in Congress, March 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  • NSF Listening Session, March 1, 2-5 p.m., on the development of an NSF program to collect stakeholder input on Section 7003 of the America COMPETES Act which authorizes NSF to establish a new program to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions; U.S. Department of Education.
  • Title V Technical Workshop, March 4, 9 a.m.-Noon. Information to be provided on the 2009 undergraduate Title V competition and the new post-baccalaureate program authorized by last year’s reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

HACU's Capitol Forum is critically timed to introduce Hispanic education leadership to a new Congress and to make the case for much needed investments in Hispanic higher education. Presidents of HACU-member institutions will lead delegations to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to increase funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which currently receive about half the federal funding per student compared to all institutions of higher education. Students will also be joining them in the visits, which are part of the Capitol Forum agenda.

Forum attendees will include leaders of HACU-member colleges and universities and superintendents of Hispanic-Serving School Districts. In addition to appropriations issues, Congress is also expected to move the reauthorization of “No Child Left Behind,” which contains provisions for Teacher Education and resources for upgrading the nation’s K-12 education system.

Registration information and agenda are available at www.hacu.net



  

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

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