HACU Member Advisory--June 3, 2004

 HACU joins in collective letter
Opposing education bill components

HACU has joined 46 higher education associations in signing a letter from the American Council on Education (ACE) to Congress that opposes specific components of a bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. “We cannot support this bill in its current form,” said the 17-page letter that praises certain positive provisions, but also criticizes numerous provisions of H.R. 4283 as currently written.

The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on the letter in its June 2, 2004, editions (http://chronicle.com/daily/2004/06/2004060201n.htm), and included links to separate letters from HACU and other higher education organizations regarding H.R. 4283, the proposed College Access and Opportunity Act of 2004. The text of the ACE letter is at www.acenet.edu/hena/pdf/2004_05_26_HR4283.pdf. The letter is addressed to U.S. Rep. John Boehner, Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and to U.S. Rep. Howard P. McKeon, Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.

HACU supports provisions within H.R. 4283 eliminating the two-year wait-out period and 50-percent low-income assurance requirement from Title V language for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Title V remains the chief vehicle for targeting federal investments to historically under-funded HSIs. Eliminating these onerous provisions will remove unnecessary roadblocks to the efforts of HSIs to better serve the higher education needs of our country’s youngest and largest ethnic population.

HACU opposes the inclusion of single-definition language within H.R. 4283, which would add a new category of for-profit institutions to be defined as HSIs for the purposes of eligibility for Title V and Title III funding.

HACU is urging a higher undergraduate funding authorization level for HSIs under Title V, as well as first-time support and funding for a graduate education component.

HACU will continue to update its membership on the progress of this and other important legislation of importance to the Hispanic higher education community. Please also visit http://www.hacu.net/ for information and continuing updates on HACU’s Legislative Agenda for FY 2005 and HACU’s Public Policy Priorities for HEA Reauthorization.

HACU Member Advisories are a service of the
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.