WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and the United States Department of Education began working today and yesterday as the newly formed HACU/USDE Leadership Group, an advisory body for the partnership initiatives created by the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to put the agreement into action.
The Leadership Group generated ideas to create more employment/internship opportunities, improve educational attainment and increase faculty research support and campus technology assistance for Hispanics. Members of the leadership group included Antonio R. Flores, HACU President and CEO; Ana Margarita (Cha) Guzman, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education; William Gilmore, Director of the Office of Management; Robert Belle, Director of TRIO Programs; Margarita Benitez, Director of Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Service (IDUES); A. Lee Fritschler, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education; and Sarita Brown, Executive Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
"This is one of the most important collaboration agreements HACU has ever signed because it will strengthen HSIs and create greater and better opportunities for Latinos," said Antonio R. Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). "The historic assembly of these two groups signals a formal commitment from the Department of Education to empower the Hispanic American community and thereby empowers our member colleges and universities at the forefront of this effort."
HACU represents more than 270 colleges and universities with high Hispanic enrollment. In the United States, these institutions are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic higher education students. HACU also is a national leader in pre-collegiate programs and legislative initiatives designed to open more doors to a college education for Hispanic Americans at every age level.
The Leadership Group generated ideas to create more employment/internship opportunities, improve educational attainment and increase faculty research support and campus technology assistance for Hispanics. Members of the leadership group included Antonio R. Flores, HACU President and CEO; Ana Margarita (Cha) Guzman, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education; William Gilmore, Director of the Office of Management; Robert Belle, Director of TRIO Programs; Margarita Benitez, Director of Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Service (IDUES); A. Lee Fritschler, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education; and Sarita Brown, Executive Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
"This is one of the most important collaboration agreements HACU has ever signed because it will strengthen HSIs and create greater and better opportunities for Latinos," said Antonio R. Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). "The historic assembly of these two groups signals a formal commitment from the Department of Education to empower the Hispanic American community and thereby empowers our member colleges and universities at the forefront of this effort."
HACU represents more than 270 colleges and universities with high Hispanic enrollment. In the United States, these institutions are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic higher education students. HACU also is a national leader in pre-collegiate programs and legislative initiatives designed to open more doors to a college education for Hispanic Americans at every age level.