FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30, 2006

HACU Praises Passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 2813

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) today commended the California State Assembly for its passage of Assembly Member De La Torre’s AB 2813. 

There are currently half a million Hispanic students in California’s community colleges, CSUs and UCs statewide, and many current and future Hispanic students will benefit from changes to Cal Grant awards.  Many students who are financially needy and have proven they can succeed in college have been denied a Cal Grant award because of current restrictions.  Cal Grant eligibility requirements are limited to persons under the age of 24.  However, many Latino students are returning students, or otherwise not of traditional college-going age, and are hampered in their ability to obtain an education because they are no longer eligible for a Cal Grant award.  AB 2813 increases the age cap to 27 which would have a positive effect on many Hispanic students and the state’s economic future.
 
“HACU is pleased that the Legislature has recognized that many transfer students are older, but still require financial assistance to achieve their dreams of completing their college education.  AB 2813 will be a great boon to those students who choose to return to college and earn their degrees to better their families’, and their own, future.  We strongly encourage the Governor to sign AB 2813,” said Antonio Flores, President and CEO of HACU.

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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