FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 2006

Governor’s Veto of California DREAM Act Disappoints HACU, Latino Community

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) expressed extreme disappointment at Governor Schwarzenegger’s last minute veto of Senator Cedillo’s SB 160.  SB 160 would have allowed AB 540 students the right to compete for financial aid programs as permitted by federal law, including access to Board of Governor waivers at the community colleges. Assembly Bill 540 allowed California high school graduates who had spent at least three years at a California high school the right to pay in-state tuition. However, without access to financial aid, the dream of a college education is still out of reach for many of these students.

“The Governor had the opportunity to show his commitment to the education of all Californians, as well as to show leadership at the national level with the DREAM Act,” said Antonio Flores, President and CEO of HACU.  “We are extremely disappointed that the Governor chose to dash the hopes of many college-bound students by denying them the right to compete for financial aid.”

“HACU will continue to advocate for the DREAM Act at both the federal and state level during future legislative sessions.  HACU hopes that Congress and Governor Schwarzenegger will do the right thing by talented youth who are college bound,” added Dr. Flores.

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.

For more information, please contact HACU's Western Regional Office at 916-442-0392 or wro@hacu.net.

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