FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2006

Town Hall Meeting addressed responsibility of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Immigration Issues

San Antonio, TX – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) held a Town Hall Meeting as part of its 20th Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Monday, October 30, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

The Town Hall Meeting primarily addressed the question of how HSIs can emphasize “serving” Hispanic students in ways that go beyond the federal definition which is based simply on enrollment.  A second focus was serving the needs of undocumented students in the spirit of the proposed Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. 

“Helping undocumented students go to school is good for them and good for our nation and our HSIs, already at the forefront of educating the growing Hispanic-American population, are best equipped to do the job,” said Antonio R. Flores, President and CEO of HACU.  “HACU is working hard to get the DREAM Act passed in Congress so these bright students have every opportunity to develop their talents and make their best contributions to their adopted homeland.”

Dr. Charles Reed, Chancellor and CEO of the California State University System, the nation’s largest four year university system, discussed CSU’s successful outreach programs to neighboring communities to recruit and encourage potential students.  He also emphasized the importance of helping undocumented students get to college.

“If we don’t go out of our way to serve these students, then we run the risk of not serving the country,” said Dr. Reed.

The President of Our Lady of the Lake University, Dr. Tessa Martínez Pollack, also stressed the importance of getting the DREAM Act passed and argued that it should be separated from other immigration reform proposals in order to get greater support.

Mr. Gaston Caperton, President of The College Board and former Governor of West Virginia, further underlined the importance of helping undocumented students, “Their younger siblings run a greater risk of dropping out because they've seen other students work hard for nothing.”

HACU has been active in the last two Congresses in support of DREAM Act legislation on the national level and has supported similar measures on the state level.  Currently eleven states have legislation which allows undocumented residents who have graduated from state high schools and been long-term state residents to attend public colleges and universities at in-state tuition rates.

###

Town Hall Panel (l-r): Ricardo R. Fernández, President of Lehman College, City University of New York; Charles B. Reed, Chancellor & CEO of the California State University System; Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board; and Tessa Martínez Pollack, President of Our Lady of the Lake University