FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 22, 2024

Hispanic Association Colleges and Universities statement on President Biden’s announcement

SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has issued a statement on President Joe Biden’s announcement on July 21, 2024, to end his campaign for a second term in office.

“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities extends its heartfelt gratitude for President Biden’s service to the nation, particularly for his support of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Latino/a higher education success,” said HACU President and CEO, Antonio R. Flores. “President Biden affirmed his longstanding support for HSIs by issuing an Executive Order on July 17, 2024, for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Hispanic-Serving Institutions (the Executive Order). We commend the President for his recognition of the more than 600 HSIs as the backbone of America’s workforce competitiveness in the global economy.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that 78 percent, or more than three out of every four new workers joining the country’s labor force in this decade will be Hispanic. HSIs educate and train two thirds of the nearly four million Hispanic college students and a grand total of 5.3 million students from diverse backgrounds. “As America’s labor force becomes increasingly Hispanic and more diverse, HSIs take prominence as a national asset to strengthening our economic vitality and international standing across the world,” Flores noted.

Looking forward, HACU is collaborating with key senior officials of the Biden Administration to ensure that the Executive Order is celebrated at a formal signing ceremony at the White House with the participation of Congressional leaders, HSI presidents/chancellors, and other dignitaries.

Read the Fact Sheet on the Administration New Actions to Expand Opportunities for Latino Communities here.

About HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters is in San Antonio, Texas, with offices in Washington, D.C, Sacramento, California, and Chicago, Illinois.

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