"This new support for the higher education success of our nation's youngest and largest ethnic population will benefit all of us in supporting efforts to provide Hispanic college students the advanced knowledge they need to excel in today's high-skills, global economy," HACU President and CEO Antonio Flores said.

"These grants are urgently needed investments in those colleges and universities serving the largest concentrations of Hispanic higher education students, whose enrollment numbers have doubled in the past decade. This is an investment in a better future for everyone," Flores said.

The new grants were awarded to Hispanic-Serving Institutions, or HSIs, in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Puerto Rico. HSIs have a full-time student enrollment that is at least 25 percent Hispanic.

HACU is the only nationally recognized voice for HSIs, which historically receive only a fraction of federal funds on average per student compared to all other degree-granting institutions.

The new awards were funded under Title V of the Higher Education Act, which was created to directly address historic funding shortages by targeting federal education funds to HSIs. HACU and its allies in Congress led the successful effort to first create the HSI category, and then win a series of federal funding increases for HSIs in ensuing years.

The Title V grants announced this week stem from these efforts, which led to a record increase in Title V appropriations in federal fiscal year 2002 to $86 million from $68.5 million in fiscal year 2001. In addition to the $15.3 million in Title V grants announced this week, another $70.7 million in grants will be awarded to 157 HSIs by early September.

Title V of the Higher Education Act remains the chief vehicle through which federal funds can be targeted to HSIs. HACU is now seeking a record new increase in Title V appropriations for HSIs to $125 million for fiscal year 2003.

"This year's Title V grants would not have been possible without the leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions Coalition and other distinguished members of the House and Senate who have advocated so successfully for the education needs of Hispanic Americans and of all Americans," Flores said. "We owe them our deepest gratitude for their vision, leadership and continuing commitment to the college and career success of our students."

HACU represents more than 330 member and partner colleges and universities, including HSIs. The 33 HSIs awarded the $15.3 million in new Title V grants are:

Title V Development Grants:
*California's Bakersfield College ($367,178)
*California State University at Dominguez Hills ($427,568)
*California State University at Fresno ($446,246)
*California State University at Northridge ($300,292)
*California's Cerritos Community College ($417,285)
*California's Alliant International University in San Diego ($420,038
*California's Whittier College ($301,745)
*Florida's Miami-Dade Community College-Medical Campus ($450,000)
*Florida International University ($420,867)
*Illinois' Malcom X. College ($441,000)
*Massachusetts' Northern Essex Community College ($417,436)
*New Jersey's Union County College ($386,592)
*New Jersey's Hudson County Community College ($450,000)
*New Mexico State University at Grants ($450,000)
*New Mexico's Mesalands Community College ($311,650)
*Puerto Rico's University of Puerto Rico at Humacao ($330,267)
*Puerto Rico's University of Puerto Rico at Utuado ($390,838)
*Texas' El Paso Community College ($384,364)
*Texas's University of Texas of the Permian Basin ($450,000)
*Washington's Yakima Valley Community College ($444,499)

Title V Cooperative Development Grants
*California's Woodbury University ($600,000)
*California State University at Fresno ($600,000)
*California's Hartnell College ($547,710)
*California's Allan Hancock College ($600,000)
*Florida's St. Thomas University ($595,378)
*New Jersey City University ($571,129)
*New York's Lehman College of the City University of New York ($650,000)
*Puerto Rico's Universidad del Este ($581,786)
*Puerto Rico's University of the Sacred Heart ($556,543)
*Puerto Rico's Carlos Albizu University ($564,001)
*Texas' Midland College ($598,814)
*Texas' Sul Ross State University ($600,000)

For more information, contact HACU at (210) 692-3805. Ext. 3214. Or visit www.hacu.net.