HACU statement on the necessity of continued member engagement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 23, 2025

HACU statement on the necessity of continued member engagement

SAN ANTONIO - The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President and CEO Antonio R. Flores has released the following statement.

"HACU is committed to the principle of educational opportunity as a means of individual and societal progress. For underserved students who are the first to attend college in their low-income families, educational opportunity is the primary avenue to the American Dream. The majority of the 5.2 million college students at the 600 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the country fit that profile. Historically, the number of HSIs has grown by 20 to 25 annually. That is why HACU has been able to persuade the U.S. Congress and previous administrations throughout the years to invest in HSIs since 1995.

"The fast-growing reliance on underserved populations to fill new jobs in our increasingly high-tech driven economy calls for even greater investments in HSIs in the years ahead to strengthen their capacity to effectively educate and train their burgeoning student population. Their graduates play a key role in strengthening the country's workforce and driving our growth and prosperity. Investing in HSIs is an investment in America's future.

"As the 119^th Congress and the new Federal Administration define their priorities, HACU is ready to work with both sides of the aisle in finding common ground to advance our nation's competitiveness in new and emerging fields, such as Artificial Intelligence applications, microprocessors, biotechnologies, aerospace industries, food production, advanced manufacturing, health science and services, teaching and learning, and others where the talents and expertise of HSIs and their graduates can make a big difference. In this regard, HSIs are also crucial to our national security.

"HACU is also preparing to work more closely with governors and state legislatures, especially in states with a sizable number of HSIs and emerging HSIs, such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, New Jersey, Georgia, and others across the nation. In several states, including California and Texas, a significant portion of PK-12 students come from underserved populations, contributing to a pipeline leading to an increase in enrollment at HSIs and emerging HSIs. HACU's policy agenda with the states is to increase the success and graduation rates of underserved populations to further enhance the economic and social health of their communities.

"In the spirit of collaboration and a shared commitment to fostering a robust economy, strengthening families, and enhancing communities through educational opportunity and success, HACU urges its membership to remain actively engaged as advocates for their students, faculty, staff, and the broader communities they serve."

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). HACU programs and services are available to all students, faculty, and staff at HACU-member institutions. The Association's headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, California and Chicago, Illinois.

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