Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities – HACU.

November 29, 2010
NJ Revilla-Garcia

HACU calls on educators to urge Congress to pass the “DREAM Act”

“It’s now or never for the DREAM Act …or at least now or not for a very long time,” said Antonio R. Flores, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), in a communication issued on November 29 to member colleges, universities and school districts nationwide.

The communication comes at the beginning of the week that the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2009 (DREAM Act) is expected to be taken up by the U.S. Senate and subsequently by the House of Representatives.

HACU, a longstanding supporter of the DREAM Act, is among the organizations reaching out to supporters to urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act. “We know that opponents of the DREAM Act are organizing a coordinated campaign to discredit this legislation as amnesty,” said Flores as he urged educators to send letters to Congress during this crucial week. “We must not forget the deserving students the passage of the DREAM Act will benefit.”

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is the lead organizer of the Act on the DREAM Coalition that is also calling for nationwide support for the DREAM Act. The Coalition represents a broad alliance of supporters urging Congress to pass the DREAM Act. More information is available at www.actonthedream.org.

PUBLICATION
Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads. (Click on title to see full reference from the National Academy of Sciences)

In order for the United States to maintain the global leadership and competitiveness in science and technology that are critical to achieving national goals, we must invest in research, encourage innovation, and grow a strong and talented science and technology workforce. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation explores the role of diversity in the science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) workforce and its value in keeping America innovative and competitive. According to the book, the U.S. labor market is projected to grow faster in science and engineering than in any other sector in the coming years, making minority participation in STEM education at all levels a national priority.

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation analyzes the rate of change and the challenges the nation currently faces in developing a strong and diverse workforce. Although minorities are the fastest growing segment of the population, they are underrepresented in the fields of science and engineering. Historically, there has been a strong connection between increasing educational attainment in the United States and the growth in and global leadership of the economy. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation suggests that the federal government, industry, and post-secondary institutions work collaboratively with K-12 schools and school systems to increase minority access to and demand for post-secondary STEM education and technical training.

The book also identifies best practices and offers a comprehensive road map for increasing involvement of underrepresented minorities and improving the quality of their education. It offers recommendations that focus on academic and social support, institutional roles, teacher preparation, affordability and program development.

Antonio.Flores@HACU’s Blog
http://floreshacu.wordpress.com/
Posted November 8, 2010 by floreshacu
Federal Legislation, Hispanic Higher Education

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) expects that the 112th Congress will continue to support its legislative agenda on behalf of Hispanic higher education success and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Support for education, especially for HSIs and Hispanic-Serving School Districts (HSSDs), has usually been bipartisan and progressive. HACU remains committed to working in that manner with all members of Congress, both Hispanic and other.

But before the 111th Congress ends in December, HACU is also hopeful that the unfinished business of passing the DREAM Act and approving much-needed funding requests for HSIs will be completed. The leadership of the current Congress has publicly reiterated their commitment to acting on the DREAM Act during the lame duck session, which begins on November 15. HACU continues to work hard with 27 other national organizations that comprise the Act on the DREAM Coalition for this to become a reality. Please urge your members of Congress to pass this legislation by selecting “take action” to send an instant message from www.actonthedream.org.

HACU is also pushing for greater funding support for HSIs as Congress turns to approve appropriations for fiscal year 2011. As it stands, HSIs receive only 52 cents for every dollar that all other colleges get annually from all federal sources per student. This gap must be closed without delay. Visit www.hacu.net for more information on HACU’s legislative agenda.

If, as expected, the 112th Congress takes up the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, or No Child Left Behind), HACU will be advocating for the inclusion and support of HSIs and HSSDs for the preparation of quality teachers and for greater collaboration between K-12 and higher education. We’ll keep you posted on developments.

The United States once led the world in college degree attainment but has now fallen to number 12. To regain its leadership and remain competitive in the global economy, Hispanics, the fastest-growing and youngest demographic in the nation, must attain much higher educational success — and the schools and colleges that have the lead role in educating them must be funded accordingly. This is what HACU expects from both the 111th and the 112th Congresses.

Dear Colleagues,

The Southwest Council of Latin American Studies (SCOLAS) is now accepting panel and paper proposals for the March 10-13, 2011 Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Proposals from all disciplines are encouraged, including but not limited to: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, Cultural Studies, Environmental Studies, Ethnomusicology, Film Studies, Gender Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature, Political Science, and Sociology. Panels should consist of three presenters and a chair/commentator. Individual paper proposals are also welcome. Papers can be in either English or Spanish. Please provide names, professional affiliations, email addresses, and a one paragraph abstract of the paper or panel you propose.

The deadline for proposal applications is: December 15, 2010. We look forward to seeing all of you there.
Sincerely,
Paul Hart
SCOLAS President

Please send panel or paper applications to SCOLAS@txstate.edu
The conference will be at the Sheraton Old San Juan, located in the old colonial part of the city.
To find out more, visit our website at http://txstate.edu/history/scolas
Please direct questions about papers, panels, or the conference to Dr. Paul Hart at SCOLAS@txstate.edu

Paul Hart
Dept of History
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 245-2067

There are several recipients from the City University of New York.
Congratulations!