HACU, Education Department Agreement Will Aid Hispanic Students - Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, Oct 26, 2000

Hispanic-serving colleges and universities will benefit from a new memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Education that was announced late last month.

"By working together, we can make the most of research and grant opportunities, internships, fellowships and other opportunities benefiting Hispanic colleges and Hispanic American students," Education Secretary Richard W. Riley says of the agreement with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

The memorandum encourages greater participation on several fronts, such as Education Department internships for Hispanic students; opportunities for officials from Hispanic-serving colleges to serve on the department's advisory boards and commissions; special programs to help increase Hispanic student achievement; technical assistance to Hispanic-serving colleges; and new employment opportunities at the Education Department for Hispanic graduates.

A joint leadership group of officials from both organizations will coordinate these activities. The agreement is the "first of its kind in the opportunities it will provide for the institutions we represent and the high numbers of Hispanic college students they are educating," says Dr. Antonio Flores, HACU president. HACU represents 265 colleges and universities nationwide that have a 25 percent or more Hispanic student enrollment.