March 3, 2020

Chris de Hoyos

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities President and CEO Antonio R. Flores was a panelist during the “State of the HBCU Address,” luncheon convened by United Negro College Fund on March 3, 2020, in Washington, D.C.

Flores participated on a panel comprised of CEOs of Minority-Serving organizations and gave brief remarks concerning the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act and its successful passage and adoption into law on December 19, 2019. 

“The swift enactment of the FUTURE Act is also a great testament of the collective power of these associations and the national communities they represent,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio Flores.

The bill mandates $255 million of critical annual funding to be invested in Hispanic-Serving Institutions as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority-Serving Institutions. The bill’s passage will benefit nearly 6 million students, 4.5 million enrolled at HSIs alone. This funding will help community colleges and universities to increase the rate of Hispanic representation as engineers, scientist, health professionals, and technicians across the Nation.

Flores also spoke about the Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment (HERE) Act which calls for federal support for HSIs to work more closely with PK-12 school districts that enroll most students of color in the nation to increase their high school graduation rates and college readiness.

This spring HACU will build off of the momentum of the successful enactment of the FUTURE Act into law and the appropriation increases for HSI programs in FY 2020, and gather advocates for Hispanic higher education in Washington, D.C. for its 25^th Annual National Capitol Forum, April 21-22, 2020. Click here for more information about HACU’s Capitol Forum.