FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2022

SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has released the following statement on Secretary Miguel Cardona’s 2022 priorities for the Department of Education. 

“HACU applauds Secretary Cardona for highlighting the need for increased accessibility to higher education and for committing to break down the barriers for underrepresented students,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.

It is “Un-American” for postsecondary education to remain “out of reach for students and their families,” said Cardona. Many Latino students forgo a postsecondary education because of the financial commitment and unmanageable loan debt.

Therefore, HACU urges the Secretary to support initiatives that are fair and equitable to Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) that have been underserved and underfunded for decades. Maximizing the Pell grant and forgiving student loan debt is the first step in creating educational access and opportunities for the students HSIs educate and serve. We look forward to working with the Secretary and his staff to champion Hispanic success in higher education. 

About HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, D.C, Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

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HACU Media Contact:
Norma Jean Revilla-Garcia
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
210-576-3206
njgarcia@hacu.net

Christopher de Hoyos
Assistant Director of Communications and Social Media
Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
210-576-3242
chris.dehoyos@hacu.net