FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 20, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Hutchison Bill to Establish Graduate Programs for Hispanic Serving Institutions Advances
S. 565 Accepted in Higher Ed Re-Authorization
WASHINGTON -- Important legislation offered by U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) was included as part of the Higher Education Reauthorization bill, which today advanced through the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
S. 565, known as the Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Act, would establish an HSI graduate program to provide fellowships and support services for graduate students, facility improvements, faculty development, technology and distance education, and collaborative arrangements with other institutions.
“Since I arrived in the Senate, I have worked to increase appropriations for HSIs,” said Sen. Hutchison. “These institutions are vital to ensuring that Texans have the opportunity to advance their education. This graduate program will substantially increase the enrollment of Hispanic students in graduate and professional degree programs.”
“Hispanic students are earning bachelor’s degrees in greater numbers than ever before, but we must keep pace. We must expand the capacity of colleges and universities to serve the increasing number of Hispanic students who want to go on to graduate school,” said Sen. Bingaman.
“We are grateful to Senators Hutchison and Bingaman and the other members of the HELP committee for marking up this legislation, especially the Title V section,” said Dr. Antonio Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). “This new part will strengthen the capacity of Hispanic serving institutions across Texas, New Mexico, and the rest of the nation to ensure that future generations of Hispanic and under-served populations have a chance to pursue graduate education programs that in past years have not been available to them.”
S. 565 was introduced in February 2007 by Senators Bingaman and Hutchison and included Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Ken Salazar (D-CO) as co-sponsors.
Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by House Education Subcommittee Chairman Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX).
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