FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Passes Provision to Establish HSI Graduate Program
S. 565 Accepted in Higher Education Reauthorization Bill, which Passed Senate Today
WASHINGTON -- Today, by a vote of 95-0, the Senate passed S. 1642, the Higher Education Reauthorization bill, which included important legislation offered by U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). That legislation, S. 565, known as the Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Act, will 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.
“I am so pleased that my HSI bill passed the Senate today,” said Sen. Hutchison. “Since I arrived in the Senate, I have worked to increase appropriations for HSIs because 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 for this legislation,” 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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