CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PUERTO RICO RESIDENT COMMISSIONER
LUIS G. FORTUÑO

SAN JUAN, P.R – Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner, Luis Fortuño, today celebrated the success shown by Island universities in obtaining federal funds over the last four years. An analysis of the total amount granted by the U.S. Department of Education to Puerto Rico universities reveals that more than $100 million in funds have been distributed to strengthen school curriculums, research and development and student aid, among other initiatives.

“The increase in funds obtained from the federal Department of Education reflects the commitment on the part of these institutions to improving the quality of education offered to young people,” Fortuño said. The Resident Commissioner emphasized that the universities’ demonstrated success in having their proposals approved at the federal level owes in part to the recent passage by Congress of the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (CCRA). “Federal approval of funding proposals submitted by various universities in Puerto Rico shows the benefits that have been generated by the workshops that my office has held with the federal Department of Education,” said the Resident Commissioner, who noted that that the workshops offered in 2007 and 2008 aimed to help universities in Puerto Rico who wanted to work in tandem and thereby expand the amount of federal funding they could receive. Among the universities that received funds under this program are the Inter-American University in Barranquitas, Universidad del Este, Humacao Community College, Bayamón Central University, Universidad Politécnica and Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. These universities received a total of $9.6 million for fiscal year 2009.

“During the last three years, I have worked with all universities in Puerto Rico to ensure that they have access to federal funds and can provide a quality education to our young people,” said Fortuño, who intervened to obtain an extension of the deadline to submit CCRA proposals so as to allow the full participation of universities in Puerto Rico. The new program aims to increase the number of Hispanic students earning degrees in science, technology and math, or “STEM.”

In the last four years, public and private universities in Puerto Rico have received more than $90 million in federal funds through programs like TRIO, Upward Bound and McNair, among others. “Many of these programs were at risk of being eliminated by Congress, but thanks to my support and that of many of my colleagues, we were able to retain them,” explained the Resident Commissioner, who recognizes the important role of these programs play with respect to student retention rates at Puerto Rico universities. “Our universities are at the forefront of education at the national level and their professionalism and vision explain their capacity to attract federal funds,” said Fortuño.

• Funds Granted to Universities in Puerto Rico under CCRA
• University     Total CCRA Funds for Fiscal Year 2009
• Humacao Community College  $1,643,025
• Inter-American University   $777,228
  Barranquitas
• Universidad Central de Bayamón  $2,022,902
• Universidad del Este    $839,714
• Universidad Politécnica   $3,420,567
• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón  $873,629

Total      $9,587,065 

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