FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2, 1997

CONTACT: Mary Ann Maloney (202) 606-1800 mamalone@opm.gov or Antonio Hernandez (210) 692-3805 ext. 24

Washington, D.C. -- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President Dr. Antonio Flores and Office of Personnel Management Director Jim King today launched new recruitment efforts to bring greater access to federal employment information for students attending HACU institutions.

President Clinton has directed us to strive for a government that looks like America, and today we are reaching out on an expanded national basis to do that, Director King said. The partnership agreement we sign today shows the desire to recruit the best and brightest from everywhere in America.

The Partnership Agreement signed by Dr. Flores and Director King will provide five HACU institutions located throughout the United States with touch screen computers that provide nationwide federal job information. The agreement addresses the need to bring federal employment information to students attending HACU institutions. According to OPMs annual report to Congress on the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program, Hispanics remain the only underrepresented minority group in the federal government.

The touch screen computers will provide student and faculty members with federal job listings that are updated daily, information on the Presidential Management Intern program, and summer employment program. OPM will ask other federal agencies to support the effort to place touch-screen computers at other HACU institutions whose occupational programs respond to the agencies particular employment needs.

The placement of these five touch screen computers is a beginning in improving the federal governments relationship with participating HACU institutions and the communities they serve. We must continue to seek new ways to attract the broadest number of candidates to public service, as we face the challenges ahead, said Director King.

Collectively HACU institutions enroll almost two-thirds of the estimated 1.2 million Hispanic students enrolled in college today, said Antonio Flores, president of HACU. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is leading the efforts in providing our graduates with access to important federal employment opportunities, Flores added.

The five universities to receive the touch screen computers are: University of Arizona (Tucson); Florida International University (Miami); University of New Mexico (Albuquerque); University of Puerto Rico; Texas A&M University (Kingsville).

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