2002.12.01: December 1, 2002: Headlines: Hispanic Issues: Hispanic Today: Antonio R. Flores, Ph.D reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for "too many years"
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2002.12.01: December 1, 2002: Headlines: Hispanic Issues: Hispanic Today: Antonio R. Flores, Ph.D reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for "too many years"
Antonio R. Flores, Ph.D reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for "too many years"
Flores reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for “too many years,” However, now I see a renewed effort on the part of the private sector to catch up,” he says. “This is probably because they see Hispanics as a main source of talent and expertise to meet the needs of business and industry. It is in their own best interest to invest heavily in our institutions.”
Antonio R. Flores, Ph.D reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for "too many years"
Access and Outrage
[Excerpt]
Hispanic business and political leaders agree: We must work harder to encourage Hispanics to get a college education. Hispanic America, in part, seems to be moving in the right direction. Federal funding for Hispanic education is steadily increasing, and opportunities for mentoring and scholarships from the private sector are helping to provide greater opportunity for Hispanics. However, the struggle for those hoping to break out of a poverty lifestyle and reach middle class status is still intense, and that struggle is evident on community college campuses across the nation.
Antonio R. Flores, Ph.D., the president of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), says of the state of Hispanic education in general, “Obviously we have seen a change for the better. But on a per student basis, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI’s) receive about one third of what other colleges and universities receive from the federal government in terms of total funding.” Flores reports that currently, HSI’s are enjoying a Title 5 appropriation of $86 million, an amount that has grown steadily over the past few years, from only $28 million in 1999.
Flores reports that the private sector has neglected the needs of Hispanics for “too many years,” However, now I see a renewed effort on the part of the private sector to catch up,” he says. “This is probably because they see Hispanics as a main source of talent and expertise to meet the needs of business and industry. It is in their own best interest to invest heavily in our institutions.” For example, Flores says, IBM is working in partnership with HACU to provide products, services and support for HSI’s. “Still,” he says, “the amounts are small compared to what they give to other colleges and universities, so we have to continue working to catch up.”
The community college, where anyone with a high school diploma and a modest amount of money for tuition can find a stepping stone into employment, or into higher education and a four-year university, is the major engine that brings higher education to the Hispanic community. According to Flores, “Community colleges do a very good job in educating non-traditional populations that historically have not attended four-year institutions in significant numbers ... populations that wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to attend post-secondary education.” However, community colleges typically receive less funding, while serving populations with greater obstacles to success such as language barriers, financial difficulty and the lack of family role models who have a college education, to name a few.
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Story Source: Hispanic Today
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Hispanic Issues
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