Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As our nation continues to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the highest-ranking Latino in Congress, yesterday led a bipartisan group of colleagues in passing a Senate resolution recognizing 569 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the country that play a critical role in educating and empowering the next generation of Hispanic leaders. The resolution designated the week of September 13, 2021 as “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.”
“As the proud alumnus of one of New Jersey’s leading Hispanic-Serving Institutions, I experienced first-hand the positive impact these institutions make in the lives of Hispanic students across the country by providing them with unparalleled academic and professional opportunities,” said Sen. Menendez. “It is therefore with immense pride that I reintroduce this Senate resolution, which recognizes the role current and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions play in preparing our nation’s Hispanic students to succeed academically, thrive economically, and to become our next generation of leaders.”
Defined as degree-granting institutions where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes of no less than 25% of the total enrollment, HSIs play a critical role in educating Hispanic youth and creating economic opportunities for the economies in which these institutions are embedded. HSIs are located in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, with emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions located in 38 states and Puerto Rico. New Jersey is home to 20 HSIs.
This resolution is supported by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is grateful for Senator Menendez’ continued dedication towards the advancement of Hispanic-Serving Institutions and his leadership on the Senate Resolution designating Sept. 13-19, 2021 as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. We also commend the group of bipartisan senators who support HSIs by co-sponsoring the resolution,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “HSIs educate more than 5.24 million students, including two-thirds of the 3.8 million Hispanic students in higher education. The impact and value these institutions have on their students and communities are immeasurable. Recognizing HSIs at the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month emphasizes the role these institutions play in advancing Hispanic success across the country.”
Sen. Menendez has long been an ardent supporter of minority-serving institutions and the critical investments they make in minority students. Earlier this year, Sen. Menendez and his colleagues voted to make historic investments in Minority-Serving Institutions, which were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Sen. Menendez joined several of his colleagues in pushing Upstart and other lenders and service providers for accountability and transparency following a report from the nonprofit Student Borrower Protection Center that found lenders may be charging higher interest rates to students who graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions. And with the passage of the FUTURE Act in 2019, Sen. Menendez and his colleaguessuccessfully secured renewed funding for minority-serving institutions of higher education.
This resolution is cosponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
A copy of the resolution can be found HERE.
The 20 HSIs in New Jersey are:
· Atlantic Cape Community College
· Bergen Community College
· Bloomfield College
· Caldwell University
· College of Saint Elizabeth
· Cumberland County College
· Essex County College
· Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
· Felician University
· Hudson County Community College
· Kean University
· Middlesex County College
· Montclair State University
· New Jersey City University
· Passaic County Community College
· Pillar College
· Rutgers University-Newark
· Saint Peter’s University
· Union County College
· William Paterson University of New Jersey
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