HF Statement on HEA Civil Rights Principles

April 30, 2018 (New York, NY)  – Hispanic Federation President José Calderón has issued the following statement regarding the Higher Education Act Civil Rights Principles.

“Since 1965, the Higher Education Act (HEA) has opened the doors of public colleges and universities to students of color. Congress now has the moral duty to reauthorize this Act in a way that meets today’s challenges, delivers on civil rights protections and secures the economic future of the United States,” said José Calderón, president of the Hispanic Federation.

“As a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Hispanic Federation is proud to have contributed to the development of the Civil Rights Principles for the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. These principles are intended to protect the well-being and rights of students, and serve as a response to issues of equitable access and affordability issues, including the crisis of student debt. Addressing these issues is critical to ensuring that we graduate the diverse, future leaders our nation simply cannot prosper without.

“We will be urging all of our congressional members to reauthorize the HEA in a way that renews and reenergizes it’s historical commitment to marginalized communities and underserved students of color throughout our nation.”

The full civil rights principles can be read here, and a full list of signatories can be found here.