HACU’s 21st Annual Conference to highlight recruitment, retention of Hispanic Students

“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) 21st Annual Conference, “Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success: A National Imperative for the 21st Century,” will feature a stellar roster of speakers showcasing the latest trends and best practices in Hispanic higher education on Oct. 20-22, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois.

The conference tracks include: Recruitment and Retention of Hispanic Students; Challenges for Hispanic Education; Advocacy and Legislation-Higher Education; and International Higher Education. “We hope that the participants will come away understanding the importance of Hispanic higher education issues and at the same time benefit from a tremendous opportunity to network, forge cost-effective partnerships, and learn about new public and private sector education funding opportunities,” said Antonio Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities.

Highlights of the conference will include:
– The Latino/a Leadership Institute – a sold-out pre-conference event that will focus on addressing the need to re-fill the pipeline with the next generation of Latino and Latina faculty, staff and administrators, Oct. 20, 8 a.m-4 p.m.
– A Career Fair Exhibit will feature employment, internship and scholarship opportunities for job seekers and college students. The Career Fair is free and open to the public on Sunday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
– Jesse Ruiz, Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, will speak at the power lunch, Oct. 21 at noon.
– An International Plenary, Hispanic Higher Education: Its Role in Shaping our Future, will bring together leaders from Latin America and Spain to share their perspective on how to make Hispanic higher education successful. The panel of experts will include: Keynote Speaker – Ambassador Arturo Sarukhán Casamitjana, Embassy of México in the USA; Dr. Miguel Martí­nez López, Education and Science Commissioner, Embassy of Spain in the USA; and Dr. Julio Miguel Martí­n Puertas, Rector, Universidad Autónoma de Asunción””Paraguay. The moderator will be Prof. Agnes Mojica, Chancellor, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Germán, Oct. 22, 9-10:15 a.m.
– A lively Town Hall Meeting on the topic of Immigration Reform will be held Oct. 22, 3:45-5 p.m. Joshua W. Hoyt, Executive Director, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, will be among the speakers.

For information on Career Fair Exhibitors, or registration for HACU’s 21th Annual Conference, visit

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• Brazil replaces Mexico as China’s top market in Latin America and boosts its surplus as well.
• About 350 Latino underclassmen from 11 northwest suburban high schools explored the campus of Harper College, getting a sample of what their lives could be like if they pursue higher education. 8th annual Latino Summit
• At-risk Hispanic students get a hand up in after-school program at Bonnabel – Louisiana
• LatAm Immigrants Are Changing Spain, Sociologist Says
• Yeri Lopez: Student loan rules hamper best and brightest
• The current global crisis will cause the number of poor people in Latin America to rise by 9 million to 189 million this year, the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean said in a report presented on Thursday.
• The leader of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Latin American division, Vicente Trius, is leaving the company after having served less than five months in the position.
• Beginning with the 2009-2010 season, Terra will stream select games live throughout Latin America, in both Spanish and Portuguese
• The University of Panama indefinitely suspended classes on Wednesday after confrontations between students and police during a protest against alleged U.S. involvement in plans to build new military installations.
• Over the last 3 years, high schools that received the lowest marks from the city have been the ones with the highest percentages of poor, black and Hispanic students, despite an evaluation system that was meant to equalize differences among student bodies, according to an analysis by The New York Times of school grades released this week.
• Hispanics are 9% of the Virginia’s schoolchildren, but 5% of gifted students.
• The Associated Press on Wednesday announced changes in its Latin America and Caribbean operations, closing a service limited to Puerto Rican news within Puerto Rico while adding editors and reporters elsewhere for the expanding Spanish market in the Americas.
• Money Transfer Service to Latin America – ATMCASH launches online and over the phone money transfer service to Latin America
• Reviewed: Gringo: A Coming-of-Age in Latin America, by Chesa Boudin
• Trend Toward Smaller Families in Latin America – The number of people per household in Latin America will fall by 18 percent by 2020, according to a study released in this capital Tuesday by consulting firm Euromonitor International.
• Deporting undocumented students affects the chances for legal return if Congress doesn’t address it in immigration reform bill
• Hispanic Graduate Students Benefit from Online Education Grant – University of St. Thomas in Houston strives to improve retention and graduation rates for Hispanic graduate students. UST received a $2.8 million education grant to offer two options
• Speaking Out: Students Support Latino Studies Program – Cornell University
• A Chicago City Council committee wants federal officials to halt deportation proceedings against immigrant students. – The Human Relations Committed on Friday approved a resolution urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow immigrant students to stay in the U.S. – Rigo Padilla