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HF Statement on Trump’s Administration's Assault on Diversity in Higher Education

July 6, 2018 (New York, NY) – Hispanic Federation President José Calderón has issued the following statement regarding Trump Administration’s Assault on Diversity in Higher Education.

The Trump Administration’s decision this week to rescind a series of guidelines that encouraged colleges and universities to consider race as one factor in admission decisions is yet another of the President’s assaults on people of color. As if targeting religious groups, separating families, and rolling back criminal justice reforms weren’t enough, the Trump White House has now decided to actively work to make it even more difficult for people of color to enter colleges and universities.

Hiding behind the mantle of “equality,” the administration is laying the groundwork for a full-court press against affirmative action programs in higher education. Given the low rates of educational attainment in the Latino, African American and Native American communities, we find this decision to be yet another example of this administration’s penchant for enacting it’s brand of divisive politics over sound policy.

To be clearer, President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, and Secretary of Education DeVos are systematically trying to undermine opportunities for our children.

We take comfort that institutions across the United States, including some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges, universities, and professional schools, have stated that they will continue to take race into account in admissions decisions. We are heartened that they understand the enormous value of a diverse student body and the ripple effects of diversity in higher education throughout our society, politics and economy.

Hispanic Federation has worked for more than a decade to improve Latino student performance in higher education. We have invested significantly in our CREAR Futuros program, which today operates in 9 universities across 4 states, because we understand that our community faces a deficit of college-educated workers and that without these workers our nation will be far less prosperous.

No matter what the Trump Administration does, we will continue to work to increase Latino student success and partner with colleges and universities to make sure that students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds have the opportunity to access high quality post-secondary education.