BILL REQ. #: S-0600.1
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/16/09. Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.
WHEREAS, The Latino population is the fastest growing ethnic group
in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, The Latino population faces systemic, institutional, and
social barriers in access to higher education evidenced by college
enrollment rates; and
WHEREAS, The abolishment of affirmative action in Washington State
has removed methods of dealing with barriers to higher education facing
the Latino community; and
WHEREAS, Education is the most important function of the state of
Washington and is essential to the economic health, cultural diversity,
civic vitality, and political well-being of the state and the nation;
and
WHEREAS, There is significant evidence that citizens benefit by
having an opportunity to access the education and training that will
allow them to contribute to the healthy future of not only themselves
and their families but also to the community at large; and
WHEREAS, Latino educational achievement is an increasingly
important benchmark for assessing the contributions of institutions of
higher education to the economic and civic health of Washington State;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of
Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a joint
select committee on Latino accessibility to higher education be
established, in consultation with the Washington State commission on
Hispanic affairs to:
(1) Increase awareness throughout the educational pipeline about
the challenges facing the Latino community, to close the generational
information gap within the Latino community;
(2) Close the generational information gap within the Latino
community about the cost of and accessibility to higher education;
(3) Investigate ways to provide an appropriate level of financial
aid to help Latinos enroll in and graduate from Washington State
institutions of higher education;
(4) Improve articulation and communication between two-year and
four-year institutions of higher education regarding higher education
issues especially important to the Latino community; and
(5) Develop and propose strategies for helping Latino students
achieve at high academic levels;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of eight
members, four members each selected by the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee report its findings and
recommendations to the legislature at the regular legislative session
in 2011.