[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 55961-55962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22343]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 79 , No. 180 / Wednesday, September 17, 2014 
/ Presidential Documents  

[[Page 55961]]


                Proclamation 9167 of September 12, 2014

                
National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, 2014

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In America, every child should have access to a world-
                class education. Our Nation's classrooms cultivate and 
                challenge young minds and build a skilled and 
                competitive workforce, securing a brighter future for 
                our children and our country. Across America, Hispanic-
                Serving Institutions (HSIs) provide essential education 
                opportunities and play a vital role in fulfilling our 
                responsibility to the rising group of Hispanic 
                innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, and scholars. This 
                week, we honor these halls of learning and recommit 
                ourselves to inspiring and preparing the next 
                generation of leaders.

                Our Nation can strengthen our economy and have the 
                highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 
                2020, but achieving this goal will require us to unlock 
                the full talents and potential of every student. 
                Hispanic Americans represent the largest and one of the 
                fastest growing minority groups in the United States, 
                yet they are continually underrepresented in our 
                colleges and universities. HSIs--where more than half 
                of America's Hispanic undergraduates attend--are 
                critical to increasing the college enrollment, 
                retention, and graduation rates of this expanding 
                population. That is why the Federal Government is 
                investing more than $1 billion over 10 years in these 
                schools to renew, reform, and expand higher education 
                programs for Hispanics.

                Today, the Hispanic dropout rate has fallen by more 
                than half, and more Hispanics are enrolled in college 
                than ever before--but we have more work to do to ensure 
                that hardworking students are never priced out of a 
                higher education. My Administration has increased Pell 
                Grants, expanded pathways to earn degrees at our 
                community colleges, and offered new tuition tax credits 
                and better student loan repayment options to millions 
                of people, and we will keep fighting to improve college 
                affordability throughout our country. By lowering the 
                cost of college for students and their parents and 
                supporting HSIs, we can extend the promise of a college 
                degree to an increasing number of Hispanics.

                In a changing economy, a college education is one of 
                the surest ways into the middle class, and this week we 
                celebrate institutions that help improve the lives of 
                their students and revitalize the communities where 
                they serve. Let us never forget that the future belongs 
                to the nation that best educates its people. When we 
                strengthen our HSIs, we help ensure that all our 
                children, no matter who they are or where they come 
                from, have the chance to achieve their dreams.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim September 14 through 
                September 20, 2014, as National Hispanic-Serving 
                Institutions Week. I call on public officials, 
                educators, and all the people of the United States to 
                observe this week with appropriate programs, 
                ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the many 
                ways these institutions and their graduates contribute 
                to our country.

[[Page 55962]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
                ninth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2014-22343
Filed 9-16-14; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F4