Assembly Concurrent Resolution      No. 146

California Legislature 2007–08 regular session

Introduced by Assembly Member Solorio (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members De Leon and Portantino) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Coto and Saldana)

June 23, 2008

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 146—Relative to the California-Mexico Project.

ACR 146, as introduced, Solorio. California-Mexico Project. This measure would encourage faculty and student exchange between California’s and Mexico’s institutions of higher education through the California-Mexico Project. This measure would request the California Postsecondary Education Commission and the California Research Bureau to assess and determine the current number of faculty and students exchanged between California’s and Mexico’s institutions of higher education.

Fiscal committee:        yes.

Whereas, Student exchange programs not only invoke learning, but also perpetuate constructive communications and collaborative efforts between different groups; and

Whereas, The California-Mexico Project, created by California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Professor Armando Vazquez-Ramos, not only involves the exchange of students, but also the exchange of faculty members as an initiative that could attract more teachers and staff to work at California State Universities; and

Whereas, The enhancement of the California-Mexico Project will increase CSULB's status as a competitive, top-tier university; and

Whereas, The California-Mexico Project could be enhanced to provide cooperative research grants, scholarships, internships, and fellowships for California State University (CSU) and Mexican students who strive to engage and learn together; and

Whereas, Mexico is California's number one business partner and, according to the United States Department of Commerce, United States exports to Mexico exceeded one hundred thirty-six billion dollars (136,000,000,000) in 2007; and

Whereas, The majority of the 10,000 Mexican students who come to the United States study at private universities rather than attending campuses within the University of California or the CSU systems; and

Whereas, The California-Mexico Project would create a solid long-term relationship with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and other key institutions under Mexico's National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), leading to the establishment of joint research ventures and the development of jointly accredited degree programs; and

Whereas, Positive unification and constructive teamwork between CSULB, UNAM, and ANUIES create better understanding relating to issues of legal and illegal immigration; and

Whereas, Positive unification an constructive teamwork between CSULB, UNAM, and ANUIES create better understanding relating to issues of legal and illegal immigration; and

Whereas, An influential and constructive relationship with Mexico could allow policy and economic collaborations with other countries; and

Whereas, The California-Mexico Project could be used as a model for other top-tier international universities seeking to strengthen and diversify their own student exchange programs; and

Whereas, Student exchange programs such as the California-Mexico Project at CSULB, will guide and teach a new generation of students who will greatly impact and positively influence California-Mexico relations and policy development; and

Whereas, The collaboration among CSULB, UNAM, and ANUIES will demonstrate once again that California is an educational and intellectual leader that strives to work with the international community; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California formally endorses the pioneering work of the California-Mexico Project and duly recognizes the leadership provided by Professor Armando Vazquez-Ramos, CSULB College of Liberal Arts Dean Gerry Riposa, and CSULB Chicano Studies Department Chair, Luis L. Arroyo, for fostering this initiative to build institutional relations between California's and Mexico's colleges and universities; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California also duly recognizes the leadership provided by UNAM, Los Angeles Director Alfredo Alvarez Cardenas, ANUIES Central Region President Omar Wicab Guttierez, California State California Bakersfield Professor Gonzalo Santos, and Centro Tlahuica de Lenguase Intercambio Cultural (CETLALIC) Director Jorge Torres Viveros, for their dedication to and collaboration with the California-Mexico Project; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California supports the California-Mexico Project's continuing effort to increase the mobility and exchange of faculty and students between California's and Mexico's institutions of higher education; and be it further

Resolved, that the Legislature of the State of California requests the California Postsecondary Education Commission and the California Research Bureau to assess and determine the current number of faculty and students exchanged between California's and Mexico's institutions of higher education; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California consider policies and programs that will enhance the mobility and exchange of faculty and students between California's and Mexico's institutions of higher education, given the demographic and educational needs of the State of California in the 21st Century; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

Ca. Assembly Concurrent Resolution on The California-Mexico Project

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