OPM Meets with Hispanic Organizations
On January 17, 2002, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management called together a meeting of the Hispanic Organizations Working Group at the OPM Headquarters to discuss the implementation of Executive Order 13171 on Hispanic employment. The purpose of the meeting was to brainstorm about ideas, actions, and partnerships to implement the Executive Order. Latest data indicate that Hispanic employees in the federal work force represent only 6.6 percent of the permanent federal work force (98,667), in comparison to the civilian labor force where they represent 11.4 percent. Hispanic men represent 3.8 percent of the federal work force and Hispanic women only represent 2.7 percent. The federal government is facing a shortage of workers as approximately 50 percent of the federal work force will face retirement age in the next five years. LULAC has been very active in efforts to increase and promote federal public service as a career option, as well as to provide career advancement development for those in public service through the Federal Training Institute held at the annual convention. The meeting was attended by LULAC staff, Brent Wilkes, Executive Director; Dr. Gabriela D. Lemus, Director of Policy and Legislation; and Emma Moreno, Director of Federal Affairs. For information on jobs available in the federal government, see www.usajobs.opm.gov.

UC Riverside Naming New Chancellor
California LULAC membership has been asked by the UCR Ethnic Studies Department to support the naming of a latino/chicano as Chancellor for the University of California at Riverside. An imporant meeting for statewide mobilization of latinos and latinas will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2002 at 9:00am at the Zacatecas Cafe, 2472 University Avenue, Riverside California. Please call 909-787-4577, ext 1822 or contact Mickie Luna, State Director, California LULAC at vmluna@hollinet.com for more information.

UC Approves In-State Tuition for Immigrants
University of California regents voted Thursday to allow undocumented immigrants with proven California ties to pay the same tuition as other California residents. The 17-5 vote was contingent on the state Legislature helping to shield UC from liability if legal challenges arise. The decision would bring the university in line with a new state law (AB 540) that allows such students to pay the lower in-state fees at the Cal State system and the state's community colleges. Also eligible for the lower tuition would be non-immigrant students from out of state who have lived in California at least three years and graduated from high schools in the state. AB 540 parallels a similar law passed by the Texas state legislature (1403) that allows immigrant students, including undocumented students to qualify as residents for in-state tuition.

Requests for Comments on Title I
In today's Federal Register, the Department of Education published a request for comments on items that need regulations or sub-regulatory guidance in the No Child Left Behind Act. Comments are due February 19. Please note the following taken from the Federal Register Notice: "The Secretary will select individuals to participate in this process [negotiated rulemaking] from among the individuals or groups providing advice and recommendations on Title I regulatory issues. The Secretary will publish a separate notice in the Federal Register providing details about the negotiated rulemaking process. "The Secretary requests that each commenter identify his or her role in education and the perspective from which he or she views the educational system--either as a representative of an association, agency, or school (public or private), or as an individual teacher, student, parent, or private citizen. The Secretary urges each commenter to be specific regarding his or her recommendations, including the statutory citation pertinent to the comment." LULAC educators are encouraged to send their comments. For more information please refer to: www.access.gpo.gov. Select Federal Register then Education. Enter today's date to call up a list of issues published today.