IV 

107TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 576

Honoring the life of Dr. Roberto Cruz. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 9, 2002

Ms. LOFGREN (for herself, Mr. HONDA, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SANCHEZ, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. STARK, Ms. LEE, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. BACA, Mrs. 

NAPOLITANO, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. PASTOR, 

Mr. BECERRA, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. REYES, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA ́, Mr. 

UNDERWOOD, and Mr. FARR of California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION

Honoring the life of Dr. Roberto Cruz.

Whereas Dr. Roberto Cruz was the founder of the National 

Hispanic University and served as its first president; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish 

from the Wichita State University, a masters degree in 

education from the University of California-Berkeley, and 

Ph.D. in policy, planning, and administration from the 

University of California-Berkeley; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz served as president of the National Association for Bilingual Education and the executive director 

of the Bilingual Education League, a nonprofit edu-
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•HRES 576 IH 

cational organization that assisted language minority students through teacher training, technical assistance, and 

research; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz was appointed by the Secretary of Education to a national advisory council that dealt with the 

education of language minority students; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz has received many honors from educational and Hispanic organizations, including introduction into the Hispanic Hall of Fame and the Hispanic 

Achievement Award in Education; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz had the foresight and courage to address 

the lack of educational opportunities for young Hispanic 

students coming out of high school by opening the National Hispanic University in Oakland, California, in 

1981; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz moved the National Hispanic University to 

San Jose, California, in 1991; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz developed strong partnerships between the 

National Hispanic University and local community colleges, San Jose State University, and many other important people and institutions in the Silicon Valley community; 

Whereas Dr. Cruz developed a partnership with National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration which allows students to participate in hands-on training at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, and brings 

scientists from the research center to teach courses at the 

National Hispanic University; 

Whereas the National Hispanic University is presently midway through a $25,000,000 endowment fundraising ef-
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•HRES 576 IH 

fort that Dr. Cruz initiated, which is expected to help pay 

for a proposed 60,000 square-foot academic center; 

Whereas, even facing his imminent death, Dr. Cruz took 

steps to help implement a succession plan that left the 

National Hispanic University prepared to succeed after 

his passing; and 

Whereas on September 4, 2002, Dr. Cruz died after a long 

and distinguished career: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) recognizes Dr. Roberto Cruz’s legendary 

3 professionalism as a model educator; 

4 (2) honors Dr. Cruz’s life; and 

5 (3) extends its condolences to the Cruz family 

6 and to the faculty, staff, and students of the Na7 tional Hispanic University on the occasion of his 

8 death.

Æ