Deborah Santiago is chief operating officer and vice president for policy at Excelencia in Education, which provides data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latinos and promotes policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement. Trusteeship asked her about the role of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and their boards.
What is the mission of HSIs?
Some believe a focus on race and ethnicity divides us as a society. At Excelencia in Education, we believe acknowledging racial and ethnic trends describes our society in useful ways. Using data and analysis to identify factors that influence the success of specific student populations establishes the baseline information from which to develop more effective policies, engage diverse stakeholders, and enhance the active and tactical responses needed to better serve Latino and all students.
Latino enrollment in higher education is very concentrated. Currently,13 percent of all institutions of higher education are identified as HSIs, and they serve more than half—60 percent—of all enrolled Latino undergraduates. HSIs are recognized in federal law as accredited and degreegranting nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25 percent or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. Note that the definition of an HSI is predicated on student enrollment, not mission to serve, unlike Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Therefore, retention at HSIs is a critical component of what it means to “serve” Hispanic students beyond enrollment.
The number of HSIs has more than doubled over the past 21 years—from 189 to 435—and the enrollment of Latinos at HSIs has more than tripled—from .5 to 1.75 million. This growth is only expected to continue across the country. While these 435 HSIs are located in 18 states and Puerto Rico, there are more than 300 emerging HSIs, located in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Data show the majority of HSIs are public institutions and are almost evenly split between two- and four-year institutions.
Why is retention particularly important for HSIs?
Given that the majority of Latinos are enrolled at HSIs, an institution’s ability to adapt its efforts to enroll, retain, and graduate this changing profile of students is important. Whereas the traditional profile—those who enroll full-time in a four-year college straight from high school, are college-ready, live on campus, and complete in four years—is considered the norm in higher education policy and governance, many Latino students today are post-traditional. They are more likely to enroll in classes at multiple institutions, enroll part-time, need some developmental education, live at home, work more than 30 hours while enrolled, and take more than four years to complete a degree. Further, many Latinos enrolling in college are first-generation college-goers.
Do the responsibilities of HSI governing boards differ from those of other boards?
Their responsibilities are enhanced by the need to address the critical mass of Latino and other post-traditional students enrolled at their institutions. As board members, intentionality in serving Hispanic students is needed. HSI board members should know how their institutions are “serving” and graduating Latino students as part of all students enrolled. Retaining these students to graduation requires intentionality and investment by institutional leaders, including governing board members. Retention requires a willingness to consider program strategies and policies that address the strengths and needs of Latino students today, not a stereotyped, and often inaccurate, profile.
How should boards be thinking about these institutions going forward?
Increasingly, HSIs are standing out as trendsetters because of their evidence-based practices in Latino student access, retention, and completion. Board members can own this trendsetting and use their leadership to ensure that every student who enrolls is retained to completion. This leadership, in turn, can inform the efforts by other institutions only beginning to experience a growth in the enrollment of Latino and post-traditional students.
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