Representation's Effect on Latinx College Graduation Rates*

Abstract

Objective. College enrollments among Latinx students have increased by 12 percent in the last 14 years, but the group's overall graduation rate has only increased by 5 percent, leading researchers to reevaluate the predictors of completion for Latinx students. This study explores the relationship between Latinx graduation rates and various forms of representation. Methods. Random effect modeling using institutional-level data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, 2008-2011, is used to examine the relationship between Latinx graduation rates, peer, faculty, and structural representation. Results. Results suggest that structural representation and behaviors are important predictors of Latinx students' persistence toward graduation. Specifically, historically black colleges and universities fare better than other structures in representing and supporting Latinx students. Conclusion. Institutions and policymakers seeking to improve the college completion rates of Latinx students should think beyond descriptive representation and consider reducing the structural barriers to Latinx students' success.

Senior-level Leadership in Higher Education: The Latina Experience

“…Research by Capers (2019) indicated a positive correlation between Latinx faculty representation and increased graduation rates. Academic success and retention could also equal the need for faculty and administration of Color (Capers, 2019;Rodriguez et al, 2016).…”

“…Research by Capers (2019) indicated a positive correlation between Latinx faculty representation and increased graduation rates. Academic success and retention could also equal the need for faculty and administration of Color (Capers, 2019;Rodriguez et al, 2016). In using data from 2002, Zerquera and Gross's research (2017) noted a direct correlation between the proportion of faculty of color on campus to the success of students of color on campus, including the attainment of baccalaureate degrees.…”

“…Latinx students earned fewer doctoral degrees than African Americans, Asians, or White doctoral students in 2012. The lag in academic achievement among Latinx students heightens the concern of the Latinx population's ability to economically and socially advance (Capers, 2019).…”

“…HSI status allows universities to receive federal grant funding to support and strengthen programming and services for Hispanic Americans and other underrepresented populations (U. S. Department of Education, 2020). Many institutions use this funding to provide accessibility to the Latinx population and increase student academic success rates (Aguilar-Smith, 2021;Capers, 2019). Today, HSIs have increased by 93% in the past ten years, reaching 569 institutions serving 67% of all Latinx students.…”

Am I a Successful Adult? Exploring the Influence of Ethnic Diversity in Defining Success among Former Foster Youth

“…For youth from minority communities, structural oppression and lack of representation in higher education settings (Capers, 2019), differential access to physical and behavioral healthcare (Jemigan et al, 2015), and systemic barriers in economic wellbeing (Gibson et al, 2021) can exacerbate difficulties related to a successful emergence into adulthood. The Annie E. Casey Foundation (2018) further found that African American, Indigenous, and Hispanic youth, in particular, who age out of foster care, also fare much worse than their White counterparts exiting foster care, in the areas of education, access to healthcare, and economic wellbeing.…”