The Impact of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Emerging HSIs, and Non-HSIs on Latina/o Academic Self-Concept

Abstract

Latina/os are now the largest minority group at four-year colleges and universities (Fry, 2011). As Latina/o enrollments in higher education have steadily increased over previous decades, a significant proportion of these students enroll at a unique institutional type, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Only 8% of all postsecondary institutions are designated as HSIs, yet they enroll approximately 54% of all Latina/o college students (Contreras, Malcom, & Bensimon, 2008;Santiago, 2008). In fall 2008, among four-year institutions, approximately 35% of all Latina/o undergraduates enrolled at a college or university with student compositions representing at least 25% Latina/o students (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2009), one of the criteria of HSI-eligibility. 1 As a result of growing Latina/o postsecondary

Becoming an Hispanic-Serving Research Institution: Involving Graduate Students in Organizational Change

“…Echoing the sentiments of other participants, one student emphasized the benefits resulting from "the cultural change that will occur with a demographic change of students." This aligns with the organizational culture literature that has examined the resulting benefits at HSIs to educational outcomes (e.g., Cuellar, 2014;Doran, 2015). These insights from participants address environment, mission, and socialization components of organizational culture as articulated by Tierney (1988), highlighting how the ongoing demographic changes at an HSRI would, in fact, allow a research institution to "flourish" and more fully address its mission.…”

“…Although few studies on HSIs use organizational theory, "empirical research suggests that the organizational culture of each HSI is unique and enhances a number of important outcomes" (García, 2015, p. 89). For example, Cuellar (2014) studies the impact of the institutional contexts of HSIs, Emerging HSIs, and non-HSIs on the academic self-concept of Latino/a students. Doran's (2015) case study of the University of Texas at San Antonio focuses on an HSI with Tier One aspirations and the impact of this "striving" on its historical focus on access.…”

What Does it Mean to be Latinx-serving? Testing the Utility of the Typology of HSI Organizational Identities

“…Similarly, González (2008) contends that Latinx students at HSIs engage in civic activities at similar rates as white students, despite the fact that numerous studies have shown that People of Color 3 are less likely to be civically engaged. Cuellar (2014) found that Latinx students at HSIs show a significant increase in their academic self-concept over four years.…”

Assessing Empowerment at HSIs: An Adapted Inputs-Environments-Outcomes Model

“…HSIs can assist students in developing their academic skills and self-concepts, (Robbins et al, 2004). HSIs have shown a positive influence on first year Latinx students' higher-order learning (Fosnacht & Nailos, 2015) as well as academic self-concepts despite entering college with significantly lower self-concepts than their peers at non-HSIs (Cuellar, 2014). As such, future research should continue to examine how HSIs advance Latinx academic skills and self-perceptions given the strong interrelationship with student success.…”

“…Latinx students attending two-year HSIs are more likely to have entered with AP credit in high school and a desire to transfer , while those attending fouryear HSIs are more likely to have lower standardized high school math scores (Núñez & Bowers, 2011). Further, Latinx students enter four-year HSIs with lower self-perceptions of their academic abilities as compared to their peers attending non-HSIs (Cuellar, 2014). These studies collectively demonstrate the tremendous potential for HSIs to develop the academic talents of Latinx students (Núñez & Bowers, 2011).…”