Special Issue: Hispanic Serving Institutions

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined by the federal government as nonprofit, degree-granting institutions that enroll at least 25 percent Latinx/a/o full-time equivalent undergraduates, and a low-income student population. HSIs are concentrated in regions with high Latinx/a/o populations but dispersed across states not generally known for having large Latina/o populations. Between 1994–1995 and 2020–2021, HSIs have nearly tripled in number from 189 to 559 (Excelencia in Education, 2022a). HSIs are essential to educating the Latina/o/x population. This is evident as they enroll 66 percent of Latinx/a/o undergraduates and only represent 18 percent of all colleges and universities in the U.S. (Excelencia in Education, 2022b). HSIs include both public and private institutions and 4-year and 2-year institutions with them are more likely to be 4-year institutions and public institutions. Even though the Latinx/a/o population is continuing to grow (Espinosa, Turk, Taylor, & Chessman, 2019), Excelencia in Education (2022b) reported the number of HSI's declined in the last year due to enrollment declines, institutional closures, and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Excelencia also noted there has been an increase in emerging HSIs, which are institutions that have between a 15 percent and 24.9 percent Latinx/a/o population.

The authors in this special issue offer a range of articles presenting the degree to which HSIs and emerging HSIs serve Latinx/a/o students and other historically marginalized student populations, including Queer and Black students, and how staff and administrators perceive their roles. Researchers often distinguish between the concepts that institutions can be categorized as either “Hispanic enrolling” or “Hispanic serving,” with the latter term implying a deliberate effort to promote Latinx/a/o success. While it may be difficult to make these key distinctions as institutions may not overtly announce their HSI classification or demonstrate equal outcomes for Latinx/a/o students, it is likely that some HSIs do not truly engage with the notion of serving. For student affairs practitioners and scholars, Garcia’s (2017) extensive framework for characterizing the identity of HSIs in terms of organizational culture and educational outcomes support race-conscious and intentional enacting of policies to support Latinx/a/o students.

HSIs focused on service rather than enrollment, as defined by Garcia's framework, are those that foster an institutional culture that benefits Latinx/a/o students, leading to equitable student outcomes. Throughout this special issue, readers will find resources that may help them elevate the collective voices of student affairs theory and practice at HSIs.