Excelencia in Education has designated Portland State University as an “emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution” (HSI), a distinction provided to institutions in which Hispanic students make up between 15 and 24 percent of full-time undergraduates. Currently, 18.7% of Portland State full-time undergraduate students are Latinx.
PSU is one of three public universities in Oregon to become an emerging HSI, along with Western Oregon University and the University of Oregon.
As an emerging HSI, Portland State is on its way to becoming a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, a designation given to institutions with a Hispanic full-time undergraduate student enrollment of at least 25 percent. HSI institutions are eligible for additional grant funding from the Department of Education.
To prepare PSU to become an HSI, a Reimagine PSU grant has supported the efforts of an HSI Exploratory Committee since 2020. The committee aims to provide the university guidance and suggestions to thrive as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Óscar Fernández, senior instructor of university studies and 2022 presidential fellow, and Tania Sanchez, assistant director of multicultural recruitment, co-chair the committee.
“Having the HSI stamp, in addition to the federal dollars, will be one way for PSU to really hone in on what we do really well with our Latino students and then improve other services,” says Fernández. “It's also going to be a chance for us to look at curriculum and pedagogy. The HSI stamp is going to bring up a lot of questions about culturally inclusive teaching, classrooms and student services. I find it really exciting that PSU is having deep conversations about how to serve a 25% Latino population.”
On May 11, the HSI Exploratory Committee will host a virtual keynote address and conversation featuring Dr. Gina Ann Garcia, a leading scholar on Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Garcia and members of the HSI Exploratory Committee will discuss what it means for institutions of higher learning to transition from an Emerging Hispanic-Serving status to becoming a thriving Hispanic-Serving Institution. Everyone from the PSU community is invited to attend this event.
In order to learn more about what PSU is doing well to support Latinx students and how the institution can improve its efforts, the HSI Exploratory Committee will soon send surveys to PSU students, staff and faculty and conduct one-on-one meetings with student leaders and groups. The results of these surveys and the committee’s recommendations will be presented in a report next fall.
“One of the reasons why I'm looking forward to PSU becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution is that it will serve Latino students, but it will serve all students,” says Fernández. “When we lift the voices of Latinos, we lift the voices of all students, particularly first-generation students.”
Seal of Excelencia
In tandem with the HSI efforts, Portland State leaders are working with Excelencia in Education to expand support for Latinx students.
In February, PSU President Stephen Percy joined Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success in the Excelencia in Action network, a national network that includes over 130 presidents and chancellors who have committed to making their colleges and universities learning environments where Latinx students thrive.
PSU is also working with Excelencia to pursue their Seal of Excelencia, “a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students.” PSU plans to apply for the seal next year.
“If you earn the seal, it’s a big deal,” says Cynthia Gómez, director of community & civic impact and PSU’s lead affiliate with Excelencia. “It shows you are being intentional about serving Latinx students.” Percy appointed Perla Pinedo, Cristina Hererra and Oscar Fernández as affiliates to join Gómez in this process.
Existing resources
Portland State has several programs, resource centers and student groups that support current Latinx students.
- The Gaining Awareness and Networking for Academic Success (GANAS) Scholars program is a year-long support and mentoring program designed to help new Latino/a students transition to PSU from high school. Last year, GANAS was named an Example of What Works for Latino Students finalist by Excelencia in Education.
- La Casa Latina Student Center is a hub where Latinx and Chicanx students come together to create and connect community, develop leadership skills, empower identity and receive services important to academic success.
- At the Multicultural Student Center, students explore intersectional identities and seek to develop cultural competency through student engagement, programming and meaningful dialogue.
- Las Mujeres PSU student group seeks to address the needs of Chicano/Hispanic/Latina women on campus and the community.
- The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan student group aims to educate and empower youth toward self-determination and increase the number of Latinx students in higher education.
- The mission of the student group Dream PSU is to unite, empower, and provide a space and resources for undocumented, immigrants, DREAMer, and DACA related communities and allies.