Peromyscus yucatanicus

Abstract

Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are increasing in significance with regard to access for Latina/o 1 students. Defined by the federal government as accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit institutions that enroll at least 25% or more fulltime equivalent undergraduate Latina/o students, HSIs now represent approximately 11% of all postsecondary institutions and enroll 60% of all Latina/o students (Excelencia in Education, 2016). Despite their growth, HSIs have been criticized for solely being "Hispanic-enrolling," meaning they enroll a large percentage of Latina/o students but do not necessarily produce equitable outcomes (Contreras, Malcom, & Bensimon, 2008; Gasman, 2008; Gina Ann Garcia is an assistant professor in the department of Administrative and Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research centers on issues of equity and diversity in higher education with an emphasis on understanding how Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) embrace and enact an organizational identity for serving minoritized populations. She also studies the identity development process of Latina/o college students and seeks to understand how race and racism shape the experiences of minoritized groups in higher education.