Sent on behalf of Teresita Curiel, Director of Latinx Equity and Success, and Dr. Gloria Lopez, Assistant Professor in History
What is the difference between being at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and serving at an HSI? As educators, we constantly work to recognize our students’ needs and seek ways to empower them to be active agents in society.
Generally, an HSI is defined as an institution of higher education with an undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment of at least 25 percent self-identifying Hispanic students. Chico State first met this enrollment threshold in the Fall of 2014. As part of an HSI, when was the last time you asked yourself how I am serving my Latine/x students today?
Dr. Gina Ann Garcia, a leading scholar on and advocate of HSIs, tells us that servingness is a journey, not a destination. Earlier this month, Dr. Garcia challenged her ¿Qué Pasa, HSIs? Blog readers to remember that “Servingness is your job, too!” How might we, as instructors at HSIs with a growing percentage of Latine/x and first-generation students, find ways to center their experiences and encourage them to take ownership of their own learning experiences?
With the semester quickly winding down, take a pause and consider this line from Dr. Garcia, “Faculty at HSIs must adopt a new curriculum that centers the predominantly Latine/x identified students on campus, but also considers Black, AANHPI, and Indigenous students.”
For now, we encourage you to explore these resources:
- Dr. Gina Garcia’s Transforming Hispanic-Serving Institutions for Equity & Justice (2023) is available as an e-book through Meriam Library.
- Engage with her work via the ¿Qué Pasa, HSIs? podcast and blog.
For next semester, we encourage you to consider two opportunities:
- Advancing Latinx Servingness Faculty Learning Community (FLC)
The Office of Faculty Development, in collaboration with Latinx Equity and Success, and with funding from a grant won by Ryan Patten and a team from BSS, will facilitate an FLC in Fall 2024, featuring connected workshops focused on better understanding Latinx university students and how Chico State can advance their success. All faculty are welcomed to apply. - 2024-2025 Book in Common
Consider adopting next year’s Book in Common (BIC), Héctor Tobar’s Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino. This book is an opportunity to amplify the voices of Latine/x students and what it means to be an HSI in and outside of the classroom. You can read Ashley Gebb’s March 21st feature on Chico State Today for more information about the selection. Also, faculty can indicate interest in adopting all or part of the book or being part of the Book in Common planning team by completing the FA24 Book in Common form.
Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150
nts often struggle to connect course content outside the classroom. This can lead to uncomfortable classroom moments with questions like “why would I ever need to know this?” and “who cares about this?” CSU, Chico is a national leader at answering this question with civic engagement, our newest strategic priority.