June

Making OMG progress on HSI initiative

At the May HSI Implementation Team meeting, working groups shared updates on their progress. Hint: they were impressive.

June 13, 2017

The Hispanic Serving Institution Implementation Team is doing some serious work to meet its goal: 25 percent Latino undergraduate, full-time equivalent enrollment by 2018. Evidence of the team’s achievements were on full display at a May 22 meeting, in which each of the five working groups shared recent successes.

Here are a few of the notable highlights from their presentation:

Working Group 1: Institutional Infrastructure

• Members are meeting with department chairs and faculty to distribute HSI Task Force report and discuss benefits of HSI designation.
• Art students in the Community-Based Design class created a campus art installation called “We Are HSI” to provoke interest, questions and discussion about the value of diversity.
• Members are developing a plan to create and conduct annual cultural competency trainings.
• Marketing and Communication staff are leading the design of an HSI website.

Working Group 2: Outreach to PreK-12 Schools

• Members conducted an inventory and developed a framework for a searchable database of MSU Denver programs that provide services and resources to K-12 students in local schools.

Working Group 3: Enrollment and Transfer

• Members administered a survey of MSU Denver part-time students to understand enrollment decisions. The results showed the need for financial aid support and flexible time offerings.
• Members identified a strategy for students to self-identify race and ethnicity as part of online registration and enrollment, allowing the Registrar’s Office to better track applicants.
• Community-Based Design students created pamphlets and buttons encouraging students to self-identify and celebrate their diversity.
• Members are undertaking analysis of the University’s current transfer efforts, including the relationships and programs that currently exist with local community colleges. This will help determine barriers and opportunities in order to create additional pathways to the University.

Working Group 4: Financial Aid

• Members conducted an analysis of the distribution of aid by type (e.g., federal, institutional, foundation, etc.) and race/ethnicity (specifically Latino). Results showed that aid is evenly distributed for students who apply for it (e.g., FAFSA and scholarship applications).
• The Foundation Board approved the use of HLC net profits to match scholarship funds available from local school districts. Matching agreements have been negotiated with Jefferson County Public Schools Foundation, Mapleton Schools Foundation and Adams 14 Schools Foundation.

Working Group 5: Advocacy and Policy Development

• The University leadership team had meetings in Washington, D.C., March 12-14.
• Students, faculty and staff attended the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities International Conference in San Juan, Costa Rica, March 29-31.
• Faculty and staff attended the HACU Capital Forum in Washington, D.C., April 24-25.

The next and final HSI Implementation Team meeting for academic year 2016-17 will take place on Monday, June 26. Both President Jordan and President-elect Davidson will attend.