Cultural Citizenship in Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Challenges for Transformation

Abstract

Addressing the manifestations (past and present) of the phenomenon Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), the articles in this special issue are interwoven with testimony, historical accounts, policy critique, pedagogical reckonings, and philosophical possibilities. As this phenomenon continues to expand its role on the larger stage of higher education we - as Cultural Citizens in various capacities who labor within and for HSIs - argue for the imperative to historically remember and to re-envision possibilities that the HSI designation can create. It is a call to action not exclusively for Hispanics. This Special Issue is a notice for everyone in education to involve themselves in the HSI message of inclusivity, collectivity, integration, representation, and diversity.

Keywords:

• Hispanic-Serving Institutions
• citizenship
• equity

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Dr. Michelle Valverde is an independent participatory evaluator and community liaison serving private nonprofit and public entities in Southern New Mexico and West Texas.

Our working group is an interdisciplinary/intercollegiate group that has been meeting formally for approximately 2 years. We have observed that although many professors use the HSI acronym in their discourse on funding, there is little substantive knowledge about the history and purpose of this designation. So although the designation is crucial and holds significant weight at the national level, the local New Mexico State University understanding is markedly vague. Although our institution benefits from being designated an HSI, broad education about the multifaceted values of this designation is necessary.

Notes

¹Throughout this introductory essay we use the identity terms Chican@, Latin@, and Hispanic interchangeably, as each indicates membership in what has become an all-encompassing term Hispanic under the governmental rubric that assigns people of “Spanish-speaking origin” to this category. Each term carries significant political, geographical, and historical distinctions, but these distinctions are largely unknown—unfortunately. We do assert that however distinct these terms are, people who self-categorize under these terms all belong to what is called “Hispanic” under the HSI acronym.