Program reaches out to Latino students

A federal program that awards funding to universities with exceptionally large Latino populations is creating an incentive for schools to reach out to potential Latino students.

In order to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and be eligible for the grants, 25 percent or more of a school’s population must be Latino.

A recent report by Excelencia in Education reflects a growing number of schools that might be altering their practices to attract more Latino students and better meet their needs.

There were 265 schools already eligible and another 176 on the cusp as of 2006-07. Universities that meet the 25 percent requirement are able to compete for research grants and other university funding.

Although UNC is nowhere close to the 25 percent benchmark, the steps that the University takes are similar to schools that are seeking the Hispanic-serving designation.

UNC has the highest number of Latino students in the UNC system at 937 undergraduates, or about five percent. That number has doubled since 2004.

Deborah Santiago, author of the report, said that universities need to focus not only on increasing Latino enrollment but also on retaining those students.

Schools need to make sure that once they enroll the students, they cater to their needs, which might not be the same as the needs of the broader student population, she said.

“I think that the traditional way of offering a college education is going to evolve as we get more and more non-traditional students coming in,” Santiago said.

The report found that many of the designated Latino serving schools were aware of their enrollment numbers but not the retention and graduation rates of those students.

Archie Ervin, associate provost and director of diversity and multicultural affairs, said that UNC has one of the best Latino retention rates in the Southeast.

The university also makes a concerted effort to attract those students.

Representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions attend college fairs organized by national Latino organizations, send out targeted e-mails to potential Latino students and recently translated sections of its Web site into Spanish, Ashley Memory, senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions, said in an e-mail.

Texas State University at San Marcos, which is 24.3 percent Latino students, is taking similar steps to recruit those students in hopes of meeting the federal benchmark. Representatives send admissions officers to diverse high schools where they work with students.

UNC’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs also will host a visitation weekend later this year specifically for Latino students. Students who have been accepted will see the campus and get information on financial aid and academics.

Adrian Lopez, a UNC junior who is Latino, said that he felt that the University took a particular interest in recruiting from his demographic group.

“I absolutely think this University caters to Hispanic needs because we offer tons of programs that reach out to the Hispanic community.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.