1

How to Become a Hispanic Serving Institution: A Benchmark Analysis

EmmaLea Bittner, Cristina Chavez, Aik Paung Seinn, Lamia Shapiro

HESA 572: Assessment Methods in Higher Education

Dr. Brandon Lagana

May 6, 2022
 2

Introduction

As Northern Illinois University (NIU) continues to strive towards its goal of becoming a

Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), it is necessary to see how NIU compares to other institutions

who have been designated as an HSI. To do so, it is important to understand the criteria

requested of institutions to receive the HSI designation. According to the Department of

Education Hispanic Serving Institutions website, an institution “is an eligible institution and has

an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic

students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application” (para. 1).

Based on that information, the following four key themes have been identified: enrollment rates,

retention rates, graduation rates, and resources available to students. Additionally, two

recommendations will be provided to assist NIU in receiving the HSI designation.

Benchmarking

A benchmark analysis was conducted using data collected from IPEDS and the National

Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), which provided data for NIU and other HSI

institutions. The comparative data that was analyzed was: enrollment, retention, and graduation

data. A peer institution was identified by similar institutional type, size, geographic location, and

as an institution which has already received the HSI designation. The peer institution selected

was Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). According to the National Center for Educational

Statistics, Northeastern Illinois University is a Public 4- year institution in Illinois (2022).

Additionally, NEIU is a HSI located in the same region as NIU.

Enrollment

To begin the benchmark analysis, the first key theme identified was the enrollment rates of both

NIU and NEIU. Comparing the enrollment rates, the National Center for Education Statistics
 3

shows that 21% of undergraduate students are Hispanic/Latino at NIU while 42% at NEIU’s

undergraduate students are Hispanic/Latino for fall of 2020. See Appendix A for additional

information. For a college to become a Hispanic Serving Institution, there needs to be an

enrollment of 25% of Hispanic students, which NEIU surpasses. Although NIU has not achieved

it yet, they are on path to doing so.

Retention

For the retention rates of both NIU and NEIU, the second key theme, there is a significant

difference between the two. National Center for Education Statistics shows NIU’s retention rate

for full-time undergraduate students is 78% while NEIU’s is 67%. See Appendix A for

additional information. For this key theme, NIU has a better overall rate than NEIU. Although

NEIU is an HSI, NIU has an advantage in their path of enrolling and retaining more

Hispanic/Latino students.

Graduation

Then, a comparison between Hispanic/Latino students graduation rates after six years of

study for bachelor’s degrees at NIU and NEIU was performed. It is found that the graduation

rates of Hispanic/Latino students at NIU are more than two times higher than that of

Hispanic/Latino students at NEIU. For example, the percentages of Hispanic/Latino graduates of

bachelor’s degree programs within six years of enrolling at NIU were at 47 % while the

percentages of Hispanic/Latino graduates at NEIU were at 17% respectively according to the

National Center for Education Statistics (see appendix A: Graduation rate). This means that NIU

has a higher graduation rate of Hispanic/Latino graduates compared to NEIU.

Resources and Student Supports

 4

Another key theme area identified was how these two institutions support and provide

resources for Hispanic/Latino students through academic, extracurricular, financial support, and

other resources to be successful in their program. Therefore, there was an analysis between the

Latino Resource Center at NIU and the Council on the Status of Latinxs at NEIU (see appendix

A: NIU and NEIU Latino resources). It has been noted that NIU has done better in terms of

providing support and resources compared to what NEIU has done in these areas. For example,

NIU has Adela de la Torre Latino Honor Society which provides academic support, mentorship,

and professional development. It also has Mentoring and Engaging through Academic Success

(METAS) that helps prepare first year and first-generation students’ success. There are is a

student organization called De Mujer a Mujer" (DMM) at NIU that also provides students

support academically, socially, and culturally to increase retention and graduation rates, and a

program called Vanguardia Afirmativa de Latin@s Unidos (VALU) that organize volunteers

from NIU to create a space for Latino high school students to engage in dialogue and interaction

on campus.

On the other hand, NEIU has one program called Proyecto Pa’Lante that supports first

year students from all backgrounds to have a good transition to college. However, this focuses on

all ethnicities unlike NIU that has an additional support to students. Both NIU and NEIU have

scholarships and financial aid for Hispanic/Latino students as well as resources such as computer

labs, students study spaces, libraries, and classrooms which help students support their learning

development at both institutions. Therefore, comparing NIU and NEIU, NIU could provide more

academic and social supports that help Hispanic/Latino students to perform well academically,

socially, and culturally and to be connected to their community which creates a sense of
 5

belonging. As a result, it would be likely that the graduation rate of NIU is higher than that of

NEIU.

Recommendations

Research shows that while NIU retains and graduates a greater number of Hispanic/Latinx

students compared to NEIU, NIU must increase Hispanic/Latinx student population from 21% to

25% to qualify for the same HSI status. NIU’s 2019-2023 Strategic Enrollment Management

plan reported an increase from 19%-22% Latinx undergraduate enrollment within the last year,

but NIU must work to increase enrollment by at least another 3% (7% each year since the

enrollment plan) to qualify for HSI status. Based on the information presented, the first

recommendation for increasing Latinx enrollment should include the creation and

implementation of a committee separate from the Latinx Resource Center (such as NEIU’s

Council on the Status of Latinxs) that focuses primarily on advocating on behalf of Latinx

students to ensure their academic, professional, social, and cultural needs are met. This

committee should serve to monitor high-impact practices that support and promote the overall

excellence of Latinx students at NIU, while bringing into consideration issues of climate and

representation when reviewing policies and practices that play into Latinx students’ experiences.

Members of this committee should include faculty and staff in all areas on campus (academic

advising, financial aid offices, student legal services, title IX, campus housing, campus police,

counseling services, etc.) in addition to new collaborative partnerships within the greater DeKalb

community. This committee should exist in addition to NIU’s Latino Resource Center for the

purpose of creating additional new, unique services and systemic outreach.

A second recommendation is to review the Academic Support Assessment of 2019-2020

(included in Appendix A and conducted by the LRC and ADEI departments of NIU) to measure
 6

the impacts of existing departmental goals and initiatives. A continued effort to meet (and

surpass) previous years’ goals can ensure that NIU is on the most efficient track to enroll and

graduate Latinx students.

References

Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs. (2022). The Council on the Status of
Latinxs. Northeastern Illinois University. Retrieved from
https://www.neiu.edu/university-life/angelina-pedroso-center-diversity-and-intercultural-affairs
College Navigator. (n.d.). National Center for Educational Statistics. Retrieved May 4, 2022,
from https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?
s=IL&l=93+94&ct=1&ic=1&id=147776#retgrad
Latino Resource Center. (n.d). Programs and Services. Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion, Northern Illinois University. Retrieved from https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-
resources/de-mujer-a-mujer.shtml##
Latino Resource Center - Northern Illinois University. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2022, from
https://www.niu.edu/effectiveness/_files/latino-resource-center.pdf
Strategic enrollment management plan: NIU. Northern Illinois University. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2022,
from https://www.niu.edu/enrollment-plan/index.shtml

U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity,
Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. Hispanic-Serving Institutions
(HSIs). https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/
 7

Appendix A

Enrollment Rate Race/Ethnicity NIU

Enrollment Rate Race/Ethnicity NEIU

Retention Rate NIU

Retention Rate NEIU

 8

Graduation rate by race/ethnicity at NIU

Graduation rate by race/ethnicity at NEIU

NIU’s Latino Resource Center

 Adela de la Torre Latino Honor Society (ATLHS)
https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-resources/latino-honor-society.shtml
 De Mujer a Mujer
https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-resources/de-mujer-a-mujer.shtml
 Mentoring and Engaging thru Academic Success (METAS)
 9

https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-resources/metas/index.shtml
 Vanguardia Afirmativa de Latin@s Unidos (VALU)
https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-resources/valu.shtml
 Scholarships and Financial Aid Resources
https://www.niu.edu/lrc/student-resources/scholarships-financial-aid-resources.shtml

NEIU’s The Council on the Status of Latinxs

 Proyecto Pa'Lante
https://www.neiu.edu/university-life/proyecto-palante
 ENLACE (Engaging Latina/o Communities for Education)
https://www.neiu.edu/academics/daniel-l-goodwin-college-of-education/departments/
literacy-leadership-and-development/ma-higher-education/enlace
 El Centro
https://www.neiu.edu/academics/el-centro
NIU’s ADEI and Latinx Resource Center Academic Support Assessment 2019-2020