FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Contact: David Englin, 703-505-6045, denglin@edexcelencia.org
Contact: Norma Jean Revilla-Garcia, 210-576-3206, njgarcia@hacu.net
Excelencia in Education and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU) release new analysis on Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
Analysis includes overview of 20 years of HSIs, 2013-14 list of HSIs, Emerging HSIs, and
HSIs with graduate programs
WASHINGTON, February 11, 2015 – In 2013-14, 12 percent of postsecondary institutions
known as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), enrolled 60 percent of Latino undergraduates.
As HSIs celebrate 20 years of federal funding, Excelencia in Education and the Hispanic
Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) today release analysis of HSIs in 2013-14.
HACU and Excelencia are committed to informing the work being done to address and improve
Latino student success in higher education. These two national organizations have coalesced to
develop a common list of HSIs in the absence of an official annual list of HSIs released by the
federal government. The lists follow a methodology that aligns as closely as possible to the
definition of HSIs as established in the Higher Education Act.
The following are top highlights from two decades worth of data on HSIs (1994-2014):
Number – 409; HSIs have more than doubled from 189 to 409 institutions.
Enrollment – 1.6 million; Latino undergraduate enrollment at HSIs has grown 230%.
Location – 21; the number of states with HSIs has increased from 13 to 21.
Sector – 206; the largest increase of HSIs was among 4-year institutions (86 to 206).
Size – 5,000; HSIs vary in enrollment from less than 500 students to over 30,000 students. In
2013-14, the median enrollment at HSIs was just over 5,000 students.
Concentrated enrollment – 153; HSIs where at least 50% of the student body is Latino have
increased from 97 to 153.
Emerging HSIs – 296; institutions that may soon meet the HSI definition as their Latino
enrollment increases. There are 296 institutions located in 29 states and Washington, DC.
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Graduate students – 38%; the number of HSIs offering graduate programs has tripled from
52 to 156. In 2013-14, 38% of Latino graduate students were enrolled at an HSI.
“The new figures represent America’s future workforce seen in the 409 Hispanic-Serving
Institutions in 21 states and Puerto Rico that are serving the overwhelming majority of the 3
million Hispanic students in college today,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.
HSIs were first recognized at the federal level in the Higher Education Act (1992) and are
defined as accredited and degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher
education with 25 percent or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE)
student enrollment. This analysis informs what makes these institutions unique and their role in
helping Latino students achieve success in higher education.
“Accelerating Latino student success requires better understanding the institutions where
students are choosing to enroll,” said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.
“Today’s release is part of 20 years of data on HSIs we are analyzing in conjunction with
Institutional practices, policies and leadership that serve students’ academic aspirations and
increase degree completion.“
Flores adds, “HSIs remain sorely underfunded and receive on average only 68 cents in federal
funding on a per student basis for every dollar going to the rest of higher education.”
On March 23-24, 2015, HSIs from across the nation will convene in Washington, D.C., for
HACU’s 20th Capitol Forum on Hispanic higher education.
In 2014, Excelencia in Education launched the HSI Center for Policy & Practice (HSI-CP2) as an
online resource for research on policies and proven practices focused on HSIs. To review
additional analyses and publications on HSIs, please visit www.EdExcelencia.org/HSI-CP2. Later
this year, Excelencia in Education will release an analysis of 20 years of data on HSis.
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Excelencia in Education accelerates higher education success for Latino students by promoting
Latino student achievement, conducting analysis to inform educational policies, and advancing
institutional practices while collaborating with those committed and ready to meet the mission.
Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia is building a network of results-oriented
educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce
and engaged civic leadership. For more information, visit: www.EdExcelencia.org.
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), founded in1986, represents
approximately 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in
the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America and Spain. The association’s headquarters are located in
San Antonio, Texas, with government relations offices in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento,
California. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging HispanicServing Institutions (HSIs). Information is available at www.hacu.net.
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