As Latino/Hispanic faculty associations strive to increase recruitment and retention, students are feeling the positive impact.
At some colleges and universities in the U.S., Latino/Hispanic faculty say they are finding a sense of community as members of organized associations. Not only do events — both structured and informal — enable faculty members to connect and share their experiences, they also include opportunities to connect with students and expand the pipeline to new talent in the academy.
In 2018, when the Latino Faculty and Staff Council (LFASC) at Indiana University (IU) surveyed its members about how the organization was performing and what they like the most, opportunities for social engagement and building community came out on top. The other priority for the executive council and all members, said Dr. Sylvia Martinez, LFASC’s president, is providing supports for graduate students. LFASC members are developing an emergency fund that will help students facing financial challenges or who need funds to help cover registration and other expenses related to attending conferences in their field.
Building community and mutual support helps faculty, staff and students stay focused and feel a sense of satisfaction.
Purpose
The Chicano/Latino Faculty & Staff Association (CLFSA) at Arizona State University (ASU) was formed in 1970. As it prepares to mark a half century, some of the same issues that it confronted in the beginning remain relevant. Key among them, said CLFSA’s president, Dr. Sarah Amira de la Garza, associate professor and Southwest Borderlands Scholar, is improving recruitment, retention and success of Chicano/Latino faculty and staff.
“Right now, we’re looking at growing awareness that the institution is becoming increasingly Latino and may, in fact, in the future qualify to become a Hispanic Serving Institution,” says de la Garza. According to Excelencia in Education’s 2018 report on emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions, 20.4 percent of Arizona State University undergraduates are Latino/Hispanic.
