Hundreds of higher education leaders and members of Congress convened virtually on Tuesday to discuss legislative priorities for Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) as part of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) 26th National Capitol Forum.
Educating more than 6.5 million students, HSIs are becoming the “backbone of workforce development and prosperity for the nation,” said Dr. Antonio R. Flores, president and chief executive officer of HACU.
Similar to most other institutions within the higher education sector however, HSIs continue to face the equity, enrollment and financial challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The transition to online learning created many barriers for students—especially in rural areas—who were unable to access technology resources. To address these gaps, the City University of New York (CUNY), for example, purchased 30,000 new laptops and tablets and over 4,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.
Additionally, the educational disruption led many prospective and current students to take time off from their degrees.
“I sat in on student classes throughout fall semester,” said Dr. Garnett S. Stokes, president of the University of New Mexico (UNM). “Went and visited these remote classes. Joined Zoom meetings. For our students, this was just not the same experiences. Even those living in residence halls. The campus experience was so different.”
UNM’s second semester retention rate dropped by 10%, she reported. The school’s efforts have now recently shifted to encouraging students to return. Through a series of campaigns, UNM highlighted its potential return to in-person classes plan as well as broadcasted available financial aid and academic advising services.
