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UC Congress and Retreat: UC as a Hispanic-Serving Research Institution (HSRI) System

How can we transform Research 1 (R1) universities to better serve Latinx students and, by extension, optimally serve all students by democratizing access for a changing student body? Please join Provost and Executive Vice President Katherine Newman and the Systemwide HSI Advisory Board at UCLA on October 27–29 in a critical UC-wide discussion of what it means for the University of California to serve the state and nation as a premier Hispanic-Serving Research Institution (HSRI) System.

Please note: We will continue to update this page as we confirm programming. 

Contents

 

 

Overview

Academic Congress

The Academic Congress (October 27–28) features scholars, leaders, practitioners and special guests from the University of California and colleges and universities throughout the nation who will share perspectives on the role of HSRIs in research, teaching and public service that can have an impact on UC and on higher education more broadly.

Retreat

The Retreat (October 29) galvanizes campus HSI planning teams by building upon the discussions of the Congress through a focus on a unified HSRI mission for the UC system. The Retreat is a platform to showcase exemplary practices that drive undergraduate student success, promote graduate student access, bolster faculty diversity and highlight research that can inform institutional transformation.

 

 

Logistics

 

 

Schedule

Academic Congress, October 27

Dinner and keynote address: Democratizing access: Meeting the opportunities of a changing student body

6–8 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

Keynote

Discussants

Academic Congress, October 28

Registration and breakfast

7:30–8 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

Opening remarks

8–8:15 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

  • Katherine Newman, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, University of California

Keynote address: The national landscape for Hispanic-serving institutions

8:15–9 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

Keynote

A blueprint for becoming a Hispanic-serving research institution (HSRI) system

9–10:15 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

This panel will explore the concept of “servingness” within the University of California, outlining the increasing presence of HSRIs within a higher education dynamic of expansion of public education’s reach and the concurrent privatization of the concept of public education. The panel will discuss a theoretical framework of servingness informed by the unique characteristics of HSRIs and a revamped data infrastructure that can effectively reflect servingness within the UC system. The panelists will provide recommendations for enacting a 21st-century vision for creating an HSRI system at UC.

Moderator
  • Pamela Padilla, Vice President of Research and Innovation, University of North Texas
Panelists
  • Frances Contreras, Dean and Professor, School of Education, UC Irvine
  • Juan Poblete, Professor of Latin American Literature and Cultural Studies, UC Santa Cruz
  • Marcela Cuellar, Associate Professor of Education and Chancellor’s Fellow, UC Davis

Break

10:15–10:30 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

The impact of HSI research on student success

10:30–11:45 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

HSI grants are important vehicles for the university to experiment with student-centered teaching and learning methods. What are the trends in current HSI research at UC and across the nation, and what is the impact of that research on teaching, learning and student outcomes? How is HSI research identifying innovative instructional approaches, and how can those be applied at scale? Where do future opportunities lie for greater investment in student success research at UC?

Moderator
  • Theresa Maldonado, Vice President for Research and Innovation, UC Office of the President

Panelists

  • Cynthia Larive, Chancellor, UC Santa Cruz
  • Anne-Marie Nuñez, Executive Director, Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success and Distinguished Centennial Professor in Educational Leadership and Foundations, University of Texas, El Paso
  • Melissa Salazar, Chief Executive Officer, ESCALA Educational Services, Inc.

Lunch

11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

Improving leadership pathways in HSIs

1–2:15 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

HSIs are actively engaged in local and national efforts to diversify the academy and its leadership in ways that reflect the students served. What are we currently doing, and is it sufficient? Are there innovative ways to better prepare core faculty and administrative leaders for HSIs? What are the options for increasing the breadth of opportunities for future scholars and leaders?

Moderator

Panelists

  • Leslie Gonzales, Professor and Director, Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of Arizona
  • Stephanie Reyes-Tuccio, Vice Provost for Educational and Community Partnerships, UC Irvine
  • Andrés Castro Samayoa, Director and Associate Professor, Ph.D. Program in Higher Education, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College and Director for Assessment and Strategy, Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions

Break

2:15–2:30 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

Discipline and role-alike breakouts

2:30–3:45 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

The opportunities we have to advance UC as the premier HSRI are refracted differently according to the demands of scholarly work in different fields and to the administrative roles we perform in service of HSI visibility and student support.

These breakout discussions provide an opportunity to consider those discipline-specific opportunities by examining these common topics:

  • Establishing/advancing community-engaged research practice partnerships
  • Developing and preserving faculty engagement and mentorship for student success
  • Identifying and supporting expanded pathways for Latinx graduate students to the professoriate
  • Implementing instructional innovations informed by HSI research and scholarship

 

HSI and STEM
Facilitator: TBD

HSI and the humanities
Facilitator: Jody Greene, Associate Campus Provost, UC Santa Cruz

HSI and the arts
Facilitator: Tiffany Lopéz, Dean, Claire Trevor School for the Arts, UC Irvine

HSI and the social sciences
Facilitator: Zulema Valdez, Associate Vice Chancellor and Professor of Sociology, UC Merced

HSI and university administration
Facilitator: Renetta Garrison Tull, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, UC Davis

Break

3:45–4 p.m.

Closing plenary: Leadership roundtable: Toward a 2030 education master plan that centers HSRIs in California and beyond

4–4:45 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom, Luskin Conference Center

The UC system has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to emerge as the premier HSRI in the nation if it can innovate to serve Latinx students equitably. How must UC lead today and into the future to uphold and expand its legacy of excellence? This leadership roundtable comprising California’s higher education system leaders will discuss perspectives of how California can establish models that inform the broader national conversation of what it means to serve a growing Latinx population within a higher education landscape where there is growing skepticism of the value of a college education. They will inspire us to envision a path toward a 2030 education master plan that centers HSRIs in California and beyond.

Moderator

Participants

Reception

5–6:30 p.m. at the South Courtyard, Luskin Conference Center

Retreat, October 29

Registration and breakfast

8–9 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

Opening remarks

9–9:15 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

  • Yolanda Gorman, Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to the Chancellor, UCLA

Keynote address by UC Regent John Perez

9:20–9:40 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

HSRI breakouts

9:40–10:40 a.m. Rooms TBD, Luskin Conference Center

Breakout 1: Advancing Latinx student success beyond enrollment and graduation: This breakout session will explore strategies to advance the success of Latinx students beyond mere enrollment and graduation metrics, aligning with the 2030 UC dashboard goals. As we aim to increase graduation rates and eliminate equity gaps, it is crucial to focus on comprehensive success measures for Latinx students. Presenters will cover: graduate school access and career opportunities, civic engagement, increased student support, reducing student debt, and support for Latinx graduate students. 

Moderator
  • Alfred Herrera, Director Emeritus, CCCP and former Assistant Dean for Academic Partnerships, UCLA

Panelists

  • Louie Rodriguez, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, UC Riverside  
  • Lina Mendez, Executive Director, Office of Diversity and Outreach, UCSF and former Inaugural HSI Director for UC Davis
  • Frank Silva, Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, UC San Diego

Breakout 2: Strengthening support for Latinx faculty and staff: This breakout session will focus on enhancing support systems for Latinx faculty and staff within the UC system. In alignment with the UC 2030 dashboard and HSRI vision, presenters will discuss their comprehensive strategies to hire, retain and support Latinx faculty and staff. Presenters will explore intentional efforts and best practices for hiring and retaining Latinx faculty and for developing faculty and staff diversity task forces. 

Moderator

  • Carlos A. Galan, Assistant Professor, Special Education Rehabilitation and Counseling, CSU, San Bernardino

Panelists

Break

10:45–10:55 a.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

HSRI breakouts (continued)

10:55–11:55 a.m. Rooms TBD, Luskin Conference Center

Breakout 3: Enhancing research capacity for Latinx success: This breakout session will explore the opportunities to leverage cross-campus collaboration to establish a dedicated HSRI research center. As UC campuses comprise 19 percent of existing HSRIs in the nation, the system is poised to lead in research efforts on this institutional type. This session will emphasize providing incentives and opportunities for faculty and researchers to engage in community-based research to develop new models and theories that center Latinx knowledge systems, experiences and success.

Moderator

Panelists

  • Gina Garcia, Professor of Education, UC Berkeley
  • Marcela Cuellar, Associate Professor and Chancellor’s Fellow, School of Education, UC Davis
  • Arlene Cano Matute, Assistant Director, Chicano Student Programs and Co-chair, HSI Committee, UC Riverside 

Breakout 4: Strengthening data infrastructure for HSRI accountability and agency: This breakout session will explore the data infrastructure required for deliberate and incisive methodologies that will allow the UC system to develop new structures of accountability. The UC’s systemwide effectiveness as an HSRI will require us to identify metrics that will indicate our ability to realize the foundational “serving” element characteristic of an HSRI identity. 

Moderator

  • Juan Poblete, Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies and Chair, Literature, UC Santa Cruz 

Panelists

  • Frances Contreras, Dean and Faculty, School of Education, UC Irvine
  • Pamela Brown, Vice President for Institutional Research and Academic Planning, UC Office of the President
  • Marla Franco, Vice President for Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives, University of Arizona                                              

Lunch

Noon–1 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

Campus breakouts: Envisioning a collective HSRI identity

1–2:35 p.m. Rooms TBD, Luskin Conference Center

The opportunities we have to advance UC as the premier HSRI are refracted differently according to the demands, resources and unique contributions of each campus. These breakout discussions will provide an opportunity to consider those campus-specific opportunities by examining their existing HSI efforts and their readiness for unique contributions to the systemwide effort.

Break

2:35–2:50 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

Closing plenary: Shared HSRI vision

2:50–4 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

Defining and enacting an HSI identity varies across institutions and intersects with other organizational identities, such as R1 status, at UC. As such, it is beneficial for UC to establish a shared HSRI definition for the system and its individual campuses. Along with defining what it means to be an HSRI, UC should outline actionable goals that can be pursued across the system and all UC campuses.  

Moderator

  • Delia Saenz, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Justice and Inclusive Excellence and Chief Diversity Officer, UC Merced

Closing remarks and adjournment 

4–4:15 p.m. at the Centennial Ballroom C and D, Luskin Conference Center

  • Elizabeth Gonzalez, Director of HSI Initiatives, Office of the Chancellor, UCLA
  • Arnold Sanchez Ordaz, Assistant Director of Educator Programs, UC Office of the President

Mural walk: Judy Baca's La Memoria de la Tierra: UCLA

4:15–4:50 p.m. Ackerman Union

Reimagining the University of California to Serve Latinxs Equitably

Read the full report for Reimagining The University of California to Serve Latinxs Equitably: A Blueprint for Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Research Institution (HSRI) System (PDF).