FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 17, 2022

HACU and Excelencia in Education collaborate to release 2022 list of Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other findings

SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and Excelencia in Education (Excelencia) today jointly announce the release of the 2020-21 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) list. 

This year, for the first time in 20 years, the number of HSIs have decreased. In 2020-21, there were 559 institutions that met the definition of an HSI, compared to 569 in 2019-20. This drop represents a decrease in the enrollment and concentration of Hispanic students in colleges and universities around the country.

“Enrollment numbers from the pandemic’s first year reveal the severe impact COVID-19 has had on higher education institutions and students,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “While the number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions decreased, the rapid growth in the number of Emerging HSIs highlights the growing population of Hispanics who are pursuing higher education across the nation unlike any time before.”

HSIs are defined in federal legislation as having 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment. In 2020-21, 18% of all institutions of higher education (559 HSIs) enrolled 66% of all Latino undergraduates.

“Latinos were projected, prior to the pandemic, to represent the largest growth in college enrollment,” said Deborah A. Santiago, Excelencia in Education Co-founder and CEO. “The decrease in Latino college enrollment has led to this decrease in the number of HSIs and creates an increased urgency for institutional intentionality and public investment in HSIs to rebuild the momentum for Latino students’ access and success in higher education."

In contrast, the number of Emerging HSIs (eHSIs)—colleges approaching the 25% Latino student enrollment threshold, showed significant growth from 362 to 393.

Important facts about HSIs to note:

• HSIs represent less than 20% of institutions but enroll two-thirds of all Latino undergraduates.
• When you put together the student population at all HSIs, 46% of students are Latino.
• Almost 70% of HSIs are public and almost 60% are 4-year institutions.
• A majority of HSIs are located in urban areas and are concentrated geographically, with the majority in California, Texas, Puerto Rico, and Florida.

“Most HSIs will remain seriously challenged by inadequate resources to recover and retool as they strive to serve the surge of Hispanics and other underserved populations in the years ahead; we hope Congress and the Administration will invest more equitably in HSIs to ensure their success,” added Flores.

For more than five years, Excelencia and HACU have worked in cooperation to identify the institutions that meet the definition of an HSI and inform the higher education community committed to ensuring Latino student success. Excelencia and HACU are implementing programs and conducting the research to inform ways to improve the success of Hispanic students.

View the list of HSIs here and Emerging HSIs here. 

Celebrate Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, September 12-18, 2022

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About HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, D.C, Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California. For more information, visit www.hacu.net.

About Excelencia in Education
Excelencia in Education accelerates Latino student success in higher education 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 has established a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. For more information, visit: https://www.edexcelencia.org/.

HACU Media Contact:
Norma Jean Revilla-Garcia
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
210-576-3206
njgarcia@hacu.net

Christopher de Hoyos
Assistant Director of Communications and Social Media
Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
210-576-3242
chris.dehoyos@hacu.net