RUNNING HEAD: Final Paper 1

Final Paper

Javier Rodriguez

Northern Illinois University

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Introduction

There are many issues facing the state of higher education. Many of which have to do

with specific populations on colleges and Universities. This paper focuses on issues regarding

first generation Latino Students or (FGLS). Although this population of students has been at the

forefront of some very good research, a lot has changed in the last few decades. Much of what

hinders this specific populations retentions rates in college has been a trending cycle for many

years. This paper will include a brief history of Latinos in Higher education. Also it will

highlight the issues facing FGLS retention rates, and why they do not match up with the rate of

admissions. Some the issues highlighted, include socioeconomic status, college preparedness/

mattering, parental support, and citizenship status. This paper will also discuss the current state

of affairs for these students, and suggest implications for improving these environments and

overall retention rates for these students.

Literature Review

The research on this topic included a variety of reasons as to what affects FGLS attitudes

and life surrounding the completion of their degree. For FGLS, they have to navigate through

college while carrying the burdens that prevent them from completing their degree in a

manageable time or at all. This research suggests some of these reasons, and invites some

implications to combat why these students have lower retention rates compared to other

populations. The reasons explained here include, but are not limited to, socioeconomic status

(SES), Parental Support, college preparedness/ mattering, and finally citizenship status. These
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particular obstacles are highlighted most when talking about Latinos achieving in higher

education. However, they can also transcend from different levels of education including k-12

(Rodriguez, 2017)

Brief History

The history of Latinos in higher education does not really begin until 1965 when the

Higher Education Act or (HEA) was passed. According to the United States department of

Education, the Higher Education Act of 1965 was a legislative document that was signed into

law on November 8, 1965 to strengthen the educational resources of our colleges and universities

and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education´ (Pub. L.

No. 89-329). When the act was introduced it gave opportunities to individuals who were not

originally targeted for higher education. This act was also congruent with the labor movement

started by Cesar Chavez, and students in the California public school system, during the Chicano

movement, paving the way for Latino voices. With this new movement Latinos could start

thinking about college, but still faced many issues that hindered their access to higher education.

(Arbona, C., & Nora, A. (2007).

Hispanic Serving Institutions

As more Latinos were starting to attend colleges and Universities, it opened the doors for

institutions to serve populations of Latinos who were arriving to their campus. In an effort to

serve the needs and wants of these students, federal policies and institutions were implemented

to help the academic success of Latinos. President Clinton, was one of the first to start the

initiative of helping these disadvantaged populations on college campuses. Latinos made up a

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large part of the U.S. census already, and it was important to help these students succeed and

become productive members of society. This initiative was created by the President’s Advisory

Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans (Commission) in 1994 (Laden.

V. (2004).

This gave way for Hispanic Serving institutions, or HSIs to be created to serve the needs

of schools who had at least 25% of their student body made up of Latinos. HSIs are a result of

minority-serving institutions, which can also be related back to historically black colleges and

universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges and universities who serve more Native American

populations. The difference between HSIs and HBCUs and TSIs is that HSIs were not created to

serve a specific population but were a result of large populations of Latinos living in a certain

area of the country. Some examples would be the south west United States, parts of Florida,

California, and even New York (Dayton, B., Gonzalez‐Vasquez, N., Martinez, C. R., & Plum, C.

(2004). President Clinton, along with Bush, and President Obama all saw value in utilizing

federal funds to help the advancement of these students which is why they offered the initiative

in the first place. Recently, over the last thirty years, HSIs have been growing due to political,

demographical, and socioeconomically based factors. Established by President Clinton, and

renewed by President Bush, the federal order was issued to create a collective call to all

executive agency to help increase Hispanic American participation in federal education programs

(Laden, B. V. (2004).

As admission rates for FGLS increase, so do the number of HIS. However, one issue that

arises with HSIs is that they are not like other schools that were historically designated for

certain populations in the United States. Historically Black colleges and Universities, and

Indigenous serving institutions are all initiatives to better serve the needs and wants of their
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people. Hispanic Serving Institutions did not come about until much later in America, and they

are all mostly build upon predominantly White institutions. This can cause a shift in attitudes

about universities that serve large Latino populations. Latinos still struggle to find spaces for

them to feel fully engaged by not just their peers, but faculty as well. The case of whether or not

HSIs serve these students better, is still a question.

Socioeconomic Status

The Socio-economic status of Latinos and their parents is crucial and has a long-lasting

effect on students’ educational outcomes (Coleman et al. 1966; Rist 1970; Jencks 1972;

Bourdieu 1977; Metz 1978; Rubinson 1986; Gamoran 1987; Roscigno 2000). This particular

subject is crucial to understanding a lot of the reasons why Latinos are not staying in school. For

many FGLS, they have to be able to navigate through school all while having to be financially

savvy and utilize funds that are not necessarily in their means (Grants,loans,Fafsa). This is

important to understand because when FGLS apply for financial aid, they are trying understand

what financial responsibility is and how to use it. However, many of them and their parents do

not come from a middle to upper class family where money is not a problem, and for that they

have an even harder time affording school. Their parent’s financial status also plays a role in the

way they these students feel about school.

Parental Support/ Mattering / Validation

Financial burdens can play a significant role in the lives of Latino students. But

something that is just as concerning as financial burdens is the amount of parental support one

receives when navigating through college once they are there. For FGLS, family support is
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important and needed in order to feel validated in what they are doing. Not only is family

support important, but assistance from faculty and staff is just as important. Students, especially

FGLS are more likely to do better if they feel a sense of belonging to their campus and the

different environments that make up the macro level environment (Equal, D. E., Hurley, S. R., &

Padilla, R. (2011). This validation theory can help to encourage these students’ success while

attending college, and can be utilized to change the attitudes these students have before attending

college. This change of attitude can also help the retention rates of these students, because it

allows them to feel comfortable and feel like they matter in a place that was not built for them

(Vaccaro, 2012). Parents, faculty and staff who encourage their students to succeed are more

likely to see positive results and increasing retention rates. This is one theory that can help to

build upon the lack of retention within higher education overall.

Another idea that ties in with parental support is mattering, for those who feel like they

matter, they will have a better time adjusting to the college life and feel a sense of belonging

within their institution. Students who do not feel like they matter might care less about their

grades, and may feel like their campuses do not care about them or their identities (Durham,

2008). For students, meaning making is important and the way they make meaning out of the

way they matter to their campus environment can make a big difference in how they see

themselves. For students, it is important they not only feel like they matter at home, but in the

classroom and various offices around campus.

Citizenship status
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For many FGLS, their status in this country can have a long lasting effect on their college

experience and overall affect the rates at which they stay. Students from this particular

population battle with being part of a larger population of people who were part of DACA or

“The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals”. The DREAM Act was designed to confer lawful

immigration status to certain individuals who entered this country as children and pursued a

higher education degree or served in the U.S. military, often referred to as “DREAMers.”

Adams, A., & Boyne, K. S. (2015). This act helped millions of students who were seeking to

gain their degree in their specified field of study. This also allowed them access to federal funds

and scholarships that would otherwise be denied to them based on their citizenship status. In

2017, the trump administration took DACA away leaving many students with the burden of not

being able to use resources and complete their studies. This is problematic because before Daca,

we saw retention rates that were lower for undocumented students, yet when DACA was passed

we saw those same rates rise. Citizenship status in the U.S. affects everyone, if these students

can not legally be here in this country, then what would constitute a good reason for them to

finish? This struggle to have basic human rights is problematic because it can cause changes in

attitudes towards education, and create a generation of people who wish they could have gone to

college but were not legally allowed.

Implications

There are many reasons why Latino retention rates do not reflect higher admission rates

in higher education. However, the ones discussed here are some of the most commonly

associated reasons why students struggle to stay in school. It is important for school and

communities to understand the SES background that students are coming from. Students who
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come in with a lower SES background can not be exposed to the same aspects of college as other

students who come from more affluent communities. These students who come from low

income homes are at a disadvantage and lack the capacity to afford the luxuries that their peers

have. For these students, it is important that schools acknowledge their background and help

these students in any way they can, from financial support, to counseling services. There needs

to be more effort to provide interventions and opportunities for these students to be able to learn

how to survive financially and academically when they arrive. It is also important that these

students who come from lower SES gain support from their families. For many of these students

who are the first in their family to go to college, they take on many burdens that their families

might not be able to help them with. Schools should be working alongside families to help

student’s academic success and transition to college. Programs that work close with families

should be implementing strategic ideas to improve both the student and family’s knowledge

about what they will expect while away at school. For FGLS, it is important that their family

dynamic is strong at that they are there for them every step of the way, supporting them, and

pushing them towards completing their degree. Schools should have staff and faculty available,

who are knowledgeable about first – generation students and families. This is critical due to the

amount of support and attention these particular students need, that they would not normally

receive as first generation college parents. There should also be an effort by the K-12system that

should be helping these students and their families so that they are better prepared before they

get to college. These k-12 programs should be focused on developing these student’s skill and

educating their families on what to expect when they arrive to college. There also needs to be

more of an effort on Capitol Hill to help these underserved students. Schools and their

employees should be advocates for these students who are undocumented. As of now, there is no
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new legislation to help these students, but if schools and students work together, they can help

students succeed and get the help that they need. New legislation is needed, and more inclusive

immigration reform is necessary to help students seeking education but do not have legal status

in the U.S.

Conclusion

This paper focuses on the obstacles that first generation Latino students encounter while

attending school. Although this research highlights major aspects of what prevents students from

completing their degree, there is much more research to be conducted to understand the complex

issues that these students encounter. These obstacles hider the retention rates of these students

and affect their attitudes towards higher education. Some of the issues highlighted include,

parental support, socioeconomic status, and finally citizenship status. These are some of the

most commonly associated issues in regards to low Latino/a retention rates. This article also

discusses the history of Hispanic serving institutions, and their role they play with Latinos within

higher education.
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