Running head: ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 1

Addressing Higher Education Issues of Latino/a Students in Predominantly White Institutions

Deyci Ramirez
Northern Illinois University
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 2

Introduction

Addressing higher education issues of Latino Students in predominantly white institutions can be

a topic that institutions of higher education may not be ready to embrace. The challenge may

come from the fact that Predominantly White Institutions (PWI’s) of Higher Education may not

be willing to accommodate the appropriate funds to meet the demands that Latino students may

need. Failure to pay attention to these issues may hurt these institutions in the recruitment and

retention of these students. Previous research on Latino students has focused on factors affecting

these students throughout their lifespan in education. Some of those research studies have

focused on the primary educational experiences that Latinos have encountered leading to their

years entering college. For example, Verdugo (2006) states that factors that have been attributed

to the low graduation rate of Latinos include lack of cultural understanding, inadequate academic

advising, non-supportive school climate, and fewer rigorous courses available. These findings

may open the door for further research to happen and help gain a better understanding about the

changes that institutions of higher education can make in order to enhance the services that this

population of students may be in need of.

By exploring the factors affecting Latinos from obtaining degrees of higher education,

research can provide higher education administrators with better ways to assist Latino students

within the classroom or advising settings. It can also provide policymakers the appropriate

information needed for them to make better decisions when it comes to allocating funds for the

recruitment or retention of Latino students. It will provide the students with better ways to

identify their needs and request for their institutions to provide better services based on their

individual needs. It will also provide parents with more information that can in turn provide
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 3

them the opportunity to establish better ways to encourage their kids to continue their

educational experience beyond the K-12 educational system.

Minimal research attention has been directed towards the things that institutions of higher

education can do to better serve this population of students. Latinos are the largest non-White,

youngest, and fastest-growing U.S. racial/ethnic population, but their college attainment rates

remain the lowest of all groups (Gandara & Contreras, 2009; Swail, Cabrera, & Lee, 2004).

Even though this population of students is growing so rapidly within the United States, evidence

shows that little attention has been given to improve the way that these students are assisted

within institutions of higher education. According to Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson, (2009)

Latinos are expected to compose over half of the college-age population growth within the next

decade. Raising their postsecondary attainment rates presents one of the most critical policy

concerns for improving the overall educational attainment level in the United States. Latino

students are admitted in large numbers at these predominantly white institutions, yet many of

these institutions lack to graduate Latino students at the same rates that they are admitting them.

Therefore, it is imperative that institutions of higher education find better ways to assist and

serve Latino students in order for their graduation completion rates to change.

Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson (2009) emphasize that Hispanics’ tendency to “under

match” where they enroll—that is, to enroll in a less selective institution than one for which they

are academically qualified—is the primary reason for Hispanics’ lower educational attainment

rates, since students at less selective institutions graduate at lower rates than those from more

selective institutions. Thus, not beginning college at a four-year institution is a key factor

limiting Latino students’ educational attainment (Arbona & Nora, 2007; Gandara & Contreras,

2009). Verdugo (2006) suggests that, “Latino students are more likely not to be placed in
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 4

college-preparatory courses because of tracking policies, identification of students as English

Language Learners (ELL), or personal perception of the students’ potential.” The fact that there

are clear factors affecting this population of students in various ways in comparison to other

populations, allows for researchers to further examine the things that can be implemented at

institutions of higher education, in order for institutions to better serve these students.

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the issues that Latino students are

facing at PWI’s of higher education across the United States while seeking to achieve their

Bachelor’s degree. This literature review will also seek to bring awareness to the administrators

of these PWI’s in the hopes that they can utilize the gathered information/findings and enhance

the services that they currently provide the Latino students at their respective institutions. The

hope is for this literature review to allow for the reader to gain a better understanding on the

current issues that Latino students have to overcome in order to achieve a degree completion

status. Some of the recurring themes among the literature consists of the poor guidance of the

college admissions process, socioeconomic status, lack of college readiness due to underfunded

K-12 school systems, lack of connection to the campus upon their arrival to these institutions and

poor academic advising at their respective institutions.

Literature Review

As the number of Latino students increase in institutions of higher education across the United

States so do the strategies to recruit this population of students. When it comes to recruitment

strategies student affairs practitioners cannot overlook Latino students. Many institutions are

becoming more successful at recruiting Latino students but fall short on serving them once they

enroll at their institutions. Martinez (2010) studied the experiences of Hispanic college students

at a private university in the Midwest. Through the study Martinez was seeking to gather
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 5

qualitative data that touched on support services, social and academic influences, campus

climate, sense of belonging, cultural influences and challenges that Hispanic students have.

Studies such as this one open the door for researchers to further examine the findings in order

enhance the services that these institutions are providing this population of students along with

other marginalized populations.

Lack of Resources

Admissions process. As the Hispanic population grows, the volume of Hispanic students

entering college is also expected to increase. Although the growth of well-prepared Hispanic

students has also increased in the last 30 years, Hispanic students continue to underperform,

compared to other student groups (Miller & Garcia, 2004). The Latino population across the

United States is one of the fastest growing population of minorities. This means that this

population of students is also growing very rapidly within institutions of higher education.

Therefore, there is a demand in studying better ways to serve Latino students. Martinez (2010)

found that bridge programs, student organizations, faculty advisors, family support and a

welcoming environment influences students to stay focused and stay in school. Miller and

Garcia (2004) explained that the number of Hispanic students obtaining a college degree have

the lowest college GPA, when compared to Whites and Asian Americans. These findings urge

institutions of higher education to find out what can be done in order to bridge the gap of Latino

students compared to their white peers.

Musoba and Krichevskiy (2014) utilized survival analysis to examined two key first year

courses, mathematics and English, and tested whether they were predictive for long-term student

success as measured by persistence to graduation at a Hispanic-serving research university.

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 6

Many schools determine students’ admission into their institutions based on the grade point

average and ACT score. If a student does not meet their requirements many times they are

denied admission into such institutions. Musoba and Krichevskiy (2014) found that early

coursework in math and English were important for all students. For Latino students, success in

their first math and first English composition courses significantly predicted graduation, but first-

term GPA was not significant. This tells higher education practitioners that universities should

also consider utilizing other factors when it comes to the application process and looking to

evaluate students’ application submitted for admissions review.

Musoba and Krichevskiy (2014) also found that Latino students’ performance in their first

English composition and first math courses were significant predictors of graduation. This means

that higher education practitioners must seek to find a way to be able to provide remedial courses

for students that may need them. If a student does not feel like they are smart enough to be admitted

into four-year institutions, then more than likely they will seek to start at a community college.

Starting at a community college may increase the risk of Latino students never moving on to an

institution that provides them with the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree. When recruiting

Latino students, it is imperative for institutions to take such findings into consideration.

Institutions of higher education should also establish new research studies that can help them

identify what factors are affecting Latino students from completing degrees in their respective

schools. Such results can help find identify what the institutions can do in order to make sure that

these institutions admit students and support them once they arrive to campus.

Language Barriers. Peters, Sawyer, Guzman, and Graziani (2014) studied how Latino

individuals who prefer to communicate in Spanish lack linguistically and culturally proficient

mental health professionals with whom they can communicate effectively. Their study
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 7

illustrated the components necessary to facilitate the overall success of Latino, Spanish-speaking

students in attaining advanced degrees by developing them into competent bilingual service

providers (Peters, Sawyer, Guzman, & Graziani, 2014). These findings can also make reference

to the lack of support that these students may feel upon their arrival to these institutions. If

students do not feel like they have someone to connect with at their respective institutions it may

discourage students from returning the following semester. Students like to feel welcomed and

connected to the campus in order to create a sense of home away from home. In order for

students to be able to establish a sense of community at their respective institutions these

institutions must do better at hiring faculty and staff that are representative of their population of

students.

Socioeconomic Status. For Latinos, the likelihood of being from a low-socioeconomic

background and/or being the first family member to attend college is higher than most other

racial and ethnic groups in the United States (NCES, 2010). In many cases, the families do not

have the resources to provide any financial support. One study reported that 86.4% of bilingual

counselors, who had completed a bilingual counselor-training program, indicated that they would

have been unable to acquire a school counselor certification without the financial support offered

by a federal grant (Sawyer, 2006). This states that there is a high need for financial support for

Latino students. This can be a determining factor for why Latino students do not complete a

degree of higher education. If they cannot afford the high costs of obtaining a four-year degree

then obtaining a professional degree almost seems out of the question. Institutions must do

better at providing Latino students with more financial opportunities that can in turn provide

them with the appropriate financial support to pay off their debt. Students should not have to
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 8

drop out of school due to the lack of financial support if they have the merits and leadership for

scholarship opportunities.

Financial Aid. According to Peters, Sawyer, Guzman, and Graziani (2014) there are

financial, academic, and personal support issues to address when it comes to assisting Latino

students with achieving degrees of higher education in particular advance degrees. Musoba and

Krichevskiy (2014) found that financial aid was associated with degree completion for Latino

students. Latino students who received larger dollar amounts of financial aid in their first semester

were more likely to graduate (Musoba & Krichevskiy, 2014). Financial aid seems to be a trend

when it comes to degree completion for all students but especially for this population of students.

The results for this study also reiterate that standardized test scores do not predict who will

graduate for students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (Musoba & Krichevskiy, 2014). These

results help support the need to change using standardize tests as a mean to offer admission to

students or even determine their success at institutions of higher education. If higher education

practitioners wish to recruit more Latino students they need to look at other factors to determine

their admission into more selective institutions.

Poor K-12 education. Students that come from disadvantaged communities are often the

ones that struggle the most with receiving an education that prepares them for college.

According to Peske and Haycock (2006) the very children who need strong teachers the most are

assigned, on average, to teachers with less experience, less education, and less skills than those

who teach other children. If students are being taught by teachers with less experience that can

result in Latino students having to face greater academic challenges upon their arrival to these

PWI’s. Peske and Haycock (2006) state that despite clear evidence that brand-new teachers are

not as effective as they will eventually become, students in high poverty and high-minority
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 9

schools are disproportionately assigned to teachers who are new to the profession. Knowing

these facts is crucial to understanding the impact that a K-12 educational system can have on

students (positively or negatively). It is imperative for higher education practitioners to consider

this in order to understand some of the needs that these students may have upon their arrival to

campus.

Having inexperienced teachers educating students that come from lower socio-economic

communities creates a huge gap between providing students with college entrance and degree

completion. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Education report showed that in schools where at

least 75 percent of the students were low-income, there were three times as many uncertified or

out-of-field teachers in both English and science (Educated, Jan 3, 2005, p.4). This means that

students are receiving an education from teachers whose content knowledge is not sufficient for

the effective teaching of students who come from such communities. This creates a bigger

deficit in meeting the needs that Latino students have because this can prevent a student from

meeting the leaning outcomes that must be met prior to graduating from high school. If students

do not receive the content knowledge needed to be successful in an institution of higher

education that will create another barrier that can prevent Latino students from being

successfully achieving graduation completion.

College Environment

Lack of college readiness upon arrival. Swail, Cabrera, & Lee (2004) studied how

Latinos are performing compared with all students, but also provided comparisons with White,

Asian, and African American students. In addition to background descriptive data, they looked

at a number of variables which offer insight into how motivated and prepared Latino students are
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 10

for postsecondary work, risk factors that inhibit progress, and details about their educational

pathway. Unfortunately, access to a postsecondary education is not equal in America. Students

historically underrepresented at the post-secondary level are students of color, those from low-

income backgrounds, and first-generation students are still less likely to prepare for, apply for,

enroll in, and persist through postsecondary education (Cabrera & La Nasa, 2000). Through this

study Swail, Cabrera, & Lee (2004) found that Latinos are more likely to enroll in a two-year

rather than a four-year institution, delay entry into postsecondary education and delay for longer

periods, attend part-time, attend more than one postsecondary institution, enroll at a publicly-

funded post-secondary institution, attend lower cost institutions.

Swail, Cabrera, and Lee (2004) also found that Latino students are less likely to aspire to

postsecondary education and to a bachelor’s or advanced degree, enroll in postsecondary

education, be academically qualified for postsecondary education, enroll at a selective post-

secondary institution, maintain continuous enrollment through to degree, complete a post-

secondary degree, and earn a degree within four years. Swail, Cabrera, and Lee (2004), also

state that by 2050, Latinos will be the majority ethnic group in America. For that reason and

others, it is imperative that public policy focus more rigorously on the academic pipeline issues

for Latino youth, understanding completely that dealing with these issues has the potential to

raise the bar for all children (Swail, Cabrera, & Lee 2004). These findings that Swail, Cabrera,

and Lee have discovered throughout their study emphasize the importance of ensuring that

researchers focus their attention on issues affecting and preventing Latino students from

achieving degrees of higher education.

College Persistence. Ojeda (2014) examined how college persistence intentions and life

satisfaction influenced by acculturation, enculturation, White marginalization, and Mexican

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 11

American marginalization among 515 Mexican-American college students. Researchers have

noted the importance of examining the role of culture on the educational experiences and well-

being of Latina/o college students (Gloria, Castellanos, & Orozco, 2005). Other research found

that Latina/o students feel more alienated on campus than their White peers (Lopez, 2005).

Results indicated that cultural adaptation significantly and independently influenced college

persistence intentions. College persistence was positively influenced by being acculturated to

White American culture as well as acculturated to Mexican American culture. These finding are

consistent with research that found that acculturation was related to educational goals (Flores et

al., 2006). If students do not feel connected to the campus that they are attending this will

diminish the chances that they will graduate and receive a bachelor’s degree. Creating a sense

of belonging means more than establishing a cultural center on campus for that population of

students. There is plenty of room to help identify better ways to assist students to adjust to a

campus culture that is inclusive of all cultures and that promotes a diverse campus for all

students.

Cultural Adaptation. Acevedo-Polakovich (2014) created a study that examined whether

incorporating a multidimensional perspective to the study of the relation between cultural

adaptation and academic attitudes among Latinas/os in the United States can clarify this relation.

Acevedo-Polakovich (2014) findings support the utility of incorporating a multidimensional

perspective into research that examines cultural adaptation as a predictor of academic variables

among U.S. Latina/o adolescents. Findings suggest that efforts to promote biculturalism among

U.S. Latina/o high school students are most likely to have a beneficial effect on academic

attitudes when they focus on helping these students understand the personal meaning of the two

cultural heritages that frame their development (Acevedo-Polakovich, 2014). Acevedo-

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 12

Polakovich (2014) also states that at a time when only 1 out of 10 U.S. Latinas/os who initially

enrolls in school will complete a college degree, this understanding cannot come soon enough.

This reinforces the need to further discuss topics that can allow institutions of higher education

to understand how they can better serve Latino students and in turn raise the number of Latinos

graduating from their respective institution. If student affairs practitioners understand the needs

of the students that they are serving it can provide better opportunities of awareness and raise the

graduation success rates for all students across the country.

The research mentioned above calls for an urge to further examine the things that Latino

students are faced with on a daily basis as they transition from a high school into a university

setting. The need to become aware of such deficiencies becomes greater each year as the

number of Latino students continues to rise. Student affairs practitioners cannot continue to

ignore the needs of Latino students because this can be detrimental for the enrollment and

graduation achievement rates of all institutions. In order to enhance the success rates of all

students, colleges and universities must first learn to serve their most vulnerable population of

students. Once they have learned to create inclusive spaces for their marginalized students than

will enhance the education for all the students that they serve.

Parental Support. Meza (2011) studied the role that parental support plays in promoting

the academic success and retention of Latino students in higher education. The study also

gathered data that provided valuable information regarding the feelings that parents had in

regards to the way that the university supported their children. Some of the feelings shared also

spoke to the lack of support from institutions of higher education and how that lack of support

eventually led Latino students to leave the institutions. Approximately six of every 10 students

of color who entered a four-year college or university failed to earn a bachelor’s degree within
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 13

six years (Museus, 2007). Latinos are also less likely than their Caucasian peers to obtain a

bachelor’s degree (Kohler & Lazarin, 2007). This shows that this population has needs that are

preventing them from achieving degree completion within the four years and opens the door for

further research to be done. According to Meza (2011) campus officials cannot fully address the

needs of Latino students without understanding whether parental support influence retention and

how colleges and universities might support parents as they attempt to support their children.

Meza’s (2011) found that parental support is very significant in the retention of Latino students

especially for students that come from a tight family background. The more support the student

receives from the parents the more motivated they will be to complete a degree.

Many Latino students rely on parental support in order to achieve things that may not

seem attainable such as a bachelor’s degree. Meza’s study found that parents trust the institution

to provide support for their children and it also found limited efforts by university officials in

making contact with the parents. The problem with parental involvement at a level of higher

education is the fact that parents feel disconnected when an institution does not commit to

making sure that they are involved in the process. However, Meza (2011) found that parents still

feel that they can support their children by instilling values that emphasize the importance of

education and validate their children’s educational efforts. This provides educators with a need

to further examine ways that can include the family in the process of serving Latino students and

help raise the number of Latino students that graduate from such institutions.

Poor academic advising. Being able to identify the things that make a student reach

degree completing is important for institutions of higher education all across the nation.

Research has shown that academic support services are critical for the success of students who

may be unprepared for college level work (Tinto, 1999). If student affairs practitioners are
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 14

aware of the needs that students have that can provide feedback needed to advocate for better

services for students. According to Rheinheimer and Mann (2000) academic support services

can help underprepared or at-risk students not only catch up to but, in some cases, surpass their

better prepared counterparts. One of the challenges that many of the first-generation Latino

students experience is being unaware of the college requirements for graduation. Latino students

will rely on services such as academic advising to provide them with the appropriate information

and guidance to ensure that they are taking the correct courses for graduation. If a student

receives poor academic advising that can delay their graduation date while adding to the

financial debt that the student is responsible for meeting. Students want to make sure that their

experiences are being validated through their success so providing them with accurate academic

advising information can ensure that these students do not take any unnecessary courses that can

delay that success.

Campus engagement. Research on Latinos has established that specific aspects of the

transition to college are important to different dimensions of adjustment to college, including

academic and social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, and feelings of attachment to

the institution (Hurtado, Carter, & Spuler 1996). Although the academic part of the adjustment

is particularly important to Latino Students, student affairs practitioners cannot overlook the

things that help Latino students stay connected to the campus culture. Some PWI’s have made

an effort in establishing resource centers that can help the student find a connection to campus.

Finding these resources centers may impose a greater challenge for Latino students if they are

not familiar that such centers exist. If they are the first in their family to attend college they may

not be familiar with the types of campus resources and engagement opportunities that are

available for them to get involved with.

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 15

Smedley, Myers, and Harrell's (1993) reported that Latino students on predominantly

White campuses face specific stresses associated with their minority status. This means that

many Latino students do not feel welcome and have encountered uninviting settings. Smedley,

Myers, and Harrell's (1993) also reported that minority freshmen exhibit considerable

psychological sensitivity to the campus social climate, including interpersonal tensions with

White students and faculty and actual or perceived experiences of racism and discrimination. It

is already stressful for Latino students to arrive to a campus with low numbers of faculty and

staff members that resemble them. If Latino students do not feel like they are welcome to the

campus by other students, faculty or staff that may cause for them to feel disconnected and

wanting to go home often. If these students go home often they may find it easier to simply stay

at home after one semester than go through the hassle of attending and living in a university

campus where they do not feel welcomed or appreciated.

According to Hurtado, Carter, and Spuler (1996) studies have found that early transition

experiences that facilitate the formation of peer groups and adjustment to college can be

facilitated by institutional intervention. Making a commitment to establish resource centers at

PWI’s is not enough. Institutions must make a commitment to Latino students that creates a

welcoming setting by all members of the institutions. Latino students should be able to form

peer groups that can help them adjust to campus and those peer groups should not only come

from the Latino resource centers at these institutions. This commitment must come from every

office that provides services to these students. Building community for Latino students is

imperative to their success.

Building community. In order to be able to support Latino students at PWI’s there must

be an institutional commitment that focuses on serving these students. Making an institutional

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 16

commitment means that institutions can be more proactive about how they advertise the

engagement opportunities available for Latino students upon their arrival to these PWI’s. If

these institutions, make the commitment to promote opportunities for all students nothing stops

them from creating advertisements that let Latino students know that they matter and that they

are welcomed at their respective institution. This commitment will also require more than just

pictures on a bulletin board. This will require for institutions to make a commitment to hire

faculty and staff that resemble the Latino population of students. Showing Latino students that

their presence matters will allow them to become more responsive to the opportunities

established for them and be more incline to building a community that can enhance their

graduation completion rates.

Conclusion

College enrollment data reveal that Latino students play a significant role in institutions

of higher education. This population of students cannot continue to be understudied. If

institutions fail to recognize and seek to understand the needs that Latino students face they will

continue to fail the Latino students that they recruiting. In order to enhance the services and meet

the demands that Latino students have, administrators must make an institutional commitment,

that allows for the entire university to find better ways to serve these students. Institutions

cannot continue to recruit Latino students and fail them upon their arrival to these PWI’s.

Therefore, it is imperative for PWI’s to create initiatives that will provide an opportunity to find

better ways to present college admission processes to Latino students and their families and take

into consideration their socioeconomic status when it comes to creating college costs. These

institutions must also keep in mind the lack of college readiness that Latino students may come

with due to underfunded K-12 school systems. This will also open the door to understanding how
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 17

the lack of connection to the campus and poor academic advising at their respective institutions

can influence their academic success and degree completion.

ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LATINO STUDENTS IN PWI’s 18

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