FAQ

Once an institution achieves HSI status, they are eligible to apply for federal Title V funds. The purpose of these competitive Title V grants, according to the Higher Education Act, is to expand and enhance the academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability of colleges and universities that are educating diverse student bodies and helping a large number of low-income individuals complete postsecondary degrees.

These federal grants are not limited to helping only Latinx students but can be used very broadly for a variety of initiatives. By and large, HSIs tend to use this money for faculty and curriculum development and direct student support services.

HSIs enroll not only the majority of Latinx undergraduates in this country but also significant numbers of other historically marginalized groups: 22% of all African American students enrolled in postsecondary institutions in 2017-18 attended HSIs, along with 40% of all Asian American, 29% of all Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 20% of all Native American students.

Also very importantly, HSIs are powerful vehicles for upward mobility for many students. According to a 2018 report from the American Council on Education, two-year HSIs propelled students from the lowest income quintile to the top income quintile at twice the rate of two-year non-Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). Four-year HSIs fared even better, with three times the mobility rate of non-MSIs.

While the mechanisms for this upward mobility are not clearly understood, some researchers have posited that the cultural shifts that come with an incredibly diverse student body create the social and institutional conditions necessary for underrepresented and low-income students to persist and thrive at these institutions.

The HSI Network of Wisconsin (HSI-NOW), formed in 2019, is a coalition of leaders from higher educational institutions in southeast Wisconsin that have obtained or are working toward the federal designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and are committed to attracting, supporting, retaining, and graduating underrepresented students. HSI-NOW member institutions share information and best practices, seek out collaborative opportunities to address challenges, and engage with and serve as a resource for the broader community. By tapping into the unique strengths of each institution and creating an infrastructure of mutual support, HSI-NOW collectively builds capacity to graduate an increasing number of underrepresented students in the region and to truly serve all of our diverse community stakeholders.

Currently, HSI-NOW member institutions include: Alverno College, Carroll University, Gateway Technical College, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Mount Mary University, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Parkside.

Alverno College is proud to be the very first HSI in the state of Wisconsin, achieving this designation in 2017. Mount Mary University became the second higher education institution in Wisconsin that achieved HSI designation in 2020. All of the HSI-NOW member institutions have seen tremendous growth in Latinx enrollment in recent years, and several expect to achieve this status in the very near future.