Report of the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group on LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Submitted to Dr. Randy Williams and Dr. Brooke Barnett November 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page number Why the Latinx/Hispanic Community Matters 4 Working Group History and Research Process 6 Themes 7 What We Know about Campus Climate 9 2016 NSSE Survey 9 Internal Survey and Focus Groups Results 9 Students 10 Faculty and Staff 16 Recommendations 19 I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Admissions and Recruitment Student Aid Welcome to Elon and Success While at Elon A. Orientation, International Orientation and Move-In Day B. First Semester at Elon C. Latinx/Hispanic Student Organizations, Spaces, Experiences and Resources D. Mentorship, Mental Health and Daily Interactions Campus Climate and Assessment Curriculum and Classroom Environment Communication and Messaging Latinx/Hispanic Faculty and Staff References and Further Reading 19 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 28 31 2 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Appendices I. II. III. IV. 3 Growth trend on Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon 2012-2018 Charts of statistically significant differences in student survey results Latinx/Hispanic community meeting with senior staff Latinx/Hispanic Working Group members 35 35 35 38 43 Why the Latinx1/Hispanic Community Matters The Latinx/Hispanic population in the United States represents the largest and fastest-growing minoritized group in the country. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2012 that the Hispanic population grew 50% from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000. After the 2010 census, a large increase was reported again at 43% (50.5 million). It is projected that the Latinx/Hispanic population will make up nearly 31% of the entire United States population by the year 2060 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Latinx/Hispanic representation in K-12 has increased in the past few years. In 2011, these students represented 24% of enrollment in public schools and are projected to increase to 30% by 2023. According to information from the Census Bureau, Latinx/Hispanic high school dropout rates have decreased and are currently at a new low while Hispanic enrollment in universities is at a ‘record high’. The dropout rate decreased from 16% (2011) to 10% (2016), an encouraging trend when considering that Latinx/Hispanics have historically had the highest dropout rate in the U.S. Meanwhile, the number of high school graduates who enroll in college has increased -- it went from 40% (2007) to 47% (2016). A new record showed that 3.6 million Latinx/Hispanics were enrolled in public and private institutions in the U.S. in 2016 (Gramlich, 2017). According to a recent Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends report, by 2050, 31% of the U.S. population aged 18-64 will be made up by Hispanic residents, as well as 35% of the population aged 17 and younger (Greenwood, 2012). This population growth points to a large market for services in the United States, including in higher education, which has motivated universities to examine the needs of these students, and Elon University is not an exception. The university has experienced a steady growth of Latinx/Hispanic students in the past few years (see Appendix 1), yet there is still disproportionate representation when compared to the demographics of the U.S population. This underrepresentation is more striking when considering the percentage of Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff (2.7%) Broad institutional representation, both among the students as well as in staff, faculty and administration, is essential to the visibility and the success of the Latinx/Hispanic community at Elon. It is also important to recognize that 1 Latinx is a gender-inclusive term that replaces Latino or Latina and denotes the fluidity of gender. 4 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Latinx/Hispanics represent a heterogeneous group of different national and ethnic origins, as well as diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and life-histories. They identify as U.S. born and/or raised, international, biracial, and/or multiracial. At the same time, there are some cultural similarities that tend to bring these diverse backgrounds together and that are important to take into account as the university aims to find and implement the best practices to serve this community. Latinx/Hispanic communities have been described as “collectivists, meaning they are group or family oriented and value success of a group rather than individuality” (Greenwood, 2012). Family, defined broadly to include immediate and extended relatives and friends, plays a central role in the educational/professional experiences of Latinx/Hispanic individuals. Engaging families in programs that allow them to become comfortable and knowledgeable of how the university functions and what that means for their student is essential to their success. Another important factor is understanding the Latinx/Hispanic experience as immigrants. Many Latinx/Hispanic members at Elon are either immigrants or children of immigrants. Some of them might have been in the U.S. for generations while still operating under specific cultural models. This characteristic creates several challenges to institutions of higher education, as the immigrant status of an individual is invisible to the campus community yet has a major influence on the educational and professional experience of U.S born and raised, as well as foreign-born, Latinx/Hispanics. Understanding ethnic identity is an important component in engaging the developmental process of Latinx/Hispanic students. For example, many of the Latinx/Hispanic students are bilingual and/or bicultural. They are able to navigate their identity within the dominant and the minoritized cultures and not feeling that there is any contradiction in doing so. Others continue to struggle between assimilating or integrating, especially in an institution like Elon. It is imperative, then, that Elon can demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity when working with individuals who are dealing with these complex issues. In agreement with Elon’s core values of diversity, inclusion, and global engagement, it is critical to take a look at the growth trend of Latinx/Hispanic students, the changes in U.S. demographics, the institutional misrepresentation 5 of this community, and the complexity of its identity in order to provide equitable tools for this community to succeed and flourish. Working Group History and Research Process In the spring of 2017, the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group was appointed by Dr. Randy Williams and Dr. Brooke Barnett. They charged the group with making recommendations about Elon’s policies and practices in order to make the university community a more supportive academic, work, and residential environment for Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Working Group members aimed to do this in a manner consistent with other campus-wide efforts toward inclusion for all community members. The Working Group members started meeting in February 2017. During the spring semester, they looked at a document created by a group of Elon Latinx/Hispanic students that was presented to senior staff in the fall of 2016 (see Appendix 3). This document contains a series of areas of improvement and recommendations from the students, which are folded into the recommended actions in this report. Further, the Working Group analyzed, and has been consulting throughout this process, external scholarly and industry sources, compiled in the section List of References. The Working Group members also researched 10-12 other universities’ practices and policies related to their Latinx/Hispanic community. We found that in terms of resources and initiatives, Elon compared favorably. Yet, there were several programs in different universities that could benefit Elon’s goal of providing a better climate for our Latinx/Hispanic students. The committee also analyzed data already collected by Elon University, including the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Beginning College Survey (BCS) and Your First Year survey results. The Working Group found some differences between non-Latinx/Hispanic and Latinx/Hispanic students based on those surveys on aspects related to campus climate and institutional support. We also found that Latinx/Hispanic students are achieving (i.e., graduating on time, participating in ELRs, etc.). Nevertheless, based on the document that Latinx/Hispanic students presented, conversations we had with Latinx/Hispanic students, and results from focus 6 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES groups and surveys, it was clear that we needed to find more about their lived experience. The Working Group held focus groups to capture the thoughts of different groups of students, in particular students who were about to graduate and who had played an important role in leading the initiative to improve campus climate for the community. The Working Group held three focus groups: international Latinx/Hispanic students (first, second, and third-year students), U.S.- born and raised Latinx/Hispanic students (first, second, and third-year students), and one with Latinx/Hispanic seniors (both international and U.S. born/raised). The focus groups were led by students trained by the Institutional Research office. The results of these focus groups helped create the questions to the surveys that were administered in fall 2017. The Working Group developed two surveys: one for students and one for faculty and staff. The surveys were open from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1. We received 212 responses from students and 159 from faculty/staff. Recognizing that the number of committee members is small and does not have representatives from different university constituents, we used the fall semester to invite representatives from key departments to analyze the information we had already obtained from students as well as to hear about department initiatives that would impact the Latinx/Hispanic community. We had representatives from the Office of Admissions and Financial Planning, New Student and Transition Programs, and the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center. During the spring semester 2018, we conducted a series of focus groups to follow up on the findings from the surveys. Themes As dictated by our charge, the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group collected and analyzed data through several primary and secondary research (as described in the section Working Group Process) to identify the ways in which Elon University could improve the experience of Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty and staff before they come to Elon, during the years they invest at Elon, and, in the case of students, even after they graduate. 7 Please note that under the umbrella “Latinx/Hispanic,” we refer to students, faculty and staff whose family roots are in Latin America and Spain. We have divided Latinx/Hispanic students into two subgroups to take into account similarities and differences in cultural traits and needs: 1) International Latinx/Hispanic students who come to Elon from Latin America (mainly from Spanish-speaking countries, but also from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil and French-speaking countries such as Haiti) and Spain and, 2) U.S.-born and raised students whose family roots can be traced back to Latin America and/or Spain. This report is organized around the following six themes that structure the Group’s “Recommendations”: ● Attracting a larger number of Latinx/Hispanic students and providing better resources, financially and otherwise, for them to thrive at Elon. ● Providing greater support for Latinx/Hispanic students and their families during the admissions process. ● Improving the Orientation programs and strengthening the institutional areas that guide Latinx/Hispanic students in their transition to Elon University and its culture. ● Enhancing curricular content and co-curricular activities that benefit Latinx/Hispanic students and other students alike at Elon by highlighting the contributions of the Latinx/Hispanic population to the United States and the interactions of the United States with Latin America. ● Developing stronger connections with Latinx/Hispanic alumni. ● Purposefully increasing the recruitment and support of Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff to Elon to create a more ethnically diverse community and for students to be able to see themselves in their professors, mentors and community members. 8 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES What We Know About Campus Climate 2016 NSSE Survey Elon University takes part in the NSSE Survey. The Latinx/Hispanic Working Group analyzed the results of the 2016 NSSE and found that Latinx/Hispanic students, similar to white students, are advancing well in their degree plans, graduating on time, and participating in the experiential learning activities that Elon offers. The experience for Latinx/Hispanic students, nonetheless, is less positive than that of white students in certain aspects. The following section represents areas where the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group found statistically significant differences between the perceptions of white and Latinx/Hispanic students (at the p<.05 level): When compared to the responses of white students, first-year Latinx/Hispanic students indicated fewer positive interactions with faculty and were less likely to agree with the claim that Elon encourages diversity through social, racial, ethnic, or religious interaction between students. Among seniors, when compared to the responses of white students, Latinx/Hispanic students indicated fewer positive interactions with “administrative staff and offices.” Internal Survey and Focus Group Results The Latinx/Hispanic Working Group administered two surveys, drafted in consultation with Institutional Research and Assessment staff, in October of 2017: one to all undergraduate students and one to all faculty/staff. Overall, 212 students and 159 faculty/staff responded to the survey. Due to the low response rate to these surveys by non-Latinx/Hispanic students and by all faculty/staff, the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group focused on the survey results provided by Latinx/Hispanic students. We also examined the results of two sets of focus groups that we conducted. Latinx/Hispanic students responded at a notably high rate. Of the 212 respondents, 65 students (31%) identified as Latinx/Hispanic, a remarkable figure considering Latinx/Hispanic students make up only 6.4% of the student body at Elon (in the 2017-2018 academic year). This statistic means that 17% of the Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon responded to this survey. 9 The focus group sessions conducted in the fall of 2017 and the spring of 2018 offered important insights regarding the reasons why Latinx/Hispanic students believe Elon’s environment can be improved for Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, and staff. The two sets of focus group sessions were conducted with students, as follows: The first one occurred in the spring of 2017, before the surveys were administered in the fall of 2017. They consisted of three sessions with international Latinx/Hispanic students (first, second, and third-year students), U.S. born and raised Latinx/Hispanic students (first, second, and third-year students), and Latinx/Hispanic seniors (both international and U.S. born/raised). Each focus group had an average number of 15 participants. The focus groups were led by students trained by the Institutional Research Office. The second round of focus groups occurred in the spring of 2018, once we had processed the results from the fall surveys. This second set of focus groups consisted of four sessions with: U.S.-born/raised Latinx/Hispanic students (20 participants), international Latinx/Hispanic students (18 participants), Latinx/Hispanic student-athletes (9 participants), and U.S.-born, white students (10 participants). Students Less than half of the Latinx/Hispanic students (41.5%) who completed the campus survey rated Elon as an inclusive place for Latinx/Hispanic students to attend. Polling data suggest that one of the obstacles to this sense of inclusion is the high frequency of disparaging remarks observed or received regarding race and ethnicity. Personally, 60% of Latinx/Hispanic students reported to have experienced such disparaging comments made to them, and 64.6% of them reported to have observed disparaging remarks made to others. In this survey, compared to white students (n=110), the difference in the responses of ALANAM (racially minoritized) students (n=102) was statistically significant for the following statements (marked with * for p<.05, ** for p<.01, and *** for p<.001): • “I am concerned that I will be negatively judged based on my racial or ethnic identity by STUDENTS.” *** 10 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES • • • • • • • “I worry that I will be negatively judged based on my racial or ethnic identity by a FACULTY/STAFF member.” *** “While attending Elon University, anyone (student, faculty, staff or administrator) made any disparaging comments regarding race or ethnicity directed at me personally.” *** “When seeking academic advising, the racial/ethnic identity of an academic advisor matters.” *** “I feel a sense of belonging on this campus.” ** “I am satisfied with the process for reporting acts of bias or discrimination.” ** “The university appropriately shares information about incidents of bias and discrimination when they occur.” ** “Elon University is effectively pursuing a commitment to inclusion for all its community members regardless of their age, race, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socioeconomic status, etc.” * During the focus groups, Latinx/Hispanic students offered additional insights about their responses. Regarding disparaging comments, a number of Latinx/Hispanic students participating in the focus groups described different instances where they were told by white peers to speak English. One respondent, for example, was told: “Don’t speak Spanish, we are in America.” Another student shared: “In a party, there were not a lot of people left and the host told us to play some music from our country. When we put music in Spanish, some other students said: ‘Turn off that shit because everybody will leave.’” Other respondents have experienced racist, aggressive comments. For example, one student, while walking back to her dorm at 1 a.m. after a fraternity party and while speaking in Spanish with friends, was told to “Go back to your country, f**king illegal alien!” by a group of three white male students. These quotes reflect the essence of students’ experiences with disparaging comments. These instances have contributed to an atmosphere of discomfort and fear for many students. One respondent reported: “My first year I was afraid to speak in Spanish with my mom in public (on the phone). People stare at you. Now, sometimes I want to speak very loud just to bug them.” 11 It is important to acknowledge that there are disparities among the different members of the Latinx/Hispanic community at Elon, and the focus groups shed light on the specific needs of particular groups. For instance, international student respondents indicated that the campus climate for them is challenging in many aspects. They feel out of place from the start. One student noted: “Since the day I arrived to Elon, when I have group projects, nobody pays attention to me. They might think I am an idiot. In every group project it’s the same thing.” The representative sentiment of the focus group participants is that there is a sense of isolation associated with their Latinx/Hispanic identity while at Elon. Another international student said: “My accent is not the accent faculty want to listen to.” Another one shared the following: “In a class, I was interrupted by the professor in the middle of the speech and he said: ‘You have a thick accent. If you don’t slow down I will take points off.’” These instances have a detrimental effect on students’ confidence in their ability to perform in the classroom. They also prevent students from feeling welcomed and as part of the community. They send the message that Latinx/Hispanic students are different, they are “the other,” and they are not part of what is perceived as the norm. As a consequence, students feel like they are just surviving and not thriving. Some respondents also expressed that they feel tokenized by a university that emphasizes the importance of a global education but that does not include substantial global perspectives in the programming or the curriculum. One respondent stated: “Elon sells the idea of a global experience and a global education, but the reality does not match this.” A black student respondent from another survey articulated a similar statement or theme about the university’s alignment between rhetoric and reality. International students were very clear in noting that a lack of faculty members with diverse perspectives and knowledge of international issues undermines their global education and experience. More positively, Latinx/Hispanic student respondents who completed this survey believe that Elon University is committed to promoting inclusion (70.7%) and that the university successfully communicates that the Latinx/Hispanic identity is part of the school’s overall efforts. Yet, those positive assessments are undermined by being unsatisfied with the process of reporting acts of bias 12 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES or discrimination on campus (only 36.9% report being satisfied) as well as how the university shares information about such acts of bias or discrimination (only 33.9% report being satisfied). Similarly, during the focus groups, students expressed the importance of having a system to report incidents of bias. However, they feel this system does not reassure them that they will not have negative consequences when reporting. They describe it as being “intimidating.” One student said: “There is a stigma about reporting. I thought, ‘What’s the point?’ I did not think there would be consequences for it [reporting the incident].” The intricacies of their identities (i.e., immigration and socioeconomic statuses) make them reluctant to access a system that was not necessarily developed taking them into account. Considering the data, work group members infer a gap between the university’s genuine efforts at creating a bias reporting system and the desired outcome of students feeling comfortable in reporting acts of bias and bigotry. Further exploration of students who have participated in the system would be illustrative. Recruitment efforts, New Student Orientation, and the institutional message communicating the value of Latinx/Hispanic students were all rated relatively poorly by Latinx/Hispanic students who completed the survey (43.1%, 29.3%, and 35.3% reported being satisfied, respectively). This gap stands in clear contrast to the value that Latinx/Hispanic students who completed the campus survey place on promoting a more inclusive environment at Elon (93.9%) and who support Elon’s commitment to diversity and global engagement (81.5%). During a focus group a student stated: “As Latinos, we don’t identify with the culture that others have, and I feel that I have to fit in and blend in.” Another student added: “We [Elon] appreciate the minority for just one month; after that you have to hide because it is too much for white people.” Although paradoxical, students understand that, theoretically, inclusivity and diversity are important for Elon, but the reality, once they come, feels different to them. The survey asked Latinx/Hispanic students questions related to their perception of the existing climate and support systems at Elon available to them. There were positive responses in ‘Ability to Connect with Other Latinx students’, ‘Ability to connect with non-Latinx students’, ‘Feeling welcome at speakers and cultural events’, and in ‘Feeling physically safe and secure on campus.’ However, during the focus groups, the students reemphasized that campus climate trumps their ability to fully excel in all aspects of their college experience. A student stated: “As a Latinx student, you have a sense that you are surviving, not thriving. A lot needs to be done to make students feel that 13 they are thriving.” Students constantly feel as “the other” and as having to prove they deserve to be here. “In the classroom it happens a lot that I feel excluded. I feel scared about participating and being judged because I look different. People don’t initiate conversations with me. I have gotten used to it, so it does not hit me as hard anymore. I always sit with other minorities, if there are any. At this point, I am used to feeling secluded because nobody wants to sit next to me.” Another student stated: “I was in a Spanish class and my professor asked: ‘With a name like that, where are you really from?’ I am from Maryland. I am adopted, and I thought it was really inappropriate.” This feeling of not belonging is not exclusive to the classroom setting. Students expressed they are constantly being doubted about their right to be a student at Elon. “My sophomore year I went to the Office of [redacted] and an individual asked me how my parents afforded sending me to Elon.” The underlying message often received is that students’ Latinx identity makes them different than what is the normal or default, so they are questioned about their presence here. Responses were less positive for ‘Orientation for new students adequately addresses the needs for Latinx students,’ at 29.3%, Elon has ‘Institutional messaging that communicates the value of Latinx students,’ at 35.3%, Elon has adequate ‘Recruitment efforts to attract a more diverse student body,’ at 43.1%, Elon brings ‘Speakers and cultural events that reflect my background,’ at 53.8%, and Elon offers ‘Opportunities to conduct undergraduate research,’ at 53.9%. The difference between theory and reality makes it difficult for some student respondents to navigate the admissions process and to be convinced that staying at Elon is the right choice. Some students start doubting their decision of having chosen Elon during New Student Orientation weekend, and for some, the struggle continues for much longer. It is common that students of all racial and ethnic identities have some level of doubt early in their college career. The survey and focus group findings shed light as to why some Latinx/Hispanic students doubt their decision to attend Elon. Regarding the Admissions process, an international-identified student said, “The process [of Admissions] is completely made for U.S. students. Even calling on the phone is difficult. And now I feel they are preparing me better to study abroad than what they [Admissions] did for us to come here. They don’t adapt things for us.” The Working Group recognizes the effective efforts to increase enrollment 14 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES of international students, and it sees this quote as reflective of the need for a more seamless matriculation and a more robust support system for international students. A U.S. born/raised Latinx/Hispanic student shared: “My first year I questioned who I was in this world. I came for Fellows Weekend. It was really hard for my mom because she did not speak English and I was always worried for her… [At this point, this student started to cry during the focus group]. You want your parent to be there and see you succeed, but I did not want them to feel different. I was scared.” At an institution that is so rooted in the principle of developing relationships among all community members, some students have not experienced the university considering their families in the Admission or Orientation processes in a way that aligns with the collectivist nature of this community, as described earlier in the report. Once they arrive on campus, students perceive very quickly that their life is not going to be easy. For example, in her first experience as an Elon student, during New Student Orientation, a Latinx/Hispanic student shared: “Honestly, Orientation was the most degrading experience at Elon. Every Orientation group has its international student as a token. I stayed at Elon because of the International Orientation leader. The regular orientation was awful. All I did was trying to find other Latinos. My Orientation group was depressing.” Although international students expressed positive feelings about the opportunity to come early, meet other peers, form a cohort, and work on the logistical issues that come with being an international student, they also expressed concern about the content of the sessions they attended. As students expressed during several focus groups and quoting from the document Latinx/Hispanic Community Meeting with Senior Staff (see Appendix), “Using International Orientation as a way to have international students assimilate to the American culture is the opposite of the overall goal of Elon’s #1 priority of diversity and inclusion. Telling students that they cannot speak the language because Americans will feel excluded is unacceptable. Making one group feel comfortable at the expense of underrepresented groups is not the message we strive to meet with the Strategic Plan’s unprecedented commitment to diversity and global engagement.” Another student noted during the focus groups: “As an Orientation Leader (OL) I was very out of place because the training is not inclusive at all. It is not geared towards somebody like me. Most of the OLs don't have the 15 experiences to deal with microaggressions. I felt left out. They made a lot of the minoritized OLs go to the International Orientation. I stayed in the regular orientation because I thought it was important for them [new students] to see somebody like them.” In general, it was clear that First Year Student Orientation was impactful on the students, and their feedback indicates that the experience was negative for a lot of them. These negative experiences continued to emerge during their Elon 101 course. Similarly, students continued to find barriers throughout the four years of their time at Elon. These barriers were relevant as students tried to pursue the Experiential Learning Requirements (ELRs). Latinx/Hispanic students shared not having the same access as other students to take advantage of these opportunities: “There are leadership opportunities you have to pass because you cannot afford them. Any experience costs money. A lot of times Intervarsity does beach retreats and I cannot participate because I don't have money.” Another student added: “I went to the SPDC to inquire about internships, but I cannot do an internship in places where I cannot support myself. That is always my second thought, and it puts a barrier in me going even to the information sessions.” These reflections add commentary to the 2017 Elon Experiences data that show Latinx/Hispanic graduates’ performance was generally on par or better than all graduates’ rates, providing a better understanding of the experiences of Latinx/Hispanic students. Referencing on-campus opportunities, a student said: “They want more people of color to be OLs but they don’t think about the financial implications. They want you to be here for a week but I don’t have money. They tell you, ‘It is going to be so important for others to have people like you as an OL. This is about the experience. We want people to be here for the experience and not for the money.’” However, for this student and others, participating in a nonpaid leadership opportunity could mean giving up a week of wages in a regular job. Faculty and Staff For faculty and staff, a survey was administered by the Latinx/Working Group in October of 2017, but there were no focus groups. We received a total of 201 survey responses, but we analyzed only the 159 completed questionnaires. While the survey about the campus climate for the Latinx/Hispanic community 16 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES did not generate much response from faculty and staff at Elon, the Working Group presents some limited results to illustrate some themes that could be explored further. Among the respondents, compared to white faculty and staff, the faculty and staff members who identify as ALANAM (African American/Black, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American/Alaskan Native, and Multiracial) were more likely to indicate that they feel that their supervisors at Elon (p<.001) and that Elon students (p<.001) will judge them based on their racial/ethnic identity. They were also more likely to report receiving disparaging comments made directly to them (p<.01). Some qualitative comments representative of the data included in the faculty/staff responses to the survey highlight the need for a more racially and ethnically diverse faculty and staff, for more recognition for the Latinx/Hispanic colleagues already on campus, more Latinx/Hispanic themes reflected in the curriculum, and advocacy work in the local community. For example, regarding the theme of greater representation of Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff, one respondent wrote: “I think it is not normal to work in a place where only about 2 percent of the people is of Latino background. I know it is not going to be 20 percent, but 2 percent is extremely low.” A similar expectation was expressed regarding senior administration: “[We need] more hiring in high contact/high visibility jobs. We've had a very strong administration for many years, but the fact that this administration has been very white (non-Hispanic) male has also been apparent.” Being in an environment where the majority of the people who work with you do not share similar backgrounds prevents you from sharing your identity fully, fearing it is not going to be understood or well accepted. In the same way that students need to be able to see themselves within the faculty and staff they interact with, faculty and staff also need to be able to relate with and share similar backgrounds with colleagues and senior leaders, not only to see themselves as part of the campus community, but to know that opportunities for growth and leadership are also available to them. There is also a desire for greater support and recognition of the Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff working at Elon who do not identify in the dominant racial identity. One respondent said, “I think Elon could be more helpful to international faculty (recognizing unique challenges they might have, 17 especially in terms of teaching). I think the community could be better at recognizing the diversity and complexity of those who might identify as Latina, -o, or Hispanic. While recognizing recent improvements in staff onboarding, I also suspect that we could do better at introducing/educating new and existing staff about the university's values, which are related to trying to understand people who are different from ourselves in many ways and how that works on a day-to-day basis.” The need for increasing the diversity of the curricular offerings at Elon was also highlighted, not only by Latinx/Hispanic students, but also by faculty and staff. One person wrote: “We need more Latinx/Hispanic faculty. We need more majors and minors about the Latinx/Hispanic community. We need more Latinx/Hispanic supervisors. We need more equality.” There is an acknowledgement that representation matters, not only to be able to see oneself among peers, professors, staff members and leaders, but also in the curricular offerings. Lack of physical representation and of representation in the curriculum goes against Elon`s commitment “to engage students’ minds and inspire them to act as leaders and global citizens” (The Elon Commitment”/ Strategic Plan). In a similar sense, there was a shared concern about the need to think of the local community and Elon’s responsibility to be an agent for change and advocacy. “[We need] leadership and advocacy in the county. The university is great - but needs to be an advocate for change in the county if we want to promote a more inclusive community for Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff.” There was a sense of needing the university to be more active and creating inclusion and equity for Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff, not just within the lines of the campus, but also in the local community. 18 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Recommendations The Latinx/Hispanic Working Group has developed a set of recommendations listed under seven themes outlined below. Each theme provides a brief introduction to provide context and rationale. I. Admissions and Recruitment Latinx/Hispanic student enrollment has steadily grown at Elon (6.4% for firstyear students in 2017 from 3.7% in 2012). And yet, compared to our peer and aspirant institutions, our enrollment of first-year Latinx/Hispanic students is lower than institutions such as Ithaca College (8.3 %), Lehigh University (9.5%), Loyola University MD (10.2%), the College of William & Mary (10.6 %), Rollins College (15.2%) or Santa Clara University (17.2%) (IPEDS, 2016). Also, according to the report “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2016” (2017), at the U.S. national level, Latinx/Hispanic students encompass 19.3% of the first-year student body, compared to less than 7% at Elon. Thus, the percentage of Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon falls below some of our peer and aspirant institutions, far below the national Latinx/Hispanic population of 17.8% and far below the 19.3 % of first-year college students who identify as Latinx/Hispanic in the United States. When recruiting Latinx/Hispanic students, it is important to note that the Latinx/Hispanic families of prospective students have a strong say in the decision-making process of their children. These families have a specific set of needs in the admissions process related to issues of language and culture. Recognizing the distinct identity characteristics of Latinx/Hispanic as collectivist communities and adapting to this specific set of needs will provide a more commensurate experience for Latinx/Hispanic families and prospective students in the admission and recruitment process. As such, we propose these recommendations as strategies to enhance the recruitment, enrollment, and success of Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon: 1. Develop a bilingual, interactive, personalized, and well-organized website that integrates information useful for Latinx/Hispanic students and their families regarding the following aspects: a) Admissions processes b) Financial aid information c) Information on fellowships, internships, and other opportunities of special appeal to Latinx/Hispanic students 19 d) First-year student transition information e) Curricular and co-curricular resources and programs (such as El Centro and the CREDE) f) General information on immigration, with a clear statement from the administration on the welcoming environment at Elon for students with different immigration statuses. This section should include information about changes in federal/state policies and regulations that might affect the students and their families. Acknowledging the private nature of these statuses, we recommend for some portions of this website to be password-protected. 2. Continue and expand recruitment both in Latin America and in the United States by involving Latinx/Hispanic faculty, staff, students and alumni who could serve as ambassadors along with Admissions staff. Special attention should be given to regions where large Latinx/Hispanic communities exist, such as Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as locally in North Carolina. 3. Provide high-level attention to recruiting both International and U.Sborn/raised Latinx/Hispanic students to dispel the perception that one group is more important than the other and ensure a more consistent and strategic way to serve this population. International students expressed the positive experience of having Admissions’ counselors who could speak their language and who made sure to include their families in parts of the process, by offering receptions in their home country and inviting current students to participate and share their experiences with prospective international students. On the contrary, U.S. born/raised students expressed feeling frustrated about having to adapt to a system that does not consider their identity. They shared feeling overwhelmed by a process where their families could not help because of language barriers. Given this contrast, the Working Group recommends hiring a new Admissions staff member whose main focus would be the recruitment of U.S.-born/raised Latinx/Hispanic students, aligned with the strategy focused on recruiting Black/African American students. This person, as well as the international Admission counselors, should be competent on the specific identity traits of this community so that they can also train other Admissions staff. 20 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES 4. Provide interpreters during admissions and recruiting events for prospective students and families, ensuring a representative who can speak Spanish. 5. Provide ongoing training to professional and student staff in the Office of Admissions on Latinx/Hispanic identity, so that they can better communicate and serve prospective and current students, and their families. 6. As suggested by Latinx/Hispanic students during their meeting with Senior Staff (Appendix - Latinx/Hispanic Community Meeting With Senior Staff), the Working Group recommends the creation of a Latinx/Hispanic Student “Pen Pal” program that pairs current Latinx/Hispanic students with prospective and accepted Latinx/Hispanic students, by region and by country, to establish connections and share information before they arrive and during their first semester at Elon. This should be a joint effort between the Office of Admissions and the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE). 7. Start supporting Latinx/Hispanic students much earlier in their education process, leveraging existing Elon programs, such as Elon Academy and “It Takes a Village” program. 8. Update the research on high schools that have large populations of Latinx/Hispanic students, informing Admissions counselors about which high schools they should focus on to cultivate interested applicants. 9. Reassess the measures of academically capable students in determining those who can benefit from an Elon education without lowering the standard for high-quality applicants. II. Student Aid A key factor in attracting more Latinx/Hispanic students to Elon will be the availability of financial aid and making students aware of it. As Elon works to raise funds to increase socioeconomic diversity, we recommend that the University dedicate significant funding to attract Latinx/Hispanic students. 21 Considering that the Latinx/Hispanic community is the fastest-growing in the United States, it will serve the university well to have a student body that better reflects the nation’s ethnic diversity. Additionally, the number of high school graduates is shrinking, but the number of Latinx/Hispanic community members is growing, particularly in North Carolina, raising this community’s presence as a leading consumer of higher education. Expanded financial aid would attract a more diverse international and U.S.- born/raised Latinx/Hispanic students, especially those who identify as first-generation students. For those reasons, the Working Group recommends for Elon to: 10. Increase funding to attract students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups while also devoting specific attention to Latinx/Hispanic students given the salient growth of the Latinx/Hispanic population in the United States. 11. Include a bold initiative for growing the endowments for scholarships in the university’s next comprehensive strategic plan. 12. Provide training to current and incoming Financial Planning staff, ensuring a level of proficiency in understanding and responding to the diverse needs of U.S. born/raised and international Latinx/Hispanic students and families. 13. Cultivate a strong Elon Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network that serves as a thought-leadership and philanthropic resource for supporting student needs. III. Welcome to Elon and Success While at Elon Latinx/Hispanic and other minoritized groups at Elon praise the university’s commitment to diversity and its focus on underrepresented groups. However, some Latinx/Hispanic student respondents acknowledged some unmet expectations once arriving to campus regarding the lack of ethnic diversity and organizational support for their different needs. 22 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES A. Orientation, International Orientation, and Move-In Day First-year student orientation is a key service as it introduces students to the culture, expectations, and resources the university has to offer. Elon has the right expertise in its office of New Student and Transition Programs (NSTP), and students acknowledged, both in the survey and during the focus groups, that orientation weekend played an important role in setting the stage for their life at Elon. Based on students’ experiences during move-in day and orientation weekend, the Working Group recommends the following: 14. Provide Spanish speakers to assist families on Move-in Day. Current Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, and staff can be valuable resources in this effort, particularly the Latinx/Hispanic ERG and local alumni. It is also important to provide these families with bilingual preparatory information and materials beforehand. 15. Assess the New Student Orientation Leader Program to ensure that Elon is effective and appropriate in supporting students of minoritized communities. This support means having more ethnically and racially diverse orientation leaders, preparing orientation leaders with an adequate level of self-awareness and knowledge of others’ identities, and providing a strong level of intercultural training to all members of the Orientation team. 16. Strengthen the collaboration between the Global Education Center (GEC) and the Office of New Student and Transition Programs (NSTP). Reassessing the competencies of both offices’ staffs would allow a more efficient use of their expertise on specific contents and procedures, and therefore, a more seamless transition for all students between the International and New Student Orientations. 17. Consider inviting U.S.-born/raised Latinx/Hispanic students and their families to arrive early on campus (similar to International students who arrive a few days earlier than the rest of the students for a PreOrientation program) to better support them in their transition to Elon and to integrate them, along with the international Latinx/Hispanic students, as a whole community into the life of the campus. This approach will help ensure a commensurate experience and opportunities for the Latinx/Hispanic students compared to those of their white counterparts. While Elon should develop a program that works for the 23 needs and possibilities of our institution, a good example to explore is that of the BRIDGE program at Gonzaga University, which is designed for underrepresented students “to begin to explore and embrace their intersecting identities in solidarity and support with one another” (BRIDGE Program, 2018). The pre-orientation programs and the retention initiatives at Davidson College, as well as the Pre Orientation Program for Students of Color at Emerson College, are worth exploring, too (Pre-Orientation Programs 2018; Retention Initiatives 2018; Pre Orientation Program for Students of Color 2018). B. First Semester at Elon Elon 101 offers minoritized students the opportunity to have an easier transition in a short-seminar experience that allows them to see themselves in other peers. For that reason, Elon should: 18. Consider ways that Elon 101 courses can specifically attend to the needs of minoritized students such as the Latinx/Hispanic population. It is imperative to develop strategies in Elon 101 sections to ensure that Latinx/Hispanic and minoritized students in general are not singled out and are not the only ones in the room. 19. Pilot a corps of Elon 101 instructors with intercultural awareness and identity development training so that they can better serve and attend to the needs of minoritized students, assess the pilot, and then make adjustments as supported by the experience. C. Latinx/Hispanic Student Organizations, Spaces, Experiences and Resources 20. Expand financial support and the space to build on the foundation laid by El Centro to further develop a university venue that transforms El Centro into a Latinx/Hispanic Center. 21. Assess the mission and priorities of the CREDE, as well as the responsibilities of its professional staff, to ensure that El Centro can fully focus on the expansion referenced in the previous recommendation. 24 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES 22. Consider supporting our DACA and undocumented students by providing financial help with renewal processes and specific legal guidance through consultants. 23. Continue supporting current groups such as the Latinx/Hispanic Union and the national Latina sorority Chi Upsilon Sigma and encourage the creation of new organizations to reflect the diversity of the Latinx/Hispanic communities on campus. 24. Fund events that recognize the Latinx/Hispanic community. These efforts include formalizing Gala Latina as a campus wide Latinx/Hispanic celebration of excellence in academic and Elon Experiences and in faculty/staff achievements. This event should include the families of the awardees. 25. Provide full access to Elon Experiences for Latinx/Hispanic students. This access includes dedicating funds for those students with high economic need, but also providing training for Elon staff so that they can help the students facing specific barriers to get these opportunities (such as when internships are not available for undocumented students). 26. Form a confidential university advocacy committee for immigrants. This group will be tasked with monitoring immigration changes in the country and how they could impact prospective and current students at Elon. It will also gather internal and external resources to support them in different areas like the admissions process; legal support and advice; counseling in moments of crisis; etc. This group could also develop a reference guide for various campus services offices that are likely to interface with students without U.S. citizenship status. Loyola University Maryland and Davidson College, among other institutions, provide a series of resources for undocumented and DACA students that is worth exploring (Undocumented Student Resources 2018; Undocumented & DACA Student Resources 2018). D. Mentorship, Mental Health and Daily Interactions 27. Sponsor a Latinx/Hispanic faculty/staff/alumni/community members-tostudent mentorship program as well as events where the Latinx/Hispanic 25 community can interact and support each other. This mentorship program could be infused into the SMART program. 28. To allow Counseling Services to better serve the mental health needs of Latinx/Hispanic students, a. focus future hiring efforts on recruiting candidates with demonstrated culturally responsive clinical approaches and bilingual Spanish/English skills. A Latinx/Hispanic counselor with deep knowledge on issues affecting the community would be the ideal hire. b. engage staff in on-going professional development and training to enhance culturally responsive clinical approaches, and c. provide targeted mental health outreach to reduce the stigma of help-seeking behaviors related to mental health in the Latinx/Hispanic community (Moreno, 2017) 29. Train faculty and staff members in intercultural competence to ensure the respectful treatment of minoritized faculty/staff members, and minoritized students at Elon. The administration should acknowledge and communicate that this is important to the whole campus. IV. Campus Climate and Assessment Latinx/Hispanic and non-Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, and staff provided the Working Group with valuable insights regarding their experiences at Elon. Worth noting is that while Latinx/Hispanic students recognized the university’s commitment to promoting a sense of inclusion, 60% of Latinx/Hispanic students reported to have experienced disparaging comments and 65% to have witnessed disparaging comments made to other Latinx/Hispanic students. Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon, as indicated in the surveys and especially as shared during the focus groups, have experienced situations where their peers have told them, in different settings inside and outside the classroom, to stop speaking Spanish or to “go back to Mexico.” 26 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES In response to this feedback, we recommend: 30. Reassess how to disseminate information on the reporting system of incidents of bias as well as reevaluate the timeliness and appropriateness of the university’s response. 31. Ensure that the university consistently puts forward a strong message against racially- and ethnically-insensitive or disparaging comments, behaviors, and threats on campus, as well as the expectations and consequences related to these behaviors 32. Develop strategies that yield a better reflection of Latinx/Hispanic identity in a culturally sensitive manner throughout all facets of the university. V. Curriculum and Classroom Environment While Elon currently offers some high-quality courses that tackle issues of race and ethnicity, the university must work to offer more classes, workshops, trainings, and cultural events to dispel inaccurate, stereotypical, and racist views of the Latinx/Hispanic community. Beyond offering specific courses about the Latinx/Hispanic community in the United States, the university should include course content that explores the actors, events, and processes that involve the Latinx/Hispanic population and its multiple contributions to the United States and globally. 33. Partner with the Core Curriculum to deepen and promote more courses that tackle issues related to the Latinx/Hispanic population in the United States as well as related themes such as power, privilege, and oppression. 34. Utilize CATL grants to create and support course content that advances the study and understanding of the Latinx/Hispanic population/culture, not only globally but also in the United States, possibly through the expansion of the current minor to become a Latin American/Latino Studies minor. 27 35. Utilize CATL grants to encourage Latinx/Hispanic themes, perspectives, and actors in the different disciplinary courses (for instance, in the fields of political science, economics, literature, communications, religious studies, human services, sociology & anthropology, health-related disciplines, history, art & art history, marketing, poverty & social justice, music, performing arts, etc.). VI. Communication and Messaging Elon demonstrated a commitment to learning about the Latinx/Hispanic culture and language by establishing El Centro in 1998. As time has passed, El Centro has evolved into a strong support system for Latinx/Hispanic students and a place to interact and build networks. However, in recent years the professional staff at El Centro reached their full capacity. As such, the following recommendations are offered: 36. Provide institutional support and visibility to events and programs that celebrate and teach about the Latinx/Hispanic culture and identity with all its intersectionalities, like Hispanic Heritage Month. 37. Strengthen the institutional messaging to showcase the role of Latinx/Hispanic students, parents, alumni, faculty, and staff at Elon. Clearly communicating appreciation for the Latinx/Hispanic community will help create a better sense of belonging at Elon for Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty and staff. VII. Latinx/Hispanic Faculty and Staff Elon has a lower percentage of Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff than its peer and aspirant institutions. Latinx/Hispanic faculty, for example, reaches only 2.3% of the faculty body at Elon. Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff, together, reach only 2.7%. In contrast, the Latinx/Hispanic faculty/staff percentage is 5.5% in Davidson College, 11.7% in Rollins College, and 14.5% in Santa Clara University (IPEDS 2016). The number of Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff at Elon are well below these figures and do not reflect the nation’s demographic makeup. Hiring more Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff will help facilitate a more inclusive campus and will translate into increased opportunities for department leadership and positions in higher administration. 28 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Also, given that representation matters, students need to see themselves in their faculty and staff members. This representation is important for their success in general, but also to provide more alternatives in finding academic advisors, undergraduate research and leadership mentors, and advocates in different settings across campus. We recommend the following: 38. Create a plan to recruit Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff so that Elon’s faculty and staff demographics more consistently mirrors national averages. 39. Promote recruitment efforts committed to supporting faculty and staff who move to Alamance County (in many cases, with their families), considering feedback from students and colleagues about negative experiences in the community. Recruiting efforts should incentivize faculty and staff to move to this region. 40. Increase participation in programs that draw faculty of color to Elon such as Faculty Exchange programs from regions with larger populations of Latinx/Hispanic faculty like California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, etc. 41. Offer pre and postdoc fellowships as well as visiting professorships for Latinx/Hispanic faculty. The Pre/Post-Doc for Faculty of Diverse Origin, for example, could be expanded to specifically target Latinx/Hispanic faculty. 42. Increase opportunities for Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff with an emphasis on promoting leadership roles within departments and university administration. 43. Develop a one-on-one mentorship program that pairs senior faculty (either Latinx/Hispanic faculty members or those who possess deep knowledge of this identity) with junior Latinx/Hispanic faculty, especially with first-year professors. 44. Develop writing, research, teaching, and professional development mentorships that allow new Latinx/Hispanic faculty to meet university expectations regarding teaching, research, and contributions to the life of the institution. 29 45. Provide and incentivize ongoing training for department chairs, deans, and P&T Committee members on the documented ways in which minoritized faculty have historically faced disadvantages and bias. 46. Conduct a labor equity analysis of all faculty and staff salaries so that Latinx/Hispanic faculty and staff are assured that they are receiving fair compensation for their work. 30 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES References and Further Reading Azziz, Dr. Ricardo. “The State of Latinos in U.S. Higher Education.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-ricardo-azziz/the-state-of-latinos-inhigher-education_b_7595590.html Baker, C. N., & Robnett, B. (2012). Race, social support and college student retention: A case study. Journal of College Student Development, 53 (1), 325–335. Davidson College (2018). Pre-Orientation Programs, https://www.davidson.edu/offices/dean-of-students/new-studentorientation/pre-orientation-programs Davidson College (2018). Retention Initiatives, https://www.davidson.edu/student-life/diversity-and-inclusion/retentioninitiatives Davidson College (2018). Undocumented & DACA Student Resources https://www.davidson.edu/student-life/diversity-andinclusion/undocumented-and-daca-student-resources Emerson College (2018). Pre Orientation Program for Students of Color, https://www.emerson.edu/intercultural-student-affairs/pre-orientationprogram-students-color Gonzaga University (2018). BRIDGE Program, https://www.gonzaga.edu/student-life/orientation/pre-orientationprograms/bridge-program Gonzaga University (2018). Undocumented Student Support https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/offices-services/diversity-inclusioncommunity-equity/undocumented-student-support 31 Greenwood, Kimberly. “Higher Education Marketing to the Hispanic Student Population: Spring 2012”. Honors Thesis and Capstones. University of New Hampshire Scholars’ Repository, Spring 2012, http://scholars.unh.edu/honors/50 Gramlich, John. “Hispanic Dropout Rate Hits New Low, College Enrollment at New High.”Pew Research Center, 29 Sept. 2017, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/29/hispanic-dropoutrate-hits-new-low-college-enrollment-at-new-high/ Hurtado, S. (1994). The Institutional Climate for Talented Latino Students. Research in Higher Education, 35(1), 21-41. Hurtado, S. (1992). Campus Racial Climate: Contexts of Conflict. Journal of Higher Education, 63 (5), 539-69. Hurtado, S., & Carter, Deborah F. (1997). Effects of College Transition and Perceptions of the Campus Racial Climate of Latino College Students’ Sense of Belonging. Sociology of Education, 70 (4), 324–345. Hurtado, S., Carter, D.F., & Spuler, A.J. (1996). Latino Student Transition to College: Assessing Difficulties and Factors in Successful Adjustment. Research in Higher Education, 37 (2), 135–57. Hurtado, S., Milem, J., Clayton-Pederson, A., & Allen, W. (1999). Enacting diverse learning environments: Improving the climate for racial/ethnic diversity in higher education. Washington, DC: Author. 32 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Hurtado, S., Milem, J.F., Clayton-Pederson, A., Allen, W. (1996). Improving the Climate for Diversity in Higher Education Institutions (Final Report to the Lilly Endowment). Nashville, TN: Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Krogstad, Jens Manuel. “5 Facts about Latinos and Education.” Pew Research Center, 28 July 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/28/5facts-about-latinos-and-education/ Lopez, Mark Hugo, and Richard Fry. “Among Recent High School Grads, Hispanic College Enrollment Rate Surpasses That of Whites.” Pew Research Center, 4 Sept. 2013, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/04/hispanic-collegeenrollment-rate-surpasses-whites-for-the-first-time/ Loyola University Maryland (2018). Undocumented Student Resources https://www.loyola.edu/department/international-studentservices/resources/undocumented-student-resources Moreno, Eric. “Latinos & Mental Health: Current Issues and Reason for Hope.” American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 25 July 2017, https://afsp.org/latinos-mental-health-current-issues-reason-hope/ Santiago, Debora A. FACTBOOK 2015: The Condition of Latinos in Education. January 2015. https://www.nccpsafety.org/assets/files/library/The_Condition_of_Latin os_in_Education.pdf Torres, V. (2003). Influences on ethnic identity development of Latino college students in the first two years of college. Journal of College Student Development, 44 (4), 532–547. 33 “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2016.” Higher Education Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 13 Aug. 2017. Available at https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Profile-of-Freshmenat/240775?cid=cp135 U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, 2012 National Population Projections, Table 4: Projections of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States: 2015 to 2060, 2012. Yan, L., & Pei, S. (2018) “Home Away from Home”? How International Students Handle Difficult and Negative Experiences in American Higher Education. Journal of International Students, 8 (1), 453–472. 34 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Appendices Appendix 1. Growth Trend Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon 2012-2018 8 6 5.4% 3.7% 4 6.1% 6.4% 4.6% 5.1% 2 0 Appendix 2. Students Survey Data Results 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 Below are results for the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group Students Survey, administered in October 2017, where the differences between Latinx/Hispanic students and white students were statistically significant. The students are grouped into Latinx/Hispanic, other ALANAM (non-Latinx/Hispanic), and White students, for comparison purposes. 29.2% of all Latinx/Hispanic student respondents feel that race/ethnicity of an academic advisor matters 21.6% of all Other ALANAM respondents feel that race/ethnicity of an academic advisor matters 35 2.7% of all white respondents feel that race/ethnicity of an academic advisor matters 60.0% of all Latinx/Hispanic student respondents have had disparaging comments made to them 54.1% of all Other ALANAM respondents have had disparaging comments made to them 13.6% of all white respondents have had disparaging comments made to them 64.6% of all Latinx/Hispanic student respondents have observed disparaging comments made to others 64.9% of all Other ALANAM respondents have observed disparaging comments made to others 36 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES 53.6% of all white respondents have observed disparaging comments made to others 58.5% of all Latinx/Hispanic student respondents worry they will be negatively judged by other students 62.2% of all Other ALANAM respondents worry they will be negatively judged by other students 7.3% of all white respondents worry they will be negatively judged by other students 37 30.7% of all Latinx/Hispanic student respondents worry they will be negatively judged by faculty/staff 32.4% of all Other ALANAM respondents worry they will be negatively judged by faculty/staff 0.9% of all white respondents worry they will be negatively judged by faculty/staff Appendix 3. Latinx/Hispanic Community Meeting with Senior Staff Latinx/Hispanic Community Meeting with Senior Staff (December 2, 2016) Summary of Recommendations As our population grows, we want to make sure we are represented on campus. Below we present some ideas that we hope will be an initial conversation. When thinking long term, and in terms of collecting data and moving the work forward, we understand it is the right moment for a presidential task force, in order to set the stage for future success. For now, we present some short-term ideas/suggestions: - Admissions - Admissions’ recruitment process has been pretty successful and for the most part pretty standard. We believe the process to recruit underrepresented groups, in particular Hispanic/Latino students, should be different and in agreement with the cultural characteristics of this population. - Sylvia does send a letter to prospective students but we need to have continued direct communication with this group, not through Admissions necessarily but more direct and personal. - Once the student is accepted a congratulatory letter is sent telling the students about the resources we provide but often times gets lost in all the emails the students receive from Admissions. It would be beneficial to keep having Sylvia as the direct point of contact for these students so that they see there is a specific person they can come to. - Pen pal system: Getting partnered with another Hispanic/Latino student 38 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES - A better way for prospective students to be connected with current students. This also gives students at Elon a leadership role and helps current students become more accountable. It could also be expanded so that the pen pal system becomes a mentorship program as well. The partnering could be done by Admissions, since it has to be an intentional partnership, especially if we want to make this a mentoring program. This could be housed also in the CREDE so that Sylvia can work with the Hispanic/Latino students already involved and hopefully through LASO as well. - When you recruit a Hispanic/Latino student, you recruit the family. Involving the family in the Admissions process through specific presentations for Hispanic/Latino families is necessary. In places where there is a large Hispanic/Latino community, sessions must be created specifically for Hispanic/Latinos in which we provide translation services and have key documents in Spanish (e.g. financial aid documents). - Outreach to areas with more diverse populations in major cities would attract more underrepresented students. - Recruit more at public schools vs. private schools to expand upon socioeconomic/racial and ethnic diversity - The Elon website should be available in Spanish, and in the future in other languages represented by our student population. - Phoenix Fusion Weekend allows underrepresented students to come to campus, develop a cohort, and learn more about resources Elon already offers. Unfortunately, traveling to campus is sometimes a burden (financially and with distance), and many students cannot attend. We should reexamine the sessions held during this weekend to evaluate if they are truly effective in improving campus climate for these students, as well as communicating realistic expectations of everyday life at Elon. - Orientation International orientation has provided students the opportunity to arrive to Elon before the rest of the class. By doing this international students can take care of some logistical aspects other students do not have to worry about (bank accounts, phone accounts, etc.). It also gives international students the opportunity to start the adjustment period as a cohort. There is, however, a great opportunity to utilize this orientation to also prepare international 39 students and even other underrepresented groups, if it gets expanded, to learn what it means to be part of a PWI, and to learn about other underrepresented groups as well. - Using International orientation as a way to have international students assimilate to the American culture is the opposite of the overall goal of Elon’s #1 priority of diversity and inclusion. Telling students that they cannot speak the language because Americans will feel excluded is unacceptable. Making one group feel comfortable at the expense of underrepresented groups is not the message we strive to meet with the Strategic Plan’s unprecedented commitment to diversity and global engagement. - Likewise, it is important international students attend diversity education workshops/presentations so they are aware/knowledgeable of all communities on campus. - Because training for orientation leaders is limited by time during the summer, the OL’s that are hired need to be more rigorously selected. They should demonstrate an awareness of their own personal identities and privileges and be able to use training to supplement their preexisting knowledge. - All Hispanic/Latino students should be invited to come to an earlier orientation, like international students. In this way, there would be more opportunities for families to get involved in the orientation process and to have both International and Domestic Hispanic/Latino students meet and learn from each other. Having an early Orientation for Hispanic/Latino students provides an opportunity to introduce them to Sylvia, but also to other faculty and staff who will be able to support these students. It will also gives families an opportunity to meet different people that they can contact and that they know will support their student throughout their four years at Elon. - Resources - Hispanic/Latino Resource Room- Having a Hispanic/Latino Resource Room should be more than a sign at a door. It should be a space where the Hispanic/Latino student population and the rest of the Elon campus have the resources needed to learn about this particular group. 40 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES - We believe it is important to have the proper funds to be able to educate the community on what it’s like to be Hispanic/Latino student in the United States - Expansion of El Centro: - We would like to open El Centro past the work day (between 5-9 pm or so) to have a social space for Latino students, and to also create programs/events that would educate the whole campus on this population - This will require funding for programming held in this space during this time: speakers, resources, books, movies, etc. with an emphasis on Latinos within the U.S. - It is important to note that the Hispanic/Latino community is a very diverse group and that every group has different needs. Understanding this is vital--this means continuing diversity education infused into every discipline for not just students, but also faculty and staff - In the long run it seems logical to have a Latino Studies Minor. In the short run there are opportunities to use current classes as a way to educate on different communities. A natural fit is the COR 110 class. The university should assess if this class does really fulfill the goals and learning outcomes attached to it. - Given the results of the election, we want to make sure that students feel safe and protected, particularly undocumented, DACA, and noncitizen students who are especially vulnerable during this time. Due to this, we ask that the university: - Exploring the possibility of obtaining status as a sanctuary campus - Issuing a public statement from the President reaffirming the university’s commitment to its undocumented students - Guaranteeing student privacy by refusing to release citizenship information to ICE/other law enforcement officials This is one of the premises of a Sanctuary Campus. - Invest in faculty and staff training to support undocumented students - Here is a list of petitions from other institutions to get some ideas about other ways to help protect our undocumented and non-citizen students (some of which are our peer or aspirant institutions): 41 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fHOHRFxzo_Pp85rR_ 58ug4rMv9WODPDmRLK0dP2FT-k/edit#gid=0 - Pushing for more training for faculty and staff on how to support undocumented students. We acknowledge that some students want to keep their status private but it’s important for faculty and staff to be informed on what to do, proper terminology, and how to handle situations. - SPDC: Needs to be informed on internship and career options available to undocumented and DACA students. - GEC: Needs to be informed on study abroad options available to undocumented and DACA students. - Human Resources: Needs to be informed on different documents, such as work permits, green cards, SS numbers, etc, what they mean, and how they function - Faculty and staff training, knowledge, and sensibility would not just be beneficial for our group but also for the campus as a whole. - Hispanic/Latino Alumni Group We recognize that we do not have the answers or the knowledge on what the best practices are to fulfill some of the suggestions mentioned above, but we believe that by further exploring them and by strategically thinking about a long-term plan by means of a Presidential Task Force, the University will take a more proactive stand in creating a better campus climate for the Hispanic/Latino community. We know this is only the beginning of a longer conversation. We look forward to working with you in creating an environment that further supports and enhances the experience of the Hispanic/Latino community and in finding ways to educate the whole community so that we can fully achieve the mission of the University. 42 LATINX/HISPANIC STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF EXPERIENCES Appendix 4. Latinx/Hispanic Working Group Members • • • • • • • • • 43 Vanessa Bravo, Associate Professor, School of Communications, co-chair Sylvia Muñoz, Associate Director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education/Director of the Spanish Center, co-chair Gabriela Alvarez, International Studies and Political Studies, student Isabel Blanco Araujo, Psychology major, student Rhonda Belton, Associate Director of Institutional Research José Martinez Hernandez, Psychology major, student Michael Matthews, O’Briant Developing Professor and Associate Professor, History Keren Rivas, Director of Publications Ana Silvia, International Studies major, student