ERIC Number: ED652897
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 172
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3823-3306-9
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Defining Servingness through a Student Affairs Lens
Steve Reyes
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University
This study sought to understand Latinx student servingness through the lens of Latinx student affairs employees working at Hispanic Serving Institutions. Interviews were conducted with 20 student affairs employees, all except one worked at a Cal State campus. The interview protocol was developed using the Hispanic Serving Institution conceptual framework provided by Gina Garcia. Questions centered on their definition of Latinx servingness, the degree to which their institution embodied servingness, and how working in an HSI setting impacted their perceptions of Latinx servingness. Key findings include participants describing a distinct lack of servingness that they attributed to institutional leadership that lacked the disposition and experience to successfully support Latinx students' educational outcomes. Participants in the study also indicated that lack of consistent funding for Latinx-focused programs, limited numbers of Latinx faculty and staff, and negative campus racial climates were also factors in their perception of how campuses met Latinx students' needs. As a result of the participants' perception of lack of servingness, participants in the study felt the need to take on the role of institutional agents. As an agents, they helped guide Latinx students through the institution by connecting students to resources both academic and nonacademic, lobbying for greater awareness to the struggles of students, and building community with students and student groups. The student affairs staff and administrators in the study felt compelled to work extended hours to fill in gaps institutional support for students. Many of the staff felt resentful that leadership in the campus did not seem to share their commitment to supporting students' educational outcomes. The study has implications for both HSI and non-HSI campuses. For non-HSI campuses, there remains key considerations that should be analyzed when discussing how to serve Latinx students. Factors like being undocumented, speaking Spanish predominantly, and having familial responsibilities are described as key factors in the overall Latinx identity. Even if there are small numbers of Latinx students on these campuses, these factors need to be considered in supporting Latinx students. From an HSI campus perspective, these factors need to be considered on a more macro level. On HSI campuses, the scale of Latinx students means that these support structures need to be systemic to campus. All campus offices and employees should be trained with an understanding of the types of support Latinx students need. Moreover, the literature on HSI campuses have demonstrated that Latinx students attending HSIs are more likely to be low income, a factors that can drastically impact the persistence of a student. Campus leadership on HSIs should reflect a stronger commitment to serving the needs of Latinx students by targeting funding to supporting educational outcomes better, and hiring more diverse populations of faculty and administrators. Campuses could also better collaborate with student affairs practitioners who have day to day interactions with students. Such individuals tend to have a better grasp of student needs and may help institutions guide funding decisions for more significant impact. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Student Personnel Services, Hispanic American Students, Student Personnel Workers, Institutional Characteristics, Work Environment, Educational Environment, Employee Attitudes, Minority Serving Institutions, State Universities, Outcomes of Education, Hispanic Americans
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A