How Do We Get There?
University and HSI initiative leadership have outlined the following opportunities for involvement from the UNC community. Get involved to help us inform our next steps in becoming an HSI!
UNC's HSI
UNITE Sessions
HSI 101 and 201 provides faculty and staff an opportunity to learn more about federally designated HSIs and the importance of servingness as part of UNC's efforts to become an effective HSI.
Become An
HSI Ambassador
Join UNC’s team of Hispanic Serving Institution Ambassadors. Share facts and data with your colleagues and fellow students. Help us spread the message of why HSI at UNC is so important.
Share Your Feedback About This Process
On UNC's 5-year journey toward becoming an HSI; there will be challenges and opportunities. Share your feedback, ideas, insights, and experiences with the steering committee anonymously.
Stay Informed
Join our quarterly HSI newsletter, Noticias HSI, to stay abreast of news on our progress toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. The first edition launches Sept. 20, 2022.
Faculty and Staff Fellows Appointed to Support HSI Initiatives
Tobias Guzmán, vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DDEI), has appointed two fellow positions in support of the university's efforts toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
Jonathan Alcantar
Faculty Fellow for HSI Initiatives
Cristóbal (Chris) Garcia
Staff Fellow for HSI Initiatives
Cristóbal (Chris) Garcia, associate director in the Office of Alumni Relations has been appointed staff fellow for HSI initiatives and Jonathan Alcantar, associate professor and chair of UNC’s Chicana/o and Latinx Studies program has been appointed as faculty fellow for HSI initiatives. According to Guzmán, Garcia and Alcantar have the essential context needed to be successful in these roles as both have been integral to the work already completed in the university’s pre-implementation phases of becoming an HSI, including serving on the HSI working group for the past two years.
"Chris and Jonathan’s roles as fellows will be key positions to establishing and structuring our next steps in becoming an HSI,” Guzmán said. “They will offer thought leadership and assist the university in accomplishing measures of success and serve to strategically further the scope and depth of the work necessary to make us successful in this pursuit.”
Guzmán said their work will be connected to the existing strategies and key elements outlined in Rowing, Not Drifting 2030, and in service to the main pillars discussed in HSI 201:
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Persistence and graduation rates specifically for our Hispanic/Latinx students
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Development of academic identity and self-concept, leadership identity, racial identity
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Visibility of cultural signifiers on campus
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Compositional diversity of faculty, staff, administrators, and graduate students
HSI Steering Committee
Chaired by Tobias Guzmán, vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Kirsten Fleming, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, the HSI Steering Committee builds on our efforts toward becoming Colorado's next Hispanic Serving Institution, highlights the importance of cross-campus involvement, and is comprised of UNC students, faculty, and staff.
Steering Committee Goals:
- Find and incorporate HSI "Best Practices" into UNC culture
- Develop processes for faculty research and grant-funding opportunities involving HSI initiatives
- Identify and implement practices to support the persistence and graduation of Hispanic/Latinx-identifying students
- Research strategies to recruit and retain more faculty and staff of color at UNC
- Complete and submit UNC's application for Federal HSI designation
Steering Committee Members:
- Nickie Archibeque, director, Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI)
- Rourke Bailey, assistant director of business analysis and application support, Information Management & Technology
- Sharon Bywater-Reyes, assistant professor, Environmental Geoscience
- Kellyn Dominguez, professional experience & work-based learning coordinator, Monfort College of Business
- Samuel Dong Saul, assistant professor, Graphic Design
- Whitney Duncan, associate professor, Department of Anthropology
- Barbara Garrett, director & associate professor, Department of ASL & Interpreting Studies
- Christina Golletti, dean, College of Performing & Visual Arts
- Melinda Gurule, success coach and advisor, Soar program
- Susan Keenan, professor, School of Biological Sciences
- Chris Kyser, assistant professor, School of Teacher Education
- Andrea James, associate professor, School of Biological Sciences
- Jorge Jaquez-Márquez, marketing & creative specialist, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Carlos José Pérez Sámno, bilingual communications strategist, Marketing and Communications
- Brandon Lagunas, academic advisor, Monfort College of Business
- Gizeh Martinez, academic advisor, Center for Human Enrichment
- Jen Mayer, interim assistant dean, UNC Libraries
- Madeline Milian, professor, School of Teacher Education
- Lesly Moran Maqueda, undergraduate student, Chicana/o and Latinx Studies program
- Kyle Nelson, professor & chair, Department of Sociology
- Joél Orozco Almeida, associate director, César Chávez Cultural Center
- Christopher Perkins, associate director, Housing and Residential Education
- Matthew Sanchez, HR coordinator, Department of Human Resources
- Stacey Tekansik, accounting specialist, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Ryan Virgil, retail operations manager, Sodexo
HSI faculty and staff fellows, Jonathan Alcantar and Cristóbal Garcia, will support the steering committee by leading key action teams. The steering committee will meet on a monthly basis to ensure progress in support of the priorities listed above.
Share anonymous feedback with the committee at any time, we will review any submissions on a bi-weekly basis. To contact the HSI leadership and the steering committee, e-mail us at hsi@unco.edu.
In the News
Internal and external coverage of UNC's HSI efforts, programs and events geared toward our Hispanic/Latinx-identifying communities.
UNC Communications
Sept. 16, 2022 — UNC's Roadmap to HSI Designation Gains Momentum as Phase 3 Efforts get Underway
Sept. 9, 2022 — Celebrating Latinx Heritage at UNC
April 26, 2022 — UNC Hosting ¡Adelante! Event for Students and Families Considering College
Feb. 16, 2022 — UNC Launching DEI and HSI Inventory to Inform Strategic Planning and Overall Readiness
Nov. 2, 2021 — UNC Students Honor Mexican, and Chicano Studies Program Tradition Through Creating a New One
Oct. 7, 2021 — A Look Back at UNC's Latinx Heritage Month Celebrations
Sept. 16, 2021 — UNC Launches Website Celebrating Initiative to Become a Hispanic Serving Institution
Nov. 13, 2020 — Recap of Board of Trustees Meeting, Nov. 13
Press Coverage
CBS Colorado, Oct. 25, 2022 — University of Northern Colorado to be recognized as Hispanic-serving institution
Greeley Tribune, Oct. 20, 2022 — ‘A milestone is in sight’: University of Northern Colorado nears official status as Hispanic Serving Institution
El Comercio De Colorado, July 3, 2022 — UNC will become a Hispanic Serving Institution
Greeley Tribune, April 22, 2022 — University of Northern Colorado, Greeley Dream Team and Hispanic Women of Weld County hosting college information event
Greeley Tribune, March 26, 2022 — University of Northern Colorado Continues to Pursue Hispanic-Serving Institution Designation
KUNC, Sept. 21, 2021 — Colorado Edition: Northern Colorado Universities and Colleges Striving to Become More Diverse, Equitable and Accountable
"Institutions who are purposeful in their pursuit to being student ready will be more focused on students of today and able to address inequities. Although many institutions have limited resources; yet, they continuously innovate to meet their mission."
— Tobias Guzmán, Ed.D., Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
