Our Hispanic-Serving Institution Journey: Dr. Robbins’ Perspective

Dear Friends,

In 2018, the University of Arizona earned the designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution from the U.S. Department of Education for the first time, thanks to decades of efforts and advocacy from the university and local community and visionary leadership by Dr. Marla Franco, who now holds the title of Vice President for Hispanic-Serving Institution Initiatives. 

The university continues to invest in this work, and we have created an office dedicated to amplifying its impact because the HSI designation enables success in our mission as Arizona’s land-grant university and provides access to significant federal resources.

I recently sat down with Dr. Franco to talk about the impact she and her team have had here at the U of A, throughout Arizona, and nationwide. 
 

HSI Leadership as a Student-Centered Research University

Maintaining and leveraging our HSI status also is a worthy goal because of where we are and who we serve. Our main campus resides 90 miles from the border with Sonora, Mexico, and Mexican-American and other Hispanic/Latinx communities have deep roots in our state and throughout the U.S. Southwest.

But the university’s commitment goes beyond geography and demographics. Doubling down on our HSI designation has allowed the university to develop new resources, tools, and capabilities that benefit students, faculty, and staff every day. And, as Dr. Franco put it so eloquently during our conversation, creating a university learning environment “where [students] can walk on our campus and experience this institution and not shed aspects of their identity in order to thrive here educationally and professionally, not just during their time here at the U of A, but beyond.”

This is what a focus on student success means in its fullest form – not a slogan, not a brand, but a commitment to forging a community where all students (and faculty and staff) are free to be fully themselves, forming resilient bonds with fellow Wildcats and generating the capacity for lifelong learning that will allow them to achieve their goals. By meeting students where they are, we enable them to build on their interests, talents, and aspirations, rather than requiring them to fit into a mold that stifles creativity, entrepreneurship, and, ultimately, success. As such, our approach serves our state and nation as well, preparing all students to be adaptive problem solvers who can meet the challenges of the future and thereby help drive the well-being and prosperity of our communities and our society at large.

I am very proud of what we have accomplished thanks to Dr. Franco’s expertise and dedication, and her outstanding leadership is recognized nationwide – including an invitation to take part in an upcoming meeting of the President's Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. She and her team are amazing members of our community who make indispensable contributions to our mission, and I truly enjoyed our conversation. I encourage you to watch the video – or, if you would like to learn more, an extended version is available at the link below.

Thank you for reading, and Bear Down.

Robert C. Robbins, M.D.

President
The University of Arizona

Hear from the Expert

Dr. Marla Franco, Vice President for Hispanic-Serving Institution Initiatives, spoke with Dr. Robbins about the HSI designation, the university's work around it, and the vital impact for our students and our mission.

For a more in-depth conversation about the university's leadership with other HSIs, watch the full video.

Department of Education Panel Discussion

Dr. Franco’s outstanding work is recognized nationwide, and she was recently invited by the Department of Education to speak about President Joe Biden’s recent executive order creating a new White House Initiative and President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics, focused on the impact of Hispanic Serving Institutions in improving college access and affordability.