Institutional Resilience in Puerto Rico: A First Look at Efforts by Puerto Rican HSIs
Over the last five years, Puerto Rico and its colleges and universities have faced numerous challenges including: fiscal and economic disruptions, demographic shifts, hurricanes and earthquakes, leadership turnover, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This brief highlights institutional resilience efforts at five Puerto Rican Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Over the last five years, Puerto Rico and its colleges and universities have faced numerous challenges including: fiscal and economic disruptions, demographic shifts, hurricanes and earthquakes, leadership turnover, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This brief highlights institutional resilience efforts at five Puerto Rican Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
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INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE IN PUERTO RICO:<br />
A FIRST LOOK AT EFFORTS BY PUERTO RICAN <strong>HSIs</strong><br />
February 2023<br />
AUTHORS:<br />
Deborah Santiago, Chief Executive Officer<br />
Emily Labandera, Director of Research<br />
Cassandra Arroyo, Research Fellow<br />
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:<br />
This public<strong>at</strong>ion was developed with the generous support of the Ascendium Educ<strong>at</strong>ion Group. Special<br />
thanks to Margarita Benítez, Senior Associ<strong>at</strong>e, Excelencia <strong>in</strong> Educ<strong>at</strong>ion, and Hilda Colón Plumey,<br />
Professional Educ<strong>at</strong>ional Consultant, who were both <strong>in</strong>tegral to the case study process <strong>in</strong> recruit<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
lead<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>terviews with <strong>in</strong>stitutional leaders and adm<strong>in</strong>istr<strong>at</strong>ors.<br />
This brief benefited significantly from review <strong>by</strong> Hilda Colón Plumey, Awilda Rodriguez, Bel<strong>in</strong>da<br />
Reyes, Sandra Espada-Santos, Viviana Abreu-Hernández, as well as <strong>in</strong>put and perspectives shared <strong>by</strong><br />
leaders and represent<strong>at</strong>ives from five <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rican</strong> Hispanic-Serv<strong>in</strong>g Institutions (<strong>HSIs</strong>): Inter American<br />
University of <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong>-Arecibo, Universidad Ana G. Méndez-Gurabo, University of <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong>-<br />
Mayagüez, University of <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong>-Río Piedras, and University of <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong>-Utuado.<br />
Any op<strong>in</strong>ions expressed <strong>in</strong> this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the views of<br />
Ascendium Educ<strong>at</strong>ion Group.<br />
The authors are solely responsible for the content, op<strong>in</strong>ions, and any errors <strong>in</strong> this public<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
SUGGESTED CITATION:<br />
Santiago, D., Labandera, E., & Arroyo, C. (February 2023). <strong>Institutional</strong> <strong>Resilience</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong>: A <strong>First</strong><br />
<strong>Look</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Efforts</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rican</strong> <strong>HSIs</strong>. Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, D.C.: Excelencia <strong>in</strong> Educ<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>form<strong>at</strong>ion about this public<strong>at</strong>ion, contact: contact@edexcelencia.org<br />
EXCELENCIA IN EDUCATION<br />
Excelencia <strong>in</strong> Educ<strong>at</strong>ion acceler<strong>at</strong>es L<strong>at</strong><strong>in</strong>o student success <strong>in</strong> higher educ<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>by</strong><br />
promot<strong>in</strong>g L<strong>at</strong><strong>in</strong>o student achievement, conduct<strong>in</strong>g analysis to <strong>in</strong>form educ<strong>at</strong>ional<br />
policy, and advanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitutional practices while collabor<strong>at</strong><strong>in</strong>g with those<br />
committed and ready to meet our mission. Launched <strong>in</strong> 2004 <strong>in</strong> the n<strong>at</strong>ion’s capital, Excelencia is build<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
network of results-oriented educ<strong>at</strong>ors and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly<br />
educ<strong>at</strong>ed workforce and engaged civic leadership. For more <strong>in</strong>form<strong>at</strong>ion, visit: www.EdExcelencia.org.<br />
ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP<br />
Ascendium Educ<strong>at</strong>ion Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organiz<strong>at</strong>ion committed to help<strong>in</strong>g people reach the<br />
educ<strong>at</strong>ion and career goals th<strong>at</strong> m<strong>at</strong>ter to them. Ascendium <strong>in</strong>vests <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>iti<strong>at</strong>ives designed to <strong>in</strong>crease the<br />
number of students from low-<strong>in</strong>come backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certific<strong>at</strong>es<br />
and workforce tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programs, with an emphasis on first-gener<strong>at</strong>ion students, <strong>in</strong>carcer<strong>at</strong>ed adults, rural<br />
community members, students of color and veterans. Ascendium’s work identifies, valid<strong>at</strong>es and expands<br />
best practices to promote large-scale change <strong>at</strong> the <strong>in</strong>stitutional, system and st<strong>at</strong>e levels, with the <strong>in</strong>tention<br />
of elev<strong>at</strong><strong>in</strong>g opportunity for all. For more <strong>in</strong>form<strong>at</strong>ion, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.<br />
2 INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE IN PUERTO RICO: A <strong>First</strong> <strong>Look</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Efforts</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rican</strong> <strong>HSIs</strong>
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