Institutional Resilience in Puerto Rico: A First Look at Efforts by Puerto Rican HSIs

Some students at UPR-Mayagüez withdrew
for a semester or more and are waiting for the
university to return to in-person classes to resume
their education. At the time of the interview in
the spring of 2022, UPR-Mayagüez reported a
marked increase in students who withdrew from
their courses in Fall 2021, and the institution is
tracking these students and following up with them
through phone calls and in-person meetings to stay
connected to ensure they continue their education.
Part of UPR-Mayagüez’s efforts to recover,
sustain, and support their students have been
in securing external funding, specifically grant
funding from federal agencies.
The institution received financial support from
the Department of Education in the aftermath
of the hurricanes to support students
financially and those in need of mental health
services. In addition to federal emergency aid,
UPR-Mayagüez received a Title V grant and
focused this funding on retention efforts with
intentional outreach and support services for
their first-year students.
In addition to securing external funding,
UPR-Mayagüez has undergone academic
restructuring to sustain itself and attract
students.
UPR-Mayagüez leaders view their institution
as an “emerging research institution.” For
example, they have created new graduate
programs at the master’s and doctoral degree
level, and revised the curriculum for a number
of programs including those in Business
Administration and Engineering.
Despite significant reductions in the
institution’s budget and a resulting hiring
freeze, UPR-Mayagüez has a strategic plan to
hire more faculty in the coming years to fill the
demand of courses in specific departments.
In the year prior to the time of the interview, UPR-
Mayagüez hired 27 new faculty with plans in place
to hire up to 30 new faculty, budget permitting.
Through this strategic plan, UPR-Mayagüez aims to
supply their students’ demand for specific courses
and departments by hiring tenure track faculty.
Enrollment
While enrollment has declined significantly
across Puerto Rico, UPR-Mayagüez
experienced only slight drops in their
enrollment in recent years.
As with other institutions across the island, UPR-
Mayagüez leaders linked the migration of the young
college-age population to drops in their enrollment.
As such, UPR-Mayagüez leaders shared that
the campus faces competition with recruiting
and enrolling students “with all the rest of the
institutions here in Puerto Rico.” Nonetheless,
UPR-Mayagüez leaders show that in relation to
greater declines in enrollment in higher education
in Puerto Rico overall, enrollment at UPR-
Mayagüez specifically has declined only slightly.
Leaders share that the university engages with
families and surrounding communities, and with
public and private K-12 schools to attract students.
24 INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE IN PUERTO RICO: A First Look at Efforts by Puerto Rican HSIs