How Faculty Justify Instructional Decisions at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

• In Event: Faculty and Teaching at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Abstract

An underutilized strategy for addressing the underrepresentation of minority students of color in the U.S. STEM workforce is directing more attention to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined by the demographics of their student population rather than the intention of the institution to serve a specific demographic. As instructors are the primary mediators between students that attend the HSIs and the STEM content, we use the framework of professional obligations (Herbst & Chazan, 2012) to investigate if or how they are being intentional about the ways their practice can impact minoritized students. We found from seven preliminary interviews that instructors are recognizing the four professional obligations in ways that inform potential opportunities to direct instructors’ attention.

Authors

• Mollee Changshu Shultz, Texas State University

• Eleanor Warfield Close, Texas State University

• Ben Van Dusen, Iowa State University

• Robert M. Talbot, University of Colorado - Denver