Summit Schedule
April 7, 2022
Check-in and Virtual Help Desk
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Welcome and Land Acknowledgment
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
LacyJay Left Hand Bull
Dr. Roberto Montoya, Chief Educational Equity Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education
Dr. Michael Benitez, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, MSU Denver
Keynote and Workshop – Dr. Darrel Wanzer-Serrano
The Rhetoric of (Emerging) Hispanic-Serving Institutions:
Cultivating “Servingness” in Organizational Cultures Marked by Whiteness
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
What does it mean to reach Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status? How do we conceptualize, operationalize, and strive for meaningful practices and structures of “servingness” for Latina/o/x students, faculty, and staff as we move toward HSI or solidify and reinvigorate our commitments to it? In this keynote, Dr. Wanzer-Serrano aims is to assess the discursive context of an emerging HSI, identify the rhetorical challenges advocates face, and suggest rhetorical and institutional shifts that might help advocates more productively navigate and challenge the constraints posed by structures of inequity anchored in historically/predominantly white institutions.
Keynote Workshop – Navigating Institutional Rhetorics to Organize for HSI Servingness
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
Although advanced education prepares people well to cultivate expertise in their chosen areas of study, it too often falls short in training people to navigate complex organizational cultures that inherently resist change. This workshop will help you think like a rhetorician — which means that it’s designed to help attendees assess their rhetorical context, center considerations about audiences, and develop messaging that can increase the probability for organizational change when advocating for HSI servingness. Dr. Wanzer-Serrano will combine small lectures, exercises, and advanced scenarios to build the foundational knowledge and skill to help you be a better HSI servingness advocate.
Lunch and Prayer*
Virtual Networking
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
* Prayer time is listed for those observing the month of Ramadan, April 1-30.
Workshop Sessions
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Accessibility
Dr. Melissa Cermak, MSU Denver and Gillian Lazzarini, University of Colorado Denver
Zoom Link, Tivoli 261
This session focuses on barriers related to data collection on students with disabilities in higher education settings, particularly as it addresses intersecting identities. Presenters will share some preliminary data the Access Center has about the intersecting identities of students currently served at the Access Center and how that data shows an under-representation of students with certain identities. Context for a discussion about barriers that students may experience when it comes to accessing accessibility services will be provided. Further, presented will discuss about accessibility and disability as these relate to DEI work and brainstorming better ways to engage diverse students.
Legislative Efforts and Policy
Dr. Ally Garcia, MSU Denver
Zoom Link, Tivoli 444
Federal, state, and institutional policies, are often created and implemented at the expense of marginalized communities and identities. Well intentioned policies can also have damaging ripple effects to the very communities the policies were intended to support and empower. As higher education leaders, it is our responsibility to hold policymakers accountable and push for educational liberation and equity in all levels of government, power, and control. In this session, participants will learn about the key tenants of critical discourse policy analysis and how to analyze policy from critical perspectives. Participants will be split into groups and given a policy to review and analyze using the framework/tenants shared.
Leveraging Federal HSI Grants to Improve Servingness
Dr. Derek Lopez, CSU Pueblo
Zoom Link, Tivoli 440
Federal Department of Education Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution Title V grants are focused on increasing the capacity of the institution to serve Hispanic/Latinx and low-income students. Nationwide, Hispanic-Serving Institutions leverage these grants and implement programs designed to serve students by increasing access, success, graduation, and career placement. This session unpacks the purpose of Title V and discusses various strategies to improve “Servingness” at institutions of higher education.
Plenary Session
Servingness through Student Support
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
Moderator: Eneri “Netty” Rodriguez, MSU Denver, Panelists: Tyrell Allen, Auraria LGBTQIA Student Resource Center, Dr. Cynthia Baron, MSU Denver, Kimberly Myers, Community College of Denver, Dr. Arlene Sgoutas, MSU Denver, and Brooke Trujillo, University of Colorado Denver
This plenary will consist of a panel discussion with various tri-institutional campus resources to learn more about current strategies for increasing services for students. The community support in students’ success, servingness, and creation of culturally relevant spaces, contribute to institutional approaches to retention, persistence, and graduation.
Networking/Collaboration
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tivoli Tap House
April 8, 2022
Check-in and Virtual Help Desk
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Keynote and Workshop – Dr. Marla Franco
A Journey of Intentional Praxis for Strengthening Servingness at HSIs
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
The journey of leaning into our designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution requires institutional introspection, intentional praxis, and recurring commitments informed by an equity and culturally affirming lens. All of us have a hand in making this happen. Dr. Marla Franco will share the University of Arizona’s journey in building greater capacity as an HSI, including offering examples of intentional praxis and institutional commitments that have spurred collective ownership and innovation as an HSI.
Keynote Workshop – A Closer Look: Sustainability Building Capacity as an HSI
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
Building off the keynote address, this session will go into greater depth on some of the programs and practices launched at the University of Arizona, sharing candid insights about the organizational characteristics that both facilitate and inherently challenge this work. Hear more about Dr. Franco’s navigational strategies in stewarding this work and get the opportunity to ask questions in a more intimate setting.
Lunch and Prayer*
Virtual Networking
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
* Prayer time is listed for those observing the month of Ramadan, April 1-30.
Workshop Sessions
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Decolonizing Professionalism
Eneri “Netty” Rodriguez, MSU Denver, Soj Sirivanchai, MSU Denver
Zoom Link, Tivoli 261
What do we think of when we hear “professionalism?” This workshop asks participants to consider the origins of modern ideas of professionalism through an anti-colonial lens. How can we move away from hierarchical thinking, individualism, and perfectionism and move toward inclusive workplaces that embrace conflict and nurture relationships with ourselves and each other? This workshop challenges attitudes and behaviors of white supremacy culture that often lead to burnout.
Community Experience: Tri-Institutional Undergraduate/Graduate Student Voices
Moderator: Amanda Corso, University of Denver, Panelists: Karen Jaramillo, University of Colorado Denver, Jocelyn Vangrundy, University of Colorado Denver and MSU Denver, Alaura Ward, MSU Denver
Zoom Link, Tivoli 440
This student panel will allow students from MSU Denver, CCD, and University of Colorado Denver, to share more about their experiences as students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
Plenary Session
Looking back on the Path to HSI and What’s Next
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tina Garcia, Community College of Denver and Dr. Luis Torres, MSU Denver
Zoom Link, Tivoli 320
In this plenary, we will hear from panelist who will offer a historical perspective on the impetus for pursing HSI designation and the concept of servingness. Panelist will also discuss the current and future directions for building capacity in HSI servingness.
Pozole Y Poesía
Networking/Collaboration
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
St. Cajetan’s Event Center
The Summit closes with a celebration of HSI Servingness and Latinx/Hispanic culture with some of Denver’s most active cultural workers, activists performing artists and poets. Don’t miss out on the Pozole Y Poesía event featuring amazing poets from the Denver community and delicious Pozole from La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal. Featured poets include MSU Denver alum and Colorado’s Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre, Authors Suzi Q, Franklin Cruz, Hip Hop Artist Lolita Mendoza Castañeda, CDHE CEEO Roberto Montoya, and MSU Denver’s V.P. of DEI Michael Benitez.