Texas Tech announces official formation of the Institute for Latina/o Studies
The Institute for Latina/o Studies, a dedicated center for teaching, research, internationalization, and community involvement was recently announced by Texas Tech University’s College of Arts & Sciences. To serve Texas Tech students and the Lubbock community, existing campus programs with common Hispanic-serving goals will be brought together by a dedicated group of teachers and staff.
This is Texas Tech’s latest investment in its proactive outreach to the Hispanic community as a recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution as it is directed by an interdisciplinary group of staff and faculty members. The announcement was made on November 16 by the Texas Tech University’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Combined efforts from the Latin American and Iberian Studies Center and the Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Center formed the Institute for Latina/o Studies. More than 100 academic members at Texas Tech have specialities or affiliations in Hispanic studies and research fields.
Brian Still, acting dean of Texas Tech, stated, “I’m thankful for their efforts and the support of the university administration, which understands its value. One of the institute’s key charges is to dedicate substantial resources to students, not just support for scholarships but also the development of opportunities to engage the community beyond Texas Tech as we seek to foster a new generation of leaders who change the world through their engaged scholarship, teaching and public service.”
After meeting the criteria in 2017, Texas Tech was designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution in 2019. The university is one of just fifteen Carnegie Tier One institutions to receive the honor. For the Fall 2021 semester, Hispanic students made up 29 percent of Texas Tech’s total undergraduate enrollment. The Institute for Latina/o Studies will soon search for an executive director, for which to be announced at a later time.