Portland State expands efforts to support Latino students through new degree program

Portland State University is taking a step to serve its increasing Latino student population by launching what it says is the first Chicano/Latino Studies major in the Pacific Northwest. The university announced the new degree program Monday.

“A major in Chicano/Latino Studies is long overdue, as it gives our expanding Latinx student population a home where their experiences matter and where they’re validated,” PSU professor and the program’s director Cristina Herrera said in a statement.

PSU is among a number of colleges and universities in the state that are openly working to increase their Latino student populations to become Hispanic Serving Institutions — a federal designation higher education institutions can receive if they have at least 25% of their enrollment made up by Hispanic or Latino students.

Portland State was at 18% Latino students as of last year.

Although a few community colleges in Oregon already have the designation, none of the public universities does. Western Oregon University is currently the closest university in the state to becoming an HSI, at about 22% Latino students. University of Oregon is also moving toward becoming an HSI, announcing last year the creation of a committee with that goal in mind. UO was at about 16% Latino enrollment as of last year.