University Now a Hispanic-Serving Institution

William Paterson University now qualifies as a Hispanic-Serving Institution according to definitions set by the U.S. Department of Education. To be so designated, Hispanic enrollment must constitute a minimum of 25 percent of total enrollment; as of the fall 2015 semester, William Paterson’s undergraduate Hispanic population comprised 27 percent of the student body.

“William Paterson University has a long tradition of educating first-generation college students, many of immigrant parents, to become active and engaged citizens of our state and nation. Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution is not an end in itself, but rather another reflection of the diversity that we proudly seek among our students, faculty, and staff,” says President Kathleen Waldron. Based on this designation, the University will have the opportunity to seek certain federal grants. A longstanding associate member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), an advocacy group for Hispanic Americans, the University will now be a full member of that organization.

In recognition of its success in serving Hispanic students, and new designation, the University was featured as the cover story in an October 2015 issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. The University was also ranked 75th in Hispanic Outlook’s 2015 list of Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics; the magazine’s annual ranking is based on U.S. Department of Education statistics including total bachelor’s degrees granted, graduate student enrollment, and undergraduate enrollment (two- and four-year schools).

To read the article in Hispanic Outlook magazine, click here