Faculty Resources for ML Student Success

By Megan Biondi

Abstract

While an increasing number of higher education institutions are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), colleges and universities nevertheless struggle to provide Spanish-speaking multilingual learners (MLs) with sufficient academic support that is proportionate to student needs. School administrations also often fail to provide faculty with adequate resources to address the evolving necessities of this student population. This paper discusses the potential systemic barriers to academic achievement for the above-mentioned student demographic entering college, coupled with the growing need for systematic administrative support of faculty, to foster academic success and retention for these students in practice, and not only in theory.

Keywords: academic access, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, Hispanic Serving Institutions, first-generation college students, multilingual learners, school leader accountability, student and faculty retention

Resourcing Faculty to Empower MLs Across Higher Education Institutions

adult students writing Introduction

According to Excelencia in Education (2023), 20% of United States higher education institutions are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Colleges and universities gain this designation purely through “an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application” (U.S. Department of Education, 2024). These institutions would, in theory, allocate funds and grant money gained through the HSI designation to invest in specialized support systems, financial aid packages, and academic guidance for this student demographic, especially if a high number of an institution’s Hispanic population is made up of multilingual learners (MLs). Yet, schools are not necessarily held accountable under federal or state policy to do so.

This fact results in many of the very institutions that boast the HSI designation failing to offer their Hispanic and Latinx ML students sufficient institutional support to meet their academic needs. The inadvertent academic marginalization of these students, even within HSIs, is exacerbated when faculty are not given adequate in-school sensitivity training, classroom resources, or professional development funding to help them gain the tools and awareness to both uplift the unique contributions and support the unique needs of these students within individual classes and campuses as a whole.

Theoretical Framework

How and Why U.S. Colleges Insufficiently Meet the Academic Needs of Hispanic MLs

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Spanish-speaking multilingual learners are statistically one of the most academically vulnerable groups on a given college campus—even if the institution is an HSI—for several reasons. First, due to a variety of circumstances, Hispanic MLs tend not to apply and/or not to be eligible for state and federal financial aid. As a matter of fact, only 60% of these students begin college with a financial aid package—making Hispanic students the lowest percentage of any BIPOC group to receive aid (Postsecondary National Policy Institute, 2019). The low financial aid application and receipt for this student demographic can be caused by factors such as fear of exposing one’s immigration status (Isserles, 2021; Johnson, 2017). In other cases, according to Johnson (2016), high school guidance counselors are tasked with informing students who “have lived an entire remembered existence within [a given] state, […] that they’re nonresidents, at least when it comes to college tuition, and that they won’t be eligible for financial aid […as] federal legislation that would [offer] a more humane system, the Dream Act, has been stymied for […] years” (pp. 7-8). This lack of access to financial aid contributes to an immediate sense of exclusion for Latinx students accepted into higher education institutions (Jack, 2019; Valdez-Quade, 2017).

In addition to the struggle to obtain financial aid, Hispanic MLs may possess a myriad of intersectional identities beyond their cultural and linguistic diversity, which can tragically go unnoticed by school staff, yet nonetheless contribute to their lack of faith in the education system and to overall academic vulnerability. These intersectional identities may include coming from a working-class family, a general lack of understanding of the U.S. higher education system, being a first-generation college student, caring for elderly parents and/or one’s children while completing coursework, delayed college entrance after high school, and delayed coursework due to low test scores; all leading to low college retention and graduation rates for this student demographic (AATSP, 2024; Marrero-Riera, 2021).

Finally, while students and their families would be better equipped for higher education if school employees represented them culturally and linguistically, schools themselves struggle to meet the needs of diverse students due to a variety of circumstances. A leading cause of well-intended administrators’ failed attempts at obtaining sufficient funding for diverse students and faculty and staff to support them, is the fact that Educational Intimidation Laws and changes in Department of Education policies with the 2025 federal administration stymie DEI funding, not only for students, but for faculty hires as well, perpetuating the marginalization of minority student groups who do not see themselves reflected in school employees (PEN America, 2023; Department of Education, 2025). Moreover, post-pandemic budget cuts in higher education, specifically in community colleges where most MLs begin their higher education journey, do not allow schools to easily remedy the lack of faculty and staff representation of diverse students. The reality that higher education “administrators across the nation are contemplating major cuts and restructuring at their institutions” (Zahneis, 2024, p. 4) does not position culturally and linguistically diverse students for academic success and does not facilitate even the best intended administrations’ attempts to fund systematic academic support for this student group.

Diversity-Informed Educational Spaces

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As outlined above, the student demographic in question is underrepresented and underserved in colleges and universities. Considering the aforementioned struggles and barriers to successful higher education careers that students face, academic institutions—and especially HSI community colleges—need to be the one place where students can learn how to be successful in college and become informed on college culture and expectations, even in the midst of the current higher education climate (Jack, 2019; Isserles, 2021; Rojas, 2017; Knoblock & Youngquist, 2016). While some barriers to better serving the Hispanic ML populations of community colleges may be impenetrable due to lack of federal funding, there are steps that individual institutions can take to better serve their culturally and linguistically diverse students—as well as the faculty who teach them.

First, at the systemic level, institutions cannot continue to assume that the student demographic in question has a level of college preparation that, by no fault of their own, they simply do not possess. Jack (2019) argues that “the assumption that all students come with a general understanding of the collegiate world unintentionally places some students even farther out on the margins of the institution” (p. 75). Students must instead be intentionally met with immediate acceptance, validation, and structural support from linguistically and culturally competent experts hired and compensated specifically for this purpose (Feng, 2021). College-readiness components and information on campus resources and expectations should be mandatory elements in all orientations and course registration processes for new students on any college campus, even if it is a commuter school. However, this is especially true for Hispanic MLs who may be the first member of their family to attend college, or to attend college in the United States, placing them at an immediate disadvantage compared to their peers.

Moreover, the language used to refer to these students by all members of campus must be intentionally “person-first, additive, and asset based” (Mental Health Association [MHA], 2022). For example, there has been a positive push in the bilingual education field to refer to students as “multilingual learners” and “emergent bilinguals” rather than as “English learners” to place the focus on learners’ assets rather than view them through a deficit lens (Castro, 2021). These factors are important because research shows that “neurobiologically, students cannot learn if they do not feel safe, known, and cared for within their schools” (Aupperle et al., 2012, p. 692), and as a general rule, “students fare best at colleges that affirm their identities—including all intersectional positionalities—to create an atmosphere of care, validation, and belonging” (Isserles, 2021, p. 155).

Faculty’s Role in the Student Experience

Once students surpass the admissions, orientation, and registration processes and successfully arrive in the classroom, there are several strategies individual faculty can employ to create a safe and inclusive space for students both at the curricular and pedagogical levels. These can include – but are certainly not limited to – the following practices.

Instructors should ensure that images and videos used in coursework are inclusive of all students’ ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, to help students feel as though the material is accessible to those who look and speak like them. Further, it is a best practice to allow students to use translanguaging—which encourages learners to draw from their one bilingual linguistic repertoire as opposed to compartmentalizing two separate linguistic codes, regardless of the content area (García, 2013; Ascenzi-Moreno, 2018). Although this may seem counterintuitive if the objective is for students to quickly and accurately acquire academic English language proficiency, countless studies show that the more students’ attention is drawn to grammatical, lexical, and morphological functions in their first language (L1), the more rapidly and thoroughly they become proficient in the target language (L2) (Cummins, 1979; Thomas & Collier, 1997; Muller, 2015; Spinelli; 2017; Gottardo et al., 2021).

This type of language transfer can take place in general education courses other than English language and literature. For instance, Spanish-speaking students have an infinitely easier time learning new Romance languages when the professor actively draws their attention to the corresponding linguistic forms between the target language and Spanish (Biondi, 2021). Further, students who are fluent in a Romance language, such as Spanish, will more easily acquire technical scientific vocabulary than native English speakers in courses such as biology, where many of these technical vocabulary words in English contain Latin roots. Finally, to avoid Anglo-centrism, across disciplines, students should be encouraged to actively use vocabulary from their home language and/or culture when a cultural equivalent does not exist in the target language (García & Solorza, 2020).

Further, from a holistic perspective, faculty should also take into consideration the outside factors — i.e. socioeconomic, linguistic, cultural— that may create obstacles to academic success for this student demographic and make accommodations, as would be required for students with documented disabilities. “It’s critical for teachers and all school staff to understand what their students may be dealing with in their life. Understanding will help teachers change their approach and their protocols” (Coxen, 2022, p. 3). There should be no limit to which types of disadvantaged students are eligible for accommodations, especially keeping in mind that all students have intersectional identities.

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Administrative Support of Faculty in Correlation with Student Empowerment

While individual faculty members can certainly help to position minoritized and systemically disadvantaged students for academic success by adapting their policies and practices, they will be more effective if their efforts are bolstered by administrative support and strategic, institution-wide policy (Achieving the Dream [ATD], 2023). Many faculty may justifiably wonder how they can effectively meet the holistic and social-emotional needs of students and evaluate them fairly and compassionately when those faculty themselves are met with administrative systems that dismiss their psychological well-being, drive them to burnout, give their programs insufficient support and resources, and evaluate them on a largely punitive scale.

Sykes (2020) offers the solution of increased “human-centeredness” in all academic interactions, suggesting that too much rigidity in expectations damages the human psyche and leads to the mental depletion of the other party. Keeping this point in mind, it is important to maintain the component of humanity regarding expectations and interactions between faculty and students, between colleagues, and perhaps most importantly, between administration and faculty. “Administrator support may be a key lever for improving job satisfaction and retention […]. This interpretation is broadly consistent with other research that finds that poor administrator support is a key driver of teacher turnover” (Walker, 2023, p. 8).

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The student-centered teaching practices discussed in the previous section would be most effective if they were required of all faculty and not left to the choice of individual professors. However, to accomplish this, faculty must also be adequately supported by funding and resources, provided by the administration. “Care, support, and change cannot fall only on the shoulders of faculty or be experienced only within classrooms” (Isserles, 2021, p. 127). If faculty are not supported or given sufficient resources in their support of students, everyone suffers. According to Isserles (2021), “how students are perceived by faculty staff and administrators […] is truly important. Just as important, however, is how […] faculty and staff [are] treated. How do administrators treat those who work under them?” (p. 274). According to Eisenberg (2020), students are more likely to speak to their professors than any other department on campus regarding their academic needs and preferences. Since faculty are an important and direct resource for the student demographic in question, faculty not being given adequate institutional support to carry out the myriad of duties—which often intentionally fall on them to keep the number of employees on payroll to a minimum—“causes the institution’s most vulnerable students to lose the full benefits of higher education” (Isserles, 2021, pp. 265-266).

Another equity issue concerning faculty—and by extension negatively impacting diverse students—is when the faculty experience discrimination in the workplace due to factors such as race, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, and linguistic background. For instance, if female professors or younger professors are discriminated against, slighted, and dismissed in the workplace, they will not have the emotional stamina to support or empower their students. Instructors of color are overworked and underappreciated, with the same result. Studies show that younger instructors, female instructors, and instructors of color are simultaneously the most culturally responsive and linguistically competent members of campus, and the most marginalized faculty regarding compensation, promotion, and recognition for their work (Walker, 2023). For example, a recent study found that:

The difference in hours worked by Black and Hispanic teachers [compared to white teachers] remains [disproportionate…]. These differences may […] be rooted in an increased focus on culturally responsive practices, such as differentiating instruction and developing relationships with students and families. Additional disciplinary responsibilities placed on teachers of color and Black male teachers in particular also may be a factor. (Walker, 2023, p. 5)

This data demonstrates that the very professors who may be best equipped to support and empower diverse students are themselves being disempowered and underserved by their institutions. Even the most sensitive and best-trained faculty cannot give sufficient attention to students when dealing with their trauma around being constantly scrutinized and untrusted to effectively do their jobs while scrambling to assemble evidence that they are doing just that. Many faculty members—such as the non-dominant faculty described in this data—are forced to choose between dedicating time to sensitive and well-thought-out lessons for students and providing proof they are meeting standards in their reports to the administration. This type of system does not create an atmosphere conducive to the work of teachers who truly care about their students and does not leave space for any semblance of concern for faculty members or their well-being. If faculty—especially those belonging to non-dominant groups—are not supported in their initiatives to center students, this leaves students—and non-dominant students disproportionately— to suffer the effects of insufficient college resources and lack of inclusion, visibility, and representation.

Necessary Administrative Steps Toward Faculty Advocacy

In light of this data, higher education faculty—and especially those employed at HSIs— need more support and greater resources to effectively bolster the academic journey of MLs and other diverse students; not only from administrators such as presidents and vice presidents, but also from middle management leadership, such as deans and department chairs. All too often, individuals in lower leadership positions find themselves juggling so many administrative responsibilities that even if they philosophically support the wellbeing and endeavors of the faculty working under them, they tend to “accept equity gaps as a given condition, [rather than] attend[ing] to or center[ing] equity” (ATD, 2023).

According to ATD staff (2023), necessary steps toward greater equity for students and faculty alike must lie in “undertak[ing] professional learning specifically related to equity, develop[ing] data systems to support equity, [and] develop[ing] accountability goals and measures of progress” (p. 14). ATD staff emphasize that in implementing these steps, “equity must be enacted as a pervasive institution and system-wide principle [and] requires a continual process of learning, disaggregating data, and questioning assumptions about relevance and effectiveness” (2023, p. 17). Finally, ATD staff suggest that chairs and middle management leaders could be incentivized by reviewing equity for faculty as well as students in the institution’s strategic plan and six-year review processes (ATD, 2023). Upper administrators may also find it beneficial to require middle leaders, such as chairs and deans, to periodically submit a leader self-assessment, such as the one exemplified below, to best hold these individuals accountable for enacting equitable practices for both students and faculty (ATD, 2023).

LEADER STATEMENT	NOT YET	NEEDS TO DEVELOP	NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN	IMPLEMENTED
1. As a leader, I invest in my own equity learning and demonstrate vulnerability in sharing my learning and practices with colleagues.
2. As a leader, I understand that making mistakes is part of growing my equity mindset. I am comfortable taking ownership and making amends when I make mistakes. I practice grace and humility toward myself and others.
3. As a leader, I regularly and transparently share the equity actions I am taking on.
4. As a leader, I publicly model that I am turning my deepened awareness into new actions and behaviors. I share what I am learning and I share my understanding that equity as a practice is integral to effective leadership.
5. As a leader, I create an environment where others take initiative and action toward a more equitable system.
6. As a leader, I hold myself and others responsible for achieving equity goals and objectives.
7. As a leader, I communicate a unified commitment to creating a more equitable system and encourage others to join in.
8. As a leader, I actively and regularly seek feedback from direct reports and others they lead.
9. As a leader, I seek, establish, and promote ways for the institution to provide targeted equity learning and development opportunities to faculty, staff, and administration. This may include: examining one's identity, privilege, biases, and assumptions; skills development to navigate difficult conversations and learn about how systems of oppression operate in the wider culture; facilitated conversations about equity; and facilitating courageous conversations.
10. As a leader, I identify ways for the institution to compensate leaders' participation in learning and development (e.g., release time, reward and recognition in annual performance and review).
11. As a leader, I seek ongoing, developmental equity education that takes me through graduated stages of learning.
12. As a leader, I have the support structures I need to promote my own ongoing self-growth and development.

If mid-level higher education leaders who supervise faculty are required to self-reflect, they can create an atmosphere of equity-minded advocacy for diverse faculty and students. Further, other faculty members who may not have been aware of equity-based practices may likely follow suit. In addition, faculty already dedicated to implementing equity-based practices would feel more seen and validated, better positioning them to continue to support and empower diverse students.

Conclusion

As demonstrated throughout the examples, statistics, and data points above, given the current post-pandemic climate in higher education and the increasingly diverse student population, against the backdrop of in-flux Department of Education policies in 2025, it is crucial for college administrations to continue to support faculty’s dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all students, but especially for systematically minoritized students. It is not enough to assume that Hispanic MLs at HSIs are sufficiently supported academically, based purely on the institution’s HSI designation. It is equally important to ensure that faculty receive fair and equitable treatment within higher education institutions since sensitivity toward faculty directly relates to equitable treatment toward students.

As research on the correlation between faculty well-being and student success and retention continues to emerge, institutions will ideally adopt an increasingly “human-centered” (Sykes, 2020) approach, where faculty are given administrative support and resources proportionate to the level of support and resources they are expected to provide for their students. If this is accomplished, it is far more likely that all students, especially the most vulnerable populations, such as Hispanic multilingual learners attending HSIs, will be better positioned to thrive academically, remain in college, and successfully complete their undergraduate degrees.

References

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Megan Biondi, DML, MA, M.Ed., is a tenured faculty member at County College of Morris, teaching Italian, Spanish, and ESOL Reading and Writing review for EOF recipients, as well as advising ESOL and liberal arts students. Her current research is in multilingual education and cultural and linguistic justice for multilingual learners. In addition to Annual Voices, her work has been published in AATSP’s Hispania, and NECTFL Review.

Fostering Inclusive and Resilient Classroom Environments

Angello R. Villarreal Ed. D. & Shantel M. Scott Ed. D.

Annual Voices Journal

Volume 5 - 2025

Faculty Resources for ML Student Success

By Megan Biondi

Fostering Inclusive and Resilient Classroom Environments

ARTICLES