SUNY Ulster Earns “Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution” Status
with 17% of Student Body Now Hispanic
March 21, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster took a significant step forward in its commitment to serve all Ulster County residents by achieving the designation of “Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution” (HSI) by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. It is an exciting milestone demonstrating our progress in providing affordable and flexible educational opportunities for our Hispanic neighbors.
SUNY Ulster has been identified as an “emerging” Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) based on the percentage of its student population who identify as Hispanic. A college is identified as emerging if Hispanic students comprise more than 14 percent of the student population and the institution has the potential to reach the full HSI threshold of 25 percent within the next few years.
Out of the 270 colleges and universities in New York State, there are only 28 Emerging HSIs even though the Hispanic population is the second-largest racial and ethnic group in the state. Closer to home, Ulster County is comprised of nearly 11% or 19.4 K Hispanic residents.
“As an institution, we have worked hard to expand our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Our recognition as an emerging HSI is important and brings with it more resources to advance this work as we serve our community with affordable access to higher education,” says Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President of SUNY Ulster.
Chief Diversity Officer, Candice Van Dyke adds “The designation of Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution is an opportunity for us to better our efforts, to grow our resources, and to serve our students. This is an exciting title that bears the weight of the important work we have ahead of us.”
As an Emerging HSI, SUNY Ulster’s Hispanic students now have access to benefits, including scholarships, paid internships, and leadership development programs. Once SUNY Ulster attains full HSI status, the benefits increase.
“SUNY Ulster has been steadfast in their commitment to serve their students and community by providing invaluable opportunities to access higher education,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “HACU looks forward to supporting the efforts of SUNY Ulster to serve their community as they move forward on the path towards becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution.”
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 with a founding membership of eighteen institutions. Today, HACU represents more than 500 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain, and U.S. school districts. HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
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Penny Rifenburgh, an Assistant Professor of English and Department Chair of English, Language, and Philosophy received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. A peer commented, “Since arriving on campus, Penny has been a magnet for students. Penny is warm, welcoming, and generous with the students. Her office is always full of students who simply stop by to say hello. The discussions are often related to classwork; however, Penny always takes time to check in with students on a personal level”. In addition to being a pleasure to work alongside, Penny’s students can agree “She is a passionate professor who is caring and puts in her time for her students.”
Patrick J. McGuire, an Adjunct Faculty member in the Social Sciences, History and Education department received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. A peer commented, “In the classroom, Pat is humorous, approachable, and informal in a way that puts students at ease and engenders a positive learning experience. He can be relied upon to give his best efforts in all circumstances…”. Students who have experienced his teaching comment, “I am very grateful to have had professor McGuire for this course. He made the material more enjoyable and kept the content very entertaining to keep the attention of the students. I think his methods should be used for all classes!”
Suzanne DeWitt is an Instructional Assistant for the Biological Sciences department and received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. “Suzanne has always gone above and beyond for the biology faculty and the college… from preparing reagents and setting up labs to purchasing… She’s the best!” In her peers’ opinions, she is “a super-intelligent, dedicated professional who keeps the Biological Sciences department running smoothly…”
Virginia “Ginny” Lukasavage is an administrative assistant in the Arts and English, Language, and Philosophy departments and received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service. When her colleagues were asked for a comment on “Ginny” they had nothing but wonderful things to say. One peer commented “Ginny is sunshine on a cloudy day. She is caring, professional, and an awesome person to work with always.” Another said “Ginny helps improve any situation she sees on campus with active participation, positivity, and genuine kindness. She is an asset to us all.”
