Division of Student AffairsLatino Resource Center

April 21, 2009

Latino Resource Center: An Overview Benchmarking Process Results Best Practices Implications

Mission: Our mission is to recruit Latino/a students to NIU, increase the retention rate of Latino/a students, and provide cultural, social, and academic programs that enhance the quality of life of all NIU students.

Vision: The LRC strives to be nationally recognized for its level of commitment to students and the surrounding community, as well as providing multi-disciplinary collaborations. 

Areas of benchmarking: General Information Staff Initiatives Services/Resources Partnerships/Collaborations Financial Information Assessment Methods

General Information What is the percentage of Latinos on your campus? Does your department fall under Academic Affairs or Student

Affairs? What is the mission/goal of your center?

Staff What is the total number of employed persons at your center? What type of training do you mandate for your employees? What is the organizational structure of the center? How many graduate students are employed with your center? How many undergraduate students are employed by your

center? How often are staff meetings held, and what is reviewed at the

meetings? What committees or boards are incorporated with your center?

Initiatives What retention programs does your center offer? What kinds of functions or events are held/hosted by your

center? What type of involvement or service does your center

contribute to the community?

Services/Resources In what ways does your center offer academic support? What kinds of workshops are held in your center? How does your center offer financial assistance for Latinos

(scholarships)? What types of campaigns or civic engagement are promoted

through your center? What kind of paraprofessional development is offered by your

center?

Partnerships/Collaborations What other centers/departments does your institution

collaborate with? Which campus resources assist your center in serving Latinos? Does your center collaborate with other universities? (If yes,

which universities do you work with, and what projects do you collaborate on?)

What Greek and non-Greek student organizations work collaboratively with your center?

Financial Information What is the budget of your center? What type of organization funding does your center receive?

(Federal v. State) Does your center receive any financial assistance from grants?

Assessment Methods How is the work progress of the staff evaluated at your center? Does your center use pre/post evaluations of its programs? How does your center analyze its success?

Benchmarking Partners: Big 10 -University of Iowa-Latino Native American Cultural Center (LNACC)Purdue University- Latino Cultural CenterUniversity of Minnesota-Hispanic/Latino/Chicana Learning Center

MAC -Western Michigan University-Multicultural Center (MCC)Ohio University- Multicultural CenterBall State University- Multicultural Center

Other -UC Santa Cruz -The Chicano Latino Resource CenterClaremont University -The Chicano/Latino Student Affairs CenterUniversity of Connecticut- Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center

(PRLACC)Tufts University- Tufts Latino CenterChicago State University- Latino Resource Center

All the centers fall under the Division of Students Affairs

What type of training do you mandate for your employees?

Staff professional development and diversity training.

What retention programs does your center offer?

Mentoring programs

In what ways does your center offer academic support?

Tutoring programs

Which campus resources assist your center in serving Latinos?

Admission office, resource centers, and academic units.

What is the budget of your center?

Budget for programming: $4,000.00-$30,000.00

Surveys, attendance rates, and student feedback.

UC Santa CruzInternship program

Claremont UniversityAcademic support programsEvents and workshops for cultural, social, and leadership

development

Purdue University Academic supportParaprofessional development

University of MinnesotaCommunity involvementAcademic support

Continue to work on improving the retention and graduation rates of Latino students by further developing the F.R.E.S.H. tutoring program which is designed to enhance student academic performance.

Collaborate more closely with Career Services to increase the number of Latino students receiving internships and possibly develop an internship program.

Questions

The Benchmarking Book by Michael J. Spendolini, 1992