Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution - Culture & Institutional Excellence - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo * Skip to Content * ? my CalPoly login * * Culture & Institutional Excellence previously the Office of University Diversity & Inclusion * About * BEACoN * Building Belonging * Campus Climate * DPN * The Collective * Hiring Guide * Resources * Student Success Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution Towards Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution * Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution * 2026 Cal Poly HSI Symposium * HSI Mission, Vision, and Values * HSI High-Impact Mini-Grant Program * HSI Presentation Request and Guidelines * HSI Student Advisory Board * Statement from CIX on Latinx/e Heritage Month * HSI Task Force * La CASA Grand Opening Translate Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution For Cal Poly, becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is not just a designation, but a reflection of its commitment to student success. It means being an institution that yields, retains, and graduates Latinx/e students by cultivating holistic student support and enhancing culturally enriching experiences. By centering servingness, Cal Poly fosters belonging and success for all students, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values to thrive in a global workforce grounded in academic excellence, career readiness, and social responsibility.  The HSI designation is given to colleges and universities that have a Latinx/Hispanic student enrollment of at least 25%. This milestone was reached in Fall 2024 when Cal Poly’s Latinx/e student enrollment reached 25%, with approximately 29% of the incoming undergraduate class identifying as Latinx/e. Over the past decade, Latinx/e student enrollment has grown by 87%, reflecting the university’s progress in aligning more closely with California’s demographics.  As Cal Poly embraces its identity as an emerging HSI, it remains dedicated to building on this progress, expanding opportunities, and advancing success for generations to come.  Learn more about our HSI Mission, Vision, and Values › HSI Presentations In an effort to support the broader campus in advancing Cal Poly’s journey toward becoming an HSI, Culture and Institutional Excellence offers educational presentations to departments and units. These presentations aim to deepen understanding of servingness and support campus-wide efforts to better serve Latinx students and all members of the Cal Poly community. How to Request a Presentation › HSI Mini-Grants As we advance our mission to become an HSI, we are committed to thinking critically and holistically about what it means to truly serve the Cal Poly community. To support this vision, the Cal Poly HSI High-Impact Mini-Grant Program provides resources for initiatives that strengthen our practice of servingness and advance our collective efforts toward achieving HSI designation. Apply for an HSI Mini-Grant › Latinx/e Center for Academic Success and Achievement (La CASA) La CASA is designed to provide holistic student support and foster a sense of belonging for students who identify as Latinx/e, Hispanic, or part of the Latin American and Caribbean diaspora at Cal Poly. Located in Building 15 Room 135, the facility includes an accessible computer lab and lounge space where students can study, enjoy culturally relevant workshops, and attend events hosted in partnership with other campus cultural centers. The center’s programming focuses on uplifting the various cultures, histories, and traditions within the Latinx/e diaspora. Learn More About La CASA › HSI Recommendations Executive Summary The HSI Task Force developed an executive summary of recommendations through research, best practices, and extensive community engagement in the academic year 2022-2023. Guided by Dr. Gina Garcia, the group integrated the concept of “servingness” into Cal Poly’s HSI vision and gathered campus input through focus groups with Latinx students, faculty, and staff, as well as bilingual surveys. This work culminated in 10 overarching recommendation areas and more than 40 strategies, providing the university with concrete, actionable steps to advance its HSI efforts.  Read our HSI Recommendations Executive Summary › Spanish-Translated Event Signage Culture and Institutional Excellence has made Spanish event signage accessible to all campus partners. Download and print bilingual signage for your next event below. Hablo Español Button Template › Spanish Restroom Signage › Adelante Zoom Backdrop › Bilingual Thank You Card ›     Related Content Cal Poly AANHPI* Initiatives Learn more about Cal Poly *Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Initiatives. Visit the AANHPI webpage BEACoN Program Learn more about the BEACoN Mentoring Program BEACoN Research Scholars I am First-Gen Learn more about first generation staff, resources, and information across the colleges. View First-Gen Resources yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Tribe Learn more about yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini, Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County and Region. Learn about ytt Tribe Report an Incident Report a bias incident to the Bias Incident Report Team Report an Incident CONNECT WITH CAL POLY   The Department of Culture and Institutional Excellence is committed to serving the entire Cal Poly campus in policy, practice, and purposeful efforts to cultivate a culture of belonging where each individual feels valued, supported, and empowered, regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Cal Poly is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). * CP Home * Directory * Campus Maps & Directions * University Store * Calendar * Employment * Campus Policies * Contact Us * Privacy Notice * Web Accessibility Statement * Title IX © 2026 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California 93407 Phone: 805-756-1111