President Rodríguez Joins White House Commission on Hispanic and Latino Educational Equity
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2023) — University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez was sworn in Wednesday as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.
The Commission, which was announced in September by the White House and held its inaugural meeting Wednesday, is charged with advising President Biden through Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on a range of issues related to removing barriers to educational equity and economic opportunity for Hispanics and Latinos.
Focus areas include: improving opportunities and outcomes for Hispanic and Latino students, strengthening the capacity of institutions to serve them, promoting career pathways for in-demand jobs, identifying solutions to disparities in education and training, and establishing public, private and philanthropic partnerships to advance these goals.
Advocating for More Opportunities and Better Outcomes
"For so many families, higher education is a gateway to life-changing opportunities that would otherwise have remained out of reach,” Rodríguez said. “Not only was that my experience, but we see it every day in the classrooms and laboratories at the University at Albany. We are enormously proud of the work we’ve done at UAlbany to support the success of underrepresented students on our campus, and I look forward to bringing these best practices and experiences to the Commission’s work for the benefit of students across the country. On a personal level, I am profoundly honored to be asked to participate in this important work.”
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said, "Under President Havidán Rodríguez’s leadership the University at Albany has become a model for public universities for prioritizing and improving equity on its campus. Not only is UAlbany a great research university but they are also an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution. I was proud to recommend my friend Havidán Rodríguez to President Biden and I know that he will be a tremendous addition to the Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics."
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "President Havidán Rodríguez recognizes the vital role a college education can play in a person's life, especially individuals from underserved communities, which is why he has worked diligently to build an inclusive educational environment at the University at Albany. In addition, his work with SUNY's Hispanic Leadership Institute, which serves as a national model for empowering Hispanic leaders in higher education, has helped elevate professionals into positions of leadership across the SUNY system. We congratulate President Rodríguez on his swearing in. His experience will be a vital asset to President Biden's advisory commission to create more pathways for Hispanic students to pursue and succeed in higher education, not just in New York State, but across the nation."
The Commission’s work is part of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics, which was re-established by President Biden in 2021.
A National Model for Educational Equity
President Rodríguez’s appointment comes as UAlbany has won national recognition not just for the diversity of its student body but for the success of underrepresented students on campus. The Education Trust has repeatedly hailed UAlbany as a national leader on racial equity and in closing graduation gaps among Black and Latina/o students.
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation President Guillermo Linares said, “I am thrilled to congratulate University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez on being selected as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. As former president of the White House Initiative for Hispanic Americans under President Clinton (1999-2000), I know firsthand the importance of the President’s Advisory Council and President Rodríguez’s experience and expertise will be an invaluable asset to the Commission. President Rodríguez has been a champion for advancing opportunities for Hispanic students throughout his career and I look forward to seeing the impact he will make as a member of this important group, and I thank him for his continued dedication to advancing educational equity for all.”
New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said, “New York continues to be focused on addressing the social and economic disparities and inequities in education that exist for historically underrepresented individuals of color and low-income communities throughout our state and nation. In University at Albany President Havidán Rodriguez, the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics could not find a more dedicated and better leader who contributes to our society by educating a new generation of Latino professionals who will go on to contribute to America’s communities, economy and leadership around the world.”
As of Fall 2022, at least 40 percent of UAlbany undergraduates identified as Black or Latina/Latino, with 18.5 percent identifying as Latina/Latino — the highest in University history.
In September, UAlbany was the first R1 institution in the Northeast and the first SUNY campus to receive Excelencia in Education’s rigorous Seal of Excelencia for its data-driven approach to ensuring Latina and Latino students are supported and thriving on campus.
President Rodríguez also has joined Excelencia’s Presidents for Latino Student Success network, a consortium of higher education leaders working to make their institutions learning environments where Latina and Latino students excel—and to sharing best practices with colleagues across the country.
Excelencia in Education Co-founder and President Sarita Brown said, "The President's Advisory Commission has an important charge at a critical time in our country. Engaging this country’s vibrant Latino community in higher education is fundamental to a strong future workforce and civic leadership. Having Commissioner and UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez, who leads one of only 30 colleges and universities certified with the Seal of Excelencia for intentionally serving Latino students, in this role gives us collective strength for our common cause — accelerating Latino student success.”
Organizations like Excelencia and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) have been at the leading edge of efforts to improve the way institutions of higher education support Hispanic and Latino students.
HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores said, "The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities applauds the appointment of Dr. Havidán Rodríguez to the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. His dedication, leadership and contributions to promote excellence in Hispanic education make him a strong voice and advocate for the millions of Hispanic students across the country."
Innovative Programs Aimed at Increasing Academic and Career Success
In November, UAlbany received a $2.5 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Driving Change program to pioneer more inclusive approaches to teaching STEM and mobilize a comprehensive student support network to increase retention and graduation.
The University’s approach, one of just six projects funded nationally, builds on existing programs shown to boost retention and graduation among all STEM students, with disproportionately positive results for STEM majors from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
UAlbany also recently won a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to pair rising juniors and seniors from groups traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research careers with faculty mentors and offer hands-on research and professional development opportunities designed to ready them for a research-focused graduate degree program in biomedical sciences.
The goal of the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program is to increase diversity in the biomedical research workforce by preparing undergraduate students for graduate degree programs that lead to careers in the field.