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Cal Poly is actively pursuing recognition as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a shift that opens eligibility for federal and state support — but the campaign has renewed scrutiny over how the university supports other underrepresented groups on campus. As Latino enrollment climbs, student leaders and advocates are questioning whether parallel efforts for Black students and other communities are keeping pace.
HSI push yields measurable gains — and new questions
The university launched an HSI-focused task force in 2022 and crossed the 25% Latino/Hispanic enrollment threshold by fall 2024, a milestone institutions must meet to qualify for HSI status. Cal Poly’s Institutional Research reports that Latino representation grew to about 28.8% by fall 2025, a trend university officials cite as progress toward expanded resources.
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That progress matters beyond optics: HSI designation can unlock dedicated funding for student support, pathway programs and curriculum development, which could reshape recruitment and retention efforts across campus.
Concerns from campus leaders
Members of the Black Student Union and other student groups say gains for Latino students have not always translated into greater visibility or support for Black students, who remain a very small share of the student body.
Izzy Pérez Pedraza, vice president of the Black Student Union, described feeling that Black students’ needs are often overlooked in broader diversity strategies. He pointed to low representation among faculty and staff as a major concern: even when units advertise cohort hires intended to diversify departments, the eventual appointments have not always reflected racial diversity.
“We need staff and faculty who look like us, and a curriculum that resonates with our experiences,” Pedraza said, arguing that representation in hiring and course content is essential to making campus life truly inclusive.
What the university and programs say
The Department of Culture and Institutional Excellence (CIX), formerly the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion, oversees several programs aimed at supporting underrepresented students, including the Black Student Success Initiative (BSSI). The initiative is described by CIX as a response to reports of cultural isolation, underrepresentation and bias among Black students, faculty and staff.
Cal Poly acknowledges there is more work to do. In an email to campus media, Keegan Koberl of CIX said the university remains focused on attracting a diverse applicant pool so enrollment better reflects the state’s demographics, and that efforts to improve equity are ongoing.
Numbers that show limits and small gains
Despite the BSSI and other programs, Black student enrollment at Cal Poly remained low in 2025 — about 0.8% of the student population, up from roughly 0.5% in 2020, according to Institutional Research. Those figures underline both modest progress and the scale of the challenge.
- HSI threshold: 25% Latino/Hispanic enrollment met in fall 2024
- Latino/Hispanic enrollment: ~28.8% in fall 2025
- Black student enrollment: ~0.8% in 2025 (up from ~0.5% in 2020)
- Institutional focus: CIX leads targeted initiatives such as BSSI
Faculty representation and curriculum gaps
Students say the disparity is especially visible in academic departments. Pedraza noted that some programs have only recently hired their first Black faculty member or have none at all, which affects mentoring, course offerings and students’ sense of belonging.
Recruitment emphasis on student diversity, he argues, must be matched by intentional hiring and curricular changes so the campus community reflects varied backgrounds and lived experiences.
Why this matters now
The timing is significant: as Cal Poly positions itself to receive HSI-related funding, choices about how to distribute resources, target outreach and prioritize hires will determine who benefits. For students from underrepresented groups, those decisions will influence access to support services, summer pipelines and faculty mentorship for years to come.
University officials point to continuing efforts and say outcomes will depend on sustained investment. Student leaders are pressing for clearer metrics and accountability so that rising enrollment in one group does not come at the cost of others’ inclusion.
Whether Cal Poly can translate demographic gains into campuswide equity will be an unfolding test of strategy and priorities as the institution moves toward formal HSI designation.
