CAHSI: Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions

CAHSI is a grass-top organization, i.e., it involves students, faculty and professional staff–the grassroots who are on the ground impacting students, and administrators (chairs and deans) who provide leadership. CAHSI involves a number of partners from public and private sectors, as well as researchers and educators from computing, mathematics, education, and social science. CAHSI consolidates the strengths, resources, and concerns of HSIs and other groups committed to increasing the number of Hispanics in all computing areas.

CAHSI’s vision: By 2030, Hispanics will represent 20% or more of those who earn credentials in computing. Credentials are defined as degrees and certifications that lead to gainful employment and advancement in the field.

CAHSI’s mission: To grow and sustain a networked community committed to recruiting, retaining, and accelerating the progress of Hispanics in computing.

CAHSI’s goals:

• Challenge students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to position them to thrive in the workforce.
• Support pedagogical and professional growth for those who can impact Hispanics.
• Expand meaningful partnerships to align with strategic regional and national efforts.
• Inform policy through evidence.

CAHSI engages students, staff, faculty, and partners across four regions. Together they make up the CAHSI INCLUDES Alliance, and they are a strong force because they work with a unified voice to meet CAHSI’s vision and goals.

To accelerate inclusive change the CAHSI INCLUDES Alliance adopted a collective impact framework model, in which networked institutions support collaborative change through five key conditions: Common Agenda, Backbone Support, Continuous Communication, Mutually Reinforcing Activities, and Shared Measurement.

CAHSI’s leadership, knowledge, and experience can be leveraged as a resource by other institutions/departments seeking to build or strengthen in any of these areas:

• Pedagogical Practices:  Attend training and adopt CAHSI signature practices:  Affinity Research Group (deliberate development of students’ professional, technical, research, and communication skills); Fellow-Net (preparation for putting together competitive fellowships); Peer-Led Team Learning (trained near-peers work with students to gain deeper understanding of key concepts in CS fundamental courses); Google-CAHSI problem solving courses (competency-based courses that provide students with general problem solving skills, problem-solving skills using computational thinking, and algorithmic problem-solving skills);
• Inclusive environments for the retention and recruitment of Hispanics in the computing major, i.e. student advocates who involve students from diverse backgrounds and skill levels in opportunities, organizations, and professional development;
• Research capacity, i.e. organizing and planning workshops focused on the deliberate development of research skills;
• Support structures to increase the number of Hispanics and women who go into graduate programs, i.e. mentorship, allyship, and faculty/student training; and
• Strategies for working with K-12 organizations/community/industry and preparing students in STEM coursework and beyond, i.e. professional development experiences, and collaborative and meaningful partnerships.

To add CAHSI as part of a departmental BPC plan, we ask that you contact us. A commitment to acknowledge CAHSI is required.