Exploring the Research Enterprise in a Hispanic-Serving Institution: A Systems Thinking-Informed Case Study of Graduate Advising in an Engineering College*

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSIs) hold much promise for increasing access to graduate education, yet little is known about their research enterprise and the experiences of their graduate students. This case study interviewed seven stakeholders in one HSI’s engineering college and employs a systems-thinking approach to uncover how this institution balances the needs of its graduate students with its institution’s research support. Our findings reveal a complex relationship between this institution’s research enterprise and its graduate advising activities, as maintaining the HSI’s teaching mission while accommodating research activities creates limitations and mixed messaging. However, we also found that building research collaborations with other high research status institutions can provide more resources and opportunities beyond what the HSI institution can provide. Overall, our study highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics between research and teaching missions in HSIs in any effort to increase research and promote graduate education in such contexts.