The new presidential administration took office on January 20th, 2025, launching a new era of federal politics for colleges and universities that many of us are trying to navigate. But how do we move forward when 47’s administration is releasing daily attacks on public education, research, academic freedom, access, and equity? On this episode of ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? we discuss the current federal climate and offer advice for remaining focused on doing good work in solidarity across racial-ethnic groups. Our guest, Dr. Cristóbal Rodríguez, is a policy expert and scholar activist with a track record of advocating for Latine populations. He was appointed in 2022 by President Biden to serve on the White House Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics and Latinos. He shares his experience and some recommendations made by the commission despite it being dismantled as a direct result of one of many executive orders signed by 47. He also talks about state policy implications and the ways we can leverage local governments, policy intermediaries, associations, and state-wide HSI consortia. We don’t have all the answers, but Dr. Rodríguez offers tips on navigating these tumultuous times.

Guest:

Cristóbal Rodríguez (he/him/él)

Associate Provost for Equity, Western Michigan University

Chair, American Association for Hispanics in Higher Education

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cristóbal-rodríguez-25656453

Instagram: @dktrcrodriguez

Show Notes:

• Reports by White House Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics and Latinos
• https://www.aahhe.org/
• Rodríguez, C. (2019). Achievement, politics, and policy shifts: Expert report on achievement for Martínez/Yazzie v. New Mexico. Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, 13(3), 116-138. http://dx.doi.org/10.24974/amae.13.3.455
• Rodríguez, C., Martinez, M. A., & Valle, F. (2016). Latino educational leadership across the pipeline: For Latino communities and Latina/o leaders. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 15(2), 136-153. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192715612914

APA Citation for This Episode:

Garcia, G. A. (Host). (2025, February 23). Federal Policy and Politics of HSIs (No.603) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?. https://www.ginaanngarcia.com/podcast/episode/b4693131/federal-politics-of-hsis-under-47