The University of Kansas’s newly formed Latino Vision Council is working to find ways to assist Latinos in gaining access to college.

The Latino Vision Council, formed earlier this spring at the invitation of KU Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere, will identify strategies and actions that will help the university reach this audience, the university announced.

The nearly two dozen council members include public school officials, state officials and leaders of community, religious, media and social service organizations. Four KU students also serve on the council.

"The University of Kansas is committed to serving the people of Kansas," Lariviere said. "Part of that mission includes communicating the value of higher education. The members of the Latino Vision Council are highly respected in their communities and are well placed to help KU build trust with families who might not be familiar with all that a university has to offer. It takes effective leaders to build effective bridges."

Since 2001, census data shows that Hispanics are the largest minority group in both Kansas and the United States. And while data shows a decrease in projected numbers of Kansas high school graduates overall, Hispanic graduates in the state are expected to more than double. In 2004-05, Hispanics made up 2,019 of the graduates of Kansas public high schools. In 2021-22, that number is projected to grow to 4,227.

The university said the council is expected to help convey  the value of a college education to Hispanic students across the state. Among the ideas discussed at a recent meeting of the council were to provide more promotional materials in Spanish at KU, to establish a Spanish-language hotline for admissions, and to provide more university-based summer camps for Latino children and teens.  A small committee of members of the council will report back to the university with a draft of a plan by mid-July.

a draft of a plan by mid-July.