White Flight in Public Higher Education? Racial Avoidance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Abstract

Latine college students in the United States face increasing isolation in universities designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). We contend that this pattern is not just a function of Latine selection into particular universities. Using enrollment data for public four-year undergraduate institutions from 1990 to 2019, we show that White student enrollment declines after universities cross the 25 percent Latine threshold and become designated as HSIs. Our layered model of college choice identifies multiple factors that activate White racial avoidance, pulling White students to Predominately White Institutions and pushing them away from HSIs. Controlling for local demographics in states and counties where HSIs are located, we estimate White student enrollments are 6 percent to 16 percent lower after HSI status. Student application and admission data for California and Texas four-year public universities illustrate that national patterns of White enrollment decline at HSI transition are likely driven by student and family preferences rather than organizational processes or seat constraints. Applications from White students are 12 percent lower after HSI status, yet admissions data, over which universities exert considerable control, show no change. Overall, our findings suggest White students respond to the high concentration of Latine students at HSIs with “white flight,” contributing to racial segregation in higher education.