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Mission

The Hispanic Faculty Association exists to promote understanding and respect of the Hispanic cultures through advocacy, education, and service. For a university whose student body is over 64% Hispanic, number of Hispanic faculty is small (<20%).  We believe that increasing Hispanic faculty representation can have a positive impact on students, who currently might lack sufficient role models and mentors that might stimulate them to pursue academic and scientific careers.

Purpose

The membership strives to fulfill the mission of the organization through the following core values:

  • Fellowship and networking: by providing a venue for the exchange of cultural values and ideas, and social interaction in like-minded service community.
  • Member Development: by providing opportunities for the educational, professional, and leadership growth of its members.
  • Communication: by providing an opportunity for improved communication among the membership, as well as with community stakeholders and cultural constituents; and by being the organization’s voice to the university’s administration.
  • Service: by providing opportunities to the membership, to serve within the organization, the university, and within the local community.

Membership

HFA promotes an inclusive environment. No eligible individual will be denied membership based on religion, age, race or color, marital status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. Registrants become active members upon verification of eligibility and payment of annual dues.

Interested faculty members should pay the annual membership dues via the secure web form.

For more information about the HFA, please contact Francisco Alberto Fernandez Lima at fernandf@fiu.edu

  • Eligibility

    Individual membership is open to faculty members, employed at least half-time in a benefits-eligible position at Florida International University. Additionally, FIU retirees are eligible for membership, but cannot hold an executive office or serve as chairs of standing committees.

  • Rights

    Paid members who are active employees are eligible to vote, hold office, and attend meetings (excluding executive committee meetings, except by invitation) and events of the Association. Members who are retirees are allowed to vote and attend meetings (excluding executive committee meetings, except by invitation) and events of the Association, but cannot hold an executive office or serve as committee chair. Members are entitled to all benefits and services of HFSA. The restriction of select activities to the paid membership is at the discretion of the executive committee

  • Dues

    Membership dues are established by a vote of at least two thirds of the members present at a duly called meeting and are announced during the summer preceding the fiscal year to which the rate applies. Membership is valid from September 1 through August 31.

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HFA Officers

  • Francisco Fernandez Lima

    Francisco Fernandez Lima
    HFA President

  • Carolina Gomez

    Carolina Gomez
    HFA Vice-President of Membership

  • Enrique Villamor

    Enrique Villamor
    HFA Vice-President of Development

HFA Officer Responsibilities & Duties

  • President
    1. Serves as a liaison between FIU administration and HFA constituents
    2. Coordinates and facilitates meetings
    3. Assists in guiding the vision and mission of the HFA
    4.  Serves as spokesperson for the HFA
    5. Settles disputes
    6. Help provide leadership in the form of training, mentoring, advocacy movements
    7. Helps coordinates HFA-related events (i.e., awards ceremony)
    8. Provides written documents such as HFA statements
    9. Collaborates with all HFA members and committee chairs
    10. Help in creating pipelines for faculty leadership at FIU
    11. Helps develop innovative strategies to increase presence and visibility of HFA
    12. Be available to stand in for any of the other HFA officials as requested/needed
    13. Attend all meetings and communicate to HFA updates during those meetings
  • Vice-President of Development
    1. Assist the HFA president and stand in as requested /needed
    2. Identify cross-discipline connections and link those faculty together
    3. Liaison between HFA and other FIU offices (e.g., Office of Research and Economic Development/ORED, Office of Faculty Leadership and Success, Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Office for Faculty Success; Office to Advance Women, Equity, and Diversity)
    4. Help create programs to expand faculty’s exposure and support
    5. Connect students (undergraduate/graduate) to faculty with similar research interests  
    6. Promote equity and diversity in faculty course assignments by consulting with department heads, for alignment with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and applicable university and school policies
    7. Facilitate the recruitment and hiring of underrepresented populations into faculty positions at all levels
    8. Be available to stand in for any of the other HFA officials as requested/needed
    9. Attend all meetings and communicate to HFA updates during those meetings
  • Vice-President of Membership
    1. Maintain the list of HFA members and monitor and evaluate membership for growth and stability
    2. Develop and maintain systems of accountability
    3. Keep record of undergraduate and graduate students associated with the HFA
    4. Create and maintain a database of awards and honors available for HFA members
    5. Support HFA faculty in award applications
    6. Partner with FIU administrators and offices to ensure awardees and nominees receive broadcasting within the university community
    7. Inform faculty and administration on how racial biases impact hiring, teaching evaluations and research success.
    8. Create a website and/or listserv where prospective minority faculty and staff can learn more about working at FIU
    9. Be available to stand in for any of the other HFA officials as requested/needed
    10. Attend all meetings and communicate to HFA updates during those meetings

HFA Award

FIU HFA is looking for nominations for its inaugural Contribution to the Hispanic Community Award!

The FIU HFA has instituted in the Fall 2023 the “Contribution to the Hispanic Community” Award, which will recognize an outstanding member of our FIU family with a $5,000 award.

This award shall recognize efforts such as the following:

  •  The promotion of the presence of Hispanics in academia through the advising and mentoring of graduate students and similar initiatives.
  • The training of Hispanic post-doctoral fellows so that they can join the professoriate.
  • The mentoring of junior Hispanic faculty to enhance their opportunity to receive tenure and promotion.
  • The fostering of academic leadership among Hispanic members of the faculty.
  • Community outreach to increase the visibility of Hispanics, improve the well-being of the Hispanic community, and celebrate accomplishments among Hispanics.

Nominations: 

  • HFA shall accept nominations throughout the semester until the nomination deadline, November 15th.
  • Self-nominations are allowed.
  • Nominations shall take the form of:
    • A statement summarizing the candidate’s merits.
    • A brief BIO of the candidate.
    • A list of three references the committee could approach, if needed, to seek further information.

 Award Committee:

  • HFA shall elect a three-member-committee to evaluate awards.
  • To be eligible it is required to be an active member of the HFA.
  • Membership to this committee shall be for a period of 2 years, renewable once.
  • Committee members shall deliberate and seek any necessary additional information during the Spring semester.
  • Awards shall be announced within the last two weeks of the Spring semester.

Submit your nomination by November 15th!