UM system creates Access to Success
Universities want to increase enrollment of underrepresented students.
Published Nov. 13, 2007
The UM system is continuing its quest for diverse student enrollment by teaming with 18 other university systems in the National Association of System Heads to start developing the Access to Success initiative.
According to the NASH Web site, the goal of the association is to improve the governance of public higher education
systems.
The initiative's goal is to increase the availability of public universities to low-income, underrepresented and first-generation students.
The universities involved will annually report their progress in reaching their goals until 2015.
Noor Azizan-Gardner, director of diversity programming and professional development of the Chancellor's Diversity Initiative, said financial aid and college applications can seem like Greek for parents who have never been to college.
"Imagine what it's like for someone who has never gone to college to help their students with the process," Azizan-Gardner said.
Deborah Noble, UM system assistant vice president for academic affairs, said the university has worked with NASH in the past.
"Our membership with NASH has had a variety of opportunities over the years," Noble said. "It allows the university to better address or continue to address these issue for all Missourians."
MU has a number of projects in place to increase the enrollment of low-income, underrepresented and first-generation students.
The university works with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Columbia Public Schools' Minority Achievement Committee Scholars program and initiatives through different organizations on campus.
"We believe the programs are very enriching and will help make a difference in the college-going behavior of many of these students," Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Ann Korschgen said in an
e-mail.
Noble said the system will develop this initiative while continuing with the other projects to increase diversity.
"What we are trying to do is to see how what we are doing can be further enhanced by NASH," Noble said.
In a brochure about the initiative, NASH stated all involved universities would analyze their data to identify and eliminate roadblocks that slow student momentum; improve student success in developmental and introductory course; reexamine use of financial aid and other resources; and work more closely with primary and secondary students to improve preparation for college.
Azizan-Gardner said first-generation students face more roadblocks than any of the other students.
"Getting to college is really hard for first-generation students, regardless of race or ethnicity," Azizan-Gardner said. "They have many more barriers than students who have parents who have gone to college."
Also included in this research are the graduation rates of low-income students, which is not calculated or publicly reported, according to a presentation by the Education Trust Inc. The organization aims to increase the quality of education at all levels of school, according to its Web site.
Korschgen said MU cares about reaching students and helping them attend college.
"We have long been concerned about reaching these students and our enrollments of underrepresented, and first-generation students attest to this fact," Korschgen said.
In Fall 2005, 1,360 first-generation students enrolled for the first time at MU.
The figure is nearly 29 percent of the total first-year student enrollment.
Nationally, about 17 percent of first-year students enrolled as first-generation students in Fall 2005.
The university will work on developing the research and implementing this plan in the next year.
"The university is spending this next year to do some planning around how to measure objectives," Noble said. "Over the next year, we are considering all of these things."