INCREASING DIVERSITY IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS

1. INCREASING DIVERSITY IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions: First Annual All-Hands Meeting University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX Carlos Rodriguez, Ph.D. American Institutes for Research CRodriguez@air.org

2. The Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) Project A joint venture between NSF & NASA to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in STEM at a select group of minority-serving institutions

3. A Vital Need • Under-represented minorities critical for STEM workforce vitality • 3/4 STEM workforce male • 4/5 STEM workforce non-minority

4. The MIEs • Universidad Metropolitana of Puerto Rico • Xavier University of Louisiana • University of Texas at El Paso • The Oyate Consortium (South & North Dakota) • Oglala Lakota College • Sitting Bull College • Sisseton-Wahpeton College • Spelman College in Georgia • Bowie State University in Maryland

5. The MIE Study Goal To assess the degree of implementation of the factors necessary to obtain diversity and the relative effectiveness of different MIE project models

6. Three of the MIEs are HBCUs (Spelman, Xavier and Bowie) Two of the MIEs are HSIs(Universidad Metropolitana and University of Texas at El Paso) The three schools involved in the Oyate Consortium are TCCs Each MIE is Remarkably Different

7. Research Questions • Is there evidence ofproject success in: • student recruitment, retention, graduation and advancement in STEM careers? • strengthening institutional infrastructure (i.e., courses, equipment, faculty, etc.)? • Are there distinct models and core variables? • Are the project models transportable?

8. MIE Study Design

9. Secondary Data Analysis • Reviewing extant data on STEM students and faculty and the ability of the MIEs to serve students’ needs • Reviewing national datasets to place MIE findings in a larger context

10. Case Studies • Reviewing MIE proposals and reports • Conducting site visits

11. Benchmarking • Benchmarking the core components of the model(s) against national criteria

12. Secondary Data Analysis:STEM Enrollments 1997-98 to 2002-03 • Universidad Metroplitana: +106% • Xavier University of Louisiana: +19% • University of Texas at El Paso: +24% • Spelman College: +8% • Bowie State University: +71%

13. Secondary Data Analysis:STEM Degrees: 1997-98 to 2002-03 • Undergraduate STEM degrees conferred and STEM proportion of all degrees awarded increased considerably in all MIE institutions except for Spelman

14. Secondary Data Analysis:Faculty Resources: 1994-95 to 2001-02 • + 29% in STEM faculty at the MIEs (from 382 to 492 individuals)

15. Secondary Data Analysis:Degrees Awarded: 1996-97 to 2000-01 • In MIEs: + 9.4% • In HBCUs overall (excluding MIEs): -4% • In HSIs overall (excluding MIEs): +1.7%

16. Case Studies • The role of local contexts and cultures cannot be overestimated • Four of the MIEs specifically target low-income minority students • Many of these students are also the first in their families to attend college • Low-income and/or first-generation students are also more likely to come to college academically under-prepared

17. Benchmarking A panel of recognized national experts met for two days to identify the essential characteristics and features associated with each MIE model component

18. Conclusions Eight distinct institutions forming six MIE projects opened and expanded the STEM world to hundreds of underrepresented minority students

19. Question 1A. What evidence is there of project success in meeting project goals with respect to student recruitment, retention, graduation and advancement inSTEM careers? • Comprehensive approaches address: • Recruitment • Retention • Increasing Graduation Rates • Advancement in STEM Careers

20. Question 1B. What evidence is there of project success in meeting project goals of strengthening institutional infrastructure (i.e., courses, equipment, faculty, etc.)? • Infrastructure improvements address: • Course content and pedagogy • Equipment • Physical renovations • Faculty recruitment and professional development initiatives

21. Question 2. What project models have been created? What are the major elements in each project? Are there 8 (6) distinct models, core variables? • There is one MIE model with seven essential components: • Pre-college initiatives • Student support • Undergraduate research • Faculty development • Curriculum development • Physical infrastructure development • STEM graduate school and employment initiatives

22. Question 3. Are the project models transportable, credible (i.e., do they align with current research models for encouraging diversity within a university)? Can project models be identified to guide national efforts for achieving and sustaining diversity in the STEM workforce? • The MIE model is readily transportable when aligned to the context and culture of the institution • The seven MIE components cover every aspect of STEM education and, taken together, can ensure that minority students can be recruited, retained, graduated, and launched into STEM graduate projects and careers

23. MIE Impact The MIE model can achieve and sustain diversity in the STEM workforce with: • institutional and individual commitment • a unified and financially supported effort • hard work over time to transform and build the capacity to sustain success

24. Research Recommendations • Examination of the influence of cultural factors unique to underrepresented minorities that influence their postsecondary STEM success—at MSIs and non-MSIs • Exploration of factors that influence supportive STEM faculty and departmental cultures • Analyze & Resolve the impediments to PERSISTENCE

26. We are a well funded faculty driven cooperative providing mentoring and $ support for STEM students in a growing multi cultural scientific community…. At Colorado its all about NETWORKS and QUALITY MENTORING…… Our Mission: Help STEM Departments Broaden Participation in Graduate School STEM Summer Internship Class 2005

27. Colorado Diversity InitiativeCurrent Trajectory STEM Graduate Schools STEM Minority PhD Candidates Retention rate of underrepresented graduate students is the same as their majority counter parts: c.a. ~ 70%

28. Meet the Colorado Diversity Initiative: Computer Science in the College of Engineering Currently, the main areas of graduate study specialization at CU are: artificial intelligence, cyber security, numerical analysis, parallel computation, and software engineering. Computer Sciences Program Info http://www.cs.colorado.edu CONTACT: Prof. Mark Hernandez and the CDI Mark.Hernandez@Colorado.Edu Barbara.Kraus@Colorado.Edu

29. The Eight Stage Change Process The first four steps help to defrost a hardened status quo. They are: • establishing a sense of urgency • creating the guiding coalition • developing a vision and strategy • communicating the change vision

30. The Eight Stage Change Process The first four steps help to defrost a hardened status quo. They are: • establishing a sense of urgency • creating the guiding coalition • developing a vision and strategy • communicating the change vision

31. The Eight Stage Change Process The next stages then introduce many new practices: • empowering a broad base of people to take action • generating short term wins • consolidating gains and producing even more change The final stage is required to ground the changes in the corporate culture, and make them stick: • institutionalizing new approaches in the culture