University of Wisconsin Green Bay EQUITY SCORECARD REPORT: Access Perspective
HOW TO CITE: Center for Urban Education (2012). The Scorecard Report: Institution. Los Angeles: Author For additional data and inquiry tools please visit us at http://cue.usc.edu/., Rossier School of Education. All rights reserved. The contents cannot be copied or disseminated without express written permission from the Center for Urban Education. The Equity Scorecard illustration is a trademarked image of the University of Southern California Center for Urban Education. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
University of Wisconsin Green Bay EQUITY SCORECARD REPORT Campus Effort Access Retention Completion Excellence Indicator Baseline Goal 1 Goal 2 Equity This report shares the findings and recommendations developed by the UW-Green Bay Evidence Team while looking at their Access Indicators, disaggregated by race and ethnicity. The Access Indicators, comprised of existing institutional data, show the extent to which students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups gain access to UW-Green Bay. Future reports will share findings from Retention, Completion, and Excellence Indicators.
About the Focus on African American Students in this presentation: Disaggregation is a key element of the scorecard process. The Scorecard Team examined comparative data for American Indian, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and African- American students at UWGB. While the team is invested in achieving equity for all underrepresented student groups, we elected to focus on African-American students because they are the least represented in relation to their proportion of the local population. This allows us to make our goals more concrete at the same time that we work toward interventions that will ultimately benefit all racial/ethnic students groups. The Admission Funnel The UWGB Equity Scorecard Team decided to focus specifically on the part of the problem over which the University might have the greatest potential control: moving students through the admission funnel. The Team s inquiry work identified three areas in which specific intervention could help close the equity gap at UW Green Bay: 1. Completing Applications 2. Enrolling in Classes 3. Utilizing Transfer Opportunities
Themes: The following themes emerged regardless of which gap in racial equity we examined. They remained constant throughout our process and consistent among populations. While this presentation focuses primarily on African American students, that group is simply used as our example. The three themes below were not specific to African Americans, but held true for Native American, Asian, Latino students, etc. Students/Applicants have financial concerns. UWGB has multiple communication issues, including a perhaps too heavy reliance on email during the admissions process, and the presence of on-campus "silos" (initiatives and projects not widely shared among faculty and staff alike) which affect public perception, and hence, access. UWGB needs to build stronger community and support structures for underrepresented minority students on our campus.
1. Completing Applications: Close Equity Gaps in Application Completion for African American Students Equity Gap #1: 115 African American students began an application to UW- Green Bay in 2010, but only 46 students completed and submitted the application, a 40% completion rate. Comparatively, the overall student population had an 80% completion rate. To achieve equity in applications for African Americans by 2015, an additional 46 African Americans (92-46) need to complete the UW-Green Bay application.
Mapping application gap Close Equity Gaps in Application Completion for African American Students Question Investigation Inquiry At what point do partial-applicants stop the application process? Requested Data from Institutional Researcher Is coded language being used in the application process (e.g., what are special circumstances )? Analyzed the Online Admissions Process and Materials What is the recruitment process for African Americans? Are recruitment and admissions the same people? Interviewed Admissions Staff
Inquiry Findings Close Equity Gaps in Application Completion for African American Students What is missing from applications? Of the 115 African Americans who started an application: 62 did not submit an application fee 58 did not submit test scores 35 of the 115 were missing high school transcripts How accessible is the application process? While reviewing UW-Green Bay s website, a few areas for potential confusion and frustration were identified. For example, the first piece of information requested from students is their intended major. (The not specify button is buried at the bottom of the page); Little explanation is provided regarding special circumstances how would a student know if they had special circumstances that could be considered along with their application?; also, information for financial aid was hard to locate. What is the recruitment process? Recruitment officers shared that, due to current low enrollment of African Americans, They don t see others like themselves. Also, a reliance on online and electronic communication may come across as uncaring and affect those who do not have regular access to the internet.
Recommendations for Campus Effort Monitor Applications: Create regular reports and share them with the admissions staff and provost so they know how many African American students have started applications and submitted transcripts, test scores, and/or admission fees. Contact Students with Incomplete Applications: Recruitment staff can contact African American students with outstanding application requirements and work with them to determine qualifications for fee waivers or assist in requesting transcripts. Purchase ACT Scores: UWGB will purchase ACT scores for African American students in the service region, to provide the university easier access to the pool of qualified applicants in the area. Improve Online Application Process: Create special circumstances examples that are linked from the application page. These would be stories from prior applicants that address what was special about their circumstances when they applied, anonymous, or from successful alumni. Continue to Increase Perception of Diversity at UW-Green Bay (and in the process actually increase diverse representation). Recent intentional recruitment of student ambassadors of color has brought their numbers up for 2011-12 and 2012-13, and for the first time UWGB tipped the 100 mark for minority students enrolled. Ambassadors for 2012-13: 30 white, 2 African American, 1 Native American and 1 Latina, with 1 Latina as an alternate. Build Community: Create magnets for Phuture Phoenix/area middle school students that include "Steps to Take to Prepare for College"; create a Bridge Program to help students transition from high school to college.
2. Admission-to-Enrollment Gap: Close Equity Gaps in Enrollment for African American Undergraduates Equity Gap #2: In the 2009-10 academic year, 19 African American students were admitted to UW-Green Bay, but only 3 enrolled in Fall of 2010, a 16% enrollment rate. Comparatively, 43% of the overall student population admitted chose to enroll. In this example, to achieve equity in admissions for African Americans by 2015, an additional 5 African Americans (8-3) would need to enroll at UW-Green Bay.* * The number of students needed to achieve equity in enrollment will change as the number of students admitted grow. Revisit equity goals yearly in order to calculate progress towards equity in enrollment.
Admission-to-Enrollment Mapping Close Equity Gaps in Enrollment for African American Undergraduates Question Investigation/Inquiry How many African Americans applied for financial aid? How many received funding? Interview Financial Aid Staff Did any (or all) of the 19 African American admitted students attend R&R (Resources and Registration) in June? Check R&R Records 1: Who did the three enrolled African American students talk to in making the decision to come to UWGB? 2: Are admitted students scared off from enrolling by their perception of the campus or community when they visit? Interview Students
Inquiry Findings Close Equity Gaps in Enrollment for African American Undergraduates Student Perceptions: Interviewing 27 students of color who entered UW-Green Bay in 2011 provided the following information: Top 3 reasons for attending UW-Green Bay: The home feel of the campus, individual comfort-level with the distance from family, and the distance/location of the college. Top 3 first impressions of UW-Green Bay: Cosmetic of Campus (trees, secluded, quiet); Campus size and academic programs (smaller school, good academic programs); and Family feel/proximity (close to family, friendly people). Top 3 ways they heard about UW-Green Bay included: Family, friends, and high school (counselors and tours). Family played a key role in student s decision to attend. None of the interviewed students mentioned lack of urbanity as a reason for not considering Green Bay. Instead, students intentionally mentioned that they appreciated the setting. Over 60% of students admitted to no challenges during the application process yet a third experienced challenges, including: money and length of application (time).
Recommendations for Campus Effort Close Equity Gaps in Enrollment for African American Undergraduates Faculty: Develop training for faculty advising to eliminate misconceptions about students of color. Conduct a January symposium for faculty addressing Equity Scorecard findings and usage for the Scorecard. In the admissions process between being admitted and actual enrollment, under-represented minority students could receive a letter from a faculty member in the area of their intended major (could be template, provided to each chair.) Financial aid: Provide minority only scholarships, and transfer scholarships; offer financial aid workshops at targeted high schools to help students complete the FAFSA and improve financial literacy. Resource and Registration (R&R): Because registration happens on a first-come, firstserved basis, encourage students of color to participate in Day 1 or Day 2 of R&R in June so that high impact academic options (such as FYS and multiple sections of popular classes) are open to them. Admissions may wish to partner, and contact African American students to encourage them to attend earlier R&R sessions. Explore the option of holding spaces for popular courses. Review marketing materials for ALL Undergraduates: Determine if they illustrate collaborations between students and faculty, opportunities to travel and study abroad, and feature departments that focus on integration and support. Provide language options for campus tours (i.e. private language sections, Spanish & Hmong speakers). Provide minority driven/marketed events (i.e. all-black events, Latino only tours). Access alumni base to assist with recruitment of students of color.
3. Transfer Gap: Utilize transfer opportunities to increase African American, Hispanic, and American Indian enrollment. Equity Gap #3: Of the 7 full-time African American students enrolled in 2010, 4 entered UW-Green Bay as transfer students (2 transferred from community colleges and 2 transferred from other four year institutions). Of the 25 full-time American Indian students enrolled in 2010, 19 entered as transfer students (13 from community colleges and 6 from other four year institutions). In 2010, 12 out of 34 full-time Hispanic students also entered as transfer students (8 from community colleges and 4 from other four year institutions).
Mapping Utilize transfer opportunities to increase African American, Hispanic, and American Indian enrollment. Question Investigation Inquiry Are transfer students eligible for scholarships? Contact the Founders Association Inquiry Findings Scholarships for Transfer Students: The Founders scholarship is not available to transfer students.
Recommendations for Campus Effort Utilize transfer opportunities to increase African American, Hispanic, and American Indian enrollment. Scholarships for Transfer Students: Contact the Founders Association with the recommendation that transfer students be eligible for scholarships, particularly scholarships that potentially diversify the student population. Create Web-page for Transfer students that includes "Success Stories" from UWGB students who transferred in from other institutions, including diverse racial/ethnic experiences. Communicate with students at UW 2-year colleges about the benefits, policies, and procedures for transferring to UWGB. This might include classroom visits and connecting with academic advisors at the two-year campuses. Improve transfer student orientation to make it more helpful to the specific needs of transfer students, which are distinct from incoming freshmen needs.