Press Release - USM Plan to Improve Minority Achievement at Institutions Approved by
Regents
December 14, 2001
USM Plan to Improve Minority Achievement at Institutions Approved by
Regents
The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents approved a plan to
improve the enrollment and retention rates of minorities, as well as
increase the level of representation of minority graduate students, faculty,
and staff at all institutions in the USM. The plan, approved at the Board's
December 7 meeting, will be implemented by the System's 13 institutions next
spring. USM institutions will develop their own initiatives based on the
plan, all of which are expected to contain specific goals and benchmarks for
measuring progress.
While minority enrollment and six-year graduation rates have been rising at
many USM campuses in recent years, the Regents' Minority Achievement Plan
describes steps the System and its institutions will take in response to
Maryland's changing demographics and the need to educate a diverse
workforce. The plan calls for better recruitment and retention of
underrepresented minority undergraduates; increased enrollment and
graduation rates of minority students in graduate and professional degree
programs; and increased numbers of minority faculty and staff members.
Nathan A. Chapman Jr., chairman of the USM Board of Regents, said the plan's
annual measurements of progress provide the accountability that is necessary
for success.
"It's one thing to talk about a diversified student population enjoying
full
access to our campuses, but it's more effective to make that commitment,
then check our progress from year to year to find out what works and what
doesn't," Chapman said. "Our strategic plan anticipates changing
demographics, and now our institutions are better prepared to respond to
that."
The Regents' Minority Achievement Plan is an outgrowth of the USM's
strategic plan. The USM in 2010: Responding to the Challenges that Lie Ahead
states that not only will Maryland's college-age population (15-24
year-olds) experience a surge in growth (the so-called "baby boom
echo"),
but that its minority population will account for two-thirds of that surge.
(The strategic plan is available online at
/10yrplan/index.html.)
"The State's non-white population is expected to increase by almost 300,000
over the next 10 years," the plan says. "Between 2000 and 2010, the
number
of traditional college-age minorities will grow by 32 percent - compared to
a 24 percent increase in the number of non-minorities."
Overall, Maryland's 15-24 year-old segment is expected to surge by 171,000
or 27 percent
during the next decade. The USM expects about 7,600 more full-time
traditional undergraduates in that span.
USM Chancellor Donald N. Langenberg called the plan "a diligent,
responsible
way of meeting the needs of Maryland's changing and growing population. The
payoff is generation after generation of talented workers who want to stay
in Maryland, making it as dynamic and forward-looking as any state in the
nation. It's good public policy because every citizen, minority or majority,
benefits."
In October 1999, the State of Maryland entered a partnership agreement with
the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for the
purposes of improving the educational opportunities for African Americans in
Maryland's public institutions of higher learning and ensuring compliance
with the State's obligations under federal law. Although the Minority
Achievement Plan was not required by the agreement, the measurements in the
plan will be used to report progress in meeting the goals of the OCR
agreement.
According to the Minority Achievement Plan, beginning in 10th grade,
Maryland minorities will be offered college-readiness programs, community
outreach programs, and mentoring opportunities. They also will experience
new recruitment strategies, as well as services targeting specific
disciplines. Once they matriculate, they will be eligible for online
courses, mentoring, and specialized academic advising. At the graduate
level, career development will be emphasized. Institutions will also hold an
annual conference on recruitment and retention, sharing the "best
practices"
for achieving the goals outlined in the plan.
Charles R. Middleton, USM vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said the
plan has the flexibility to allow each institution to develop its own
approach to raising the numbers of minorities who see attainment of a
college degree as a valid option.
"Beginning next spring, students will see our institutions taking steps to
make college a reality for them," he said. "There will be more bridge
programs designed to show high school students what college is like, and
more opportunities to engage in campus life once they start. At the graduate
level, there will be an increased focus on career opportunities for minority
students, and more research collaborations with faculty. Over time, our
campuses will look more like Maryland as a whole."
Contact:
Chris Hart
Phone: 301/445-2739
E-mail: chart@usmd.edu
