University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Plan 2008 Five Year Executive Summary
February, 2003
Goal I: Increase the number of Wisconsin high school graduates of color who apply, are accepted, and enroll at UW System institutions.
We are pleased to report the progress the University of Wisconsin-River Falls has made enrolling students of color. The table below shows our progress, noting a total enrollment increase of 62% this year compared to our 1997-98 enrollment. (see Table 1)
We do not, however, view these increases as any reason to diminish our recruitment efforts. The goals of "improved quality and diversity of student applicants leading to matriculation" and "fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive climate" remain central to our long range plan.
Under Goal I of our Plan 2008 report, UW-River Falls presents several initiatives that encompass a range of age groups: middle school and high school students, college students, and adult learners. Since 1999, UW-River Falls has had a solid track record of pre-college programs to help middle and high school students of color experience campus life. The enrollment in those programs peaked in the summer of 2001; in 2002 enrollment declined when resource constraints limited the number of sessions offered. The program framework remains in place and efforts will be made to continue program growth. Additionally, we have linked with tribal councils and agencies to increase involvement of Native American students in pre-college programs.
In 1999, UWRF obtained significant
Federal funding ($205,400 annually for four years)
to support an Upward Bound program, which helps
prepare high school students of color for college.
Sixty-one students have participated with approximately
40 UWRF students also benefiting by working for
this initiative.
Enrolling a diverse student body
is an important UWRF goal. Our Admissions Office
engages in several initiatives to increase student
diversity including targeted mailings, based on
PSAT and ACT data, to students of color. Additionally,
the translation of Admissions materials and information
from English into six different languages has been
a significant and tangible demonstration of our
recruiting commitment.
We also focus on adult learners
and families. UWRF's Outreach and Graduate Studies
and Admissions Offices have collaborated to share
information about graduate programs and summer
session offerings with adults in various cultural
communities. Outreach efforts range from a narrowly
targeted program of on-site learning for 20 paraprofessionals
in the St. Paul Public Schools to UWRF Journalism
Department collaboration with that same school
system which reached over 800 people.
Adult learner populations have also been contacted through parent outreach programs on campus (approximately 1000 households served annually) and through contacts with Tribal Council Community Colleges and schools.
A common theme in the descriptions
of these specific actions is that of collaboration,
both internal and external. UWRF's Office of Admissions;
the Colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental
Sciences (CAFES), Arts and Sciences (CAS), and
Education and Professional Studies (COEPS); Outreach
and Graduate Studies; the Academic Success Center
and Multicultural Services; and many academic departments
coordinate effectively to accomplish these goals.
Also, these offices connect with Wisconsin and
Minnesota public schools, tribal councils, and
numerous cultural communities in the region.
Goal II: Encourage partnerships that build the educational pipeline by reaching children and their parents at an earlier age.
The collaborative theme continues with partnerships between UWRF and tribal organizations in Wisconsin . The newest of these initiatives is with the Vincent High School environmental studies project in Milwaukee. With funds from the Private Industry Council, a group of UW-River Falls faculty hosts a summer college experience on campus for Vincent High School students and their teachers. Throughout the school year, faculty and Admissions staff visit the school for classroom outreach initiatives.
Such partnerships bode well for future initiatives; once relationships are established and linkages made, the potential increases for more diverse student enrollment and even greater collaboration.
Various Plan 2008 Action steps describe grant supported initiatives that help attract and retain students of color to our campus; the Upward Bound pre-college program and the McNair scholars program are two prime examples. UWRF's Grants and Contracts Office, in collaboration with other campus units, is aggressively seeking grant renewals, having recently applied for an additional four years of Upward Bound funds and four years of McNair funds (at more that $200,000 per year). Additionally, we have submitted a proposal to fund a separate four-year Math/Science Upward Bound program focusing on computer science (also at $200,000+ per year).
Goal III: Close the gap in educational achievement by bringing retention and graduation rates for students of color in line with those of the student body as a whole.
Student retention is a very high priority goal at UW-River Falls. Our Academic Success Center manages a range of actions designed to connect students of color to the campus community. In addition to mentoring, formal and informal, through Multicultural Services, Career Services has made special efforts to engage students of color in career planning and preparation. UWRF's Title III grant and TRIO funding has helped support several academic assistance initiatives noted in the report that follows.
UW-River Falls recently has seen a decline in first to second year retention rates from a high of 77.1% in 1998 to 73.9% in Fall, 2002 (comparable rates for the UW System were 80.6% in '98 and 80.9% in 2002). The Provost is working intensively with faculty and staff to address the retention concerns, and they will attend closely to multicultural retention issues. We are currently gathering and assessing retention information on students of color, and advisors are engaging in more intrusive tracking and follow up with advisees at risk of not returning to campus.
As UWRF revises and rolls forward its Long Range Planning goals, student retention will be at the top of the list.
Goal IV: Increase the amount of financial aid available to needy students and reduce their reliance on loans.
UWRF is very proud of obtaining $209,800 annually over 4 years to fund the McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program. This funding has supported low-income, first generation students, and students of color to engage in student-faculty research projects. It gives students financial support, clearly aids in student retention and educational achievement, and encourages students to attend graduate school. The implications of a more diverse graduate school population and future faculty are very positive.
We appreciate the support of a local business, First National Bank of River Falls , to offer summer employment and a scholarship to a student of color. UWRF will be working actively within our community and region for similar connections to other businesses for mutual benefit.
The other significant, but longer term, financial initiative will be UWRF's capital campaign, now in the planning stages. Raising money to support scholarships will be a high priority.
Goal V: Increase the number of faculty, academic staff, classified staff and administrators of color so that they are represented in the UW system workforce in proportion to their current availability in relevant job pools. In addition, work to increase their future availability as potential employees.
Two themes appear in the action
plans under this goal: monitoring employment diversity
on campus and expanding workforce opportunities.
First, UWRF will continue to monitor our current
faculty and staff diversity in hiring and retention
and to assess campus climate regularly. The campus'
annual Affirmative Action Plan identifies employment
areas of under-utilization. The Equity, Affirmative Action and Compliance Officer closely monitors campus hiring procedures,
scrutinizing the diversity of applicant pools.
Through these and other methods, we continue to
progress toward greater employee diversity. The
biennial climate survey and accompanying feedback
help alert us to areas needing development. A recently
convened campus task force on reporting and compliance
should help us maintain consistency and increase
efficiency in gathering this key data.
The workplace opportunity action steps focus on developing English as a Second Language (ESL) training programs for non-native speakers. A collaborative effort among the College of Agriculture , Food, and Environmental Science; College of Arts and Sciences; Outreach and Graduate Studies; and Cooperative Extension provides ESL training for dairy workers. This program fulfills a need in our key state industry, increases employment options for people of color, and has expanded to serve other industries.
Goal VI: Foster institutional environments and course development that enhance learning and a respect for racial and ethnic diversity.
The 3-credit diversity course requirement has been an important element of our General Education program since 1988. We currently offer 58 courses that fulfill this requirement. General Education at UWRF is in the process of being assessed and revised; one of the stated goals of this program is for students to "examine social identities and behaviors with emphasis on the diversity within American society" and "to develop and appreciate the responsibilities of individuals to themselves, society and the world." Including future course and program components to achieve these goals will be integral to the curriculum.
A particular highlight this past year has been the success of the library staff in pursuing funds to enhance our holdings in Ethnic Studies. Continued growth of the library's diversity resources serve all students on campus as they study diversity issues in required and elective courses.
Goal VII: Improve accountability to the UW System and its institutions.
UWRF will be actively involving
the Multicultural Advisory Committee of Faculty
Senate and the Plan 2008 Task Force in assessing
and updating Plan 2008. The M/D Coordinator and
the Equity, Affirmative Action and Compliance Officer will
also be working closed with these groups. Furthermore,
as we continue to infuse our institution-wide long
range planning process with Plan 2008 Goals and
Action steps, campus awareness and accountability
will be emphasized.
