ACCESS IS NOT ENOUGH October 1989 APPENDIX D Current and Planned Activities Listed in the UMCP's 1989 Plan to Assure Equal Postsecondary Educational Opportunity The responsibilities for retention of minority students is shared by many units on Campus. The colleges, schools, academic departments, as well as support units, such as the OFFICE OF MINORITY STUDENT EDUCATION (OMSE), share in this goal. * The OMSE continues to work toward the goal of improving retention among minority students. This naturally will help achieve the goals of the UMCP desegregation plan and will increase the number of minority graduates. OMSE operates several programs which provide services that minority students may utilize to help them deal with academic, social, cultural, interpersonal and other issues that impact on them at a predominantly white institution. These services include: 1. The Job Fair. In conjunction with the Career Development Center, (OMSE sponsors the annual Job Fair for Minority Students. For the year 1988, about 75 employers were on hand to interview students who participated in the Job Fair and to seek potential employees from among them. Companies represented were from a diverse employment background including government agencies, private companies, and business enterprises. 2. The Tutorial Program. OMSE provided tutoring in nine subject areas Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, Fortran, Business, Economics, Spanish) during 1988-89. Six tutors provided an average of 45 tutoring hours/week, resulting in 312 tutoring contacts (including students who were tutored multiple times). 3. The Strategies for Personal, Academic, and Career Excellence Program (SPACE). SPACE is a behavior training program designed to enhance the retention of minority undergraduates. It was developed and pilot tested during the 1987-88 academic year. Students are taught behaviors, attitudes, and skills to enhance their academic achievement. The SPACE program is geared especially for students who are experiencing academic difficulties and students who have low GPAs which might prevent them from getting into their chosen major or college/school. 4. Mathematics Review. OMSE arranged review sessions in four mathematics courses (110, 115, 140, 141) during Fall 1988 in an effort to help students who required these courses in their chosen majors. These review sessions were conducted by professors or instructors who teach the relevant sections at UMCP. 5. Pre-Professional Society Workshops. The Pre-Professional Society Workshops are given by OMSE staff members to help students organize within their majors and thereby provide support to one another. In cases where organizations already exist, students are informed about these and encouraged,to join them. During Fall 1988 OMSE staff members organized several workshops and helped students with the initial effort to form two new pre-professional societies, Government and Politics and Consumer Economics. 6. OMSE Newsletter. OMSE keeps its constituents informed about the various activities of minority student organizations and its own activities by a monthly newsletter mailed to all minority students. Upcoming and ongoing activities are advertised in the newsletter to give those concerned an opportunity to involve themselves in what is going on in OMSE. * The retention program for undergraduate students within the COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES primarily involves advising and orientation program that are required in the College. ROPES (Retention Orientation Personal Enrich Seminars) is a newly developed, campus-wide programs for black freshmen for purpose of putting them in contact with administrators, faculty and staff. The Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences invites students who participated in ROPES to continue contacts made within the Colleges. Persons responsible: Assistant Dean and his staff Number of students served: N.A. Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities * The COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES continued its efforts initiated in the Spring and Fall of 1987 for minority students seeking assistance in various academic matters. Retention and pre-major programs provided an opportunity for advisors to make initial contact and follow-up appointments with black students. Persons responsible: Assistant Dean, Senior Advisor and Graduate Assistant Number of students served: approximately 125 Cost: Staff time included as part of routine responsibilities * In January, 1989, the COLLEGE OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES added a full-time professional advisor to the staff of the Center for Minorities. The Center continues to be the focus of activity regarding minority student support activity. The following outlines its activities: 1. Academic Advisement for minority students in the College Person responsible: Center staff Number of students served: 489 Cost: $1,600; plus staff time which is included as part of routine responsibilities * The retention interventions which are currently conducted in the COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING are given in the listing of activities of the Center of Minorities in Science and Engineering. All are planned to be continued in the next year. * On September 14, 1988, the COLLEGE OF HUMAN ECOLOGY'S Advising and Student Support Center opened. The center will provide academic-support services for minority students. The graduate teaching assistants working with retention in the College of Human Ecology establish contact with all black students who have declared majors in the College. Students are monitored on a regular basis throughout the semester to identify potential problems and to indicate possible intervention tactics. Black professionals working in the fields of related disciplines within the College will be speaking to the students during May, 1989 to increase student awareness of opportunities and to help the students establish contacts. Tutoring for major classes in the College is provided to all students upon request. Requests are coordinated with the advisors in the Advising Center and the appropriate department through the Associate Dean. Person responsible: Associate Dean Number of students served: 225 Cost: $500 * The OFFICE OF HUMAN RELATIONS PROGRAMS has developed a series of programs aimed at helping the community to be more supportive and sensitive to the culturally different. The Office also implements programs to help students develop skills necessary to cope successfully with a multi-cultural campus. A list of programs follows: 1. Black Women Council (BWC) Scholarship Program. For the second year, a scholarship of $300 was given by the BWC, from the Alpha Wives Club of Montgomery County. 2. Fall Welcome for New and Returning Black Women Students. Held annually, some objectives of this program are to help students become familiar with the various services and offices on campus to assist in fulfilling their academic, personal, and social needs; and to help them get acquainted with fellow students, black faculty, administrators, and staff. 3. Emotional Role of Black Women. This program for students is designed to develop and refine the inner resources necessary to handle successfully life in a large urban, predominately white university. * The units reporting to the VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS provide a variety of retention activities to support black students. These include: A. Office of Campus Activities 1. Mary McLeod Bethune Award Program. Nominations are sought from within the University community for students whose activities demonstrate a commitment to the betterment of the black-student community. A select committee reviews the nominees and identifies one winner. Person responsible: Assistant Director Number of students served: 23 Cost: $500 2. Black Student Leadership Conference. This conference consists of a number of sessions addressing the issues of leadership development while placing a focus on the issues facing black students at predominantly white institutions. Person responsible: Assistant Director of Campus Activities Number of students served: 125 Cost: $2,500 3. Black History Monthly Calendar. This calendar provides a comprehensive overview of programs by soliciting information from throughout the campus community. Person responsive: Assistant Director of Campus Activities Number of students served: N.A. Cost: $2,220 4. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance. A campus program is held to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his ideals of freedom, justice and opportunity for all. Person responsible: Assistant Director of Campus Activities Number of Students served: 450 Cost: $1,880 5. Black History Month Ceremonies. This program serves as an opening event to highlight the many activities planned for Black History Month. It includes a proclamation from the Governor of Maryland and the College Park Mayor as well as several student performances. Person responsible: Assistant Director of Campus Activities Number of students served: 250 Cost: $1,500 6. Sponsorship of Minority Student Training. The Office of Campus Activities sponsored ten minority students to attend the Maryland Leadership Conference. Person responsible: Assistant Director of Campus Activities Number of students served: 10 Cost: $500 B. Counseling Center Minority Walk-In Hour. For the past 14 years, the Counseling Center has made itself a available to minority students for one hour a day. Three black counselors currently participate in this service. During 1988-89 one additional black staff counselor in the learning assistance service provided a liaison with Counseling Service counselors for students needing immediate assistance with learning/study skills development difficulties. Person responsible: Minority Staff Counselors Number of students served: Approximately 50 per year Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities 2. Women's Studies Program and Training of Minority Graduate Students in Counseling and Psychology. The Counseling Center has provided black female students enrolled in women's study classes (fall and spring semester) the opportunity to participate two groups to discuss personal experiences. Person responsible: Staff Counselors Number of students served: 20 Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities 3. Testing Research Data Processing Unit. The Counseling Center regularly conducts a wide range of studies of minority student success. Recent ones include identification of adjustment problems of minority students and the development of a measure of minority student success which can be used in admissions. Person responsible: Assistant Director of Counseling Center Number of students served: N.A. Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities C. Orientation 1. Two-Day Program. The Office of Minority Student Education presents a session during orientation geared towards minority student involvement in campus life. Person responsive: Directors of Orientation and OMSE Number of students served: 100 Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities 2. Parent Orientation. The Office of Minority Student Education sponsors a presentation during orientation for parents of minority students on issues for new students adjustment, activities, a campus life. Person responsible: Directors of Orientation and OMSE Number of students served: N.A. Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities 3. Minority Fee Waiver. This is a service set up to encourage participation of minority students in the orientation program. The Financial Aid Office in conjunction with orientation makes provisions for the fee waiver. Person responsible: Directors of Orientation and Student Aid Number of students served: 40 Cost: $2,000 D. Resident Life 1. Appreciating Diversity Program Series. A committee of Resident Life staff and students was formed to design an educational program series on appreciating differences. The series was implemented during the spring semester with four of the six programs completed. Person responsible: Coordinator, Programming for Resident Life Number of students served: 500 Cost: $700 2. Black History Month Program Planning. Staff from the Department of Resident Life developed a series of eleven programs which took place during Black History Month. Person responsible: Coordinator, Programming for Resident Life Number of students served: 1000 Cost: $1.500 3. Formation of Black Students of Ellicott Community. The Director in Ellicott Community created an organization for black students in her community. This group was formed to assist black students with the challenges they face living in predominantly white residence halls. Person responsible: Resident Life Community Director Number of students served: 75 Cost: Staff time is included as part of routine responsibilities 4. Minority Student Welcome. Staff from the Department of Resident Life organized a program for minority students at the beginning of the year to assist them in their transition to the University. Campus staff and students made brief presentations on the various services provided at the University. Person responsible: Coordinator, Programming for Resident Life Number of students served: 400 Cost: $1,000