Underrepresented no longer
-- Patrick Loch
Published February 2010
In the last year, enrollment of underrepresented students low-income, first-generation American students and students of color increased by 22 percent among all 32 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU). From a system that produces 33,500 graduates a year, the 7,300 additional students from traditionally non-college-seeking backgrounds is a great sign that MnSCU’s Access, Opportunity and Success Initiative, established almost three years ago, is helping underrepresented students hurdle the gap to college.
“It’s about removing barriers,” said Whitney Harris, executive director of diversity and multiculturalism at the MnSCU system office.
The barriers are most prominently being removed at community and technical colleges (on average, a 20.4 percent increase), but Metropolitan State University has also seen an enrollment increase of 7.7 percent, or 255, new underrepresented students last fall.
One aspect of the Access, Opportunity and Success Initiative helps these students succeed in the transition from high school by providing students, eighth- through 10th-grade, with informative brochures, posters and a Web site. The mediums, written in nine different languages, reach out to non-English-speaking backgrounds to explain the benefits of attending, as well as how to prepare for, college.
“We now feel confident that we have some best practices that work well,” said Melinda Voss, public relations director at the MnSCU system office. She noted that there were “specific programs encouraging students to apply,” to college.
In addition to MnSCU’s programs, Harris cites the economy as another contributing factor to explain the increase. “Historically, in times of crisis, people return to school,” he said.
So it appears that, in the wake of such troubling times, there remain opportunities for people, especially those who normally would not consider higher education, to go out and grab a degree.
The practices in place to recruit and retain underrepresented students include, according to MnSCU:
First Year Experience Programs
These programs include a set of programs designed to help make a smooth transition to college. One program, sometimes called University 101, provides a semester- or year-long success course to help students succeed while they are in college.
Intrusive Advising
Also known as proactive advising, this practice has advisors initiate contact with students several times during a semester, rather than waiting for the students to seek assistance.
Learning Communities
By having a group of students take courses together throughout their collegiate career, a support network is formed. This network helps students to learn to work together and become more engaged.
Summer Bridge Programs
Many of these programs involve students taking a course in a learning community, giving them an in-depth orientation before their first semester of college.
Supplemental Instruction
Focused on particularly difficult classes, this practice has a program leader attend class with the students. The program leaders then provide review sessions to help the students master the material.
TRIO Programs
A collection of federally funded programs aimed at underrepresented students to include: Student Support Services, Talent Search, Upward Bound and Educational Opportunity Centers.
For more information about MnSCU’s Access, Opportunity and Success Initiative and its programs, visit www.diversity.mnscu.edu.