The University of Texas System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Texas System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation The University of Texas System Alliance for Minority Participation (UT-System AMP) brings together all nine academic components of The University of Texas System and ten regional community college partners in an effort to increase the number of under- represented minority students and students from other under-served populations enrolling in and graduating from baccalaureate programs in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and entering graduate programs in SMET fields at UT-System universities. The activities of the UT-System AMP are supported by partnerships with industry and government agencies, particularly national laboratories. The educational institutions in the Alliance serve a rapidly growing region, where by the decade's end minorities will comprise a majority of the population. Prominent among the institutions are those in the U.S.-Mexico Border regions serving large numbers of Hispanic students and those in metropolitan areas serving mainly commuter students,including many minorities. The UT-System places a high degree of importance, system-wide, on improving retention among undergraduates and providing enhanced opportunities for these undergraduates to enter graduate programs in SMET. This proposal also emphasizes the system-wide sharing of resources to attain these goals. In Phase III, the University of Texas System Alliance for Minority Participation is committed to achieving the following objectives: 1) The UT-System LSAMP universities will enroll a minimum of 200 under-represented minority and other under-served student in their STEM doctoral programs by the fall of 2008, an increase of about 100% over the fall 2000 baseline and 2) The UT-System AMP universities will continue to work towards the Phase II goal of graduating a minimum of 1,374 under-represented minority and other under-served students with B.S. degrees in SMET. It is estimated that we will achieve this goal by 2006. When achieved, this will represent a 244% increase over 1991-1992 baseline. LSAMP program activities will focus on three major areas: (1) retention of students who are STEM majors through the development of strategies at all partner institutions to address retention of second year students in SMET; (2) mentoring and career development opportunities for STEM majors interested in pursuing an advanced degree. Activities will include the development of GRE workshops and career development/mentoring activities at each partner institution; and (3) a summer research academy where rising junior and senior students will have the opportunity to work in a research laboratory at one of the five doctoral-granting institutions in the alliance. Students will receive stipend support, mentoring and training. The UT-System LSAMP has permanently changing the nature of SMET higher education in Texas. Through the UT-System LSAMP, the participating universities have raised the visibility and increased the awareness of the chancellor, presidents and chief academic officers about SMET program outcomes and the status of under-represented minority students. Providing leadership to the UT-System Alliance for Minority Participation will be a Governing Board, chaired by Ed Sharpe, Executive Vice Chancellor of The University of Texas System, which includes presidents, vice-presidents, or provostsof UT-System member institutions and participating community colleges as well as a selected number of experts from industry and the national R&D community. Meeting annually, the Governing Board will continue to provide general oversight of the UT-System AMP. The Academic Leadership Council (ALC), composed of deans, chairs and distinguished faculty are involved in the implementation of AMP activities at their institution. The ALC meets twice