University of Texas at San Antonio – HSI Report Texas Team Janell Lindsey Derrick Haynes

Texas Educational Structure Began In The Late 1980’s Closing The Gap –Similar Issues to Colorado Graduation Rates Workforce Concerns Every Five Years Re-evaluation Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) High School Graduation Exams -TASSP (Texas Association of Secondary School Principals)

Vision and Mission (UTSA) Strategic Goal: –…become one of the preeminent public research universities in Texas, drawing national and international recognition as a leader in research, education and public service… Vision Statement –To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment Mission Statement –The University of Texas at San Antonio, a comprehensive public metropolitan university, is committed to freedom of inquiry and the creating of an environment in which people can teach, discover, learn and enrich themselves and their community. Through its instructional, research and public service programs, UTSA seeks to create opportunities for excellence in learning and the mastery of many disciplines and interdisciplinary fields of study for all people who are willing to engage in the hard work required for such mastery regardless of their previous experiences. To meet the needs of the multicultural population of San Antonio and the South Texas region, UTSA will emphasize programs that contribute to the technological, economic, and cultural development of the city and region, especially programs related to the life sciences, information and knowledge systems, and multicultural studies.

Definition of Campus as a Hispanic Serving Institution “At the University of Texas at San Antonio, the ecology of both research and academic programs comes together to enrich the knowledge and lives of all of our students, reflecting the themes, culture and community engagement of South Texas and San Antonio. This knowledge and these lives become gifts to the nation.” Dean Balinda Cardenas

UTSA Overview Founded in 1973 UTSA has exceeded all expectations – one of the largest, most diverse public universities in Texas –second-largest university in The UT System Offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees Has been a HSI since 2000 (Received Title V Grants in 1999)

UTSA Statistics Two Campuses –Main campus acres in northwest San Antonio (8th largest city in the U.S.) –Downtown campus – 11 acres serving more than 4,000 students

UTSA Statistics (2006) Total undergraduate students – 24,398 UTSA Admission Standards –English 4 units, math 3+ units, science 3 units, foreign language 2 units, social studies 3.5 units (TAAS) Number of first year/first time students who enrolled – 19% (4,693) 42% (10,284) students were awarded some form of federal or state aid. Also, 33% (8,261) students were awarded a need based scholarships or grant aid.

UTSA Statistics Graduation rate (6 years) – 28% First to second year retention rate 59% (fall 2006) Minority students at UTSA earn 50% of all master’s degrees 44% of the families are first-generation (first in the family to pursue a college degree)

Goal – Research I University Stated in Core Values Stated in Strategic Plan Put institutional resources behind it –Culture and Policy Institute (CPI) Goal is to foster relationships among researches, community practitioners, analysts, governmental units and other organizations to conduct research that facilitates public awareness and understanding of community and societal problems and solutions.

How Title V Funds are Used Academic Skill Building Programs Learning Communities –Received Title V funds to expand learning communities Three courses are linked together (major class, freshman composition and Freshman Seminar) Each cluster has 25 students Cluster courses are offered to the following groups of students –Traditional learning community –Academic development – provisional students –Undecided –Access and excel – includes large lecture courses –Freshman Seminar “only” class

Title V Funds College Success Seminar –3 credit – related to major and area of interest –2 credit – shortened version –1 credit – emphasizing service learning (15 hours working with community non-profits) Tomás Rivera Center –Academic Success Programs –Learning Assistance Center

Title V Funds Scholarship Support through Tomás Rivera Center Supplemental Instruction –Biology I –General Chemistry I –Economics –Algebra

TRIO Programs Upward Bound Math and Science Upward Bound Gear-Up Program

Remediation Texas requires and allows higher education to work with students who need additional assistance –The Success Initiative Requires assessment of student skills in mathematics, reading and writing upon entry to college Many schools use Accuplacer, but there is flexibility in what tests are utilized (Asset, Compass – both ACT tests)

Tomás Rivera Center The Tomás Rivera Center for Student Success (TRC) is an academic support unit dedicated to providing services that will promote student success. –Undeclared Students (PACE) – Personal Academic and Career Exploration –Provisional Students (ADP)- academic Development Program –Access College & Excel Program – Certain Area High Schools –Scholar Support Program (SSP) – Scholarship support

Tomás Rivera Center (con’t) Learning Assistance Study Skills Workshops Academic Coaching Graduate Student Learning Assistance Learning Assistance Online Supplemental Instruction Learning Communities Reentry Program

Online Learning Real Player videos

Summary They are serious about their HSI status Dedicated to Research Statewide Mandates –All Institutions are on the SAME Page –Benchmarking success since the 1990’s Financial Support –For students and institution