Optimizing Effectiveness of National Minority Engineering Programs

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Optimizing Effectiveness of National Minority
Engineering Programs

• Presented by Greg Gustin

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Summary

• Problem
• Background / History
• Measures of Success
• Recommendation 1 Prepare Recruit high school
  students
• Recommendation 2 Implement Incentive based
  Awards
• Conclusion
• Final Recommendation
• Works Cited

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Problem

• National Action Council for Minorities in
  Engineering Inc.
• Minorities Included
• Latinos
• American Indians
• African American
• Minority Representation
• 33 of birthrate
• 23 of total population
• 10 of engineering population
• Relative retention index shows the minority
  entering engineering is only half as likely to
  obtain a bachelors degree than a non-minority
  student

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Background / History

• Minority representation
• In 1979 4.4 of engineers were minorities
• In 1994 minorities doubled to 9
• Since 1994 more than 15 programs implemented to
  resolve this problem
• Since 1994 millions of dollars have been invested
  in Minority Engineering Programs (MEP)

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Minority Bachelors Degree Awarded
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MEP Investment
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Measure of Success

• Rate at which minority engineering population
  rises each year
• 1 requirement
• Broken into 2 parts
• Recruitment
• Retention
• Implemented in such a way that non-minority
  students dont appear to have a disadvantage
• Ensure highest academic standards are always met

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Recommendation 1Prepare and Recruit high school
students

• Focuses in boosting enrollment rates and freshman
  year retention rates
• Ideal solution
• Downsides
• Simply do not have the funding
• Results will be several years away

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Recommendation 2Implement an Incentive Based
Awards Program

• How it would work
• Awards given for
• Semester grades
• Test scores
• Projects
• Awards could include
• Scholarships
• School supplies
• Gift certificates
• Special Recognition

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Recommendation 2Implement an Incentive Based
Awards Program

• Creates a more challenging, dynamic environment
• Benchmarking
• Minimize cheating and create more education value

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Conclusion

• Current situation is unacceptable
• Already lost multi-year WorldCom grant
• MEP solution must be feasible with existing funds
  and show significant result in 2 years or less
• Strongly recommend considering an Incentive Based
  Awards Program immediately
• We believe within 2 years
• Enrollment rates will increase by 5
• Retention rates will increase by 15

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Final Recommendation

• Invest 10,000 from recruitment fund towards
  developing a tactical solution that implements an
  incentive-based awards program
• Targeting 70 of Engineering colleges by Spring
  semester 03
• Targeting 90 of Engineering collages by Fall
  semester 04

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Works Cited
The University of Arizona Equal Opportunity and
Affirmative Action Statement.   National
Association of Minority Engineering Program
Administrators.     Minority Engineering
Recruitment. Internet.   Factors that
influence persistence in science and engineering
career aspirations.   Keeping what weve got
The impact of financial aid on minority retention
in engineering.
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Questions???