The pathway to academic excellence and diversity is wide enough for transfers

1. The pathway to academic excellence and diversity is wide enough for transfers Mehdi Shadaram and Kristi Meyer Center for Excellence in Engineering Education University of Texas at San Antonio NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

2. Center for Excellence in Engineering Education Mehdi Shadaram, PhD, PE Briscoe Distinguished Professor Associate Dean of Engineering Kristi Meyer, MA Senior Retention and Graduation Analyst Interim Director The Graduation Initiative NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

3. The University of Texas at San Antonio and the College of Engineering • Current trends in university admissions • COE admissions requirements • Diversity in freshmen • Diversity in transfers • Academic preparation – MATH • Benefits, challenges, and making it work for transfers Today’s objectives NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

4. UTSA Large, urban, public university 28,955 total enrollment: 25,277 UG; 3,678 GR 50.9% Female, 49.1% male 42.9% Hispanic, 37.7% White, 8.7% Black, 6.4% Asian Pac Is, 4.3% Other(s) Three campuses Eight Colleges Architecture Business Education and Human Development Engineering Liberal and Fine Arts Public Policy Sciences Honors NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

5. Division of Engineering established in Fall 1982 • BS degrees in CE, EE, ME • Curriculum built on existing applied science courses • Approximately 400 students • First BS Degree Awards in 1984 (12 EE, 1 ME) • First ABET Accreditation1987 • College of Engineering established in Fall 2000 (Before 2000: College of Science and Engineering) College of Engineering NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

6. College of Engineering Today • 4 Departments • BME, CE, ECE, ME • 4 Undergraduate Degrees • CE, EE, Comp E, ME • 6 Masters Degrees • BME, CE, Comp E, EE, ME, MFG • 4 Ph.D. Degrees • EE, BME (with UTHSCSA), Envir Sci and CE, and ME NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

7. University Admissions UTSA undergraduate new freshman admissions based are on high school rank and SAT/ACT scores NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

8. University Admissions Source: UTSA Office of the Registrar NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

9. University Admissions In 2011, UTSA freshman admissions requirements will increase dramatically Source: UTSA Office of Admissions NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

10. Transfer Admissions 30 or more semester hours earned 2.0 GPA (Cumulative, no grade replacement) Must be eligible to return to all previously attended institutions Source: UTSA Office of Admissions NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

11. Source: UTSA Office of Institutional Research NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

12. Source: UTSA Office of Institutional Research NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

13. Source: UTSA Office of Institutional Research NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

14. Source: UTSA Office of Institutional Research NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

15. Eligibility to declare a major in the COE is based on math placement COE Admissions NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

16. COE Admissions NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

17. COE Admission Rates NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

18. How do we maintain the diversity we want while increasing standards? NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

19. One key component:Transfer Students! NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

20. Source: UTSA Office of Institutional Research NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

21. Transfer students enhance diversity without compromising academic excellence NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

22. COE transfer students at UTSA consistently outpace new freshmen in math placement AND consistently maintain higher 3-point GPAs. NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

23. Benefits of transfer beyond diversity Maturity, real world experience Motivated students Determined students Focused students Better understanding of “college knowledge” Math and science preparation NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

24. Challenges with transfer students Conflicting priorities: work, family, school Scheduling and course sequencing can be difficult Need for more evening, weekend, summer, and online options Prerequisites Difficult to find full time schedule due to classes being taken out of the preferred order New level of academic rigor and larger classes NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

25. How has UTSA created such a strong transfer population? Strong ties with the community colleges, especially faculty : faculty Strong articulation agreements Clearly defined and easily understood requirements Widely published standards Strong academic advising Expanded course availability Enhanced tutoring for classes beyond the gateways Financial support for transfers, not just new freshman NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

26. Rethink the “pipeline” to a diverse and academically excellent population Expand how you think about the pipeline from primary education secondary education university TO primary education secondary education community college university NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success

27. Contact Information Kristi Meyerkristi.meyer@utsa.edu210-458-6787 This research is sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Engineering Education (CE3) NISTS Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success