By By Dr. Carolyn D. W. Princes, Director Dr. Carolyn D. W. Princes, Director The African American Cultural The African American Cultural Center/Project ROCS Center/Project ROCS Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Tuesday, July 10, 2007 A Presentation at the A Presentation at the 20 th th International Conference International Conference 20 On the First Year Experience On the First Year Experience Hawaii’s Big Island, Hawaii Hawaii’s Big Island, Hawaii Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel July 9-12 2007 July 9-12 2007
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Project ROCS – Retaining Our College Students A Model for Facilitating College Students’ Persistence Outline 1. Introduction 2. Background Information 3. The University 4. The American Cultural Center (AACC) a. Components of the AACC b. Mission, Goals, Objectives, Outcomes c. Philosophies 5. The Birth of Project ROCS 6. Project ROCS a. Some Important ROCS Data b. Unique Features c. Project Design d. Methodology e. Evaluations f. Outcomes 7. Concluding Remarks 8. Questions, Answers, Discussions 3
Project ROCS – Retaining Our College Students A Model for Facilitating Student’s Success Introduction Issues of diversity and retaining and graduating students have been longstanding concerns in higher education. However, understanding the overall importance and impact of the “first year experience” (FYE) along with exploring ways of how to improve on the FYE for students have perhaps received greater attention in the past several decades. This appears to be rightly so, given the rapid advancements in technologies that seem to be making our world smaller along with the rampant demographic changes that are affecting not only how we operate, but also how we look at things. Thus, Higher education is now placed in a more egregious position. Post Secondary Education Opportunity in their February 2007 issue warned, that “in a ‘Global Human Capital Economy’ where success is built on higher education, “there is a clear and compelling cause for profound concern,” (p.2) for the future is affected by “the creativity and productivity of its workforce, and the workforce is created through higher education” (p. 9). While this presentation will discuss components, dynamics, and outcomes of a first year experience program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), it must be noted that the focus is driven primarily by certain social or political phenomena that is happening or has been happening in the United States. However, with its accomplishments, successes, concern for human development and design, the program may have a wider impact than originally conceived. Background Information On looking at certain social and political phenomena across the world, ones find that in the United States along, there is an expectation that in less than two decades, 4
minorities or people of color will represent nearly 41 percent of the U.S. population and some 50 percent of those entering the workforce (Cornerstone of Excellence, PASSHE). Scholarly research further suggests that about “40% of the undergraduate population is from low-income backgrounds and that “half of these students are [minorities] or people of color (ACE: The Presidency, fall 2005, p.35). Additionally, local and national statistical data still present a dismal picture regarding the persistence and graduation rates of African American and other minority or students or color (handout – national/IUP persistence data). To effectively deal with these issues, I propose that, first and foremost, we must more rigorously acknowledge that, for the most part, while there may be similarities with the predominant population, minorities and people of color often possess different or unique values, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and in many cases, educational and life experiences then the predominant population. Therefore, if success of a nation is built on higher education, higher education’s success rests on the adequate education of its entire student population. Moreover, perhaps we can learn to help all students with greater or more focused attention on educating those students that are not only making up a larger percentage of the college population today, but also, are more reflective of the future. As Postsecondary Education Opportunity (2007) stated, “the large and growing problems of the low-income population in education are a clear warning about our future” (p.2). Like research also suggests, the first year of college is critical to both students’ persistence and their overall college success and graduation; attending to their unique needs during this time should have an overall positive impact for higher education in 5
general. Programs as Project ROCS that help first-year students and various subpopulations as African American or other minority or students of color may well be models that will help higher education deal with larger issues that confront them, including issues like diversity of populations, workforce and staff development, course offerings and so on. Project ROCS- Retaining Our College Student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania appears to be reflective of this assertion and has experienced relative success since its implementation in fall 2001. The University Indiana University of Indiana (IUP) was founded in 1875 and is one of 14, public, 4-year, comprehensive universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. It is located about one and one – half hours east pf Pittsburgh, PA in a mountainous region of Western, PA called Indiana, Pennsylvania, which has a population of approximately “14,900.” The university itself has about 14,248 students, 761 full and part-time staff members, 200 administrators, 93 undergraduate and 45 graduate degree programs, several institutes, satellite sites, and two branch campuses. Minority students, coming from a U.S. population that reached a 300 million mark in October 2006 and is made up of approximately 74.7% White Americans; 17% African Americans, Asian Americans, American Indians, and Native Americans, and 7.9% multi-racial or persons of unknown/undeclared backgrounds, now reflect about 10% of IUP student population. African American students are currently the largest group of students of color on campus followed by Latino and Asians students, Non-Resident Aliens, and American Indians (see handouts). 6
The University has a number of support programs to assist students throughout their college experiences. Besides the traditional Student Affairs Offices as advising and testing, career services, financial aid, a learning center that is now part of a larger department - Developmental Studies, and over 200 student organizations, including a number of which that reflect the growing diversity of the university. The university also has an African American Cultural Center whose role has evolved since its inception in the mid-70s, but remains an entity that assist the university in meetings its diversity mission. The African American Cultural Center (AACC) Originally designed to facilitate the success, achievement and satisfaction of African American students, the center has maintained this focus but has grown to be a major educational facility at the university. It currently provides a Mecca of cultural, educational, social and recreational programs and services relating especially to the history and culture of African Americans and people of African descent. While it is also dedicated to enhancing multicultural awareness and racial/cultural sensitivity and differences and the fostering, preserving, and promoting of African American history and culture, achievements, contributions and development, the Center’s primary goal is to help enrich African American and ethnic awareness for members of the university at large; foster racial consciousness; promote an appreciation for a diverse population as well as a positive campus climate and sensitivity to differences; and help foster minority student development and success. Through educational, cultural and social activities and the provision of a facility for informal exchanges, the center thus strives to promote growth, development and interaction among students, faculty, staff and the larger community while also demonstrating cultural differences and the promoting of their 7
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