{"id":938,"date":"2018-04-23T17:34:14","date_gmt":"2018-04-23T21:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/presente-new\/?p=938"},"modified":"2023-10-11T14:50:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T18:50:19","slug":"minority-recruitment-retention-programs-at-the-university-of-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.lsa.umich.edu\/presente\/2018\/04\/23\/minority-recruitment-retention-programs-at-the-university-of-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"Minority Recruitment & Retention Programs at the University of Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We begin with the common notion of underrepresented and marginalized communities facing challenges in higher education access and educational success in the United States. In the state of Michigan, the University of Michigan possesses a large history of recruitment and retention programs implemented by different offices, schools, and even the students themselves. Over time, these specific programs die down due to lack of funding, faculty retirements, and students graduating. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, more programs arose during The Radical Years and The 1980s & Beyond. However, the first indicated recruitment initiative began with the University itself recruiting international Latin<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

American students. The Michigan Alumnus states that the enrollment of Latin-American students was higher than any other school in the country (Fall of 1944) (Michigan Alumnus – Enrollment on the Rise Again<\/a>, 1944 ). An estimated 150 Latin-American students resided at the University due to the Good Neighbor Policy and as a last resort compared to European universities. The Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, the Institute of International Education, and the State Department have encouraged the enrollment through scholarships (Good Neighbor Policy) and having a foreign student counselor. According to the Michigan Alumnus, it was one of the few universities to sponsor and pay for a Counselor to Foreign Students, a large staff, and an International Center as well as offering specialized programs. These programs included the W.K. Kellogg Foundation\u2019s Fellowships in Public Health, the Legal Research Fellowships in Inter-American Law, and the Wood Technology Fellowships in the School of Forestry & Conservation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Michigan Alumnus, Latin America has sent its students to Michigan as early as 1863 and had the largest enrollment in the country through most of the past 36 years (1907-1943) (Michigan Alumnus, February 6<\/a>, 1943). They attribute this increase to the fact that the institution hosted the first Pan-American Congress and that representatives of South American countries visited Ann Arbor in 1889. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With this as a premise, and against the background of a well-organized <\/span><\/em>program established by President Ruthven for the further promotion of the University’s service to, and cultural relationships with, the Latin American peoples, the Alumni Association  has set up the machinery by which it will place its alumni manpower and its organization at the disposal of both the University and the federal government <\/span><\/em>in the further<\/span><\/em>ance of the aims announced.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michigan Alumnus, February 6, 1943<\/a>, Page 241<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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The first step was implementing a Committee on Inter-American Relations by Alumni Association President, Christian F. Matthews ( Michigan Alumnus, February 6,<\/a> 1943). The committee consisted of Latin-American Michigan alumni, Michigan <\/span>faculty\/administration, and Michigan alumni with positions in Washington. Meanwhile, the University Committee on Latin American Relations set by President Ruthven and the University were able to recruit fourteen men from Chile for postgraduate study in the College of Engineering through the Kellogg Foundation grant. Their two most important objectives were to have a general plan for a system of scholarships and fellowships for Latin-American students and to develop ways to cooperate with government and agencies working for closer inter-cultural relations with Latin America.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Michigan Spanish Ad in El Estudiante Latino-Americano<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Period of High Recruitment Initiatives <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1960-1990<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among the most recorded programs, there are numerous implementations done by specific colleges, the administration offices, and the students. We see a trend of most recorded and more initiatives around The Radical Years through The 1980s and Beyond. Below are programs recorded in files at The Bentley Historical Library Archives. Although there are several, the list below does not include all recruitment and retention program since research is limited in classroom agendas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1960s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Opportunity Award Program (1964)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Opportunity Award Program was initially started in 1964 to “increase the number of African-American students enrolled in the University and to device techniques\/methods of maintaining these students once they were here” (Opportunity Award Program<\/a>, 1969). The program based their admission on culturally and financially disadvantaged in-state minority students. These students generally had lower SAT and comparable high school performance with other freshmen. The Opportunity Award Program was hosted by the Office of Admissions, with counselors, recruiters, and coordinators running it. It consisted of financial support from the Office of Financial Aids based on Expected Family Contribution and the University Opportunity Award. Services offered were of academic, psychological, and personal & supportive nature. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Opportunity Program (1965)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Opportunity Program was a different program than The Opportunity Award<\/em> Program. It was a program started in 1965 “to assist economically and culturally disadvantaged Michigan students through minority student recruitment and support” (Minority Student Survey- Opportunity Program<\/a>, 1973). These students were enrolled into the program after admission to the university. They were able to increase financial aid and allocating this direct assistance to the students, as well as give them counseling, tutoring, and other supportive services. Although not stated anywhere, this program may have been an extension of The Opportunity Award Program but it has never been mentioned as being the same program in any source.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1970s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Minority Engineering Program Office (1970)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minority Engineering Program Office was founded in 1970 and participated in eight separate programs to expose 7-12th graders from underrepresented groups including American Indians, Blacks, Hispanics and Puerto Ricans to technical careers to prepare them for entry into the College of Engineering (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a> , 1987-88). These programs include the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), Engineering Industrial Support Program (EISP), the Accelerated Students Potentially Interested in Engineering (ASPIRE), the Summer Kings\/Chavez\/Parks Program, the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), and the Summer Apprenticeship Program (SAP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outstate Michigan Recruitment Activities (1974)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Admissions Office made special efforts to recruit minority students from Flint, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Benton Harbor, etc. (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). These special efforts consisted of workshops for students and parents to receive information on educational programs and services available at the University. This initiative was meant to promote an interest in applying for admission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAT Preparation Workshops (1974)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAT Preparation Workshops were spons<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ored by the Detroit Adjunct Admissions Office and helped students with “pre-test preparation, test-taking strategies, and score interpretation” (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). <\/span>Practice SATs were taken to simulate the actual test environment and allow staff to gather information on each student’s demographics and scores. The program started off with fifty students and later expanded.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Career Day Programs (1974)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program provided high school sophomore and juniors an orientation to the programs, services, and careers at the University (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). These career areas included behavioral sciences, business administration, applied and fine arts, communications, math and computer sciences, law, natural and physical sciences, engineering, and health sciences. These pro<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

grams were initially started in response to invitations from high school counselors in Cass, Chadsey, Finney, Pershing, Renaissance, Osborn, Southwestern and Western high schools. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nCollege Board Minority Scholars Program for Community College Graduates (1974)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The College Board sends out information regarding outstanding minority community college graduates in Michigan and nearby states (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). Identified students received a letter of congratulations and recognition, with a guide on programs and services offered by the University.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n<\/span>Outreach for Health Professionals Education Project (1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University received a grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to “encourage high school students from medically underserved areas (inner-city Detroit, the northern lower peninsula, and the Upper-Peninsula to pursue health careers with a long-term goal of having them return to their neighborhoods to practice”(Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). High school counselors encouraged promising students to pursue health-related careers and the students were brought to Ann Arbor for a Medical School tour. After the grant expired, the Admissions Program maintained the program. Participating schools included Cass Tech, Central, Pershing, and Western. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rackham Mi<\/strong>nority Visitation (1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This annual minority visitation program was sp<\/p>\n\n\n\n

onsored by Rackham Graduate School (Minority, Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation<\/a>, 1979). Academic departments participated to initiate minority student enrollment by using Rackham’s funds to plan activities for students invited on campus. These included a focus on the fields of biological, physical, and analytical social sciences. This program provided better enrollment outcomes since 74% of the visiting students enrolled to the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program  (1976)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) was founded in 1976 and reached about 1,600 Detroit junior and senior high school students (One Year Later Commitment<\/a> , 1987-88). It was a program designed to increase minority representation in engineering and technical fields. It sponsored intensive math and science classes, summer programs, industry tours, and tutorial services designed to give students exposure to STEM fields. The program also held a symposium for teachers and administrators to share its methods and progress made on DAPCEP’s National Science Foundation-funded (NSF) Project. DAPCEP also hosted a Summer Enrichment program, a 4-week residential experience for 9th-10th graders.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicano Orientation Program (Proposal) (1974-76)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This proposal was an initiative created by minority students for minority students Chicano Orientation Program<\/a>. This was an orientation program for incoming Chicano students and was submitted by MeChA, a student organization. They would introduce Chicano students to educational and social facilities at the University. This proposal included speakers, events, workshops, student organization introductions, socials, and entertainment. In 1976, el Teatro de los Estudiantes performed at the Second Annual Conference on the Michigan Education and the Latino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nMigrant Program Recruitment Proposal \/ Migrant Admissions Program (1978)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four-year institutions in the state of Michigan have progressively become better at recruiting Latinx students. Not only has the overall Latinx population increased in the state, but so have the number of students enrolling in colleges\/universities. In specific, migrant programs have taken an initiative in recruiting migrant students and farmworking students who reside in Michigan. Today, such programs include the College Assistant Migrant Program at Western Michigan University <\/a>and Michigan State University<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 1978, Lydia Ortiz, an admissions counselor wrote a Migrant Program Proposal stating recruitment and retention efforts for Migrant Students at the University of Michigan (Migrant Program Recruitment Proposal<\/a>, 1978). She stated that there was a Migrant Program roster that included a total of 100 Chicanos and Latinos admitted to the University in 1977. She then gave statistics on the amount of Michigan Latinos who came from the state of Texas, in specific from “the Valley”. Back then, the Board of Education by La Raza Citizens Advisory Committee stated that there was approximately 75,000 migrant agricultural workers in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this proposal, Lydia says “The proposed recruitment effort is to sponsor a Migrant Counselor Workshop session for all High School counselors and migrant agency personnel in<\/p>\n\n\n

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the Lower Rio Grande Valley area of Texas”(Migrant Program Recruitment Proposal<\/a>, 1978). Migrant programs then included H.E.P (High School Equivalency, C.A.M.P (College Assistance Migrant Program), and M.A.P.P. (Migrant Attribution Prevention Program).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the video below, Dr. Chahin talks about his experience as a migrant student and the recruiting initiatives that got him to the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Jaime Chahin Interview<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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