HRD-9701775 Arenaz The University of Texas System Alliance for Minority Participation (UT-System AMP) brings together all nine academic components of The University of Texas System and ten regional community college partners in an effort to increase the number of under-represented minority students and students from other underserved populations enrolling in and graduating from baccalaureate programs in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and entering graduate programs in SMET fields of UT-System universities. The activities of the UT-System AMP are supported by partnerships with industry and government agencies, particularly national laboratories. The educational institutions in the Alliance serve a rapidly growing region, where by the decade's end minorities will comprise a majority of population. Prominent among the institutions are those in the U.S.-Mexico Border regions serving large numbers of Hispanic students and those in metropolitan areas serving mainly commuter students, including many minorities. The UT-System places a high degree of importance, system-wide, on improving retention among undergraduates and proving enhanced opportunities for these undergraduates to enter graduate programs in SMET. This proposal also emphasize the system-wide sharing of resources to attain these goals. In Phase II, the University of Texas System Alliance for Minority Participation is committed to achieving the following objectives: 1) The UT-System AMP universities will graduate a minimum of 1,500 under-represented minority and other underserved students with B.S. degrees in SMET by 2002, an increase of 70% over 1995-1996 baseline and 2) the UT- System AMP universities will enroll a minimum of 600 under-represented minority and other underserved student in the SMET graduate programs by the fall of 2002, an increase of about 40% over the fall 1995 baseline. AMP program activities will focus on three major areas: (1) retention of students who are SMET majors through the development of strategies of all partner institutions to address retention of second year students in SMET; (2) mentoring and career development opportunities for SMET majors interested in pursuing an advanced degree. Activities include the development of a joint graduate school application for UT-System institutions, GRE workshops and career development/mentoring activities at each partner institution; and (3) stipend support, mentoring and training for students participating in research and summer bridge activities. The UT-System AMP is permanently changing the nature of SMET higher education in Texas. Through the UT-System AMP, the participating universities have raised the visibility and increased the awareness of the chancellor, presidents and chief academic officers about SMET program outcomes and the status of under-represented minority students. Providing leadership to the UT-System Alliance for Minority Participation will be a Governing Board, chaired by James Duncan, Executive Vice Chancellor of The University of Texas System which includes presidents, vice-presidents or provosts of UT-System member institutions and participating community colleges as well as a selected number of experts from industry and the national R&D community. Meeting annually, the Governing Board will continue to provide general oversight of the UT-System AMP. The Academic Leadership Council (ALC), composed of deans, chairs and distinguished faculty are involved in the implementation of AMP activities at their institution. The ALC meets twice yearly.
