SALISBURY DRAFT UNIVERSITY. A Maryland University of National Distinction. A Plan To Become Maryland s Hispanic-Serving Institution

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1 SALISBURY UNIVERSITY DRAFT A Plan To Become Maryland s Hispanic-Serving Institution A Maryland University of National Distinction

2 A Plan To Become Maryland s Hispanic-Serving Institution President Janet Dudley-Eshbach, Ph.D. As Salisbury University welcomes a more diverse student body, close attention must be paid to providing adequate and appropriate services. Salisbury University, A Maryland University of National Distinction, embraces a strong studentcentered education that values diversity as part of its educational mission. As outlined in the Strategic Plan , SU provides an inclusive campus environment. Diversity in our student body enhances the learning environment and experience. Given the growing Hispanic population in the State of Maryland, SU proposes to become the premier Hispanic-serving institution in the State. SU s Strategic Plan highlights a significant challenge confronting the nation s and Maryland s institutions of higher education (Appendix I). Over the next decade, Maryland will experience a 13 percent decline in all Maryland high school graduates and a 32 percent decline in white high school graduates. This decline will be coupled with a significant increase in the number of Hispanic high school graduates. These demographic projections will challenge all Maryland institutions of higher education as they struggle to attract and retain a population of learners who have traditionally enrolled in colleges and universities in smaller numbers than have white students and those of other under-represented groups. Maryland s higher education community is served by four Historically Black Institutions (HBIs), three of which are part of the University System of Maryland (USM). There is no college or university in the State, however, which has targeted services for Hispanic students. Salisbury University is taking action to address this unmet need in Maryland. As we make this a pivotal part of the University s strategic enrollment and overall strategic plans, the University is submitting this letter of intent and seeking the official designation as Maryland s Hispanic- Serving Institution. These demographic projections present challenges to the University on a number of fronts. Most significantly, the University needs to identify and put in place those programs and tools that will attract Hispanic students and enable those students to be successful. SU proposes to meet this challenge head on through the steps described herein and through additional measures that will be identified in the future. The goal will be not only to embrace this new challenge and this new population of students, but indeed to become the premier Hispanic-serving institution in the State of Maryland, working in partnership and collaboration with other public institutions of higher education (including community colleges). In addition to attracting and retaining a higher number of Hispanic students, this plan includes measures to educate more traditional students in Hispanic culture and language and to improve and increase productive interaction among cultures. The following initiatives are being developed to meet this challenge: Market Research As recommended in the Strategic Plan, SU is moving forward to conduct market research on the prospective Hispanic student population, to examine student and parent attitudes toward higher education, and to determine how Salisbury University can serve their needs. Research will clarify local market projections for the next five and ten years. Market studies will assist in identifying the types of support services that SU will need to put in place to attract more of these students and to provide a campus climate that will enable this population to succeed. Financial Aid The Strategic Plan identifies the University s limited financial aid resources as a significant impediment to attracting and retaining students; this will become even more pronounced as the number of non-majority high school students increases. As recommended in the Strategic Plan, SU is working to identify additional donors and resources to address this need, which could benefit all SU students including this population. We believe that an official designation as Maryland s Hispanic-Serving Institution would enable us to secure federal grant funds to supplement existing sources of financial aid. State and Federal Funding In implementing the plan to become Maryland s Hispanic-Serving Institution, Salisbury University is seeking to provide solutions to a growing need in the State and across the nation. The University will seek grant funds aggressively at the State and federal levels that are designated 1

3 to address such efforts. Targeted funding will be necessary to implement this new and vital initiative, and to be successful, we first need to have the designation as Maryland s Hispanic- Serving Institution. Strategic Enrollment Initiatives Recognizing the need to attract more talented students from a narrowing field of high school graduates, SU last year worked with a consultant to develop its Strategic Enrollment Plan (SEP). The SEP lays out clear strategies for market recruitment and financial aid, and the plan is already showing positive results in the area of attracting qualified students from underrepresented populations. A large percentage of Salisbury University s new students each year come from Montgomery County. Recognizing that Montgomery also has a large Hispanic population, Salisbury University will explore partnerships that can be developed or strengthened in this geographic area to provide a ready pipeline to the University for more members of this segment of Montgomery s population. Preliminary conversations have taken place with the leadership at The Universities at Shady Grove, with whom we will explore partnerships and offering SU programs off site. SU is exploring a community college partnership opportunity which would jointly enroll students at the community college for the fall semester and then have them transfer to SU for the spring. As the program is envisioned, fall classes will be taught on SU s campus in the afternoon or evening with advising and math placement provided by SU faculty and staff. The students in this program will have access to meal plans and student activities (but will not be able to participate in intercollegiate/ncaa athletics). Students can choose to live in SU on-campus housing or in campus-affiliated housing. They will pay room, board, and fees for student services to SU and pay tuition to the community college. Eligible students also will receive financial aid from the community college for room, board, tuition, and fees. Through this program, students who might not otherwise gain fall admission could, during the fall semester, ramp up and successfully transition to Salisbury University. Closing the Achievement Gap Students from historically under-served populations, including Hispanics, face unique barriers and often find it especially difficult to complete their college degrees. When looked at collectively with other institutions, graduation and retention rates for under-represented populations at SU are impressive. However, graduation and retention rates for these non-majority groups are still considerably lower than those reported for white students at SU. SU s six-year graduation rate for Hispanics (2000 cohort) was 42 percent, significantly lower than the six-year graduation rate for white and African-American students (71 percent and 56 percent, respectively). Last year, SU established the Center for Student Achievement (CSA) to provide academic assistance to those students who need additional support. While staff and resources have been limited by the current fiscal downturn, SU hopes to increase the resources to the CSA in the coming years as funds become available. We believe that an official designation as Maryland s Hispanic- Serving Institution would help us secure additional resources for the CSA. In addition, a pilot math assessment program was instituted last year for incoming freshmen to assist in appropriate course placement and to identify those students needing additional math assistance at matriculation. These efforts will continue in the coming years with the goal of better preparing students as they embark on their college studies. Through partnerships with the Pell Institute and the Foundations of Excellence program, Salisbury University has identified gateway courses that pose greater challenges to some students. The data guided SU s development of strategies to support students in their first year. Examples of such intervention include introducing supplemental instruction for courses that have a higher number of D, F, and W grades; soliciting feedback from faculty through a mid-semester reporting process to identify students in jeopardy; creating freshman seminars to improve academic transition; and adding learning communities in the residence halls to connect students and faculty in their new learning environments. Latin American Studies Minor SU recently instituted an undergraduate minor in Latin American studies. Designed to immerse students in Hispanic culture, the minor includes courses in art, history, humanities, and social sciences. A minimum of one course credit (maximum of four) is earned while studying in a Latin American country. Should the University be successful in being granted status as Maryland s 2

4 The declining pool of high school graduates will increase competition among institutions of higher education for a smaller market of students. 3 Hispanic-Serving Institution, we would explore a course of study that would focus on Hispanic populations in the United States. Opportunities for Hispanic Study and Exchange Salisbury University has developed a number of opportunities for our students to immerse themselves in Hispanic culture and to bring students from Hispanic countries to our campus. These include a bilateral exchange agreement with University of Málaga, Spain, and a second bilateral exchange agreement with Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, México. In addition, SU offers students a study abroad program in Ecuador. Proposed English Language Institute Salisbury University has requested $1 million in federal funds earmarked to establish an English Language Institute (ELI). An ELI will serve three purposes on our campus and in the region. First, an ELI will enable Salisbury University to better recruit and serve international students. International students expose our local students to a diverse culture and provide opportunities for exchange of our students with those countries that send their residents to study here, thereby exposing our current students to the international marketplace and making them more globally competitive. These students tend to study in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas, thus potentially increasing the number of STEM graduates in Maryland and in the Delmarva region. Secondly, an ELI will allow SU to better serve the employment and training needs of businesses and industries on Maryland s Eastern Shore. Working in conjunction with the local Small Business Development Center, with workforce partners, and one-on-one with industry leaders, the English Language Institute proposes a language clearinghouse. This clearinghouse will provide a direct service benefit to local business representatives needing translation services, cultural training in advance of international business travel, and basic language instruction. This enables smaller businesses to better compete in the global market and allows our students to participate in international public service. Funds will be used to develop a database of students available for this purpose, and will fund outreach activities and course material development. Finally, the ELI would enable Salisbury University to offer English language courses to the local Hispanic community and to workers from a variety of countries that need to learn English language basics. The demographics of our region have changed dramatically since 1990 (Appendix II). Visiting workers from Hispanic and other populations increase even more dramatically during the summer months. These visitors and residents will be more productive members of the local workforce if they have this resource to help them improve their rudimentary and functional language skills. Reaching out to international students, local businesses participating in a global economy, and a growing Hispanic population are our institution s next greatest challenges. Many of Salisbury University s peer institutions have already established ELIs. No such program exists within a 50-mile radius of Salisbury University, either in Maryland or in our neighboring states of Delaware and Virginia. This is a workforce development issue for our entire region. The ELI is a key component to Salisbury University s future vision as the Hispanic-serving Institution of the USM. Bienvenidos a Delmarva Recognizing the significant increase in Hispanic residents of the Eastern Shore, and in light of the unique language and other barriers to service that this population may confront, in 1999 Salisbury University s Business, Economic, and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) initiated a program known as Bienvenidos a Delmarva (Welcome to Delmarva). The goal of the program is to help area service providers prepare for the growing needs of the Hispanic community. Today, Bienvenidos has developed a network of over 70 service-providing organizations that meet monthly to exchange information, discuss common problems, and work toward solutions in five priority areas: language, education, health, transportation, and legal issues. These community-building and support efforts are important first steps in building the educational capacity of the Hispanic population. President s Hispanic Advisory Council During , Salisbury University s President will assemble a council of leaders in the statewide Hispanic community to meet periodically to offer advice and feedback on these and other initiatives to be developed in the coming years. The University has already begun to engage members of the Governor s Commission on Hispanic Affairs to participate in this advisory council.

5 Appendix I: Salisbury University s Strategic Plan Nationally, high school graduation rates are expected to decline some 13 percent by Demographic Challenges of the Next Five Years Projections indicate that the nation and our State will face significant demographic changes in the coming years. Population changes will lead to declining numbers of Maryland high school graduates beginning in the school year. Overall, high school graduates will decline approximately 13 percent from to In fact, graduation rates for white students in Maryland peaked in It is projected that they will continue to decline until Compared to the peak in 2007, rates in 2021 represent a 32 percent decline in white graduates in the State of Maryland. African-American high school graduates in Maryland will peak during and then begin to decline for a few years. Compared to 2007 rates, rates in 2021 represent a 7 percent decline in African-American graduates in Maryland. Maryland s high school graduates are becoming increasingly diverse. Hispanic high school graduates will continue to increase and are projected to triple the current number by At this time, however, Hispanic high school students are less likely to participate in higher education than many other ethnic cohorts. By 2021, Asian/Pacific Islander high school graduates will double from the school year. By 2014, white students will represent 46 percent of Maryland s high school graduates, a decline of 10 percent from The percentage of African-American students graduating from Maryland public high schools will increase slightly, from 33 percent in 2004 to 34 percent in Simultaneously, the number of Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander high school graduates will increase to 12 percent and 8 percent, respectively. While these changes will not likely impact SU s enrollment immediately or within the next few years, SU needs to begin to take steps now to accommodate diversification of high school graduates and declining numbers of high school graduates for many The number of Maryland Hispanic populations. In addition, faced with a potential declining market, SU high school graduates is projected needs to identify steps to be taken now that will increase our share of the to triple by existing market and retain even more of those students once they come to the University. Efforts to increase the numbers of SU s international students also will assist in augmenting this shrinking student market. SU needs to further investigate the needs of these diverse populations and begin to put in place the programs and administration that will ensure we are prepared to meet those needs. SALISBURY 4

6 The declining pool of high school graduates also will have the effect of increasing competition among institutions of higher education for a smaller market of students. Financial aid is one tool which needs to be better developed and strategically used to attract additional students in the future. However, because Salisbury University has lagged behind other USM institutions in State appropriations and tuition and fees, Salisbury University students receive the lowest amount of aid of any institution in the University System of Maryland. Consequently, they also have the highest percentage of loans (see chart below). Over the next five years, SU must continue to strive for increased resources overall and must seek ways to devote increased funds to scholarships. This will be increasingly important as we compete for a declining pool of high school graduates. Maryland Public and Nonpublic High School Graduates through (actual) through (projected) Current year Past Projected Future Source: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Knocking at the College Door, March 2008 FINANCIAL AID COMPARISON AMONG MARYLAND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS BY TYPE OF AID: FY 2007 Financial Aid Comparison Among Maryland Public Institutions by Type of Aid (%): FY07 % of aid awarded as GRANTS % of aid awarded as LOANS % of aid offered as SCHOLARSHIPS % of other forms of aid 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Bowie 35% 53% 12% 1% Coppin 44% 42% 12% 2% Frostburg 27% 60% 12% 1% Salisbury 17% 71% 11% 0% Towson 21% 60% 18% 0% UMBC 19% 49% 32% 0% UMCP 21% 51% 27% 1% UMES 31% 48% 15% 6% UB 22% 65% 11% 2% Source: Financial Aid data is from MHEC's FAIS Reports SALISBURY 5

7 Appendix II: Regional Demographics C Change in Hispanic Population in Maryland, Washington Allegany Carroll Cecil Harford Garrett Frederick Howard City Kent Montgomery Anne Arundel % Increase Queen Anne's Caroline Prince Georges 23.3% % Talbot 60.5% % 87.6% - 111% Calvert Charles Dorchester 129.2% % Wicomico St. Mary's 261.9% - 302% Worcester Somerset Source: Maryland State Data Center The Eastern Shore has experienced a dramatic increase in Hispanic population in over the last two decades. H Hispanic Population in Maryland, 1990 Allegany Washington Carroll Cecil Harford Garrett Frederick Howard City Kent Montgomery Anne Arundel % of Total Population Queen Anne's Caroline Prince Georges 0.3% - 0.5% Talbot 0.7% - 1.2% 1.5% - 2.5% Charles Calvert Dorchester 4.1% 7.4% St. Mary's Wicomico Worcester Source: Maryland State Data Center Somerset 6

8 Appendix II: Regional Demographics Hispanic Population in Maryland, 2000 Garrett Allegany Washington Frederick Carroll Harford Cecil Montgomery Howard City Anne Arundel Kent Queen Anne's % of Total Population 0.4% - 0.8% 1% - 1.5% 1.7% - 2.3% 2.4% - 3% 7.1% % Prince Georges Calvert Charles St. Mary's Caroline Talbot Dorchester Wicomico Worcester Source: Maryland State Data Center Somerset A Maryland University of National Distinction Salisbury University 1101 Camden Ave. Salisbury, MD