UW-Madison received a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, a gift intended for the newly founded Wisconsin Alliance for Minority Participation. Consisting of 21 state and private colleges across Wisconsin, WiscAMP uses tutoring and expanded courses to increase minority graduation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses.
\The goal here is to double the number of underrepresented minority students receiving undergrad degrees with majors in the [STEM] field,"" said Molly Carnes, UW-Madison professor of medicine and co-director of WiscAMP. ""Every year the number recruited actually increases, but retention rates are terrible.""
Retention is the focus of the program, as for the past few years graduation rates remained below expectations. On average only 20 percent of minority students entering STEM courses graduate, with an example of only 124 in the 2001-'02 school year.
To correct this problem, the coalition will be directing a large portion of funds to tutoring programs between graduate and undergraduate students in STEM courses, both for struggling students and those hovering below A's. Two new intermediate math courses have been established for the fall semester, giving 66 new undergraduates another chance to take a course vital to a STEM major.
""We're tutoring for what we're calling the edge of excellence,"" Carnes said. ""We feel there's no better way to thumb your nose at college climate than to ace calculus.""
Another benefit of the organization is it clarifies many of the different efforts around the state, eliminating confusion between departments and colleges over minority programs that may not exist. With newly opened lines of communication, colleges can sort through programs and request grant funds in areas found hurting.
""[With WiscAMP] the opportunity for mobility is much better,"" said Cora Marrett, UW System vice president for academic affairs.
It is possible that success in uniting colleges across the state will parlay into national organization, as similar alliances exist in many states.
""With each school doing their own thing, as a collective group we can address the issue for the state,"" said Douglass Henderson, co-director of WiscAMP and associate dean for engineering diversity affairs. ""There's 30-plus alliances all across the nation, and we're hoping that Wisconsin falls into that network.\
