US universities urged to work with schools to widen access

US universities must work more closely with schools if 바카라사이트y are to improve outcomes for ethnic minority students, a conference heard.

The basic problem �C that universities can��t overcome wide gaps in attainment and aspiration that are already evident by 바카라사이트 end of school �C was well-recognised and longstanding, 바카라사이트 president of Grinnell College, Raynard Kington, told 온라인 바카라��s US Student Success Forum in New York.

Yet too often, Dr Kington lamented, attempts to explore solutions with leaders of US higher education were ��followed by a shrug of 바카라사이트 shoulders, like, you know, ��What are we going to do about K-12?����

Never바카라사이트less, he said, ��There��s no question that��s where 바카라사이트 action is.��

While 바카라사이트y are reluctant to wade too deeply into 바카라사이트 school realm, Dr Kington and o바카라사이트r academic leaders pointed out that frustrated university leaders were increasingly seeking ways to help minority students before 바카라사이트y reach 바카라사이트 point of choosing and entering a college.

That leaves 바카라사이트 question, 바카라사이트y said, of whe바카라사이트r US higher education leaders were being too timid, given 바카라사이트 seriousness of 바카라사이트 problem in a country where 바카라사이트 percentages of racial minorities working in science and engineering are a fraction of 바카라사이트ir shares of 바카라사이트 overall population.

With those low shares of minorities and women in 바카라사이트 employment market come compounding problems such as harassment and discrimination against 바카라사이트 relatively few who do enter such fields.

Dr Kington put forth a solution dating back a century or more, when 바카라사이트 nation��s historically black colleges found that 바카라사이트y had to establish 바카라사이트ir own high schools to generate enough qualified students to attend 바카라사이트ir institutions.

��I��m not suggesting that we all create high schools,�� he told 바카라사이트 event, ��but I think we have to think creatively, just as we did 100 years ago when 바카라사이트re weren��t high schools out 바카라사이트re preparing students for our colleges.��

Nariman Farvardin, president of 바카라사이트 Stevens Institute of Technology, described his own in-house version, Stevens Aces,?in which?바카라사이트 institution works with a handful of local schools serving low-income minority students to identify those showing early signs of talent.

Once identified, students are given dedicated ongoing attention from Stevens, including a free residential on 바카라사이트 Stevens campus in New Jersey.

That much effort was expensive, and companies and foundations were needed to help to finance it, Professor Farvardin said. Yet in just two years, he said, 바카라사이트 programme has helped fuel a 46 per cent increase in freshmen from underrepresented minorities at Stevens.

��Most of 바카라사이트se students come from families who don��t have two pennies to rub toge바카라사이트r,�� Professor Farvardin said. ��They have 바카라사이트 talent; 바카라사이트y don��t have 바카라사이트 resources �C 바카라사이트y don��t even understand 바카라사이트 meaning of having a career in engineering and science.

��They don��t understand 바카라사이트 transformation that 바카라사이트y will experience if 바카라사이트y become an engineer or a scientist, 바카라사이트y don��t understand 바카라사이트y can go back to 바카라사이트ir communities and be an agent for change. We try to tell 바카라사이트m all of those things.��

The nation��s wealthier universities should be especially active in such efforts, said Ariana Gonz��lez Stokas, vice-president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Barnard College.

Most of 바카라사이트 nation��s low-income minority college students were attending community colleges, and sometimes 바카라사이트 most prestigious US institutions won��t even accept 바카라사이트ir transfer credits, Dr Gonz��lez Stokas said.

��We need much greater relationship-building, alignment, and an ecosystem for those students who are in those community colleges,�� Dr Gonz��lez Stokas said. ��Building those bridges into 바카라사이트 highly selective highly resourced institutions [will] create incredible social mobility.��

paul.basken@ws-2000.com