Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

    PIVOT program addresses low graduation rates for first-gen students

    The U.S. Department of Education has recently awarded UTSA and Alamo Colleges a five-year $3.2 million grant to initiate PIVOT, an academic suc- cess program to increase student involvement, reten- tion and graduation rates.

    The PIVOT program will focus primarily on low socioeconomic students, first-time, full-time His- panic students and first- generation students. Ac- cording to the UTSA Office of Institutional Research, which measured students’ six-year graduation rates, first- generation students

    at UTSA make up 47 per- cent of the student body, yet only 32 percent gradu- ate in six years. The His- panic population at UTSA is 51 percent while only 36 percent graduate in six years and the economically disadvantaged population is 44 percent while 38 per- cent graduate in six years.

    ThePIVOTprogramaims to boost UTSA’s low gradu- ation rates by creating sup- port communities that will improve students’ overall success through the fol- lowing four sub-programs.

    The Alamo Runners pro- gram will help students en- rolled in one of the Alamo colleges while they were admitted into UTSA. This program will appoint a peer mentor who will lead

    students into a dual enroll- ment where 12 credit hours will be taken at an Alamo college and the other three credit hours taken at UTSA.

    Through this initiative, students will become ac- customed to a four-year university and its resourc- es. The goal for the Alamo Runners program is for students to first gradu- ate from an Alamo Col- lege and then transfer and graduate from UTSA.

    The First to Go and Grad- uate program (F2G&G) aims to help first-genera- tion students, which make up almost half of UTSA’s freshman class, by creat- ing a coaching program made up of first-genera- tion faculty and students.

    The program will have a

    program manager as well as peer mentors. UTSA will also initiate F2G&G Coun- cil, which will propose solu- tions for any practices with- in the institution that may hinder students’ success.

    The Math Matters initia- tive will enable UTSA to redesign the pre-requisite algebra course for engi- neering and science ma- jors, MAT 1073. The rede- sign of the course will use the National Center for Academic Transformation emporium model, which will promote an active use of mathematics with- in the classroom setting.

    The program intends to improve the passing rate of MAT 1073, which in turn will increase the retention rates of engineer and sci-

    ence majors. Students who are dually enrolled at an Alamo College and UTSA will also able to take the course when it is in effect.

    The Roadrunner Transi- tion Experience program (RTE) will appoint peer mentors and a program manager to provide help and support for UTSA transfer students. RTE also intends to create events, programs and addition- al resources to increase transfer student gradua- tion and retention rates. The PIVOT program sees that the appointment of fac- ulty that resonate with stu- dents is crucial to the suc- cess of the program. One of UTSA’s faculty members,

    tion and retention rates. The PIVOT program sees that the appointment of fac- ulty that resonate with stu- dents is crucial to the suc- cess of the program. One of UTSA’s faculty members, Associate Professor of His- tory Rhonda Gonzales, will serve as director of the PIVOT program. Gon- zales is a first-generation student who was in the

    American Council on Edu- cation’s Fellows Program. During her fellowship she visited about 30 universi- ties in the U.S. to study the best methods for student success. With her findings and her research on UTSA transfer students and cur- rent students, she developed a proposal along with her colleagues to implement the PIVOT program at UTSA.

    The four initiatives pro- vided by the PIVOT pro- gram will address a va- riety of situations many students encounter and will provide help for stu- dents who may need ad- ditional support through their college experience.

    José Santos, a first genera- tion freshman kinesiology major, says that although his parents were always very

    encouraging and support- ive of his desire to attend college, he would like for there to be more common knowledge of programs and other support systems that aim to help first-gen- eration Hispanic students.

    “I’ve heard of some schol- arships that help Hispanic or first-generation stu- dents, but I haven’t heard very much about programs

    that advise or support those students,” Santos said. Although PIVOT is in its initial stage, it is an impor- tant goal for students to be aware of their services. wThe program will serve as an additional support system for students in their pursuit of graduation.

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