University of Texas at Austin
IN-9: Diversity and Equity Recognition
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Jim
Walker Director of Sustainability, Financial, and Administrative Services University Operations |
Has the institution been formally recognized for leadership in diversity, equity, and/or inclusion during the previous three years by a national or international program? :
A brief description of the diversity, equity, and/or inclusion recognition:
UT Austin was one of just five institutions to receive the seal in 2020 from Excelencia in Education, the nation’s authority in efforts related to Latino student success. It is one of 24 institutions to receive the seal since it was introduced in 2019 — and one of only two members of the Association of American Universities (AAU), which represents the nation’s premier research universities. Excelencia in Education recognizes colleges and universities for intentionally SERVING Latino students and for demonstrating positive student outcomes.
The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution with 24% Hispanic student representation from over 51,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UT uses predictive analysis to ensure it is “student ready” to serve its students from under-resourced backgrounds. It launched a strategic effort to increase its 4-year graduation rate for undergraduates and has made significant strides in increasing Hispanic student graduation over the last five years.
Two examples of SERVING: Building relationships and fostering a sense of belonging
In honoring the cultural values of Latino students, UT builds trusting and authentic relationships with students and their families through connections with staff, faculty, alumni, and current students through regional community gatherings and events such as its Plática Series, Longhorn Futuro: Latinx Success at Texas celebration, and Longhorn for a Day Road Trips. UT also established a new Access and Inclusion unit within the Office of Admissions to comprehensively examine strategies, programs, policies, and events to assess their effectiveness at supporting the enrollment of Latino students. The examination and assessment led to the formalization and expansion of Texas Student Recruiters, UT’s premier recruitment effort where current Latino and African American students connect to prospective and admitted Latino and African American students.
The 360 Connections program places all freshmen students into small communities of 20 students to help them integrate socially, academically, and developmentally that fosters a sense of belonging and builds community for students. The program aids students in the transition from high school to college and helps connect them to people and resources on campus. The small communities include a professional staff and/or faculty member, peer mentors, and upperclassmen. The retention rate of Latino first year students has been impacted positively since the inception of the program, showing comparable rates to all UT’s first year students.
Documentation affirming the diversity, equity, and/or inclusion recognition:
Website URL where documentation affirming the diversity, equity, and/or inclusion recognition is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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