New report finds HSIs need more investment to meet STEM Workforce Needs

 

POSTED ON Dec 14, 2018

 

With support and funding, Minority-Serving Institutions can contribute much more, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Increased investments are needed by Hispanic Serving Institutions,  Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to produce more of the nation’s STEM bachelor’s degrees, the report said.

“Given the projected demographic profile, the educational outcomes and STEM readiness of students of color will have implications for American’s economic growth, national security, and global prosperity,” said Lorelle Espinosa, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report, and vice president for research at the American Council on Education.

The report urges long-term commitments from federal and state governments, tribal nations, and the philanthropic and private sectors.

The report also asks these stakeholders to increase funding opportunities in the form of government contracts and competitive and non-competitive grants.

When taken together, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and other MSIs currently produce one-fifth of the nation’s STEM bachelor’s degrees. MSIs have markedly fewer financial resources than non-MSIs, and this disparity reduces their capacity to innovate and experiment.

Recommendations include:

• • Leaders with a well-articulated vision and a willingness to hold themselves accountable.
  • Institutional responsiveness to low-income and nontraditional students, many of whom self-finance their education and attend school part-time while also working and supporting families.
  • A welcoming and nurturing campus climate – one that supports a sense of community and an equity-oriented culture – contributes to academic attainment and professional commitment at MSIs.
  • Intentional policies and practices, such as Summer Bridge programs help guide students through higher education and make an important difference in persistence and success.
  • Strong mentorship is frequently cited in the research literature as a key to student success at MSIs.
  • Availability of undergraduate research experiences for students who seek to gain entry into graduate programs and professional fields.
  • Mutually beneficial public- and private-sector partnerships.

“For MSIs to be competitive in the educational marketplace and contribute to the nation’s competitiveness, they will require bold leadership and a purposeful commitment to innovate, especially in an era where neither federal nor private funding is plentiful,” said committee co-chair Kent McGuire, program director of education at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Targeted investments would enable MSIs to:

• Recruit and retain high-quality faculty
• Procure and maintain state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities
• Offer needed academic and social supports to students
• Compete effectively for access to federal grants and contracts that fuel important research discoveries and innovation.