October 10, 2006
For Immediate Release
For more information:
Lisa Lambert
(801) 863-8741
Michelle Lundell
(801) 863-8806
UVSC Awarded $2 million Federal Grant
A federal grant of $2 million, recently given to UVSC by the U.S. Department of Education, will help UVSC fulfill its goal of increasing fall-to-fall first-year student retention by 10 percent over the next five years.
The grant, known as Title III, focuses on strengthening institutions of higher education. The $2 million will be distributed over five years, and will be used to achieve the goals and objectives targeted at improving levels of student success, persistence to graduation and retention.
The grant-writing team consisted of administrators and staff from the School of General Academics, Enrollment Management, Information Technology and Institutional Research. Typically, it takes a year or more to write a Title III grant, but the UVSC team completed the arduous planning and writing process in less than six months. This is the third time UVSC has submitted a proposal for the competitive Title III grant. Typically, only one in 50 proposals is selected each year.
“This grant creates the ability to move the student success and retention effort forward in a major way,” said Lisa Lambert, assistant dean in the School of General Academics and member of the proposal writing team. “It’s going to make a significant difference in creating a foundational infrastructure to leverage our students for success. We’re grinning from ear to ear.”
Several success- and retention-based activities are already being implemented for the first year of the grant. The student success and retention initiative lays down three specific goals to help increase student retention rate: first, UVSC will create programs to help students experience a successful transition to college, with particular attention to students in at-risk populations. Second, a student information tracking system will ensure the integration of an on-going data management structure aimed at identifying student needs, and supporting and motivating students to graduate. Finally, the grant will help implement a comprehensive and progressive training process for faculty, staff and key administrative leaders on an intentional and purposeful philosophy that underpins practices, processes and primarily supports faculty in the teaching and learning activities that promote student persistence to graduation.
The total amount of federal funds granted to UVSC for the program is $2 million. The percentage of total costs of the program that will be financed with federal money is 33 percent. Therefore, 67 percent, or $3,992,664 of the grant will be financed by non-governmental sources.
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College Marketing Contact:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149
Written by:
Valerie Chapman
(801) 863-8504
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