Minority Serving Institutions – Title V Grant

Title V of the Higher Education Act defines an Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) as an eligible institution that has an enrollment of full-time, undergraduate equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application. Only US citizens and lawful permanent residents are counted for HSI designation. Institutions are eligible to apply for grants if they meet specific statutory and regulatory eligibility requirements. To be designated as an eligible institution of higher education, an institution must apply for and receive designation through an application process.

Since 2001, Woodbury has received Title V funding and, in 2021, the university received its seventh Title V grant, which runs through the 2025 fiscal. year.

2001-2005
Award Amount: $2,085,735 over 5 years
Completed: 2005
Success: All Objectives met; No Annual Report nor Final Report rejected

“Pathways to the Professions” – This activity has three components is designed to utilize existing educational practices and improve them through the addition of new strategies, them combine them into a comprehensive, coordinated program of academic support.

• Entry-Level Instruction for Student Success – To increase retention and pass rates in basic skills and foundation courses through the creation of a centralized basic skills program and integration of supplemental instruction into college-level curriculum;
• Student Information for Student Success – To increase accessibility and accuracy of student information for tracking, advising, and support through development of an integrated Student Information System;
• Advanced Technology for Student Success – To increase efficiency and effectiveness of instruction and student support services through development of alternative instructional delivery methods and student access to information and on-line support.

2002-2006
Award Amount: $3,000,000 over 5 years
Completed: 2006
Success: All Objectives met; No Annual Report nor Final Report rejected

Woodbury University (WU) the lead institution, in partnership with Valley College (LAVC), a two year community college will provide an opportunity for students through their lower-division study at (LAVC) and, after transferring, through their upper-division work at WU, attain a baccalaureate degree. WU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Degree offerings include the Bachelors of Arts and Sciences degrees in Business Management, Architecture and Design, and Arts and Sciences. WU also offers a Master’s degree in Business Administration and basic skills courses that address the needs of under-prepared students.

Description of Activity:

• Cooperative Collegiate Connections – This activity has three main components: Intercampus Processes – designed to streamline transfer with online, student-accessible systems
• Intercampus Programs – designed to improve academic success, retention, transfer, and graduation of students at both schools; 3) Connections Centers – designed to centralize information and services for transfer-oriented students and transferees.
• Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities to Hispanic Americans (PPOHA)

2009-2014
Award Amount: $2,788,602 over 5 years
Completed: 2014
Success: All Objectives met; No Annual Report nor Final Report rejected

The proposed Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans project will create new options in the institution’s existing Master of Architecture program, create services to support graduate students’ success, and build infrastructure to increase access and instructional effectiveness. The institution will also conduct ongoing evaluation of the project to ensure the achievement of its objectives. Evaluation will produce results for each of the Department of Education’s Key Performance Measures (graduate enrollment / graduation and cost-effective program operation) which will be collected and reported as requested during and after funding.

2010-2015
Award Amount: $3,234,915 over 5 years
Completion: 2015
Success: Annual Objectives met; No Annual Report rejected

The proposed Title V project will increase Woodbury’s ability to serve greater numbers of Hispanic and low-income students by developing three new baccalaureate programs in the School of Media, Culture, and Design (MCD): Film, Media Technology, and Game Arts and Design, with internship and career services embedded in curricula to support students’ success. Each program’s pilots will begin with junior-year curricula enrolling community college transfers or Woodbury juniors with completed prerequisites to produce graduates during the project. Selected University facilities will be renovated and equipped to house the new programs. We will also conduct ongoing evaluation of the project to support its achievement of activity objectives, institutional objectives, institutional goals, and the purpose of the Title V program.

2014-2019
Award Amount: $2,696,160 over 5 years
Completion: 2019
Success: Annual Objectives met; No Annual Report rejected.

The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans project will create new options in the institution’s existing Master of Interior Architecture program, create services to support graduate students’ success, and build infrastructure to increase access and instructional effectiveness. The Institution will also conduct ongoing evaluation of the project to ensure the achievement of its objectives. Evaluation will produce results for each of the Department of Education’s Key Performance Measures (graduate enrollment / graduation and cost-effective program operation) which will be collected and reported as requested during and after funding.

2019-2024
Award Amount: $2,998,681 over 5 years
Completion: Continue until September 30, 2024
Success: Started October 1, 2019

The proposed Title V project will increase Woodbury’s ability to serve greater numbers of Hispanic and low-income students by developing new baccalaureate programs in Computer Science in the College of Liberal Arts, School of Business, and School of Architecture, with internship and career services embedded in curricula to support students’ success. Each program will pilot curricula during the project. Selected University facilities will be renovated and equipped to house the new programs. We will also conduct ongoing evaluation of the project to support its achievement of activity objectives, institutional objectives, institutional goals, and the purpose of the Title V program.

2020-2025
Award Amount: $3,000,000 over 5 years
Completion: Continue until September 30, 2025
Success: Started October 1, 2020

The proposed Title V project will increase Woodbury’s ability to serve greater numbers of Hispanic and low-income students by developing new baccalaureate programs in Sustainable Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and School of Architecture. New program students will be supported by new services. Each program will pilot curricula during the project. Selected University facilities will be renovated and equipped to support the new programs. We will also conduct ongoing evaluation of the project to support its achievement of activity objectives, institutional objectives, institutional goals, and the purpose of the Title V program.

*Based on students’ reporting of parental education via the FAFSA. Here, the term “first-generation” has been defined in accordance with the first clause of the Higher Education Act’s definition: “An individual both of whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree.” When dealing with unknown or missing values, educational level was assumed to be higher to prevent the over-reporting of first-generation students. The primary FAFSA fields referenced were: par_1_highest_grade_level and par_2_highest_grade_level. As both fields in the FAFSA refer to the highest grade level a parent completed, a student was not considered “first-generation” if both of those fields indicated “College/university or beyond.” If both such fields were missing values, par1_college_1 and par2_college_1 (Boolean fields) were referenced.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) are defined under the Higher Education Act (HEA) as colleges or universities with an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 10 percent Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander.

The purpose of the Hispanic-Serving Institutions – Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (HSI STEM) and Articulation Programs is to: (1) increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; and (2) to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions in such fields.

The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA):

(1) expand postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students; and (2) expand the postbaccalaureate academic offerings as well as enhance the program quality in the institutions of higher education that are educating the majority of Hispanic college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.

The program helps eligible institution of higher education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institution.