UTA’s Title V grant, I.D.E.A.S. Project, is Institutionalized!
The University of Texas at Arlington earned the Hispanic-Serving Institution (H S I) designation in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Education. In 2015, the University was awarded a Developing H S I grant in the amount of $2.6 million, this funded the I.D.E.A.S. Project (Innovation, Diversity, Excellence, Access, and Success). The I.D.E.A.S. Project sought to increase the number of Hispanic, first-generation and high-need students who were academically prepared to enroll and complete their degrees by addressing “gaps” in student services and faculty development.
The first two components of the grant included: Student Success through the I.D.E.A.S. Center and Student Success through efficient use of technology. The I.D.E.A.S. Center served over 5,000 students (unduplicated) and generated over 15,000 service contacts during academic years 2015-2021. Student services included drop-in tutoring and peer mentoring, as well as embedded tutors in Math and Accounting courses. During the 2018-2019 academic year, the I.D.E.A.S. Center expanded in-person services into the virtual setting via Microsoft Teams.
As the 2021-2022 academic year begins, the I.D.E.A.S. Center’s in-person and virtual services will be under the Academic Success Center, located at the 2nd Floor, Central Library. We hope new and returning students will continue to engage with the Academic Support Programs.
The third component addressed Student Success through Faculty Development and focused on effective teaching methods for students transitioning to university through the use of technology and strategies for teaching a growing diverse student body. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the best practices from the I.D.E.A.S. Faculty Development component transitioned under the Division of Faculty Affairs. Throughout academic years 2015-2020, 15 faculty served as I.D.E.A.S. Faculty Fellows and over 340 faculty and staff were trained on effective teaching methods for a diverse student body transitioning to the university. UTA’s Title V grant contributed to research through the publication, but also had a significant impact on knowledge and practice.
Publications include:
Amaro-Jiménez, C., Nandakumar, V., Hungerford-Kresser, H., Martinez-Cosio, M. Patterson, O., & Luken-Sutton, J. (Under Review). When it “Feels like a Giant Living Room”: Implementing Peer Education at an Urban, Research-1 Hispanic Serving Institution.
Macaluso, R., Amaro-Jiménez, C., Veerabathina, N., Patterson, O., Jr., Martinez-Cosio, M., & Luken-Sutton, J. (2020). Engaging Faculty in Student Success: The Promise of Active Learning in STEM Faculty in Professional Development. College Teaching Journal. DOI: 10.1080/87567555.2020.1837063
Amaro-Jiménez, C., Martinez-Cosio, M, Patterson, O., Clark, K., & Luken-Sutton, J. (2020). "Feel Like More than a Number in the Classroom:” Faculty Perceptions of Professional Development for Student Success.” Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. 1-14 10.1177/1538192720950863