2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Effect of Organizational Change on Student Retention and Engagement

Presented at Navigating Diversity and Equity in STEM Education

Engineering and computer science disciplines remain substantially under-represented in Hispanic, African American and women students. Relative to the population demographics reflecting approximately 50% women, 60% white non Hispanic/Latinx, 13% African American, 19% Hispanic and 1.3% Native American, engineering demographics reflect under-representation. While recent trends reflect significant gains, women remain under-represented in engineering. Based on the ASEE EDMS system, in 2022, women earned 25% of engineering degrees and under-represented students (URM=African American, Hispanic, native American and Pacific islanders) earned 21% of degrees. From a first time in college enrollment in a university perspective, URM freshmen accounted for 27% of all freshmen enrollment. Within that the African American student population was at 6% and Hispanic at 13%. The gap between freshmen enrollment at the Universities and higher percentages at graduation reflects the trend that URM students are entering the University experience beyond the freshmen level making the transfer student engagement and retention a key need. In this paper we explore systematic organizational change in communicating the degree pathways to a graduation in engineering and engaging students sequentially from enrollment through graduation. We explore these in the pre-pandemic, post-pandemic, new HSI designation macro changes in the University. The results indicate that students are benefitted from having administrators, faculty and full-time staff work synergistically to communicate information that can be accessed by students without needing an appointment/commute and to grow a students pathway to lifelong learning through research is best enabled through student-student direct engagement.

Authors

Dr. Nandika D'souza University of North Texas [biography]

Nandika Anne D’Souza is the Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives at the University of Texas at Dallas effective June 1, 2024. Most recently, she was the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Regents Professor at the University of North Texas. She is focused on broadening participation in engineering at various levels concurrently with probing new questions in polymer and composites. She has co-authored 6 book chapters, 100 peer reviewed journal and over 100 conference publications. She has received over $7 M in external research funding. She was recognized as a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers in 2013 and American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2023. She received the 2015 Distinguished Engineering Educator Award by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), 2022 WEPAN Exemplary Service Award, 2022 SAMPE DEI Impact Award for her efforts to be inclusive. As a board member of WEPAN, she hosted 12 webinars to provide
best practices to implementing DEI with cultural humility as the framework (bidirectional
learning). She has integrated Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, National Society of
Black Engineers and SWE together with cross-department honor societies to form a Diversity
and Excellence in Engineering Network at UNT advised by industry and academia. She is an
alumni of Leadership Texas (Class of 2013).
Hector R. Siller University of North Texas [biography]

Dr. Siller is Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of North Texas. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Technology Innovation from Jaume I University, Spain and holds a master and a bachelor’s degree from Monterrey Tech, Mexico, in the fields of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, respectively. His research areas include advanced manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing, micro-manufacturing, and metrology. During his career he has advised more than 30 graduate students and has published around 60 research papers in international journals. He is editorial board member and guest editor in different journals and conference proceedings. He has received funding from National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense among other agencies.
Dr. Hyun Kyoung Kyoung Ro http://orcid.org/https://0000-0003-1266-9345 University of North Texas [biography]

Dr. Hyun Kyoung (Hyunny) Ro, Associate Professor of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas, holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from The Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Educational Psychology—Applied Measurement. Her research focuses on Gender and Racial Equity in STEM Education, Learning Experiences and Outcomes for Marginalized Students, and Critical Quantitative Research and Assessment.
Debbie Huffman http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3830-2752 North Central Texas College [biography]

Debbie Huffman, Dean of Instruction for Career & Technical Education (CTE) at North Central Texas College, holds a Master of Science in Computer Education & Cognitive Systems and a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences in Applied Technology & Performance Improvement from the University of North Texas. She is dedicated to providing students the opportunity to positively change their lives through workforce education. Dean Huffman has over 25 years of experience in higher education where she has provided leadership in the planning, implementation and assessment of curriculum and programs within the CTE Division. She has served on the Texas Association of College Technical Educators Board of Directors and currently serves on the Texoma Workforce Board of Directors.

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