2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

Explanation Required
Response to Commissions’ Questions/Issues
Objective 2.1 – Increase the percentage of undergraduate students who participate in
enrichment programs before graduation from 80% in 2004 to 90% by 2009.
In 2008, 76% of UM degree recipients had participated in an enrichment program; this
represented the lowest participation rate in the last four years and was down from 78% in
2007, 82% in 2006 and 80% in 2005.
UM Response:
In 2009, the participation rate increased to 78% of the graduating class. One difficulty the
University has faced is the ability to track participation in the enormous variety of enrichment
activities. For example, responsibility for service learning is now decentralized throughout the
colleges and has become more difficult to track. We are developing better ways to track and
report both credit-bearing and non-credit enrichment programs. Building on existing activities,
the Strategic Plan calls for the University to enhance and expand experiences outside the
classroom such as research projects, service learning, on- and off-campus internships, and
special opportunities inherent in the national capital area. UM is widely recognized for the
breadth and quality of its enrichment programs. In its “Programs to Look For,” U. S. News &
World Report cited the University four times, for First-Year Experience, Undergraduate
Research/Creative Projects, Learning Communities, and Service Learning.
While the percentage of students participating in the credit-based programs tracked for this
objective has not expanded, there has been tremendous growth in both University-sponsored and
externally sponsored non-credit enrichment activities. These activities currently are not reported.
Prominent among these activities are alternative break trips during spring, summer and winter
vacation periods, in which students undertake community service projects domestically and
internationally. In FY08, 200 students participated in alternative break trips; in FY09, the
number increased to 300. Another community service learning project is America Reads-
America Counts, in which undergraduate students mentor elementary school students in reading,
math and parent literacy. In FY09, 174 students participated in this program.
Objective 2.3 – Reduce the difference in six-year graduation rates between all students and
African-American students by 50% – from 16 percentage points in 2004 to 8 percentage points
in 2014.
Since 2005 the difference in the graduation rates between African American students and
all students increased by 55%, from 9 percentage points to 14 percentage points.
UM Response:
The University has implemented strategic initiatives designed to improve success for all students
and targeted programs to address the gap. One major initiative is the Student Academic Success-
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