STEM Gateway: Overview

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Program Description

The University of New Mexico STEM Gateway program seeks to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students attaining STEM degrees. STEM Gateway initiatives focus resources on undergraduate science and math courses that serve as gateways to STEM degrees, and that traditionally have had low success rates.

STEM Gateway Initiatives Include:

Gateway Science and Math Course Reform: Faculty-driven projects designed to change instruction and curriculum to better serve low-income and minority students. Each project team includes faculty from UNM and CNM working collaboratively on such areas as: course outcome plans, curriculum revision, in-class assignments, inquiry-based lab exercises, assessment instruments, and teaching resources.

Peer Learning Facilitators (PLF): Peer-assisted collaborative learning activities in large gateway sections. The assistance of facilitators allows instructors to incorporate a wider variety of effective instructional strategies.

STEM Gateway Program Courses: Courses that help students develop strong STEM learning skills, connect to their STEM departments earlier and understand the connections between STEM disciplines. Includes STEM Academies and STEM Student Interest Groups.

Data-driven Prioritization: Data collection and analysis to assist UNM in better understanding the course-taking patterns and success rates of UNM students and CNM transfers in relation to STEM degree attainment. Specific research questions are posed and addressed through qualitative and quantitative methods. Data collection and analysis tools are built in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Research.

Funding:

The STEM Gateway program is funded through a U.S. Department of Education TITLE V grant, 2011-2016 (total anticipated funding $3.82 million).

Objectives, Measures and Outcomes

The STEM Gateway Program measures its impact on the following student achievement outcomes:

Number of Hispanic and low-income students who receive STEM degrees
Proportion of STEM graduates who are Hispanic
Percentage of full-time degree-seeking students who return for their third semester
Percentage of full-time first-time degree-seeking students who graduate within six years
Percentage of Hispanic full-time degree-seeking students who return for their third semester
Percentage of Hispanic full-time first-time degree-seeking students who graduate within six years
Number of course reform projects completed
Number of students impacted by course reform projects
Percentage of students completing each reformed course
Percentage of students completing each reformed course with a "C" or higher grade
Number of courses and sections supported by Peer Learning Facilitators (PLF)
Number of PLF's hired to support STEM courses
Number of STEM disciplines supported by the PLF program
Percentage of students completing each PLF section with a "C" or higher grade
Student satisfaction with the PLF program
Number of Stem Student Interest Group (SSIG) sections offered
Number of students impacted by SSIGs
Number of Hispanic and low-income students impacted by SSIGs
Number of Hispanic and low-income students who complete SSIGs
Percentage of students who successfully complete SSIG companion courses
Percentage of students enrolled in SSIGs who continue in STEM degree programs
Student satisfaction with the SSIG program
Number of course reform project collaborations between CNM and UNM
Number of transfer STEM course articulations created between CNM and UNM
Percentage of Hispanic students among total transfers from CNM to UNM