At a glance
In response to rising racial equity concerns, UAA Advising formed a Racial Equity Group in 2020, prioritizing better support… Read full summary
- Funding received
- 2020-2021
- Mini
- Awarded
- $600
- Funding partners
-
- UW Resilience Lab (UWRL)
In response to rising racial equity concerns, UAA Advising formed a Racial Equity Group in 2020, prioritizing better support for Asian-American students—a population with unique academic and first-gen challenges. Through data analysis, student focus groups, and program evaluation, the project aims to understand students' experiences and develop inclusive, equity-driven improvements to advising services.This work addresses student well-being, reduces inequalities, and promotes institutional accountability.
Beginning in September of 2020, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising had formed a Racial Equity Group. The primary catalyst for the creation of this group was our global state-- the BLM Movement and the intensifying Asian hate issues. This group has been meeting consistently since then with the goal of better integrating racial equity work into the regular work of UAA advising.
One of the top priorities our Racial Equity Group identified, was to ensure that our office is equitably serving our students of color. In looking at our data, we found that our Asian-American students make up almost one third of our caseloads. We also found that on average, our Asian-American students tend to have lower GPA's than our Caucasian student population and identify as first-gen at a higher rate. Given that information the Racial Equity Group formed a subcommittee to research how the Asian American students affiliated with UAA Advising our experiencing the University of Washington, and specifically learn about their experience with UAA Advising. The information gathered will then be used to make program and process improvements to better serve our Asian-American students and make UAA Advising a more welcoming and inclusive department.
There are three phases of this project: data research, focus groups and the development of recommendations.
- Data: We have run some initial data to learn about this group of students, but will dive deeper to look at trends in their academics, financial aid status and utilization of our services in UAA Advising.
- Focus Groups: During focus groups we will talk to students to ask about their experience at University of Washington and specifically with UAA Advising. Our hope is to learn more about what has been helpful, what has been challenging, if they have experienced racial bias and how UAA Advising can better support their academic experience through creating a more inclusive and equitable environment.
- Recommendations: After the focus groups are complete we will analyze and synthesize the data in order to share what we have learned with our team and partners. We will also use the data to recommend ways in which UAA Advising can better support its Asian-American students.
Goals
We have three primary goals for this project:
- Learn more about students' experience at the University of Washington and specifically their experience with UAA Advising.
- Identify UAA Advising's strengths and areas for improvement in their service to our Asian-American students.
- Develop program and service improvement recommendations for UAA Advising that will allow us to better support our Asian-American students and increase the equity and inclusiveness of our services.
Connection to Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
In recent months, there has been a very big burden placed on the shoulders of our Asian population-- not just at the UW but all over America. With Asian hate issues at a peak, there is undoubtedly mental and emotional stress that has impacted our students. We plan to provide information about UW mental health services throughout our sessions as well as inform students of the importance of maintaining their mental-health.
Goal 10: Reduce Inequalities
Over forty-percent of our Asian-American identifying students also identify with being either first-generation or transfer students. We also are aware that significant portions of this population face other barriers such as coming from low-income families, having less support in college navigation and experiencing transfer shock. With these focus groups, we hope to open space so students can tell us more about the barriers they face. With the information we learn, we anticipate our programming will support this student group by offering more opportunities and tools to have a welcoming space and to form a presence both at the University and in their later walks of life.
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
The Undergraduate Affairs Advising Office serves a significant majority of students who enter the University and connect regularly with many other student support offices. It is necessary to first learn more about one of our most prominent student populations to identify where gaps in programming and support exist so that we may begin developing practices and recommendations that hold ourselves as well as other student-support offices accountable and promote inclusivity at our University.
Makayla Dorn
Project lead
- mvdorn@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Staff
- Affiliated groups
- Undergraduate Academic Advising
Michaelann Jundt
Supporter
- mjundt@uw.edu
- Affiliation and department
- Undergraduate Academic Affairs
- Stakeholder approval form
Request amount and budget
Measure the impacts
In order to evaluate the success of this project we plan to meet the following outcomes:
Through focus groups and possible individual interviews, speak with at least 50 students from this population.
- Production of a report that outlines the findings of this study
- Presentation of this report to UAA Advising staff and Partners
- Outline at least 3 program or process improvements that will help UAA Advising better serve our Asian-American students.