The Moon Shot for Equity, a southeastern Wisconsin initiative involving UWM aimed at eliminating equity gaps in college completion rates, is featured as the cover story in the latest issue of University Business magazine.
UWM joined Milwaukee Area Technical College, Carthage College and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside as the first regional consortium of higher education institutions in the country to sign on to the initiative with education firm EAB. The goal is to ensure that all students graduate from college at the same rate by 2030.
According to data compiled by the Higher Education Regional Alliance, 56% of white students in the seven-county Milwaukee region earned a degree or certificate within six years in 2020. Only 32% of Hispanic students and 20% of Black students completed degrees or certificates in that time frame.
Each institution will work individually to achieve equity by accomplishing a comprehensive set of goals, while also collaborating with each other and EAB to share best practices and ideas.
The Moon Shot for Equity launched in October. UWM currently is in the early phases of planning and organization to achieve goals that cover areas like evaluating introductory-level math requirements, using technology to help facilitate advising and support services, and providing equity skills training campus leaders and others in key roles at the university.
