Two new groups of schools have committed to the Moon Shot for Equity initiative, which is dedicated to making sure that students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds graduate from college at the same rate by 2030.
Education firm EAB announced Wednesday that four institutions joined the project in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky, along with two institutions in southeastern Pennsylvania.
The additions come nearly a year after UWM, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Carthage College and UW-Parkside became the first regional coalition of colleges and universities to take part in the Moon Shot initiative, along with EAB.
The southeastern Wisconsin institutions have made significant progress over the past year, EAB said. This includes:
- Conducting equity mindedness training for more than 600 participants.
- Reforming registration holds that prevent students from registering for classes because of minor administrative or financial complications.
- Improving transfer pathways to make it easier for students — and the credits they have earned — to move between institutions.
The steps are part of a comprehensive effort by UWM and the Wisconsin schools to address obstacles and other issues on each campus. Institutions are working individually while also sharing information, best practices and suggestions with Moon Shot partners.
“For too long, higher education has put the onus on students of color and other underserved student populations to adapt and overcome instead of reforming institutional barriers that make their educational journey more arduous than it has to be,” said Tom Sugar, vice president of partnerships at EAB.
“All of the schools that have joined the Moon Shot for Equity have committed to fixing those institutional impediments.”
