UA MASS Programs Pave Pathway for Success

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UA MASS Programs Pave Pathway for Success

By University Communications
February 4, 2008

A recent University of Arizona retention study revealed that for the second year in a row, students traditionally at risk for dropping out – including ethnic minority students, low-income students and first-generation college students – are retained at higher rates after participating in programs offered by the UA’s Multicultural Affairs and Student Success office, known as MASS.

MASS units include African American Student Affairs, Asian Pacific Student Affairs, Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs, Native American Student Affairs and Undergraduate Initiatives.

It also runs the New Start Summer Program, which will be celebrating its 40th year in 2009. These programs are designed to increase the retention of the University’s underrepresented students.

Several groups of ethnic minority students participating in MASS programs had higher first year retention rates than program eligible nonparticipant peers – 20.3 percent greater for African American students and 22.5 percent greater for Native American students.

The first year retention rate for MASS participants was higher than the overall retention rate for African American students (7.1 percent greater), Asian Pacific American students (5.3 percent) and Hispanic students (3.1 percent).

Almost 18 percent of all African American, Asian Pacific American, Hispanic and Native American first-time, full-time freshmen at the UA participated in MASS programs in 2006-07.

“A broad range of programs are available to help acclimate students to their first year, including the New Start Summer Program, a six-week summer program designed to connect students to university life before the semester begins, and Connections: Making the Most Out of the College Experience, a three-unit course that supports students through free tutoring and peer mentoring,” said Kendal Washington White, director of Multicultural Affairs and Student Success.

Additional UA programs include the First Year Academic Success Track program, which assists first-year and transfer African American students; the Success Express Program, which includes a three-unit course to assist Hispanic students; the LOTUS Leadership Program, which assists Asian Pacific students in gaining leadership skills; and the First Year Scholars Program, which provides a living-learning community to assist first year Native American students.