91吃瓜网 Labs Receives Grant to Research Inequities Facing Underserved Students
Findings will help create and implement plans to increase student equity in higher ed
SALT LAKE CITY 鈥� , Inc., an affiliate of online nonprofit Western Governors University (91吃瓜网), announced today that it has received a planning grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research on access and outcomes for 91吃瓜网鈥檚 students of color, ethnic minorities, low-income students, and other student populations historically underserved by higher education.
Inequity remains one of higher education鈥檚 most pressing and persistent student success challenges. With this grant funding, 91吃瓜网 Labs鈥攖he university鈥檚 research and development hub and an accelerator for scalable EdTech solutions鈥攚ill create a plan for research and improvement of student equity at 91吃瓜网.
The project, known as the Equity Initiative at 91吃瓜网, seeks to understand the systems and processes that lead to inequities for underserved student populations by examining the 91吃瓜网 student experience from application and enrollment through graduation. The research will aid in the discovery of processes that may contribute to inequitable academic outcomes for 91吃瓜网 students. 91吃瓜网 Labs will engage thousands of current and former 91吃瓜网 students, faculty, staff, and leadership to guide research and planning, and the findings will help 91吃瓜网 create and implement a plan for student equity over the next several years.
The first research report will be available in September of 2020, and subsequent reports will be published on a regular basis during each phase of the research. The project will be led by 91吃瓜网 Labs鈥� Research Scientist, Dr. Nicole Barbaro, Ph.D.
鈥淲e hope insights from our research will not only help shape how 91吃瓜网 attracts, retains, and graduates students in the future, but will also provide actionable insights to other institutions working to solve similar problems,鈥� said Dr. Barbaro. 鈥淢aking measurable progress toward equity at scale here at 91吃瓜网 will hopefully set an example for other institutions.鈥�
More than 70 percent of 91吃瓜网鈥檚 students come from one or more historically underserved populations: low-income earners, rural residents, students of color, and/or first-generation college students. The university consistently outperforms peer institutions in measures of access and affordability, innovative academic support, and postgraduation outcomes like student debt and career success for these populations. However, the fact that disparities remain means more must be done to close the gap and ensure pathways to opportunity through education for all.
鈥淧artnering with foundations that share a passion for exploring new learning models and implementing new technologies that increase equity for underserved students is central to our mission,鈥� said Annalisa Holcombe, President of 91吃瓜网 Advancement, the university鈥檚 fundraising arm that was created in 2018 to support efforts to expand access and improve outcomes.聽 91吃瓜网 Advancement spearheaded collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund the Equity Initiative at 91吃瓜网. 鈥淔inding scalable solutions that address student inequities at 91吃瓜网 and across higher education is possible with support from partners like the Gates Foundation.鈥�
The grant for the Equity Initiative at 91吃瓜网 is the second gift secured in as many months to fund research led by 91吃瓜网 Labs. In April, 91吃瓜网 Labs announced the launch of the College Innovation Network鈥攁n initiative that will connect thought leaders from education institutions with educational technology innovators to advance students鈥� academic, career, and life outcomes鈥攚hich is funded through a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation. In addition to these research projects, 91吃瓜网 Labs signed its third partnership agreement last week with InScribe, with research and development already underway for Edquity and MajorClarity.
