An ad hoc committee under the oversight of the Board on Higher Education and Workforce (BHEW), in collaboration with the Board on Science Education (BOSE), will undertake a study to examine the goals, aspirations, challenges, and successes of post-secondary institutions that enroll and serve a significant portion of our nation’s African American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Native American STEM graduates-- often collectively referred to as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

This study will address the following questions:

1. What are examples of model programs on MSI campuses that have demonstrated strong evidence of success in producing quality STEM graduates, including those models that involve partnerships with other local institutions of higher education, the private sector, or government agencies, and those that model exemplary curricula and lab experiences?
2. What are the key challenges, obstacles, and opportunities facing MSIs as they continue to produce scientists, engineers and health care providers who are prepared for success in the 21st Century workplace? In particular, what challenges are unique to MSIs (e.g., as a consequence of the demographics of the students they serve, their history of support and funding), and how are these institutions working to address those challenges?
3. What are the key institutional components for scalability and sustainability of model programs, which may include invested leadership, durable infrastructure, or secure partnerships, and how are they promoting student success?
4. What public policy interventions are needed to support and sustain efforts on MSI campuses? Which public policy interventions may inhibit these efforts?

The resulting report will provide findings and recommendations to help create the conditions, systems, policies and practices on MSI campuses that propel more students toward degree attainment in STEM fields and toward strong preparation for success in STEM careers.