December 2004
President: James Oda
Executive Board: José Martínez-Saldaña Darlene Conwell
President Elect Past President
Carolina Cardenas Joy Brittain
Secretary Chief Financial Officer
Tomasa Mauricio
Financial Affairs Committee Chair
Date: December 2004
(reflects COE Strategic Plan)
I. Strategic Goal # 1:
Strengthen the Council’s communication and advocacy to enhance the quality of existing TRIO Programs and increase the number of TRIO students served by 10%.
II. Objective(s):
- Protect and expand opportunities for TRIO students during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act with input from TRIO Professionals nationwide.
- Empower parents, students and staff to advocate for TRIO.
- Enable alumni to effective advocate for TRIO and assist in serving additional low-income students
- Enhance collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education
III. Activities:
- Prevent a 10% set aside of TRIO funding.
- Planning in process for Student Leadership Conferences in three California Chapters, Pacific Islands Chapter, and a Parent Empowerment Conference in the Northern California Chapter.
- The Pacific Islands Chapter met with Mr. Oxendine during the San Antonio Conference.
- A Professional Development Seminar is scheduled for San Luis Obispo, California for our Central California Chapter on December 1-3, 2004.
- A Professional Development Seminar is scheduled for Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia for our Pacific Islands Chapter on January 10-15, 2005.
IV. Accomplishments:
- WESTOP sent a letter to Congressman Buck McKeon pointing out potential loss of SSS programs in schools his constituents attend.
- A formal request is being made from WESTOP to eliminate the 4% travel cap from all SSS projects.
- Professional Development Seminar took place in Lake Tahoe, California for our Northern California Chapter on October 17-19, 2004.
- Professional Development Seminar took place in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii for our Pacific Islands Chapter in conjunction with the University of Washington TRIO Training grant on November 7-9, 2004.
- Professional Development Seminar took place in Palm Springs, California for our Southern California Chapter on November 10-12, 2004.
I. Strategic Goal # 2:
Establish and maintain linkages to build stronger regional and state associations.
II. Objective(s):
- Introduce and develop new programs and services (organizational models, mentoring programs, special periodicals, instructional videos and teleconferences, etc.) to help regional and state associations strengthen their organizational effectiveness.
- Promote the Council and Council services via publications, websites, correspondence, conferences, professional development activities, and during other regional and state presentations.
- Solicit and act upon input from regional and state associations concerning their needs.
III. Activities:
- The Southern California Chapter is restarting the Emerging Leaders Institute.
- Questions have arisen on the Council’s mission statement on the exclusion of non-Americans.
IV. Accomplishments:
- Board members provided training at Professional Development Seminars (PDS) on the legislative process and improving writing skills.
- President has attended all Chapter PDS (known as State Conferences in other regions) to hear concerns of all members.
- Regional newsletter had been published on WESTOP website.
I. Strategic Goal # 3:
Expand the capacity of the PELL INSTITUTE for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education to conduct and disseminate research that will encourage policy makers, educators and the public to improve higher educational opportunities and outcomes for TRIO-eligible persons.
II. Objective:
- Conduct, publish and disseminate research on the effectiveness of TRIO programs.
III. Activities:
- The WESTOP Research and Technology is working on compiling statistics from TRIO programs in the region to establish program effectiveness.
IV. Accomplishments:
- CSU Chico Upward Bound has a 10-year study on its Upward Bound program that highlights accomplishments with their students.
I. Strategic Goal # 4:
Strengthen the Council’s strategic and financial position.
II. Objective(s):
- Increase personal contributions by at least five percent each year.
- Work directly with regional and state fair share leaders to distribute reports to all TRIO personnel on a regular basis.
- Expand programs to recognize financial contributions at all levels.
- To revise, update and monitor the implementation of the Council’s personnel policies.
III. Activities:
- Challenges have been issued to solicit personal contributions from WESTOP members by the WESTOP leadership.
IV. Accomplishments:
- The WESTOP Fair Share Committee conducted a Fair Share drive where members received various piggy banks depending upon their contribution level.
I. Strategic Goal # 5:
Improve access for TRIO students and TRIO professionals to advance technologies.
II. Objective(s):
- Provide TRIO students and professionals with full access to the latest technology for both teaching and learning.
- Give TRIO professionals training and support in technology for instructional purposes.
- Give TRIO professionals training in technology that allows them to successfully manage and evaluate TRIO program effectiveness.
- Encourage technology use to promote organizational effectiveness at the national, regional and state levels.
- Promote TRIO nationally as a vehicle for addressing disparity in technology.
III. Activities:
- The University of Washington TRIO Training Grant on technology will be conducting workshops during the Annual Conference.
- The Research and Technology Committee is looking into the purchase of a server for exclusive WESTOP use.
IV. Accomplishments:
- The University of Washington TRIO Training Grant on technology conducted workshops at the Pacific Islands Chapter PDS.
- Regular Chapter meeting for the Pacific Islands Chapter have been occurring via PEACESAT facilities.
I. Strategic Goal # 6:
Strengthen the Council’s role as a global leader on issues related to higher educational opportunity.
II. Objective(s):
- Collaborate with other associations that advocate for higher educational opportunity internationally.
- Increase awareness among TRIO participants and professionals of the importance of international opportunities.
- Introduce TRIO as a model for educational access internationally.
- Promote the use of technology in educational opportunity programs internationally.
III. Activities:
- A Student Leadership Conference and Professional Development Seminar are being planned for the Federated States of Micronesia in Pohnpei in January.
- The Pacific Islands Chapter is exploring the workings of the National Association for Multicultural Education.
IV. Accomplishments:
- Many programs from the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau attended the PIC PDS technology training on Maui.
Larry Oxendine address to SWASAP
As continuing administrator of Title III and Title V grants, he sees opportunities for those grants to work in conjunction with TRIO programs to offer more services to more in need.
In the next UB competition, he is considering installing a requirement that all UB programs have a minimum number of participants which meet initiative grant requirements, perhaps 30% of total participants.
Out of the $5 million increase for TRIO, about $2 million went to re-fund TRIO programs in Northern Alabama which served over 12,000 individuals. The balance went towards granting initiative grants to the rest of the UB programs that qualified, but were declined in the first round.
Projects that were underperforming had their funding cut. This freed up $7 million more in TRIO funds. Mr. Oxendine intends to keep this money available to fund more SSS projects, therefore this year the money went to moving start dates for June 1 UB programs to September 1. If your project was not one of the 52 moved to September 1, you may still put in the request with your program officer. If funds become available, those additional projects will be moved.
The new TRIO Training Grants structure has allowed for the same number of TRIO staff to be trained, but at a $1.3 million savings due to consolidation of fixed costs. The total number of TRIO training grants was reduced from 29 to 13. Five SWASAP TRIO Training Grant proposals received a score of 100, however only those with prior experience points were awarded grants, therefore no new grant proposals were funded.
TS/EOC grant proposals should be due no later than August. The same administrative procedures used for the SSS competition will be in effect for the competition. Larry mentioned that they are considering specifying what font would be used for grant proposals, as there was much wasted time discussing this detail on the list-serve. He has offered Times New Roman 12 pt. Font as a possible standard.
Site visits will be occurring for several EOC programs in the coming months. As EOC programs are next in the round of competition, the Department would like to know what kinds of issues need to be addressed.
Larry also informed everyone that he oversees the Child Care Access Means Parents in School for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. With grants ranging from $10,000 to sever hundred thousand, he sees this as a natural match for SSS programs, and is encouraging all to apply for one.
The TRIO homepage at the Department of Education will have all current updates listed there. All programs should check it out at least every other week.
SSS grant competition ended with 1362 applications. There are currently 932 SSS Programs funded, and he hopes to fund 975 – 1000 programs from this competition. The readings have just finished the third week, and should be wrapping up soon.
UB APRs (personal conversation with Larry) will remain as published. He said that programs with expansion grants should have already been keeping that information on hand to be able to report student’s advancement. Programs that can’t fill out the complete fields for all students can submit their reports without the requested information, but may face repercussions later.
