Recruitment and Retention Committee
The Recruitment and Retention Committee focuses on increasing the retention of current students and faculty and improving recruitment programs to promote the pursuit of a higher education at The University of Texas at Austin. Recruitment and Retention is also charged with planning and administering a college readiness workshop, Ready, Set, Go!, for high school students.
Additionally, R&R works to establish better connections with the Office of Admissions on campus and with the Austin community to promote higher education to students through programs such as Longhorn School Bus, an event that occurs twice a semester where students from Zavala Elementary visit a college within the university. The Recruitment and Retention Committee will also explore retention issues specific to colleges within UT by meeting with faculty and administrators to help implement new policies that increase students’ academic experience.
Oliver Mao
Recruitment and Retention co-chair
Major: Business
Year: 2nd
Hometown: Sugar Land, TX
Contact: oliveramao@gmail.com
Kiefer Shenk
Recruitment and Retention co-chair
Majors: Business Honors/Marketing/Sports Management
Year: 2nd
Hometown: Harker Heights, TX
Contact: kiefer.shenk@gmail.com
Committee At-Large Members
Josh Alvarez
Connor Andrews
Angie Li
Alice Liu
Mitchell Lolley
Amadeus Miranda
Megan Richards
Savior Kim (Returning)
Alberto Tardio (Returning)
Issues Committee is Currently Focusing On
- College Readiness/Affordability
- Retention issues facing the University
- Encouraging each College Council to adopt a committee for first-year students
- Working to highlight the value of first-year community programs, such as TIP and FIGS and why the University should keep these programs
- Working to install an academic probation program in each college, that will check up on students and help them overcome their academic struggles
Current Initiatives
- Creation of an Academic Improvement Scholarship that would reward students who were previously on academic probation and have since made a significant change and improvement to get off probation
- Work with the Office of Admissions and student organizations to create an Admission Tour Video. The video would show students’ first-hand what to expect at UT and how to get involved once they are here.
- Form a focus group for Transfer Students to address retention of these students and other problems they may face at UT
Committee Legislation for 2012-13
S.R. 1204 – In Support of Offering Integrated Interactive Degree Audits for Dual-Degree Students
Past Committee Legislation
Ready, Set, Go! College Readiness Workshop
Ready, Set, Go! is a college readiness workshop designed to help select 9th-11th grade high school students learn the steps they should be taking in high school to prepare them to get into college and how to be successful once they get in. These students are invited to the campus for the day, and are presented with information covering a variety of topics, such as the application process, financial aid, college life and more. The information presented at this workshop is valuable to all students: those who are applying to UT and those who are applying to other colleges as well.
At this year’s Ready, Set, Go on Saturday, Oct. 22, more than 120 high school students, and their parents, from across Central Texas visited the campus of The University of Texas at Austin and learned the necessary information and tools to apply to and succeed in college.
Selected by their high school counselors, ninth and 10th grade students from Bowie, Austin, Lanier, McCallum, Westwood, Eastside Memorial and Crockett high schools attended the workshop, which lasted from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and covered topics, including: the college application process, living conditions on and off campus, classes that should be taken in high school to best prepare for college courses, study tips and other pertinent facts about college life.
In addition to attending information sessions, led by Senate members, regarding admission to college and financial aid, students also received tips regarding advising and study tips and time management.
While the parents of students heard from keynote speaker, and UT Austin’s Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Dr. Soncia Reagins-Lilly, student participants got the opportunity to attend a mock lecture from College of Liberal Arts Associate Professor Dr. Elizabeth Richmond-Garza.
Additional presentations were made regarding the university’s Sanger Learning and Career Center and each student was given a binder with essential information for success in college.
Parents also heard from a panel of students, parents of current UT Austin students and representatives from the university’s Division of Food and Housing Services and police department on issues, including: safety on campus, housing and other concerns they might have about their student’s college experience.
Senate will host an additional Ready, Set, Go! workshop during the spring semester, on March 3, for 11th grade students only.
Longhorn School Bus
Longhorn School Bus is a collaborative program between Zavala Elementary School and The University of Texas. This program is designed to bring 5th and 6th graders from Zavala to the campus and disperse them between three College Councils each visit. The Councils’ role is to introduce the students to college life, and the many careers and opportunities offered within their college. The Councils also host activities for the students that pertain to their college, while also making it fun and informative.
In the last Longhorn School Bus of the spring 2011 semester, Architecture Council led a program for the Zavala students. The Council taught the students how to draw the UT tower using perspective drawing and lines. The elementary students were also given the opportunity to build their very own tower using popsicle sticks. LSB allows elementary school students to see what life is like at the University of Texas, and what exactly each college does. The students work directly with a specific council to see the interesting and fun studies and opportunities each college offers.