Improving Access and Success

1
Improving Access and Success
Trudie McNaughton Pro Vice-Chancellor, Equal
Opportunities The University of Auckland Forum
on Higher Education and Social Inclusion Melbourne
16 July 2008
2
Equity and Excellence at The University of
Auckland

• Equity non-negotiable in NZ context
• Formal recognition of special relationship with
  Maori under the Treaty of Waitangi
• Statutory obligations
• Universitys own commitments to equitable student
  access and success
• Public expectations, national identity

3
The University of Auckland Commitment

• Providing equal opportunities to all who have the
  potential to succeed in a university of high
  international standing (Strategic Plan 2005-2012)
• Tertiary Education Commission approved Investment
  Profile
• University Charter
• Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce
  Report

4
New Zealand Policy Context

• Strong focus on economic transformation,
  productivity and labour market participation
• Skills Strategy limited focus on higher
  skills
• Tertiary policy - Tertiary Education Strategy

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New Zealand Policy Context ctd

• Schools Plus policy under development limited
  focus on universities compared with other
  tertiaries
• Ka Hikitia Managing for Success, Maori Education
  Strategy

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Goals of Ka Hikitia Managing for Success, Maori
Education Strategy include

• Increase Maori school leavers qualified to attend
  university from 14.8 in 2006 to 30 by 2012.
• Increase the first year degree programme
  retention rate for 1819 year-old Maori students
  from 81 in 2006 (based on the 2005 cohort) to
  88 in 2012 (based on the 2011 cohort).

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UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce
Context

• Strategic Plan increase student numbers by
  average 1 pa, shift student profile so
  postgraduate students move from 18 to 22 of
  total
• TEC funding only for agreed number of students
• Tertiary policy of differentiated tertiary sector
• UoA limited entry for undergraduates from 2009

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UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce
Context ctd

• Maori and Pacific school students
  disproportionately concentrated in low decile
  schools and leave school with lower levels of
  achievement than peers
• UoA admits a high proportion of Maori and Pacific
  students who gain University Entrance.

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UoA Undergraduate Admissions and Equity Taskforce

• Commitment to equity and excellence
• International benchmarking to establish
  principles for admissions system
• Admission on achievement AND potential

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Ambitious goals for Maori and Pacific student
admissions

• Two stages
• Match the proportion of Maori and Pacific school
  leavers admitted with proportion of such students
  in Auckland and Northland gaining University
  Entrance (retaining current special admissions
  student numbers)
• Match the proportion of enrolled Maori and
  Pacific students with proportion of Maori and
  Pacific people over 15 in Universitys regional
  population within five years

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UoA response to challenge of educational
inequities

• Senior positions Pro V-C Maori Pro V-C EO, and
  specialist resources eg in EO Office
• EEO initiatives to increase staff diversity
• Teaching and learning to meet diverse student
  needs
• Enhance data on students with disabilities and
  low SES students participation, retention and
  achievement
• Research eg Starpath Project
• Knowledge transfer eg policy makers, education
  sectors
• Develop Maori and Pacific student recruitment
  strategy and admission processes in an inclusive
  manner, with case management approach to equity
  groups

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UoA response to challenge of educational
inequities

• Scholarships
• Retention and enhancement of learning and other
  support structures
• Admissions system to include single ranking
  system to measure academic achievement and other
  factors such as interviews, portfolios,
  differential rank scores, targeted admissions
  schemes

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UoA response to challenge of educational
inequities

• Publish indicative rank scores annually
• Students admitted with low rank scores be
  required to participate in learning support
  programmes and their performance monitored

14
UoA response to challenge of educational
inequities

• Foundation programmes guarantee those who
  complete successfully a UoA place
• Work with other tertiaries on pathways from
  foundation and diploma programmes to degree study
  at UoA
• Targeted admissions schemes to assist in meeting
  goals for under-represented groups
• Monitoring implications of limited entry,
  including changes to unsatisfactory progress
  regulations

15

• E koe koe te tui, e ketekete te kaka, e kuku te
  kereru.
• The tui sings, the kaka chatters and the pigeon
  coos.
•  
• A reflection of the richness diversity brings.
  (Whakatauki - Maori proverb).