UCLA

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

A Case Study of Best Practices on High-Impact Yield with Faculty and Staff: A Focus on Underrepresented Minorities at a Public Four-Year Institution by Scott Allen Carter Doctor of Education University of California, Los Angeles, 2021 Professor Patricia M. McDonough, Co-Chair Professor Mark Kevin Eagan, Jr., Co-Chair Annually, high school graduates make an important life decision to continue their education and pursue higher learning, with the challenge of where to apply and enroll. Many underrepresented minority (URM) students who have experienced a systematic denial of resources struggle to find the proper institutional fit to meet their educational goals, academic interests, and resources. The purpose of this research study was to examine the faculty and staff role in the yield process and review how student-faculty-staff interaction contributes to the college matching process. Utilizing a quantitative analysis, this study examined undergraduate enrollment trends for URM students over 10 years at the University of California, Los Angeles, to validate the introduction of a new form of high-stakes yield programming. The study tested the validity of underlying assumptions on the impact of college choice and yield events with faculty and staff and the influence on URM student enrollment. A central outcome of my research revealed students attending high-impact yield events with faculty and staff enrolled at double the rate of those who did not participate. The study reviewed undergraduate admission data and trends for URM admitted students, the College Board Admitted Student Questionnaire outcomes for the institution, and post-event survey responses. The research produced evidence that when students have the opportunity to engage with faculty during the yield process, they are more likely to enroll, thus positively affecting an institution’s enrollment goals and outcomes. The study provides suggested best practices for developing effective partnerships and leveraging academic partnerships to support students and families at the critical period of making their final college choice decision and supporting the University’s enrollment process. This study begins to explore the impact of yield programming to support URM students in the enrollment process. It challenges practitioners to consider innovative and strategic efforts that support institutional diversity goals that promote access, equity, and inclusion.