MINNEAPOLIS COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE LEADS ITS TWO-YEAR AND FOUR YEAR COLLEGE PEERS IN HIRING EMPLOYEES OF COLOR

MINNEAPOLIS (July 5, 2012)—Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), a public, two-year community and technical college, leads the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system in its hiring rates of employees of color, according to recent MnSCU data. The MnSCU system includes 31 two-year and four-year colleges and universities in Minnesota.

According to data collected by MnSCU and presented to the College in May of this year, MCTC has 23.7 percent employees of color, far above the statewide average.

In addition, according to hiring data from MCTC, the percentage of permanent faculty of color has doubled, rising from 11 percent in 2006 to 22.7 percent currently in 2012. The total number of permanent faculty is 180 and 41 are people of color. Of the eight new full-time faculty hires the College made for fall 2012, six are people of color.

“MCTC is deeply committed to hiring faculty and staff of color,” said President Phil Davis. “We’ve experienced outstanding growth in overall enrollment of 34 percent in the past six years, while increasing students of color by 61 percent. This is the direct result of programs like the Power of You, our Student African American Brotherhood program and others.

“MCTC has a long tradition of serving people of color, including having the first African American to serve as president of a community college in Minnesota, Earl Bowman,” said Davis.

The student population at MCTC is now among the most diverse of all higher education institutions in Minnesota. Of 14,609 students enrolled at MCTC in 2011, 53 percent were students of color, 58 percent experienced low income, 26 percent were first-generation students (defined as neither parent having received post-secondary education) and more than half were female.

“Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is dedicated to ensuring that communities traditionally underserved by higher education, including students of color and families of modest financial means, have access to an extraordinary and affordable education,” said Whitney Harris, executive director for diversity and equity. “Minneapolis Community and Technical College is among the most diverse of all higher education institutions in Minnesota, both in terms of student population and employment.”

Given the diverse make-up of MCTC’s population, College administrators, faculty and staff have taken steps to meet the needs of the MCTC community. Program highlights are as follows:

• The Power of YOU program helps make college possible for those who may not otherwise have the chance to pursue a higher education. The program covers the cost of tuition and fees for two years or up to 72 credits at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) or Saint Paul College through state and federal grants and private scholarships. Nearly 70 percent of program participants are students of color. Enrollment of Minneapolis and St. Paul public high school graduates at MCTC has more than doubled between 2005 and 2009. You can learn more about our Power of YOU program at http://www.minneapolis.edu/Admissions/Power-of-YOU

• MCTC’s African-American Education Empowerment Program (AME) consists of four distinct programs to create opportunities for the educational success of students of color who are attending Minneapolis Community and Technical College. One of the programs, Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB), works to improve the quality and outcome of education by developing scholarship, accountability, commitment, success, determination, character, community and identity in MCTC student member participants. SAAB is an initiative supported by MCTC students, staff, faculty and administration. The MCTC chapter of SAAB won a “Stellar Chapter” award this past March from the National SAAB founder and CEO Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe. Learn more about SAAB at http://www.minneapolis.edu/Student-Life/Student-African-American-Brotherhood-Brother-2-Brother

• MCTC recently expanded its Resource and Referral Center. In the center, students can obtain referrals for housing, childcare and other urgent needs. Personal counseling by MCTC counselors and direct service from community agency staff is also available to help meet critical needs.

• MCTC is the only two-year college in the country to support eight TRiO programs that assist low-income students and community residents in enrolling in college and in completing an education. Learn more about TRiO programs here: http://www.minneapolis.edu/student-services/trio-programs

• MCTC’s Student Life program includes 40 different clubs, including 10 multicultural clubs.