Student Success, Enrollment Growth, & Institutional Visibility

Enrollment

The University of Guam increased enrollment by 3.3% in fall 2007 over the prior year with 3,282 students enrolled. Fall 2007 enrollment numbers are the highest in seven years. A breakdown of the fall 2007 student population by gender shows 62% of students are female and 38% are male. A student ethnicity profile shows 43% of students identify themselves as Chamorros from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern , while 36% identify themselves as Filipinos, and 5.8% identify themselves as white non-Hispanic.

Graduates

A total of 331 individuals graduated with undergraduate and graduate degrees in academic year 2006-2007 (Fall 2006, Spring 2007, and Summer 2007), compared to the prior year figure of 389. Nathaniel David Entilla, a National Merit scholar, was valedictorian for the spring 2007 commencement ceremonies. He graduated summa cum laude, with a double major in English and Political Science. Allison Iseke was the valedictorian for the fall 2007 commencement ceremonies. Iseke graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Special Education.

Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office distributes over $15 Million in total aid yearly, more than 70% of which is for grants and scholarships. Almost all financial aid is allocated strictly according to financial need. Financial aid comes in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study funds from federal, Government of Guam and other sources, which are allocated according to a set of interlocking regulations and policies.

Two federal grant programs: the Academic Competitiveness grant (ACG) and the SMART Grant have been implemented in 2007. Additionally, a new federal TEACH grant award which gives federal funds to teachers will be implemented in the 08-09 academic year.

English Placement Tests

The number of students who took the English Placement Test in preparation for the summer and fall 2007 semesters totaled 689. Of that total, 265 (38%) placed into EN 110, 262 (38%) placed in EN 100, and 162 (24%) placed into EN 085.

This continued the trend in recent years where more students placed into EN110 than EN085 In fall 2002 and 2003, a majority of the students who took the English Placement Test tested into remedial courses. These results indicate that an increasing number of freshmen entering the University are better prepared for college-level course work as measured by the Placement Test.

Army ROTC

As of fall 2007, 129 cadets were enrolled in the Army ROTC program on the UOG campus, and 17 students were enrolled in the UOG Army ROTC program at the Northern Marianas College in Saipan. The UOG Army ROTC program commissioned six officers in academic year 2006-2007. A total of 317 University students have been commissioned as U.S. Army officers since the program started in 1979. During summer 2007, 11 cadets attended the annual Leaders Development and Assessment Course at Fort Lewis, Washington where they were trained and evaluated along with 4,000 other cadets from all 271 Army ROTC programs across the nation.

Army AmeriCorps Student Success Center Funded

In 2007 the UOG AmeriCorps Program received a $527,117 grant to support tutor and mentorship positions in the AmeriCorps Student Success Center located in the Student Center Building. The grant also supports outreach AmeriCorps programs in the public high schools. The grant was written by Claudia Taitano, counselor, and Dr. Julie Ulloa-Heath, Dean of Enrollment Management and Students Services. This is the third consecutive year the Student Success Center grant has been funded. The original award amount in 2005 was $149k.

TRIO Programs Educational Talent Search

TRIO is a 100% federally funded, nationwide, non-profit program designed to assist students who are first-generation college students, and/or from low-income families, as they earn their high school diplomas and enroll in a college of their choice.TRIO includes the following three programs:

Student Recruitment

The University of Guam held its first Guam Graduate Programs Information Fair in December 2007, attracting 80 prospective graduate students. A series of College Night functions were held in spring 2007 for high school seniors and their parents, attracting hundreds of participants. Attendees at both functions learned about the University of Guam’s academic programs, financial aid, and steps to admission. These activities are part of the institution’s recruitment strategy.

Alumni Relations

The UOG Alumni Association, Korea chapter, was organized in October 2006 and chartered in 2007. Members are UOG alumni who are from Korea or of Korean descent. Fine Arts graduates have established the Art Association of Guam and Micronesia. Members are UOG alumni and students working with the community to enhance art on Guam and the region. The Alumni Relations web site has been updated. New links such as the alumni information update form were added to the web site. This information form allows alumni to update important information to their profile on-line. The Alumni Office can now email information regarding UOG activities and events, newsletters, courses-on-line, etc. to 1,300+ individuals in the alumni database.

I Pentagon Campus Suicide Prevention Program

I Pinangon which means “awakening” in the Chamorro language, is the University of Guam’s Campus Suicide Prevention Program. Funded by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, I Pinangon is a resource center and outreach and training program that aims to raise awareness of suicide and to promote successful approaches in preventing and intervening in suicidal behavior. In September 2007, I Pinangon presented Suicide Prevention Month in collaboration with various University and community organizations. Along with holding the highly successful Suicide Prevention Forum, I Pinangon co-produced with the University’s Island Theatre, ’night, Mother, the Pulitzer prize-winning play about a mother’s attempt to prevent her daughter’s suicide. Additionally, I Pinangon held various training and outreach activities including class presentations, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) workshops, educational seminars, and two student essay contests that prompted students to write their perspectives on suicide prevention.

Isa Psychological Services Center

Isa Psychological Services Center offered a variety of psychological services to University of Guam students, faculty, and staff in 2007. Isa counselors hosted the National Alcohol Screening Day in spring of 2007 and the National Depression Screening Day in Fall of 2007 in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, PEACE, Guam Police Department, Dr. Thomas Shieh, Student Health Services, Student Counseling Services, I’Pinangon Campus Suicide Prevention Program, Campus Violence Prevention Program, and the Psychology Club. In addition, Isa counselors provided suicide post-vention services, crisis intervention, and counseling services to over 50 clients.

Campus Violence Prevention Program

In 2007, the University of Guam’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences received a $300K grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women to reduce violent crimes against women on campus. Funds will be used to create a Campus Violence Prevention Program addressing the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus, and the provision of services for victims of these crimes. The program will address six goals (1) To create a coordinated multidisciplinary community response to violence against women on campus; (2) To develop and implement campus policies, protocols, and services that more effectively identify and respond to crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus; (3) To establish programs to train University administrators, campus security personnel, and members of the University Student Discipline and Appeals Committee to respond effectively in cases involving violence against women; (4) To develop and implement education programs for the prevention of violence against women; (5) To disseminate information about victims’ options on and off campus to bring disciplinary or other legal action against the perpetrators(s); and (6) To develop a comprehensive victim service program on campus providing assistance for victims.

American Association of University Women Campus Action Grant

In 2007, the American Association of University Women funded a campus action grant for a series of workshops that investigate workplace issues.. At the conclusion of the workshops the students participated in a public presentation of their newly designed woman-friendly work environments to UOG students, administrators, faculty and staff.

UOG’s Seventh Truman Scholar in Eight Years

Elvira Manglona, a graduate student at the University of Guam, was named a 2007 Truman Scholar March 2007. Manglona, originally from Rota, was the first person from the CNMI to be selected as a Truman Scholar. She receives up to $30,000 in scholarship funds for graduate school.

Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences

Marine Lab graduate student Lisa Chau was awarded a US National Science Foundation-sponsored internship at the Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences (STARS). Lisa was one of only 30 students selected nationwide to study at the eight-week program held at the University of California at San Diego.

UOG Student Chapter Receives SHRM Superior Merit Award

In March 2007, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) presented the Superior Merit Award to the Guam Student Chapter for their outstanding activities as a student chapter during SHRM’s national conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Students have earned nine awards since the chapter was formed in 1997. The chapter advisor is Dr. Richard Colfax.

UOG 2006 Student Employee of the Year

Amanda Santos won the University of Guam’s 2006 Student Employee of the Year Award in April 2007. She received a roundtrip airfare to San Diego courtesy of Northwest Airlines, gas coupons from 76 Circle K and other prizes. The university’s Career Development Office hosts the annual Student Employee of the Year award to recognize the efforts of students employed through part-time and work study programs. The University employs over 300 students who contribute to the university’s mission.

Alan Chu selected to attend the 7th Annual Pacific Region Investment Conference

Alan Chu, a Finance and Economics major, submitted his paper, Playing the Investment Game: An Analysis of Electronic Arts, and won an all expense paid trip to Manila in October 2007 to attend the Asia Pacific Association for Fiduciary Studies’ 7th Annual Pacific Region Investment Conference.

Career/Job Fairs

The University of Guam’s Career Development Office sponsored Career Job Fairs in spring and fall of 2007. Dozens of companies, agencies, and organizations participated in the fairs, which were attended by thousands of job seekers. A total of 1,611 individuals participated in the spring fair, while the fall fair drew 1,542 job seekers.

Casting Our Net Rediscovering Community in the 21st Century

This film was produced by 14 University of Guam students who traveled to Bali, Indonesia for a Community Development Workshop in spring 2007. They learned about and volunteered in rural communities in an effort to understand the impacts of globalization and the consumer culture. The film is a critical reflection of their learning experiences and ensuing resolve to rediscover the elements that foster healthier and more sustainable community development. In January 2008, students presented the film at the International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability in Malaysia.

University Music

In 2007, the UOG music department offered the public two student recitals, and four different departmental concerts including: The Acculturated Music of Africa and Europe: American Jazz. Faculty and many students of the music department also performed with the Guam Symphony conducted by Stephen Bednarzyk. Cynthia Sajnovsky co-hosted KPRG's "Airing the Arts", which is in its 13th year. Randy Johnson and Cynthia Sajnovsky served as adjudicators for the Tumon Bay Music Festival.

UOG Island Theatre

Two plays (The Hunter Gracchus and 3xIves) were performed in Spring 2007 and two more ('Night Mother and Shorts By Shel) in Fall 2007. A total number of 1268 individuals attended the performances.

Estoria yan Kånta siha gi i CHa’guan Fanasodda’an

In November 2007, the CM102 Elementary CHamoru II classes from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Humanities Division at the University of Guam under the instruction of Professor Peter R. Onedera hosted a semester festival project entitled Estoria yan Kånta siha gi i CHa’guan Fanasodda’an (Stories and Songs on the Meeting Place on the Lawn). CHamoru baked goods, artwork and crafts were sold, and singers and storytellers presented their repertoire in the CHamoru language. The goal of the project is to immerse the students and the community in the CHamoru language while providing the public with an experience unique to the culture of Guam.

Scholarships and Donations

2007 Employee Recognition and Award Ceremony

The following University employees received Employee of the Year awards in 2007: Jennifer R. Arceo – Category I Secretarial and Clerical; LaVonne Guerrero-Meno – Category II Technical, Professional (non-faculty) and Paraprofessional Nominees; Adelaida Canlas – Category III Skilled Craft and Maintenance; Maria Francis Quinto and Sonny P. Perez – Administrator of the Year.