UTEP Receives Top Rankings for Degrees Awarded

LISA Y. GARIBAY | July 11, 2013 | UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

For the fourth year in a row, UTEP has been named a top undergraduate degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine, ranking highly among its list of institutions that confer the most degrees to minority students.

For the fourth year in a row, UTEP has been named a top undergraduate degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine, ranking highly among its list of institutions that confer the most degrees to minority students.

UTEP ranked No. 1 in awarding undergraduate degrees to Hispanic students in education, engineering, and mathematics and statistics. It ranked No. 2 in awarding education degrees to all minorities and in awarding degrees in biological and biomedical sciences, and physical sciences to Hispanic students. For awarding degrees to Hispanics in all disciplines combined, UTEP ranked No. 3 among all colleges and universities in the country.

"Not only is UTEP an emerging research university, but these data show that it is playing a significant role in reducing the gaps in college degree attainment among diverse and nontraditional groups, not just in the state but nationally," said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Junius Gonzales. "These rankings also underscore and reaffirm our Washington Monthly designation last year as No. 1 in the nation for enhancing social mobility for our students."

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education rankings are described as the most comprehensive compilation of college statistics in awarding degrees to minority students. The data is compiled exclusively for the publication by Victor Borden, Ph.D., of Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis as part of a national report documenting the ability of U.S. colleges to award degrees to African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Native American students.

Using the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education (2011-12 academic year), Borden created rankings based on the total number of degrees awarded at every college, as well as specific figures in major fields of study and disciplines. Diverse has produced this research for more than two decades. Results from both 2013 and previous years can be found at http://diverseeducation.com/top100/.

This highly respected special report on undergraduate degrees is part two of a three-part series for the biweekly publication.

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education describes itself as "the only source of critical news, information and insightful commentary on the full range of issues concerning diversity in American higher education" with a mission to provide information that is honest, thorough and balanced. It seeks, through traditional and nontraditional mediums, to be a change agent and generate public policies that resolve inequities that still exist today. The magazine's website states, "In fulfilling our mission, we believe we are helping to build the educational, cultural, social and economic structures necessary to allow every individual to reach his or her full potential, and thus contribute to the greater good of their community and the nation at-large." It was launched in 1984 as Black Issues In Higher Education, then in 2005 was renamed Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, expanding its coverage to address the needs of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, people with disabilities, seniors, L.G.B.T. persons and other underrepresented groups in higher education.