{"596289":{"#nid":"596289","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Award Highlights College of Computing\u2019s Efforts to Grow Diversity in CS","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Computing is being recognized for its ongoing efforts to grow diversity in computer science (CS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring an event held Sept. 21 at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/tapiaconference.org\/\u0022\u003E2017 ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing\u003C\/a\u003E in Atlanta, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cmd-it.org\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Minorities and People with Disabilities in IT\u003C\/a\u003E (CMD-IT) presented College of Computing Executive Associate Dean \u003Cstrong\u003ECharles Isbell\u003C\/strong\u003E with the organization\u0026rsquo;s first annual University Award for Retention of Minorities and Students with Disabilities in Computer Science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re tremendously honored to be the inaugural recipient of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cmd-it.org\/programs\/current\/university-award\/\u0022\u003ECMD-IT University Award\u003C\/a\u003E for Retention of Minorities and Students with Disabilities in Computer Science,\u0026rdquo; said Isbell.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The College of Computing is proud to be one of the country\u0026rsquo;s top three research universities in graduating underrepresented minority Ph.D. students in the past decade, but we know there is a long way to go and much work to be done. We look forward to continuing our work with CMD-IT and other partner organizations to help computing better reflect the full spectrum of the country.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe CMD-IT award recognizes U.S. institutions that have shown a commitment to growing diversity, and that have proven results for the retention of students from underrepresented groups in undergraduate CS\u0026nbsp;programs over the last five years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award, sponsored by \u003Cstrong\u003EMicrosoft\u003C\/strong\u003E, is focused on growing participation and building retention rates in CS programs among the following underrepresented groups: African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, and people with disabilities. The honor includes a $15,000 cash prize, which will be used to further the College\u0026rsquo;s diversity programs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Their strong retention programs and the documented results make Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Computing an excellent role model for other universities. The College will be sharing more details of these programs at the faculty workshop at the Tapia Conference,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Cstrong\u003EValerie Taylor\u003C\/strong\u003E, CMD-IT executive director.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe CMD-IT award decision was based on Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s impressive quantitative reported results, which reflected high retention and graduation rates, and qualitative reporting on its various retention programs. In particular, the CMD-IT awards committee pointed to four College of Computing programs that directly impact retention and graduation rates of underrepresented students:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/academics\/degree-programs\/bachelors\/computer-science\/threads\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThreads\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003Eundergraduate curriculum\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ndash; Students are given the opportunity to take control of their curriculum by choosing two of eight Threads to create plans that give them more than 28 different degree choices to follow. Data shows that students feel like they have more control and a better understanding of their degree program.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Computes\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EProject Rise Up\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026ndash; The two programs are spearheaded by the College of Computing and help increase engagement in CS by broadening participation of underrepresented groups at all educational levels.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMandatory CS\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026ndash; All Georgia Tech undergraduate students are required to take one of three introductory CS classes. The three programs enable students to take courses that fit their level of experience in computer science.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConference scholarships\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026ndash; The College of Computing provides students between 40 and 120 travel scholarships each year to leading tech conferences that focus on diversity. The program allows underrepresented students to make contacts, build support networks, and return with a feeling of renewed commitment to their degree program.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Programs promoting minority CS participation yield results, but much more is needed"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Computing has received the inaugural CMDiT University Award for its efforts to grow diversity in computer science."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2017-09-21 14:10:25","changed_gmt":"2017-09-21 19:07:57","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"596291":{"id":"596291","type":"image","title":"GT Computing accepts diversity award at Tapia Conference 2017","body":null,"created":"1506003543","gmt_created":"2017-09-21 14:19:03","changed":"1506003543","gmt_changed":"2017-09-21 14:19:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227248","name":"CMDiT award tapia17 1 21sept17.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CMDiT%20award%20tapia17%201%2021sept17.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CMDiT%20award%20tapia17%201%2021sept17.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":708996,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CMDiT%20award%20tapia17%201%2021sept17.JPG?itok=afBPtEWA"}}},"media_ids":["596291"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50875","name":"School of Computer Science"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"170724","name":"TAPIA"},{"id":"175631","name":"isbell"},{"id":"175632","name":"CMDiT"},{"id":"736","name":"diversity"},{"id":"175633","name":"university award cmd-it"},{"id":"4700","name":"minorities"},{"id":"2523","name":"cs"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlbert Snedeker, Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu?subject=Highlights%20College%E2%80%99s%20Efforts%20to%20Promote%20Diversity%20in%20Computing\u0022\u003Ealbert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}