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Paper ID #24198

2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing


Diversity Conference: Crystal City, Virginia Apr 29
A Systemic Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Women in Undergraduate
Computing
Dr. Gretchen Achenbach, National Center for Women and Information Technology

Gretchen Achenbach is a research scientist in the Department of Engineering and Society at the Uni-
versity of Virginia and with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). She
earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her interests focus on the
communication of scientific information and gender issues in computing and technology.
Prof. Lecia Jane Barker, University of Colorado, NCWIT

Lecia Barker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science at the University of
Colorado Boulder and a Senior Research Scientist for the National Center for Women & Information
Technology. Lecia conducts research in attracting, retaining, and advancing groups underrepresented in
computing. Her research focuses on social climate, identity/belonging, faculty adoption of teaching and
curricular practices, and sustainable organizational change. She advocates changing social and educa-
tional environments so that all students can develop a sense of belonging, not on changing students so
that they fit into unwelcome environments. She presents on how to get girls and women into computing
education from high school through graduate education and how to retain in the field.
Dr. Leisa Thompson, University of Virginia
Dr. Leisa Thompson is a Research Scientist in Science, Technology, and Society at the University of
Virginia. She also works for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) as the
Director of Research and Consulting for the NCWIT Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs. Dr.
Thompson conducts research on systemic reform that focus on recruitment, retention, and advancement
of women in undergraduate computing and engineering programs. Dr. Thompson has an undergraduate
degree in Computer Science and over 15 years of corporate experience in Engineering and Information
Technology as an applications engineer, systems administrator, systems engineer, and senior consultant
for companies such as Xerox, Hughes Electronics, and IBM Corporation. She has also presented at
various regional, national, and international conferences.

American
c Society for Engineering Education, 2018
Recruiting and Retaining Women

A Systemic Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Women


in Undergraduate Computing

ABSTRACT

Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs (ES-UP) at the National Center for Women &
Information Technology (NCWIT) employs a multi-pronged, systemic approach to increasing the
enrollment and retention of women in undergraduate computing departments. ES-UP advocates
for improving the environment for all students using research-based strategies that correspond to
the six components of the NCWIT ES-UP Systemic Change Model. This paper describes the ES-
UP Systemic Change Model, presents evidence supporting the effectiveness of ES-UP’s approach,
shares innovative examples from successful ES-UP client departments, and highlights relevant
resources and strategies that undergraduate computing departments can implement themselves.
Many of ES-UP’s recommendations are broadly applicable to engineering and other STEM
departments where women are under-represented.

INTRODUCTION

Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs (ES-UP) at the National Center for Women &
Information Technology (NCWIT) employs a multi-pronged, systemic approach to increasing the
enrollment and retention of women in undergraduate computing departments. ES-UP advocates
improving the environment for all students using research-based strategies that correspond to the
six components of the NCWIT ES-UP Systemic Change Model. The components include creating
a Recruiting Strategic Plan; retaining students with Inclusive Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Student
Support; securing appropriate Institutional Policies and Support; and finally, implementing a
comprehensive Evaluation and Tracking System (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Systemic Change in Undergraduate Computing

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The following points are key to ES-UP’s approach:


1. Strategies are chosen that bring the greatest return on investment in the least amount of
time to bring results.
2. Efforts focus on changing the system, rather than changing the student.
3. Institutional contexts vary, thus solutions must be adapted to local conditions.
4. Change must be systemic in order to be sustainable.
5. Components of the model are highly interconnected. For example, it makes little sense to
put effort into recruiting students if they cannot be retained. Similarly, ongoing evaluation
and tracking should guide recruitment and retention initiatives, and institutional support is
needed to implement significant and sustainable changes in other areas.
Below, we first present recent outcome data supporting the effectiveness of ES-UP’s approach.
Then, we describe the individual components of the NCWIT ES-UP Systemic Change model and
relevant practices for recruiting and retaining undergraduate women. Specific examples from
successful ES-UP client departments are highlighted.

SUPPORT FOR THE ES-UP SYSTEMIC CHANGE MODEL

ES-UP provides client department(s) with a trained consultant who assists with the development
and implementation of a strategic plan that addresses all components of the systemic change
model. Consultants typically a hold doctoral degrees in education, sociology, evaluation, or other
relevant social sciences and are deeply knowledgeable about social theory and change.
To date, NCWIT ES-UP has worked with 72 institutions, representing 74 computing departments
and 92 undergraduate computing majors. (Some efforts also included engineering departments
(n=41) with historically low representation of women, however, data presented are for computing
only.) We have served these clients across multiple cohorts, beginning in 2007 through the present.
We present an analysis of short-term gains achieved by clients we served beginning in 2013,
followed by a long-term analysis of clients we served in our first five years of funding (from 2007-
2012). We demonstrate gains in attracting women into the major, in retaining them in the short
term, and in graduation rates.

Short-term Gains: 2013-2016 Clients


We combined data from institutions using the NCWIT Tracking Tool [1], an online tool into which
clients submit data on applications, acceptances, and new enrollments; total declared majors and
students retained; and graduations. We also use graduation data from the National Center for
Education Statistics [2]. Below, we present data from analysis of clients who submitted data for
both the baseline year that preceded their work with ES-UP, and data for the post-service year
following consultation (n=28 institutions). The pre-ES-UP baseline data includes academic years
2011-2012 or 2012-2013, depending on whether the clients began their work with us in 2012 or
2013. The post-ES-UP data is from three years later, academic years 2014-2015 or 2015-2016.

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More women applied to client departments’


majors over baseline. Clients created a strategic
recruiting plan in the first year, which they
implemented within one year of beginning as an
ES-UP client. Figure 2 shows that clients
successfully marketed their majors to increase
applications of women.
 2.5 times more women applied compared
to 2 times as many men.
18%
 Women applicants grew from 14% to 18%
in just two years. 14%

The increase in applicants is due only to improved


marketing and outreach efforts, not due to any
changes in policy as might be seen with increased Figure 1. More Women Applied to Computing Majors from
acceptances. Baseline to Post-Consultation (source: NCWIT Tracking
Tool)

Clients accepted more women and a higher


percentage of women over baseline. Facing a
huge enrollment boom over the past five years,
clients accepted many more students, both men
and women, but accepted women at a higher rate
than men, as shown in Figure 3.
 2.2 times more women who applied were
accepted, compared to 1.6 times as many
men between the baseline year and the
outcome year. 20%
 Acceptances of women grew from 16% to 16%
20% in just two to three years.

Figure 2. Women’s Share of Acceptances Increased from


Baseline (source: NCWIT Tracking Tool)

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More women enrolled in clients’ majors.


Enrollment yield is the percent of students
accepted who actually enroll in the major. The
yield of both men and women increased in client
departments, but women’s yield increased at a
higher rate than that of men, as shown in Figure
4.
 2.2 times more women enrolled in the
majors, while only 1.6 times as many men
17%
enrolled over the pre-ES-UP baseline. 13%
 Women made up 17% of newly-enrolled
students, up by 4% in two to three years.
 Women also made up 18% of total
declared majors after two years, up by 5% Figure 3. Women’s Share of Newly-Enrolled Majors
from before ES-UP consultation. Increased (source: NCWIT Tracking Tool)

Graduations, a lagging indicator, increased.


Although the time frame studied was too short to
track students from first year through graduation,
the percentage of women who graduated from
the most recent cohorts increased between 2012
and 2016. Many of the clients ES-UP worked
with during this period were among the largest
producers of bachelor’s degrees in computing in
the U.S., and the larger the major, the smaller the
18%
percentage of women tends to be [3]. As shown
13%
in Figure 5,
 ES-UP clients graduated 2.6 times as
many women, but only 1.9 times as many
men in 2016. Figure 4. Despite Short Time Frame and Enrollment Surge,
Clients Increased Graduations of Women (source: National
 The percent of women graduates in these Center for Education Statistics)
departments grew from 13% to 18% over
four years.

Long Term Gains: Earliest ES-UP Clients Surpass National Rate of BS Degrees Awarded to
Women
During 2007-2011, ES-UP served 32 clients awarding bachelor’s degrees in computing. These
degrees are categorized as Computer and Information Sciences, General and Computer Science

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(Classification of Instructional Program [CIP] 11.01 and 11.07, respectively1). In 2016, these 32
earliest clients awarded nearly one-eighth of these BS degrees in public and not-for-profit private
institutions in the U.S. Like many large departments [3], they were among the worst performing
in the U.S. with respect to graduations of women when they began their work in 2007. After putting
sustainable programs in place, by 2016 they awarded 21% of their bachelor’s degrees to women,
as shown in Figure 6, surpassing the national average of 18%. (Data source: National Center for
Education Statistics [3])

 21% NCWIT ES Early clients


 18% National average1 of CIP 11.01 & 11.07
11%

Figure 5. For NCWIT ES-UP 32 Earliest Clients, % Women Awarded


BS Exceeded National Average in 2016 (Data source: National Center
for Education Statistics)

1
This analysis presents data from degrees awarded under Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code 11 and
sub-codes, as categorized by the National Center for Education Statistics. CIP 11 is an umbrella code for all
program types. Three program types made up 87% of the degrees awarded in 2016. These include 11.01
(Computer and Information Sciences, General; 42% of all CIP 11), 11.04 (Information Science; 11% of all CIP 11),
and 11.07 (Computer Science; 34% of all CIP 11). 11.04, Information Science, can be either a technical degree or
non-technical degree, including majors called “informatics,” “IT security policy analysis,” and “library and
information science.” Nationally, Information science awards 24% of bachelor’s degrees to women on average,
ranging from 6% to 54% among programs that awarded 30 or more degrees in 2016. However, when using only
11.01 and 11.07 in the analysis, the national average degrees awarded to women is 18%. Because 96% of the
degrees reported by earliest ES-UP clients were in CIPs 11.01 and 11.07, we compare to the national average of
these two categories above. Also excluded is the all-women school we served to avoid the slight skewing of the
data.

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THE ES-UP SYSTEMIC CHANGE MODEL

The following sections explain the components of the ES-UP Systemic Change Model and identify
related resources. Successful strategies implemented by recipients of the NCWIT Extension
Services Transformation Award (NEXT) 2 are highlighted.

Systemic Change Model Component 1: Strategic Recruiting


Strategic recruiting focuses on achieving the greatest return with the least investment of resources.
For example, outreach to students in middle school and younger is not a recommended recruiting
strategy because the likelihood that
participants will eventually enroll in a Case Study: Strategic Recruiting
particular undergraduate program is low and To promote the redesigned program, the
far in the future. Instead, ES-UP recommends department began placing banners across the
prioritizing women who are available to Diag (center part of Central campus), posters on
declare a computing major within the next 1 to the buses that run between campuses, 4' by 6'
3 years, such as high school students, posters around Central campus, and table
toppers in dining rooms of all freshman dorms.
community college transfer students, and
Additionally, the department redesigned the CS-
students who are already accepted or enrolled
LSA website to have a modern look and to be
at the institution. For example, high school
welcoming to females. In addition to the basic
students can be targeted with outreach to
information, there are many interviews with
feeder schools and by establishing
different races, nationalities, genders, etc. This
relationships between the undergraduate
ad campaign became known as "carpet
program and important influencers such as bombing" the students. – University of
guidance counselors and teachers. Encourage Michigan, NEXT Award 2nd Place, 2017
students already accepted to an undergraduate
program to enroll by hosting events to help them get to know the department and by having faculty
or current students establish personal contact through phone calls, email, or mail. Introductory CS
classes and classes for non-majors provide an opportunity to reach undecided students who are
already enrolled at the institution. Introductory classes should be designed to encourage, not
discourage, students’ interest in computing, and faculty can explicitly encourage promising
students to consider a computing major.
Effective messaging is vital for recruiting. Focus on broadly appealing aspects of computing such
as collaboration and application to real-world, socially relevant problems [4], [5], [6], and avoid
perpetuating stereotypes of computing that are off-putting or lead women to believe they won’t fit
in [7], [8]. For marketing materials and websites, choose images that show diverse people working
together on interesting projects, and emphasize the wide variety of careers in computing. Provide
“talking points” for those who come in contact with prospective majors, such as advising and

2
NCWIT’s NEXT Award recognize ES-UP client institutions for excellence in successfully implementing ES-UP
recommended strategies and demonstrating sustained progress in increasing the representation of women in their
undergraduate computing programs.

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admissions personnel, and make sure they understand and can effectively communicate about the
reality of computing and the diversity of people who can succeed at it. Address barriers to entry
such as admissions criteria or unnecessary course prerequisites that may disadvantage certain
students or be biased against those who lack programming experience.
ES-UP strongly recommends creating a Recruiting Strategic Plan to guide efforts. A strategic plan
identifies the issues to be addressed, sets specific goals, describes the activities or initiatives to be
implemented, specifies the timeframe, assigns tasks to specific people, and plans for evaluation
and reporting of results.
Recommended Resources
A strategic plan template and additional information on recruiting can be found in the workbook
Recruit Strategically: A “High Yield in the Short Term” Workbook for Attracting Women to
Undergraduate Computing and Engineering. The workbook, along with Tips for Creating
Inclusive Academic Website, and many additional Promising Practices, Programs-In-A-Box, and
other resources, can be found at NCWIT.org/resources.

Systemic Change Model Components 2, 3, and 4: Retaining with Pedagogy, Curriculum, and
Student Support
Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Student Support
comprise the three components of ES-UP’s Case Study: Retaining with Pedagogy
(P)rimary changes were to introduce pair
Systemic Change Model that address the
programming to enable collaborative learning,
challenges of retaining students. Women not
along with placing undergraduate peer tutors in
only enter computing majors at lower rates than
the labs to provide immediate help for students
men, but they are also more likely to leave [9],
who get stuck. Both changes helped to develop
[10]. Contributing factors include stereotypes
a sense of community in the labs rather than a
that undermine feelings of belonging, lack of competitive environment. Results showed that
positive interactions with peers and faculty, loss these changes were extremely successful as
of confidence in their abilities, and lectures and determined by passing rates and follow-on
assignments that are unappealing or lack real- surveys. – University of California, Irvine, NEXT
world context [10]-[16]. ES-UP strongly Award 1st Place, 2016.
recommends mainstreaming retention practices
that counteract these conditions into the experiences of all students, not just those of
underrepresented students. Efforts that specifically support women or other underrepresented
students, such as extracurricular support groups, reach only those students who choose to
participate and often only for as long as funding or a champion is available.

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Retaining with Pedagogy. The use of


Case Study: Retaining with Pedagogy
personally meaningful, socially relevant
When re-evaluating (the introductory course), it
assignments promotes retention of women and
became clear that most students have no idea of
underrepresented students [12], [14].
what Computer Science is about. They have
Instructors can explain how a concept is used
never taken a course in it; most of them have
for different types of applications, describe the
never heard of it. The course now starts with
rewards of a career in computing, survey the what CS is, how CS impacts the students' lives,
class to gauge interests, and offer choices to and how CS is an integral part of every major at
students. However, care should be taken to U-M. How CS is in every aspect of our lives.
avoid falling back on stereotypes of what When students are challenged to give one career
women and men like (for example, assuming that CS does not impact, they conclude that CS
that women like communicating and men like impacts every degree at U-M. – University of
games). Teaching practices that create an Michigan, NEXT Award 2nd Place, 2017
inclusive, collaborative environment should be
integrated early in the curriculum and include pair programming, peer-led team learning,
discussion and problem solving groups in class, and the conversational classroom [17]-[19].
Providing timely feedback on assignments and sharing information such as the class mean and
standard deviation helps students accurately judge their progress. Encouraging students to adopt a
“growth mindset,” where they understand that success results from effort and hard work rather
than innate ability, has been shown to improve confidence, performance, and the ability to persist
in the face of challenge [20].

Retaining with Curriculum. Students entering Case Study: Recruiting and Retaining with
computing programs vary in their previous Curriculum
programing experience. Introductory classes Based in part on the success of the Informatics
that separate students by experience level Minor, in 2010 we began developing a “CS+X” set
prevent inexperienced students from being of majors within the College of Liberal Arts and
intimidated by more experienced classmates Sciences (LAS). The vision was to provide
and help ensure that they are well-prepared for students with a strong computing foundation –
successive courses. Furthermore, true no weaker than that of the CS majors in the
introductory-level classes can be valuable Engineering College – but coupled with advanced
recruiting opportunities, as they often attract work in an LAS discipline rather than more
non-majors and undecided students. If offering advanced work in areas such as operating
separate classes is not feasible, other methods systems, compilers, theory, networking, etc. …
such as supplementary support classes, study Our first four new degrees were CS+
groups, or summer bridge programs can help Anthropology, CS+Astronomy, CS+Chemistry,
inexperienced students succeed. If points where and CS+Linguistics, all which began admitting
students tend to leave the program can be freshmen in fall 2014… Each of the three years
identified, departments should consider whether they’ve existed, roughly 27% - 30% of enrolling
modifications to specific courses or to the majors were women. – University of Illinois at
course sequence (e.g. avoiding requiring two Urbana-Champaign, NXT Award 1st Place, 2017
particularly difficult courses to be taken (see also [21])
simultaneously) are warranted. Offering

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curricula that align with students’ career


Case Study: Recruiting and Retaining with
interests is another way to both attract and
Curriculum
retain students. Many computing departments
In response to low levels of previous
now offer major, minors, or tracks within their
programming experience among females in CS1,
programs that combine computing with another as well as the identified need for a broader
field of study. computing curriculum on campus, we created an
introduction to programming class specifically
Retaining with Student Support. Positive for non-majors. The class, titled The Art of
student-student and student-faculty interactions Computing in Python, is designed to introduce all
promote student engagement and create a sense students to computing by showing them the
of community. Interactions can be facilitated broader applications of the discipline. Students
through collaborative learning in classrooms who take the class will be more prepared to be
and peer, tier, or faculty mentoring programs. successful in CS1 if they decide to continue on in
Research experiences for undergraduates computer science; they will not be entering CS1
(REUs), attendance at conferences such as as novice programmers. – University of
Grace Hopper and Regional Celebrations for Colorado Boulder, NEXT Award 2nd Place, 2017
Women in Computing, and participation in
departmental outreach and recruiting activities can help solidify a student’s computing identity. A
welcoming physical environment that doesn’t invoke negative stereotypes of computing also
contributes to a sense of belonging [22]. Case Study: Retaining with Student Support
Mandatory advising and an early alert system …after the Fall 2014 NCWIT Entry Survey showed
for students who fall behind can identify that only 30% of our students had taken a CS
students in need of assistance. class in high school, we sent programming and
ES-UP generally discourages student support logic preparatory materials to our incoming
students and encouraged them to use their
initiatives aimed at women only, such as
summer to prepare. We also created “CS Pods,”
women’s groups. Although potentially helpful
or learning communities into which incoming
in the short term, they are effective only for
freshmen are required to enroll. These groups of
those who participate and risk reinforcing
20 take their CS and math courses together and
stereotypes that women are deficient or in need
meet for an hour each week with a student
of extra help [23], [24].
mentor and a staff facilitator. – University of
Recommended Resources Texas at Austin, NEXT Award 2nd Place, 2016
ES-UP strongly recommends creating a
Retention Strategic Plan to guide efforts. A template can be found in the workbook Strategic
Planning for Retaining Women in Undergraduate Computing, which along with many Promising
Practices, Programs-In-A-Box, and other resources can be found at NCWIT.org/resources.
EngageCSEdu.org is a free online repository of CS1 and CS2 materials selected for their use of
research-supported student engagement practices. All materials in the repository are contributed
by CS faculty and peer-reviewed.

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Systemic Change Model Component 5:


Case Study: Institutional Policies and Support
Institutional Policies and Support (The department chair) specifically asked the
Long-lasting systemic change requires faculty to participate in diversity related service
adjustments to institutional policies and activities, and expected these activities, which
practices and visible, high-level support from ‘counted’ in faculty annual evaluations, to be
administration. For example, providing release reported in their annual Faculty Activity Reports.
time for faculty or creating an office, In 2010, the Diversity Committee created a list of
committee, or staff positions focused on specific examples of activities for faculty
diversity and inclusion helps ensure that efforts engagement – some required one-time
are ongoing and sustained. Faculty who engage participation, others involved a longer time
in diversity efforts should be recognized and commitment. This list was updated as additional
rewarded in meaningful ways, for example, by opportunities arose. The average percent of the
counting their work towards tenure or faculty -- including tenure track professors,
promotion. Resources and administrative instructors, and advisors – who participated in
support are needed for initiatives such as some diversity activity each year from 2010-11
creating new majors and minors, changing to 2014-15 was 73.8%. – Virginia Polytechnic
curriculum, modifying admissions procedures, Institute, NEXT Award 2nd Place, 2016
and hiring more and diverse faculty
(particularly those who are skilled instructors Case Study: Institutional Policies and Support
and demonstrate commitment to diversity and We’ve worked with University Admissions…to
inclusion). better identify qualified female applicants
through a holistic application review…For
example, a student can demonstrate leadership
Systemic Change Model Component 6: through a part-time job or theater crew just as
Evaluation and Tracking well as through the school’s coding club. On the
To ensure that limited time and resources are quantitative side, we’ve checked frequency
well-spent, ongoing evaluation of practices and distributions of the high school GPA, test scores,
tracking of progress should guide the choice and math sub-scores of admitted male and
and implementation of the recruiting and female admits to make sure that there hasn’t
retention initiatives. Evaluation can be been an unconscious ‘raising of the bar’ for
relatively simple, use pre-existing survey female applicants. We also put in an additional
instruments, or make use of information level of review: underrepresented students
already collected by the institution. For (women, minorities, low socioeconomic status,
example, evaluate recruitment events by low-sending counties) who are reviewed by
Admissions and rated as not competitive for their
monitoring attendance and outcomes and by
first choice of major are re-reviewed by College
surveying or briefly interviewing participants.
of Engineering staff. – University of Illinois at
Entry and exit surveys of enrolled students can
Urbana-Champaign, NEXT Award 1st Place
help illuminate what attracted them to the
2017 (see also [21])
program and the quality of their experiences
while there. NCWIT’s Student Experience of the Major Survey assesses departmental climate and
identifies factors in the program that increase or decrease students’ intention to complete the major.

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Track overall recruitment and retention


Case Study: Evaluation and Tracking; Strategic
outcomes with data collected by the department
Recruiting
or institutional research office to document
A critical component of our recruiting efforts is
progress towards larger goals and to evaluate the analyzing our admissions data to determine why
department’s progress relative to peer admitted students may not ultimately
institutions. The NCWIT Extension Services matriculate and to evaluate the success of
Tracking Tool is free and can be used to chart recruiting events. We then use that information
enrollment and outcome data broken down by to modify our processes. For example, one year
sex, race/ethnicity, and academic year. we conducted a survey of all students who were
Evaluation data can also be used to support bids offered engineering admission but declined to
for internal and external support for recruiting attend. We learned that female students did not
and retention activities. find the recruitment process to be personal
enough. From this insight, we revised our
Recommended Resources
recruiting strategy to personalize all forms of
Survey-in-a-Box: Student Experience of the
contact with prospective female students,
Major Survey and NCWIT’s Evaluation Tools
including hosting events and sending materials
collection are available at NCWIT.org/resources
designed to appeal to young women. Over the
and information about the NCWIT Tracking
course of the recruiting process, prospective
Tool is at trackingtool.ncwit.org.
female students now receive approximately 15
personal contacts from the College of
Engineering and Applied Science. – University of
CONCLUSIONS Colorado Boulder, NEXT Award 2nd Place 2017

The ES-UP Systemic Change Model provides a useful and proven framework for changing the
system (not the student) to increase representation of women in undergraduate computing
departments. This multi-pronged approach entails implementation of research-based strategies to
increase recruitment and retention of women, backed by favorable institutional policies and
support, and guided by comprehensive evaluation and tracking of progress.

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REFERENCES

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Recruiting and Retaining Women

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