Herald Editorial: University needs to take more accountability for ‘Western Edge’

Is this becoming the Era of Questionable Promises?  There’s the Michigan Promise — enough said on that.  And then there’s the Kalamazoo Promise — a whole ‘nother beast that’s being studied and copied . . . and the verdict’s not in yet.  And then there’s the Western promise — well, “sort of” promise.  Called the Western Edge, it’s a “customer service” type promise in the form of a contract, but it’s not widely known, nor is it available to all students.

As students wrap up another semester and look toward course additions and changes for summer terms and re-think plans for fall classes and graduation requirements, the Registrar’s matrix (designed to distribute class availability and help eliminate conflicts) may not be the hurdle that stands in the way of some (of WMU’s 24,500 currently enrolled) students getting into the classes they need to stay on their educational path.

It seems the students who lose the “edge” on getting into classes they need to stay on track to meet their educational and graduation goals are the ones who have not used or been put in the eligibility pool for the “Edge” — the WMU Edge, that is.  It seems Western has created its own unique Catch-22.

Here’s the situation.  The “Western Edge” is a contract — a brainchild of President John Dunn — that was largely drawn up by Vice Provost Keith Hearit.  Designed to help students maintain a four-year graduation track, according to the university’s website, it is a “strategic plan for promoting student success and keeping the quality of education offered by WMU affordable.” Its use began in the fall of 2008 for students who were both permitted (note use of this word) to sign a Western Edge contract and — this is an important addition — only for those who asked for it.

Students who sign an Edge contract receive five key benefits: opportunity for a retention scholarship; enhanced academic advising that, again, according to WMU’s website, “will help move students smoothly and quickly through their degree programs”; graduation compacts, which “help to ensure courses are available when students need them to prevent delays in completing programs”; fixed room and board rates; and, lastly, academic opportunities that are future and job oriented. Several of the points were designed to help (only traditional, full-time, undergraduate) students get through in four years to reduce financial strain on students and parents.

The Edge’s financial aspects are a thoughtful ideal, the scholarship a considerate bonus.  However, there are bigger issues, most particularly with the “enhanced advising” and graduation compact portions.  One of the determined benefits of the Edge was to help the university’s colleges and departments to look more closely at course planning, according to Hearit.  But it hasn’t had an impact.

Only 47 students of the entire 24,500 students (although remember not all qualified) have asked and taken advantage of this “partnership” since the fall of 2008 by signing an Edge contract.  If hardly anyone is using the Edge, no wonder it has not had any bearing on curriculum planning. One monumental issue is the practice of allowing only some students priority.  Full-time, incoming transfers and freshman are eligible — but remember they must ask. Graduate students or double majors and others are not eligible.  Making the support to stay on track an opportunity available only to some, while others are denied the opportunity to sign the “Western Edge” contract (entitling them to stay on that path) is discriminatory by its very nature of not offering equal opportunity to all.

Upcoming Edge planning is scheduled, according to Hearit, which will include re-evaluating its components.  He said the contract portion has not worked at all and there is administrative awareness that graduate students have been left out.

Administrators, according to Hearit, have done a good job of publicly communicating the Edge’s availability.  The Western Edge has been advertised on the GoWMU webpages, brochures are sent to incoming new students, information is included during orientation, and promotional talks have been aimed at advisors.

The onus for the Western Edge should never have been placed on the student.

There is plenty of talk about issues of “fairness to all” prevailing in conversations around the university in certain areas, but it seems the idea has not yet filtered into the administrative meetings about the Western Edge.  It is about time for that to happen.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=16942

Posted by heraldstaff on Apr 21 2010. Filed under Editorial, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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