On August 29, 2003, San Diego Miramar College was awarded a five-year Individual Development Grant under the Strengthening Institutions Program, authorized under Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This was a highly competitive process with only 74 grants awarded out of 307 applications. The award was granted based on the plan of activities, budget configuration and qualifications of personnel listed in the proposal.

Total funding for this grant is $1.7 million over a five-year period, to be funded at approximately $340,000 each year from October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2008.

Through the grant application, Miramar College has committed to strengthening student retention and success through the development and improvement of academic programs, student services and faculty development.

The key goals of the comprehensive development plan include:

• develop an online, easy-to-use student educational planning system;
• develop an academic management and decision-making system that reviews programs to identify priority areas for curriculum development, implements a course and curriculum development process to respond to priority needs, and tracks courses using enrollment management software; and
• train faculty to infuse new technologies and active instructional strategies into their courses and programs.