Methodology for successful undergraduate recruiting in computer science at comprehensive public universities

This paper presents a methodology for increasing undergraduate Computer Science (CS) major enrollment at comprehensive public universities, particularly those that have first generation college students or students from underrepresented populations in professional computer science in the United States. While there has been significant prior discussion of undergraduate recruiting to increase major enrollment in CS, this is the first identification of a systematic approach to recruiting distinct undergraduate student populations into the CS major. Nationally, highly selective and selective universities and colleges have worked within their student populations to increase major enrollments, while CS departments at comprehensive public universities primarily focused on regional recruiting have also worked to identify and increase CS major enrollments. The approach outlined here addresses regional recruiting for undergraduate majors in CS and has been used at two public universities. The resulting methodology serves as a template for any department or faculty member seeking to increase undergraduate enrollment in CS. © 2009 ACM