Institutional Membership in the National Name Exchange
Each institution participating in
the National Name Exchange must demonstrate that it will be able to carry out
the following functions which are required by the Consortium:
1. Attend the annual conferences.
2. Generate a list of qualified minority sophomores, juniors
and seniors at the institution in the desired format. (Each institution is
supplied with a Consent Form and a set of instructions.)
3. Return the information to the central collecting
institution (the University of Washington) at the agreed upon time.
4. Devise a mechanism to successfully use the names supplied
to the institution by the other members of the Consortium.
5. Identify someone who can serve as a contact person for
students and faculty who desire information about the institution.
6. Provide a mechanism to assist students to make an informed
decision regarding their graduate and professional careers.
7. Host at least one of the annual meetings of the membership.
Participation in the Consortium is
voluntary with each institution bearing whatever costs it incurs in fulfilling
the requirements of its membership. The underlying factors which have sustained
the organization over the years are:
1. A commitment on the part of the membership to work
continually to increase the enrollment of traditionally under-represented
minority students in graduate programs.
2. A commitment on the part of the membership to trust that a
representative from each institution will vigorously pursue the objectives of
the Consortium.
3. Institutions
must both contribute names to the Exchange and send its representative(s) to the
annual meetings.
Institutions which either do
not contribute names to the Exchange or whose representatives fail to attend
meetings for two consecutive years may be asked to leave the Consortium.
Institutions wishing to participate in the Consortium may apply or may be nominated by any current member university. Applications are made in writing to the Chair of the Consortium, who informs the applying institution of the criteria used to evaluate applicants. The Chair also reviews the documentation supplied by the applicant institution prior to the annual meeting. All applications are discussed and voted upon by the entire body at the annual meeting. In 1984, the body voted to limit membership to thirty institutions.
The following criteria are used to evaluate applicants for admission:
1. The institution should have both undergraduate and graduate programs of a quality comparable to those offered by the present member institutions and should offer qualities which would enhance the educational opportunities of the students at the member institutions. This is necessary if “true exchange” among institutions is to be maintained.
2. The institution must demonstrate and document how interest in increasing the enrollments of traditionally under-represented students is manifested on their campus. An expression of interest in the recruitment of minority students is not sufficient to warrant admission.
3. The representative of the institution should be a person in a position to make decisions that are honored and respected by the institution.
Typical cycle for the National Name Exchange
The following provides a typical timeline and sequence of events for the National Name Exchange:
JANUARY: The University of Washington announces that the current year’s cycle Name Exchange has begun, and solicits updates in member contact information
FEBRUARY: The University of Washington announces that the new Name Exchange cycle has begun, and gives member institutions details regarding the various methods by which institutions may collect student information and the submission deadline.
MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE: Student data is entered into the Name Exchange database. Member institutions continue to publicize the Name Exchange on their respective campuses and encourage students to participate. Member institutions can either enter student information into the Name Exchange database by Remote Data Entry until deadline, or may give their students access via the Online Consent Form, so that student can enter their profiles into the database directly.
APRIL: Western and National Name Exchange Consortia hold their respective annual meetings.
MID JUNE: Name Exchange Online Consent Form website closes; collection of student data ceases.
JULY/AUGUST: The UW compiles Name Exchange database; member institutions place orders for basic download, printouts, extra labels, etc.
AUGUST: The UW sends out Name Exchange rosters to member institutions who have ordered them.
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER: Member institutions receive rosters and distribute student information to their graduate programs; graduate programs send program and application information to prospective students.
Return to the Institutional Information Page
Last Modified:
April 22, 2008
Maintained by University of Washington, Graduate School,
gomap@u.washington.edu