Here are the four key areas where we made progress this year:

  1. Advance a culture of shared governance built on trust and integrity. 
  2. Support Strategic Enrollment initialtives that lead to a foundation of success for our students.
  3. Innovate academic offerings for students seeking new degree options or alternative credentials.
  4. Evaluate new reward structures for faculty in teaching, research and service in light of the changing higher education landscape.

1. Advance a culture of shared governance built on trust and integrity:

Launched a activation of the university’s strategic plan

  • Held numerous sessions to engage the university and community around its future direction
    • Three (3) interactive Town Halls averaging 160 participants
    • 35 Individual AcTivation Teams meeting (each of seven teams met 5 times) 195 unduplicated participants
    • Two (2) Lunch and Learns featuring Place Making Update and S: Curves in Higher Education 34 duplicated participants
    • Eight (8) leadership development workshops for steering committee and AcT Team leaders

 

2. Support Strategic Enrollment initiatives leading to:

Year over year enrollment growth (fall 17 to fall 18):

  • Overall university enrollment – 15,784 (4.6% increase)
    • First time in college (FTIC) underserved students (13.7% increase)
    • I-35 corridor students (36.1% increase)
    • All underserved UG and GR students (4.1% increase)
    • Retention
      • FTIC 72.5% (16-17 cohort) > 72.8% (17-18 cohort)
      • Underserved 69.8% (16-17 cohort) > 70.1% (17-18 cohort)
  • Non-degree enrollments (30.1% increase)
  • Online program enrollments (149% increase)
  • Transfer (6.5% increase)

Academic excellence supported by a vibrant liberal arts and sciences education

  • Approved first-year seminar requirement for the general education program

Increases in applied, accessible learning and research experiences leading to career success

  • 60% of our academic programs have identified an applied learning experience for their majors
  • 34% of conferred degrees went to students who had an applied learning experience
  • 149 students participated in Graduate Research Showcases (GRASP or 3MT) an increase of over 40%
  • 84 students participated in Undergraduate Research Showcases (URCAF, McNair Research Symposium) an increase of 55%

3. Innovate academic offerings for students seeking new degree options or alternative credentials:

Increase new degree offerings and/or concentrations within degrees

  • 3 new degrees launched (Masters of Health Admin and HR Mgmt and a Bachelor of Applied Computing)

Develop stackable credentials using badges and certificates

  • 19 new certificates
  • 29 new badges

Increase life-long learning options

  • 75% increase in For-Credit Lifelong Learning students to 1,174 students (unduplicated)
  • 23% increase in Non-Credit Community Education and For-Credit students to 4,015 students

4. Evaluate new reward structures for faculty in teaching, research and service in light of the changing higher education landscape:

  • Completed Faculty Senate Workload Report and Recommendations
  • Piloted leadership development opportunities for persons involved in leading strategic planning e°orts
  • Implemented a faculty salary market/compression adjustment to 148 faculty totaling $453,464