| Campus Performance Measures, 2002 | University of Colorado at Boulder |
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1) Enhance learning and education of undergraduate students The many special academic opportunities we offer enrich the undergraduate experience both in and out of the classroom. Thousands of undergraduates complete honors theses, go on study abroad, and/or participate in undergraduate research programs. Recently added programs such as Norlin Scholars, the Undergraduate Academy, the Chancellor’s Leadership Program, and the Williams Village Ethnic Living and Learning Community diversify and extend our offerings. Our goal is that all undergraduates have the opportunity for a personalized, small-group academic experience, whether they avail themselves of such opportunities or not. We are also working to replace less intensive programs such as Fall FEST with more intensive experiences such as residential academic programs. A second goal is an increase in the graduation rates of entering freshmen. In interpreting graduation rates we will consider the many contextual factors that affect them, including
2) Promote excellence in research and graduate education Our first goal in research and graduate education is to maintain our fine record of achievement in research funding and faculty honors. This includes retaining top faculty and increasing faculty salaries (see Goal 8). While graduate students report satisfaction with their programs, in recent years graduate enrollments have dropped. While other research universities have also lost graduate enrollment, we aim to return total degree-seeking graduate enrollment to 5,350 by fall 2005, with up to 350 of these students enrolled exclusively in extended studies. 3) Nurture a diverse campus environment We have had some long-term success attracting and graduating students of color. Between 1990-91 and 2000-01, bachelor’s degree recipients of color increased from 350 to over 500 (from 8-9% to 11-13% of all bachelor’s degrees). In the same period, graduate-level degrees to students of color increased from 93 to over 150 (from 6-7% to 10-11% of all graduate-level degrees). However, graduation rates for freshmen of color still lag almost 15 percentage points behind those of white students. The campus has also registered significant gains in faculty diversity. The number of tenured and tenure-track faculty of color has more than doubled since fall 1989, from 70 (8% of total faculty) to 145 (14%) in 2001. In the same period, the number of female faculty increased over 50%, from 188 (20%) to 289 (27%). Our goals in diversity are specified in Diversity and Equity: A Blueprint for Action, issued June 1999. These goals include increases for graduate and undergraduate degrees, for new students, for retention and graduation rates, for faculty and staff of color, and for female faculty. The plan also articulates goals for a campus environment that is inclusive, safe and respectful of all people, and for learning experiences for diversity, to enhance awareness of multicultural issues and foster an appreciation of the full range of human experience among students, faculty and staff." 4) Provide broad access to institutional resources to the citizens of Colorado We now enroll 7% of Colorado high school graduates as new freshmen, plus another 2.4% as transfers. This is a higher proportion than flagship universities in most other states enroll. We think we can best serve both the State of Colorado and our students by emphasizing "quality growth" rather than enrollment growth. We therefore have proposed a plan, Quality for Colorado, to support CU-Boulder as a world-class research university. One feature of the plan is reducing the size of the entering freshman class to between 4,600 and 4,950 students, to ensure a quality campus experience and stabilize enrollment at or near current levels. This would reduce our share of Colorado high school graduates from the current 7-8% to under 6%, as it was through the early ‘90’s. The plan also features an increase in the amount of institutional financial aid to neutralize the special tuition increase for resident students with demonstrated financial need and to increase available aid for additional need-based and merit scholarships. This additional aid will enhance accessibility. Our pre-collegiate development programs serve over 800 middle and high school students per year, with 98% going on to post-secondary education. We also share our resources with Colorado citizens through extended studies and outreach programs that bring the university’s expertise, talents, and programs to diverse constituencies throughout Colorado. Examples include a large number of enrollments through credit (9,290 in 2000-01) and non-credit (9,733) extended studies, and a "CU 4 K-12" web site designed to link CU-Boulder programs with K-12 teachers and principals throughout the state. The Division of Continuing Education offers lifelong learning opportunities to a diverse student population, striving to meet market demand for new programs while meeting academic needs. We aim to continue expanding our record of connecting with and enriching the lives of the citizens of Colorado in a variety of ways. 5) Lead in the use and study of technology The importance of technology in the delivery of education on campus is growing considerably. In 2001-02, approximately 1,200 CU-Boulder undergraduates and 300 graduate-level students majored in an information technology (IT) discipline. The number of enrollments in courses delivered on-line is growing. Working professionals and others can earn certification in several areas of information technology through continuing education. In the future, new campus programs associated with ATLAS, the Alliance for Technology, Learning, and Society, will enhance our performance and reputation in the study of technology. We aim to increase the number and range of IT programs for students and the number of students graduating with majors, minors, and certificates in IT disciplines. This includes the Technology, Arts and Media (TAM) certificate program. We also aim to increase the use of technology in teaching and learning. 6) Provide outstanding administrative support services Campus administrative services facilitate the achievement of the institution’s academic and research objectives. Administrative units serve as effective fiduciaries of the campus’ assets and resources and as strong advocates for the development and maintenance of the institution’s human, financial, and physical infrastructure. Productivity and Efficiency: In order to provide high quality administrative services, we strive to increase employee productivity through the use of technology, training, consulting, recruitment and selection of classified and exempt professional staff, among other means. We recognize that effective selection and development of employees are critical to the delivery of high quality administrative services, therefore we offer an extensive employee development program. Organizational development services are also provided, recognizing that without proper organizational support, employees cannot function at an optimal level. The strategic integration of technology in support of business processes and decision making is also important for achieving an efficient operation, as demonstrated through continued improvements to the PeopleSoft applications and the replacement of the campus’ facilities management system. Satisfaction with Administrative Services: Surveys are widely used to determine the level of satisfaction customers have with our services. For example, participants in employee development programs are surveyed to ascertain the quality of delivery and content, and the pertinence of courses to them in performing their jobs. Additionally, the Police Department conducts an annual survey to determine the level of satisfaction the public internal and external to the university has with their services. Surveys are used to modify programs to enhance quality and effectiveness. Losses Due to Workers’ Compensation, Grievances or Other Claims: We protect the financial assets of the campus and university through our labor relations and support services programs, thereby minimizing the number of job grievances and unemployment compensation costs. The campus has also developed extensive loss prevention programs that have been effective in reducing the campus’ total cost of risk. Programs have been developed to address workplace safety issues in an effort to control workers’ compensation claims. Examples include an ergonomics review program and back injury protection training. Management of Buildings and Other Capital Assets: More than 75 percent of our buildings are over 25 years old, and we have a significant backlog of deferred maintenance. Needs arising from changing demands on the use of facilities continue to increase the level of reinvestment needed for our facilities. We gauge the appropriateness of our institutional support for controlled and deferred maintenance with benchmarks from peer institutions. The campus’ goals for capital development are stated in the campus master plan. 7) Provide outstanding student support services CU-Boulder provides a comprehensive set of services designed to support students in their intellectual and personal development. Students state high satisfaction with student services, with little change over time. Our goal is to maintain this quality with an expansion of UMC facilities, improvements in campus safety, and promotion of the sense of community on campus. In the arena of student administrative transactions, we aim to redesign and improve services to students through effective use of technology, use of the Web for service delivery, and campus convenience centers for "one stop shopping." 8) Maintain existing excellence The keys to excellence, and to achieving our goals in all other areas, are resources, management flexibility, understanding our situation, and clear priorities. Our revenue picture is complex, but the story of two key components is sobering. In the last ten years, resident tuition rates have fallen from 100% of the AAU public average to 75% of average. And our unrestricted state appropriation per resident student FTE is the lowest among all AAU publics, at less than half of the average. These realities act together to make us extraordinarily dependent for basic resources on students from outside Colorado, and on federal funding and indirect cost recoveries. The same picture emerges when examining resource use. CU-Boulder faculty compensation was 1% below the AAU public average in ‘94-95, but had dropped to 9% below the peer average by 2001-02. Our library holdings have also deteriorated relative to peers. Regular faculty with continuing appointments and appropriate terminal degrees, including instructors and senior instructors, teach 67-82% of student credit hours (SCH), depending on course level. Regular faculty, research professionals, adjunct and adjoint faculty, and graduate students all contribute to classroom instruction, oversight of independent academic work, and student involvement in research. We plan to use peer data to inform our ongoing consideration of appropriate teaching loads and staffing patterns. Our overall goal in maintaining excellence is securing sufficient and stable resources and the flexibility to use them to meet campus goals. The key to maintaining excellence is our Quality for Colorado plan, which proposes a partnership among students, parents, the state of Colorado, and the university to invest in students while supporting the economic vitality of Colorado. Quality for Colorado emphasizes "quality growth" rather than enrollment growth. The plan is currently under consideration by the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Higher Education. |