UM 2020:Building a University for the Global Century

A linked and comprehensive planning, budgeting, implementation, and assessment structure is key to the cost-effective achievement of the University of Montana’s mission. Moreover, ensuring the adequacy and stewardship of resources is an ongoing and critical component of that mission.

The Institutional Assessment Report is published annually as an essential component of this resource management process. Assessment requires careful analysis of outcomes, comparing the results with established goals and objectives, thereby providing a rational basis for the next round of planning. These assessment results afford UM the opportunity to compare performance and experience with similar institutions, to choose strategic target comparators, and to assess the current status of achievement.

This document is an executive summary of the University’s annual assessment process. It summarizes performance outcomes for 2013 from many different assessment instruments and is organized around the five major strategic issues identified in UM 2020, the University’s Strategic Plan.

MUS System and Campus Dashboard Indicator CSRDE report

2013 Institutional Assessment Report

PARTNERING FOR STUDENT SUCCESSPreparing K-12 students

•UMworkswithMontanaschoolstoassureincomingstudentsarepreparedfortherigorsofhighereducation.55%ofincomingstudentsparticipatedinUM’srecommendedfullcollegepreparatorycurriculum.Incomingfreshmenaverageda3.29highschoolGPA.TheaverageACTscorefortheincomingclasswas23.7(TheU.S.averageis21.1).

•Remediationratesareimproving:16%ofenteringfreshmenrequiredadditionalcourseworkinfoundationalmathand8%inwriting.

•UM’s45-pluseducatorpreparationprogramsacrossfourUMcollegesandschoolswereevaluatedforrenewalofaccreditationbytheNationalCouncilforAccreditationofTeacherEducation(NCATE).

Transitioning to college

•PartneringforStudentSuccesscontinuestomakeprogress.The3-yearrollingaverageforfirst-yearretentionrateis78%forFY13.Effortstoattractcollege-preparedstudentsareeffective,asdemonstratedbytheimprovedfirstyearGPAoftheFall2012freshmancohort–2.87comparedtothestrategicgoalof3.00.

•BitterrootCollegeenrollmentisstable.StudentscancompleteallrequirementsforanA.A.degreeatthecollege.

•TheDigitalAcademy,whichoffersadvanced,onlinehighschoolcoursesstatewide,enrolled7,884students,whiledualcreditenrollment(highschoolandcollegecredit)was309.

Integrating the early college curriculum

•170highschoolstudentsfromacrossMontanaandthenationchosetheDavidsonHonorsCollegefortheiruniversityeducation.Totalenrollmentis525;114studentsaresupportedbyPresidentalLeadershipScholarships.

Engaging students

•Retentionofupper-divisionstudentsstandsat82%(3-yearaverage);UMisworkingtoimprovestudentretentionthroughoutreach,advising,andtheprovisionofdynamiclearningopportunities.

•Therollingaverageforthe6-yeargraduationrateis47%,whilethe2-yearprogramsattheMissoulaCollegeoftheUniversityofMontanaaverageda30%completionrate.

•Studentsenrolledinmorethan7,000credit-bearingacademicenrichmentactivitiesforFY12(2,004pre-professionalinternships;3,237volunteerandservicelearning;336studyabroad;727undergraduateresearchandcreativescholarship;440fieldexperience;764independentstudy;and25inNationalStudentExchange).

Strengthening student support

•MorestudentstookadvantageofUMtutoringcenterslastyear,with7,200visitstotheMathLearningCenters,4,200visitstoTheWritingCenterand3,200visitstoStudyJam.Over6,400studentsobtainedacademic/careeradvisingand4-yeargraduationplanningassistanceattheUndergraduateAdvisingCenter.

•80%ofstudentsparticipatinginthepre-medicaladvisingprogramwereadmittedtomedicalschool.UMpre-medstudentswereacceptedtoNorthwestern,Vanderbilt,theUniversityofColorado,andWashingtonUniversity.

• Lessneed-basedfinancialaidisavailabletoMontanastudentsthaninotherstates.WesternInterstateCommissionforHigherEducation(WICHE)datashowMontanaproviding$108perundergraduateFTE,comparedtotheWICHEaverageof$582andtheUSaverageof$527.

Emphasizing faculty and staff development

•TheFacultyDevelopmentOfficeheld25professionaldevelopmentsessions,attendedby386facultymembers.

•38facultymemberswereawardedSabbaticalleavesin2012-13and7internationalfacultyexchangeswereorganized.

•Morethan40staffmemberswereappointedtotheworkinggroupstaskedwithmakingrecommendationsaddressingUniversitybudgetmatters.

EDUCATION FOR THE GLOBAL CENTURYStrength in foundational academic programs

•CounselorEducationandAthleticTrainingwerere-accreditedbytheCouncilforAccreditationofCounselingandRelatedEducationalprograms(CACREP)andtheCommissiononAccreditationofAthleticTrainingEducation(CAATE).

•TheNationalCouncilforAccreditationofTeacherEducation(NCATE)madeasitevisitaspartoftherenewalprocessformorethan45educatorpreparationprogramsacrossfourUMcollegesandschools.ThefinalaccreditationdecisionwillberenderedinOctober2013;thepreliminaryNCATEreportindicatesallstandardsweremet.

•TheAccreditationCouncilforPharmacyEducation(ACPE)grantedtheSkaggsSchoolofPharmacy’sDoctorofPharmacyprogramatUMre-accreditationforaperiodofeightyears,themaximumtermallowed.

•TheAccreditingCouncilonEducationinJournalismandMassCommunications(ACEJMC)reaccreditedtheundergraduateprograminJournalismforaperiodofsixyears.

Two-year programming responsive to local, regional, state and national needs

•MissoulaCollegecontinuestoofferoutstandinginstruction.The2012NationalNCLEXPNandRNLicensureExampassratesfornursingstudentswere100%oneachexam.

•Twonewcertificates,EnergyTechnologyandHealthInformationTechnology,wereapprovedatMissoulaCollege.

Global engagement and leadership at all levels

•TheGlobalLeadershipInitiativeenrolledanadditional225freshmen.TheGLIencouragesstudentstocontemplatetheiroveralleducationandfocusonsignificantinterdisciplinaryquestionsandchallengesfacedbypeopleinourglobalsociety.

•UMranks12thamongmedium-sizeduniversitiesinPeaceCorpsundergraduatealumnivolunteers.

•Twostudents(PatrickFunk&ErinHastey)wereselectedtointerninGermany,throughtheGermanAcademicExchangeService(DAAD)RISEprofessionalprogram.

Innovation through graduate education

•Thenumberofgraduatedegreesawardedremainshigh,with788studentsearningmaster,professional,anddoctoralcredentials.

•CurtisWallette,astudentintheMBAprogram,won1stplaceoutofover1,750entrantsinthe2013CapsimChallenge,wherecompetitorssimulatemanagementofamultimilliondollarcorporation.

DISCOVERY AND CREATIVITY TO SERVE MONTANA AND THE WORLDEnhance contributions by faculty and students through research

•Facultyandstudentresearchledto13patentapplications,12inventiondisclosures,4licenseagreementsand3newcompanies.

•TheThomsonReutersWorldUniversityRankingsfor2012-2013placedUMinthetop300universitiesworld-wide.Thecompositemeasureofresearchimpact(citations)was72.1,afigurecomparabletothatofseveraluniversitiesrankedinthetop50.

Expand knowledge and cultural diversity through creative scholarship

•UMfacultyandstudentswereresponsiblefor373visualandperformingartsexhibitionsandperformancesin2013.

•PublicationofscholarlyarticlesacknowledgedinISIcitationindices(naturalandsocialsciencejournals)reached533.

•UMwon1stplaceintheNationalOperaAssociationCollegiateScenesCompetitionforundergraduatepresentations.

• UMsweptthedistrictMetropolitanOperaCouncilauditionsvoicecompetition.1stplaceswenttoNeilaGetz,JohnKnispel,andArielleNachtigal.

Turn today’s discoveries into tomorrow’s products through technology transfer, contributing to the creation of ideas, jobs, and business opportunities.

•Thevolumeofextramurallyfundedresearchactivitywas$61.5millionin2012.

DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT People – Lead in recruiting, retaining, and developing the highest quality students, faculty, and staff

UMstudentsreceiveanextraordinarynumberofnationalawardsfortheirscholarlyactivities.

•TenUMstudentsreceivedFulbrightawards.

•MaraMenahanwastherecipientofaUdallFellowship,UM’s36thUdallaward.

•KimLedgerreceivedaGoldwaterScholarship,UM’s10thGoldwateraward.

•RebeccaBosloughwonanationalTrumanScholarship.SheisUM’s13thTrumanScholar.

•DakotaWhistlerandJustinDavisreceived2ndplaceandhonorablementionfortheirLevel2RussianessaysintheannualcompetitioncoordinatedbytheAmericanCouncilofTeachersofRussian.

Facultyarerecognizedfortheircontributionsinresearch,teaching,andservice.

•TheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScienceappointedProfessorCharlesThompsonasa2013AAASFellow.Theprestigiousfellowshiprecognizesanindividual’scontributionstoscienceandtechnology.

Programs – Provide programs of distinction, create local and world-wide partnerships, connect programs to our unique locations

•CreativeWriting,WildlifeBiology,andOrganismalBiology&EcologywererecognizedasProgramsofNationalDistinction.

•UMaddedaDigitalMarketingCertificate,anOptioninGeneticsandEvolution,aCertificateinHealthInformationTechnology,andaCertificateofAppliedScienceinEnergyTechnology.InMay,theBoardofRegentsapprovedanewPh.D.programinMaterialsScience(incollaborationwithMontanaTechandMontanaStateUniversity).

•Onlinestudentcredithoursremainhighat25,080.

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Infrastructure – Use technologies and practices that optimize the learning experience while modeling sustainability

•TheInterdisciplinaryScienceBuildinghasenteredthefinaldevelopmentstageonthreefloors.Thiswillprovidefournewresearchlaboratoriesandanextensivesuiteofsupportcorefacilities.

• TheMontanaLegislatureapproved$29millionforconstructionofanewfacilityforMissoulaCollegeandspendingauthorityforanother$3millionfortheconstructiontoberaisedbyUM.

•TheMontanaLegislaturealsoapprovedspendingauthorityforprivatelyfundedconstructionprojects:GilkeyExecutiveEducationCenter,theMansfieldLibrary’sLearningCommons,andtheStudent-AthleteAcademicCenter.

Culture – Encourage engagement and a passion for learning in all students

•UMstudentscanattendandparticipateinhundredsoflectures,conferences,performances,andexhibits.Theycanjoinanyofmorethan192studentgroupssupportedbytheAssociatedStudentsoftheUniversityofMontana.

Place – Integrate the character of the campus environment into discovery and instruction

•Foundedin2007,UM’sCrownoftheContinentInitiativehasbeenexpandedtoincludebothGlacierNationalParkandtheGreaterYellowstoneregionandecosystem.

PLANNING-ASSESSMENT CONTINUUM Linkage of plans and resources

•TheUMStrategicPlan,publishedinspring2011,wasdevelopedthroughacollaborativeeffortthatincludedinputfromdiverseconstituentsacrosscampus.CloselylinkedwiththenewNWCCUaccreditationprocess,itsetsthestrategicdirectionsthatwillshapetheUniversityfortheremainderofthedecade.Theplan,updatedannually,includesperformanceindicatorsbywhichprogresstowardmissionachievementwillbemeasured.

•ThecombinedendowmentvalueforUMandtheUniversityofMontanaFoundationwas$136,053,838.

•TheUniversityhascommitted67.3%ofFY13generalfundstowardinstruction,academicsupport,andstudentservices–downfrom68.5%inFY12.The2020strategicgoalis70%.

Transparent and participative processes throughout the cycle

•TheVPforAdministrationandFinanceheldweekly,openmeetingsoftheUniversityBudgetCommitteetodiscusstheUMbudgetinspring2013.Fiveworkinggroups(EnrollmentManagement;RevenueEnhancement;ResourceAllocation;CostSavings;andAcademicProgramming)werecreatedtocollectivelyaddressUniversitybudgetmatters.

•100%ofUM’sstrategicandoperatingplansarepublishedandavailableonline.Annualassessmentreportsandbudgetallocationsarealsopublishedandavailabletothecampusandthecommunity.

Data-driven decisions and goal-setting

•StructuredparalleltotheStrategicPlan,thisInstitutionalAssessmentReport,alongwiththemoredetailedassessmentdatauponwhichitisbased,formsthebasisofthePresident’sannualStateoftheUniversitymessageatthebeginningofthenewacademicyear.

•Onschedule,theUniversityPlanningCommitteewillupdatetheStrategicPlaninfall2013toreflectcurrentassessmentdata,andwillrefinetheplanningprioritiesfortheupcomingbiennium.

Objective and timely assessment of outcomes

•TheWritingCommitteeassessedarepresentativesampleofstudentpapersfromlower-divisionwritingcourses:4%ofthepaperswerescoredasnovice,27%nearlyproficient,55%proficient,and13%advanced,indicatingthatlower-divisionwritingcoursesarepreparingstudentsincriticalwritingskills.

•Theinstitutionalassessmentreports,includingtheUMReportCard,arepublishedattheconclusionofeachfiscalyear.