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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 481 687 HE 036 228 Achieving Excellence: Accountability Report, 2002-2003. TITLE Wisconsin Univ. System, Madison. INSTITUTION 2003-00-00 PUB DATE 42p.; For the 2001-2002 edition, see ED 469 029. NOTE Evaluative Reports Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) PUB TYPE (142) EDRS Price MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Accountability; Benchmarking; *College Outcomes Assessment; DESCRIPTORS Educational Indicators; Higher Education; Program Effectiveness; Public Colleges *University of Wisconsin System IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This report, intended to be issued annually, represents the University of Wisconsin (UW) System's effort to provide the citizens of Wisconsin with broad-based accountability of its largest public higher education system. The report focuses on two distinct approaches to the measurement of university performance. First, it presents the UW System's progress toward its goals for specific student and institutional outcomes. Secondly, it examines the ways in which the University of Wisconsin provides positive campus environments that promote learning and student achievement. In order to address both of these accountability concerns, regularly reported systemwide data are augmented with findings from a variety of surveys that offer broader insights into the experiences of students and staff at the University of Wisconsin. Each of these surveys provides national benchmarks, affording the opportunity to make comparisons of UW System performance with that of other higher education institutions. (EV) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Achieving Excellence Accountability Report 2002-2003 University of Wisconsin System PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BEEN GRANTED BY Office of Educational Research and Irnpiovement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) (Ant hefty] 5, 03/ This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. CI Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM BEST COPY AVAILABLE ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE The University of Wisconsin System Accountability Report Page Status of UW System Accountability Goals, 2002-03 ii v Introduction Section I Context and Capacity 1 Section ll 5 Goal I 8 Goal II Goal III 11 13 Goal IV 15 Goal V 18 Goal VI Section III 22 Compendium of Other UW System Reports 26 Appendix 33 Technical Notes 3 i Status of UW Accountability Goals, 2002-03 Goal and Achieved Status Target/Benchmark Associated Target Indicators Goal I: Ensure widespread access to UW institutions and increase the pool of eligible traditional and non-traditional applicants. 4/- The fall 2001 UW System service Target: Maintain a service rate of at Access to the UW rate for Wisconsin high school least 32% for Wisconsin HS System for graduates was 33%; an increase of graduates. Also, reduce the gap in Wisconsin HS eight percentage points since fall service rates between white Graduates 1976. The service rate for students students and students of color. of color has remained stable at approximately 23%. Fall 2002 enrollment of non- Target: Increase the number of Access to the UW traditional students increased non-traditional students consistent System for Non- slightly. with EM-21. Traditional Students The number of participants in UW Target: Increase the number of Access to the UW System multicultural and students served by pre-college System through disadvantaged pre-college programs to achieve objectives of Pre-College programs increased by 2000, in Plan 2008. Programs accordance with Plan 2008. Since 1995, both the number of Target: Continue the development Access to the UW available distance education of distance education courses in System through courses and enrollments in these order to address the needs of Distance Education courses have more than tripled. Wisconsin residents. and Continuing Course offerings rose 12% Education Courses between 2000-01 and 2001-02 and enrollments rose 24%. Goal II: Increase the levels at which students persist in higher education and complete degrees. 79.5% of fall 2001 new freshmen Target: Increase the proportion of Retention of New returned to the same UW institution new freshmen retained at the Freshmen from the for their second year. More than 74% same UW institution for the First to Second of new freshmen of color returned for second year to 79.5%. Also, Year the second year to the same UW reduce the gap in retention rates institution. between white students and students of color. For new freshmen entering a UW Target: Increase to 60.7% the Six-Year institution in fall 1996, 61.9% six-year graduation rate for new Graduation Rates graduated within six years. For new freshmen who graduate at any freshmen of color, 42% graduated at UW institution. Also, reduce the a UW within six years of gap in graduation rates between matriculation. white students and students of color. 4/- 69% of UW graduates (compared to Benchmark: Utilize national Academic Support 61% nationally) said their campus survey benchmarks to evaluate Programs and provides the academic support academic support and advising. Other Out-of- needed to succeed. Classroom Retention-Related But, only 57% of UW graduates Activities (compared to 61% nationally) rate the quality of their academic advising as good or excellent. 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Goal III: Improve learning competencies and provide learning experiences that foster the development of critical thinking skills. UW graduates rate their development Benchmark: Utilize national Fostering Critical 11 -Nil- of critical/analytical skills and survey benchmarks to assess Thinking Skills applications at the national average, critical thinking, but say emphasis on applying theories to cases is less satisfactory. UW System students exceed state Benchmark: Utilize national and g Assessing Learning 11 and national averages in nursing, state benchmarks to rate Competencies and MCAT, CPA, and GRE examinations. performance on professional Outcomes examinations. Goal IV: Provide a learning environment that fosters the ability to function in a dynamic world community. The proportion of Bachelor's degree Target: Increase the proportion of 13 - Exploration of recipients who have studied abroad Bachelor's degree recipients who World Cultures has been increasing steadily each have studied abroad to 25%. year and currently stands at more than 8%. UW graduates rate their contact and Benchmark: Utilize national - 13 Preparation for a knowledge of those with different survey benchmarks to evaluate Diverse World racial, ethnic, and religious performance. backgrounds significantly below national averages. Goal V: Enhance the learning environment by providing opportunities for guided research, mentorship, and access to student services and resources that foster learning and citizenship. UW graduates participated more in Benchmark: Utilize national 15 Planned Learning -4 co-curricular activities, and worked survey benchmarks to evaluate Experiences more with other students compared to performance on learning outside Outside of the the national average, but had fewer of the classroom, Classroom field experiences. Benchmark: Utilize national UW graduates rate their opportunity 15 q/- Faculty Mentorship to work with faculty members outside survey benchmarks to evaluate and other Out-of- of class and discuss career plans with student-faculty contacts. Classroom faculty members or advisors is above Activities that the national average. About one- Support Learning sixth of UW graduates reported working with faculty members outside of class on research; this is slightly below the national average. UW graduates participated in Benchmark: Utilize national 16 Participation in .q/- community-based projects (as part of survey benchmarks to evaluate Activities that a course) at above average rates, but community service and voting Promote Good volunteer and vote below the national participation. Citizenship average. The proportion of UW graduates who Benchmark: Utilize national 17 4/- Use of Technology used email to communicate with survey benchmarks to evaluate in the Curriculum instructors is above the national use of instructional technology, average. UW Graduates say their information technology skills and knowledge is high (66%), but still below the national average (72%). BEST COPY AVAILABLE Goal VI: Efficient and Effective Stewardship of Resources. Substantial progress has been made Target: Reduce the gap between 18 4/- Condition of in upgrading Level 1 and 2 actual classroom technology Classrooms and classrooms; but the need for Level 3 levels and needed classroom Maintenance of modernized classrooms still exceeds technology levels. Also, reduce Other Facilities current levels. Maintenance backlogs the maintenance backlog, persist. The UW System has consistently Target: Allocate at least 1% of q 18 Human Resources spent at least one percent of its UW System payroll to professional payroll on professional development development, activities for faculty and staff in recent years; current expenditures stand at 1.4%. 85% or more of faculty and students 19 Benchmark: Utilize national 4 Utilization of agree that computing and Internet survey benchmarks to evaluate Technology services are either very or somewhat availability and satisfaction with Resources available. 83% of students and 72% technology. of faculty, an increase over 2001, are satisfied with IT resources. 20 Over the past four years, enrollments Target: Increase the number of q Allocation of in collaborative academic programs and growth of collaborative efforts. Resources have grown substantially. 450 articulation agreements with WTCS have been developed, and millions of dollars have been saved as a result of systemwide collaboration agreements. In 2001, less than 6% of the UW System's budget was designated for administrative costs compared to over 10% for the UW System's peers. 4 UW System graduates took an Target: Continue to decrease the 21 Average Number of average of 136 credits by the time average number of credits-to- Credits Taken by they graduated, a decline of one degree. Bachelor's Degree credit from the previous year and six Recipients credits less than five years ago. BEST COPY AVAILABLE iv 6 Achieving Excellence The University of Wisconsin System Accountability Report Introduction Achieving Excellence represents the UW System's continuing effort and commitment to providing the citizens of Wisconsin with broad-based accountability of its largest public higher education Achieving Excellence is designed with the mission of the UW System in mind, system. concentrating on the many ways in which the University of Wisconsin seeks to serve its students and the State of Wisconsin. While it is not feasible to report on every possible area of university activity in a single report, Achieving Excellence presents a balanced approach to accountability Each new edition of Achieving reporting, reflecting a broad diversity of stakeholder interests. Excellence includes updated information on university performance that addresses current accountability issues in higher education, both locally and on the national level. The form and format of Achieving Excellence evolved from an earlier publication, Accountability In 1999, President for Achievement, which was issued annually from 1993 through 1998. Katharine Lyall appointed a UW System Accountability Review Task Force and charged it with (1) evaluate the existing report, (2) identify areas for developing four specific responsibilities: for staff work in provide guidance and direction developing new/revised measures, (3) Achieving new/revised measures, and (4) develop an outline for a new accountability report. Excellence, which is based on the blueprint established by the Accountability Review Task Force, focuses on two distinct approaches to the measurement of university performance. First, it presents the UW System's progress toward its goals for specific student and institutional outcomes. Secondly, it examines the ways in which the University of Wisconsin provides positive campus environments that promote learning and student achievement. In order to address both of these accountability concerns, it is necessary to augment regularly reported systemwide data with findings from a variety of surveys that offer broader insights into the experiences of students and staff at the University of Wisconsin. Each of these surveys provides national benchmarks, affording the opportunity to make comparisons of UW System performance with that of other higher education institutions. Achieving Excellence will be issued annually as an important component of the UW Systems endeavors to demonstrate accountability. Small refinements will be made to each new edition of Achieving Excellence in order to include new findings from a variety of systemwide surveys and other updated accountability measures that are of interest to the Wisconsin community. The basic structure of Achieving Excellence and all of the accountability goals will remain constant from year to year. This consistency enables us to provide a coherent and reliable resource for learning about the progress of the UW System toward the achievement of excellence. Achieving Excellence is divided into three sections. Each of these sections is an essential piece of the UW story. Section I: Context and Capacity The capacity of the UW System to accomplish its core functions depends upon its resources and the competitive environment for faculty, staff, and students. This section provides background for the remainder of the report and offers insight into the context in which the UW institutions this section are not associated with specific targets or The data provided function. in benchmarks. 7 Section II: Goals and Indicators of systemwide specific outcome measures are presented as indicators this section, In There are six goals in this section, each with two to five indicators. Certain performance. indicators may only be reported in two-year or three-year cycles depending on data collection, Each indicator is viewed in relation to a target or assessment methods, and benchmarks. benchmark for the purposes of assessment and comparison. For example, some indicators are compared with data from previous years, while others are compared with national norms. Section III: Compendium of Other UW System Reports The UW System also produces many specialized reports on various aspects of its operations. This section provides an annotated listing of reports produced by the UW System. These reports measure excellence in many different areas and go beyond those reported in Section II. vi State funding has also been more volatile in SECTION I: Context and Capacity recent years. appropriations declined GPR State substantially from 1973 through the early The UW System's achievements are influenced 1980s. Since that time, GPR appropriations and political, social, economic, the by have been volatile with significant increases demographic environment in which it operates. and decreases. This section describes this environment and the resources available to the UW System to fulfill GPR Appropriations to the UW System understanding for context mission as its Adjusted for Inflation six presented goals the on in progress The importance of the partnerships Section II. $280 between the State and University is reflected in the relationship of the University and State $260 budgets, Wisconsin's demographics and the cv) 2 $240 makeup of the UW System student population, the affordability of a UW education and State $220 the education, and for higher support contribution of the UW System to Wisconsin's $200 94 97 00 02 82 85 76 79 88 91 overall economic health. 73 Fiscal Years Financial Resources the last ten years, the UW System In experienced six base budget cuts totaling The UW System must compete with other almost $100.0 million and additional one- priorities for limited state dollars. time state-required budget lapses totaling more than $16.5 million. An additional large Ten Year Change in State GPR Appropriations base reduction has been implemented for (unadjusted) FY 2003. the UW System Local Aid II biennium, 1999-01 the In received its best GPR/fee budget in a decade. Medicaid MI The 2001-03 budget, as originally approved, UW contained a significant increase over the 1999- 01 budget. However, the 2002 budget repair bill Corrections reduced appropriations to the UW System by School Aid $44 million. Total GPR The UW System's have sources funding 300% 400% 200% 100% 0% become more diverse. Between FY 73 and FY 03: + Over the last ten years, State appropriations from declined appropriations GPR of GPR to the UW System increased more 52 percent to 31 percent of the total UW slowly than other State priorities. budget. to the UW System + GPR appropriations Tuition/fees rose from 13 percent to increased by 41 percent between FY 1992 18 percent of the total UW budget. However, when adjusted for and 2002. Gifts and grants rose from 20 percent to increases in the Consumer Price Index, the 29 percent of the total UW budget. GPR increase is only 9 percent. Program revenue increased from 15 percent to 22 percent of the total UW budget. FTE enrollment grew 14 percent. 9 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1 + Despite above average college-going rates Student Demographics only graduation rates, college and 24 percent of Wisconsin residents had at least a Bachelor's degree in 2000. Demographics of the Wisconsin population are + The of UW graduates obtain majority changing. employment within Wisconsin. However, The number of high school graduates is the numbers of UW graduates who leave the projected to remain relatively steady over state are not offset by migration of college the next few years, dipping slightly after graduates from other states. 2008. Proportion of Population Age 25 Years and Older With at Least a Bachelor's Degree Wisconsin High School Graduates Wisconsin and National Data Projections to 2012 30% 70,000 25% 65,000 20% 60,000 15% 55,000 10% 50,000 5% 45,000 0% 2000 1998 1970 1990 1980 40,000 0 o 9 9 9" IIIWisconsin ONational I th co 'CT) Affordability + Wisconsin's total population is projected to continue to grow modestly over the next decade and beyond; different however, The cost of attending a UW institution remains population growth rates are projected to modest compared to costs at other similar occur for different age groups: institutions. + The number of Wisconsin residents under a UW System 18 is expected to decline in the near future The cost attending of then rebound to its current level. institution continues to be lower than the cost of attendance nationally at both private age college traditional Wisconsin's and other public four-year institutions. population (ages to projected 18-24) is for a + The average cost decline over the next decade. of attendance resident undergraduate in the UW System is Future population growth will be driven by 18 percent less than the national average older age groups and non-white minorities. four-year of at public attendance cost institutions. residents have a fewer Wisconsin Slightly + One measure of the cost of higher education Bachelor's degree than the national average. college expenses median relative to is Nationally, the household (family) income. In 2000, almost 26 percent of the national average cost of attendance at public four- population age 25 and older had at least a year institutions consumes 18 percent of Bachelor's degree. family income, down two percentage points in the last five years. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 1 0