Annual UNL quality report highlights improvements toward goals

In its sixth "quality indicators" report card, the picture emerges that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has many strengths, some areas to improve, and demonstrates continuing evidence of working toward stated goals. The report shows UNL made significant improvements in student retention and continued to increase research expenditures.

The report, released March 12, compares data from 2006-07 against longer-term information, offering a 10- to 11-year trend line for most measures. Compiled from internal and external data, the information allows UNL administrators and faculty to measure how the university is doing and how it compares to its peers.

"We are shooting at a moving target," said Barbara Couture, UNL's senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. "The report shows UNL has shown improvement on most measures, and that our peer institutions have been improving as well. This report helps us track our progress and address areas of concern."

Among the more positive trends:

* The freshman-to-sophomore retention rate, now more than 83 percent, has risen steadily since it was first tracked for this report in 1996-97. Then, UNL's retention rate trailed the average of its peers by more than 8 percentage points; now UNL is within 1 percentage point of the peer average.

* UNL students continue to engage in the university community and use opportunities available during their time at UNL. Over the last five years, roughly one-third of graduating students indicated they had a meaningful research or creative activity experience while at UNL. The number of graduating students who indicated that they had an international educational experience increased 3 percentage points in the last two years.

* During the 2006-2007 academic year, the number of doctoral degrees granted was the highest in nearly a decade.

* The university's commitment to expanding its research enterprise is reflected in both federal and total research expenditures. In the last 10 years, federal research expenditures have almost doubled and total research expenditures have increased by 84 percent. The amount of total sponsored dollars awarded for outreach climbed to $31.2 million in 2006-2007, a significant increase from $19.4 million in 2004-2005.

* The university has achieved gains in diversity across campus. The proportion of undergraduate students of color is nearing 10 percent, and the rate of change at UNL continues to outpace the average of its peers. Additionally, the percent of faculty who are female or people of color continues to rise.

* More high-ability students from Nebraska have been attracted to UNL in recent years. Nearly one-third of students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class matriculated at UNL during 2006-2007.

* Recruitment efforts have been successful in increasing both the size of the student body and the caliber of students enrolled. The ACT composite scores for incoming freshman have continued to rise, establishing a high each of the last five years.

The quality indicators project launched in 2001. The data comprising the publication are not a comprehensive list of accomplishments by UNL's faculty and students but are reflective of UNL's progress toward institutional goals, Couture said.

The data help pinpoint areas of success and identify potential areas for improvement, she said, making the quality indicators process one of many tools for decision-making.

The report is available online at www.unl.edu/svcaa/reports.