UMASS report card

32 Pages·1994·1.8 MB·English

by  University of Massachusetts (System)

UMASS REPORT CARD
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The University of Massachusetts
Michael K. Hooker, President
1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 AMessagefromPresidentHooker
2 Letterfrom Coopers&Lybrand
3 ExecutiveSummary
4 UMassata Glance
6 AbouttheReportCard
7 Opportunity
15 Teaching
19 PublicService, EconomicDevelopment&Research
22 Resources
message from PRESIDENT MICHAEL HOOKER
a K.
IampleasedtopresenttheUMassReportCard.
When Coopers&Lybrandsurveyedmembersofthe StateLegislatureandothersinstate
government in Fall 1993, thosewhorespondedsenta clearmessageabouttheirprioritiesfor
theUMasssystem. Accessandaffordabilitywereatthe top ofthelist, alongwithteaching
andstudents'educationalexperiences, andefficientuseofresources. Legislatorsalso indicated
supportfortheUniversity'spublicservice, research, andeconomicdevelopment mission.
We havedesignedthe UMassReport Cardto responddirectlyto these concerns, usingthe
bestdatanowavailable. Byprovidingcomparisonsto national, state, andpeerinstitution data
wherepossible, we havealsotriedtoprovideacontextforunderstandingandevaluatingthe
information here. Mypersonal commentsaccompanythe data.
Ourintentis toprovidedata andcomparisonsthatenablethe LegislatureandthepubUcto
assess ourperformanceandourprogress. The ReportCardwillevolve in futureyearsaswe
collect moreand betterinformationand identifyadditionalcategoriesofassessmentthat
enable useful comparisons. Iwouldlike toknowwhatwehaven'tincludedthatyouwould like
to seein future Report Cards. Ifyou have anyquestionsorsuggestions, I encourageyouto
writetomedirectlyat 18TremontStreet, Suite800, Boston, Massachusetts02108.
1
Coopers Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. One PostOffice Square telephone [phone]
Boston, MA02109 facsimile [phone]
&Lybrand
One International Place telephone[phone]
aprofessionalservicesfirm Boston. MA02110 facsimile [phone]
October 1, 1994
Dr. Michael K. Hooker
President
University of Massachusetts
18 Tremont Street
Suite 800
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Dear Dr. Hooker:
As you know, Coopers «fe Lybrand has been involved with the University since the fall of 1993 in the
design and development of a UMASS Report Card. Our work with the University has included the
preparation and execution of a survey of legislators and policy-makers in Massachusetts as well as
consultation on the University's response to the key issues raised in that survey.
During the past year, we have met with various University staffto review their approach to the Report
Card and to provide our suggestions on strengthening the report. Throughout, we have been impressed
by the professionalism and diligence ofyour staffin preparing the Report Card, and believe that the final
report reflects that professionalism.
Based on our reading ofthe document, we found that the report:
• Provides an appropriate and reasonable response to the issuesraised in the survey oflegislators
and policy-makers in the Commonwealth;
• Fairly represents the information and data used to present the University's performance in each
area of discussion;
• Is drawn from appropriate and commonly used information sources for reports ofthistype; and,
• Provides a reasonable basis for assessing the University's performance.
Although we did not prepare the report ourselves nor did we audit the results, we believe that the Report
Card is a solid and credible effort to present the University's performance.
We are pleasedto have been ofassistanceto the University ofMassachusetts in this endeavor, and would
like to commend you and your staff on a strong contribution to greater accountability within higher
education.
Very truly yours.
LL P
Coopers& Lybrand LLP, a registered limited liabilitypartnership, isamemberfirmofCoopers& Lybrand(International)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Thisinitialissueofthe UMassReportCardpresentsasnapshotofthe Universityof
Massachusettsin1992-93, theyearin whichMichaelHookerbecamethefirstpermanent
Presidentofthenewly-createdfive-campussystem andayearin whichthe Universitybegana
processofrecoveryfromfouryearsofbudgetcuts.'Basedonthedatapresentedin thisreport,
afewgeneralobservationsarepossible:
UMassisnotasaffordableasitusedtobe, orasapublicuniversityshouldbe. Despite
increasedinstitutional allocationsforfinancialaid, theUniversity'smission ofproviding
accesstohighereducation has been seriouslyjeopardized bythedramaticincreasesin
tuition andfees necessitated bycutbacks in Statesupportforuniversityoperations
between 1988 and 1992. DecreasedStateandFederalsupportforfinancialaid exacer-
batedtheproblem.
Despitethecutbacks, onmostindicatorshavingtodo withstudents, UMassisaboutaverage.
UMasscampusesaregenerallyconsistentwith peeraverages, statewideaverages, or
nationalaverageson indicatorssuch asstudent test scores on undergraduateandgradu-
ateadmissionstests, retention rates, andgraduation rates. Given the stress underwhich
both studentsandtheinstitutionhavefunctioned in recentyears, average isagoodstart-
—
ingpoint but it's notwherewewant orexpecttobe aswe recoverlostgroundand
movetowardworld-classstatus.
UMasscampusestakeundergraduateteachingseriously. Most undergraduatecoursesare
taughtbyfiill-time, tenured ortenure-trackfaculty. Ninetypercentofundergraduate
—
classes contain 50orfewerstudents halfcontain 20orfewerstudents. Moststudents
surveyedontheAmherstcampusexpresssatisfaction with theiracademicexperience.
UMassisasignificantresourceforthestate. Ourstudents comeft-om Massachusetts, and
when theygraduate, theystayin Massachusetts. Therefore UMassplaysa critical role in
providingan educatedworkforceforthestate.The Universityalsoperforms research and
publicserviceinfieldsimportanttothestate'seconomy. However, ftindingforsponsored
researchisnotashigh asitshouldbe, andwearedetermined to improveit.
Thebalancebetweenstateandstudentfundingforthe Universityhasshifteddramatically
Whilethetrendsofrecentyearsarebeginningto reverse, theState'sshareofthecostof
education islowerforUMassthanforcomparableinstitutionsinotherstates, and the
students'shareishigher.
1 Somedataareearlierorlater,dependingonavailability.
UMASS AT A GLANCE
UMASS AMHERSTwasestablishedin 1863.Theoriginalland-grantinstitutionandthe
largestcampusinthesystem, UMassAmherstofferscomprehensiveliberalartsandprofessionalprogramsandalarge
numberofgraduateandresearchprograms, includingnearly 100bachelor's, 69master'sand49doctoralprograms.
Todaythecampusenrolls 17,200undergraduateand5,900graduatestudents. StudentsmayenrollintheCollegeof
Humanitiesand FineArts, theCollegeofSocialand BehavioralSciences,theCollegeofNaturalSciencesand Mathematics,
theCollegeofEngineering,theCollegeofFoodandNatural Resources, theSchoolofManagement,theSchoolofEducation,
theSchoolofNursing,theSchoolofPublicHealthandHealthSciences,ortheStockbridgeSchoolofAgriculture(associate-
levelprograms). StudentsmayalsotakeadvantageofothernearbycollegesthroughtheFiveCollegeConsortiumwith
Amherst, Smith, HampshireandMountHolyokecolleges. UMassAmherstisnationallyrecognizedforthestrengthofsuch
programsasastronomy,computerscience, hotel, restaurant, andtraveladministration, linguistics, andpolymerscience
andengineering.Thecampusconferred5,300degreesin 1992-93,370ofthemdoctorates.
UMASS BOSTON,established in 1964astheUniversity'sonlynon-residentialcampus, is
locatedthreemilesfromdowntown BostononaharborpeninsulaneartheJFKPresidentialLibrarv'andthenewState
Archivesbuilding.TheBostoncampushasaparticularfocusonthelocalurbanpopulationandtheresearchandpolicy
needsofbusiness,government,andcommunitiesinthegreaterBostonmetropolitanregion. Itoffersadiversestudentbody
ofapproximately9,800undergraduatestudentsand2,300graduatestudentsaccessto57undergraduate,22master'sand
5doctoraldegreeprogramsthrough theCollegeofArtsandSciences,theCollegeofManagement,theCollegeofNursing,
theCollegeofPublicandCommunityService,andtheGraduateCollegeofEducation. Initiativesandprogramstosupport
andencouragethedevelopmentofurbanpopulationsandinstitutionsareintegratedinthecampus'sprogramsandsenices.
Forexample,thedoctoralprogram ineducationfocusesondevelopingleadershipforurbanschools(K-12),thePh.D. pro-
graminclinicalpsychologyfocusesonpopulationstraditionallyunderservedbytheclinicalprofession,andtheinterdiscipli-
naryPh.D. programinGerontologyfocusesonagingandsocialpolicy.Thecampusplacesastrongemphasisonidentifying,
attracting, preparing, encouraging, andsustainingnon-traditionalstudents, includingminorities, olderindividuals, thedis-
abled, andmembersofeconomicallydisadvantagedurbancommunities. UMassBostonawarded2,200degreesin 1992-93.
4
UMASS DARTMOUTH istheonlyMassachusettsuniversity,pubUcorprivate,
southofBostonandisthesmallestcampusinthesystem,withapproximately5,200undergraduateand400graduatestu-
dentsenrolled. Foundedin 1863, theDartmouthcampusseekstodistinguishitselfbyprovidinganacademicenvironment
whereresearchandcreativeactivitiesoffacultyandgraduatestudentsareinterwovenwiththeundergraduateexperience.
TheDartmouthcampushas42undergraduatemajors, 13 master'sprogramsandonedoctoraldegreeprogram. Students
areofferedthe opportunitytoenrollintheCollegeofArtsandSciences,theCollegeofBusinessandIndustry, theCollege
ofEngineering, theCollegeofNursingortheCollegeofVisualandPerformingArts.TheDartmouthcampushasabroad
emphasisontheliberalartswithspecialstrengthsinengineering,visualartsanddesign,andmedicallaboratorysciences
andnursing. Itsprogram inMarineSciencesisacross-disciplinarycombinationofengineering, biologyandpoliticalscience
andissupportedbytheCenterforMarineScienceandTechnologyandtheNewEnglandRegionalAquacultureCenter.
Theprogram inTextileScienceswasdevelopedtomeetthedemandsoftheregion'sindustrialsectorandistheonlypro-
gramofferingbachelorandmaster'sdegreesinthisspecialfieldinNewEngland. UMassDartmouthawarded 1,200degrees
in 1992-93.
UMASS LOWELL, establishedin1894,istheUniversity'smosttechnologically-
orientedcampusandfocusesonanintegratedstrategyinwhichtheacademicdiscipUnesofengineering/management/
science,educationandhealthareappliedinthepursuitofathrivingindustrialeconomicsector. UMASSLowell'sacademic
programsfocusonpreparingitsgraduatesforcareersrelatingtoemerginggenerictechnologies(developmentofadvanced
materials, intelligentmaterialsandphotonicmaterials), selectedestablishedindustries(includingtheplasticsmanufacturing
andcomputerindustries), andworkplacehealthandsafety.Thecampushasastudentbodyofapproximately6,300under-
graduateand2,600graduatestudentsandoffers46undergraduate, 36master'sand 11 doctoraldegreeprogramswithin
thefollowingsixcolleges:theCollegeofArtsandSciences,theCollegeofEngineering,theCollegeofFineArts, theCollege
ofHealth Professions,theCollegeofManagementandtheCollegeofEducation. UMassLowellhasdevelopedan Industrial
DevelopmentCouncil(the"IDC")topilotan innovativenationalmodelforpublicuniversitiesseekingtocontributeto
sustainableeconomicdevelopmentbycatalyzingcontinuousregionallearningandinnovation.TheIDCcoordinatesthe
researchanddevelopmentworkoftheLowellcampus'morethan20cross-discipHnarydegreeprograms,spanningthe
sciences,management,engineering, education, thehealthprofessions,historyandpsychology. UMassLowellawarded
2,400degreesin1992-93.
UMASS WORCESTER, establishedin 1962,housestheUniversity'sMedical
Center, includingtheMedicalSchool,the371-bedteachinghospitalandclinics, theGraduateSchoolofBiomedical
Sciences,theGraduateSchoolofNursingandthePrograminMolecularMedicine.TheWorcestercampushasapproxi-
mately600graduateandmedicalstudentsandoffers7master'sand 10doctoraldegreeprograms.TheMedicalCenteris
committedtoattractinganon-traditionalstudentbodyandprovidesincentivestoitsgraduatestopracticetheirhealthcare
professionsinunderservedareasinMassachusetts.Thecampusprovidesgeneralandspecializedmedicalcaretothecitizens
ofcentralMassachusetts,andengagesinaresearchprogramthatnotonlybenefitstherecipientsofclinicalservices, butcon-
tributestothenationalefforttounderstand,preventandtreatdisease. InadditiontoitsMedicalSchoolprograms,thecam-
pusoffersatotalof26accreditedresidencyandfellowshipprogramsinaffihationwithninehospitalsandfivefamilyhealth
centersthroughouttheCommonweahh, oneofwhich istheonlyfamilypracticeresidencyprogram intheCommonwealth.
UMassWorcesterawarded99MD'sand55othergraduatedegreesin1992-93.
5
ABOUT THE REPORT CARD
CAMPUS PEER COMPARISONS
Several indicatorsused in theReportCardcompareUMasscampusesto the median oraverage
foragroupofpeerinstitutions, othercampusesofroughlysimilarsize, mission andprogram
PRESIDENT'S NOTES mix.Thepeerinstitutionswerefirstselectedfora 1992 studywhichfocusedon a smallsetof
financialindicators. The criteriafortheselectionofpeersincludedcontrol(allpeersarepub-
Datapresented inthis reportare lic), landgrantstatus, presenceorabsenceofamedicalschoolon campus, Carnegieclassifica-
accompanied bythecommentsand tion, rangeand mixofacademicprograms, volumeofsponsored research, and sizeandmix
reflectionsofPresidentMichael (graduate, part-time, minority)ofstudent body Thepeerinstitutionsforeach UMasscampus
Hooker.
are asfollows:
UMASS AMHERST UMASS DARTMOUTH
PennsylvaniaStateUniversity CaliforniaStateUniversityatChico
UniversityofConnecticut UniversityofMinnesotaatDuluth
RutgersUniversity StateUniversityofNewYorkatBinghamton
UniversityofDelaware UniversityofNorthCarolinaatGreensboro
UniversityofCaliforniaatSantaBarbara UniversityofColoradoatColoradoSprings
UniversityofMarylandatCollegePark UniversityofTennesseeatChattanooga
UniversityofColoradoatBoulder UniversityofMichiganatDearborn
UniversityofNebraskaatLincoln UniversityofWisconsinatParkside
UMASS BOSTON UMASS LOWELL
CityUniversityofNewYorkHunterCollege CaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversityatSanLuisObispo
PortlandStateUniversity UniversityofAlabamaatHuntsville
ClevelandStateUniversity CityUniversityofNewYorkCityCollege
UniversityofMarylandatBaltimoreCounty UniversityofCentralFlorida
GeorgeMasonUniversity MichiganTechnologicalUniversity
UniversityofMissouriatSt.Louis UniversityofTexasatArlington
GeorgiaStateUniversity TennesseeTechnologicalUniversity
LIniversityofWisconsinatMilwaukee WichitaStateUniversity
THE WORCESTER MEDICAL CAMPUS
MostoftheReportCarddealswithinformationrelevanttouniversities,suchasundergraduateaccessor
undergraduateteaching.InformationpertainingtoUMassWorcester,the.system'smedicalcenter,isusually
presentedseparately. Whereappropriate,theMedicalCenterisincludedinoverallsystemstatistics
(suchasdoctoraldegreesconferred).
6
OPPORTUNITY
Thebedrockmissionofthe UniversityofMassachusettsistooffercitizensofMassachusettsthe
opportunitytoobtainaqualityeducationatan affordablecost. Opportunityencompassesseveral
ideas, amongthem accesstocollege, successin college, andaffordability. Thissection addresses
each oftheseideas.
AstheSaxon Commission noted,the UMASS STUDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY COME FROM WITHIN MASSACHUSETTS.
private universitiesofMassachusetts
areagreatassettotheState—but 85%ofundergraduateandgraduatestudentsenrolled in UMasscomefrom insidethestate,
theyare notfocusedon providing comparedwith 40 percentofstudentsenrolledat privateuniversities in Massachusetts.
accessto highereducation tothe
state's residents, as is UMass.
In-statestudents
Out-of-statestudents
Enrollmentin UMass Enrollmentin Massachusetts
privateuniversities
RepresentsFall1993headcountenrollment{graduateandundergraduate).Source:AssociationofIndependentCollegesandUniversities
ofMassachusetts
7
UMASS ENROLLS STUDENTS WITH A RANGE OF ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS.
Ourmissionofaccessextends
Rank in high school class
beyond providinganaffordableedu-
cation. Weofferstudents from a
rangeofacademicbackgroundsthe
opportunitytosucceedatcollege-
—
level study an opportunitythey
60%
mightnot receiveat moreselective
40%
universities. Butwearealsoworking
20%
with othersectorsofhighereduca-
tion toguide studentstoward the Top 10%-^
kindsof institutionsthatcan serve
them best. Forexample, many
students in the lowestquartiles Amherst Boston Dartmouth Lowell
mightbebetteroffstartingtheir
#Enteringfreshmen 3822 800 1006 1093
education atoneofthecommunity
%ReportingHSrank 82% 29% 92% 75%
colleges, and transferringtoaUMass
campusafterearningan associate's State National
—
degreethere ata lowercostto SAT Scores Average
themselves andtotheState. Bythe
sametoken, weareputting more 25%scoredabove 1090 990 1011 1030 1060 1060
resources intoprogramsthatwill Averagescore 995 1808905 905 951 891 888
25%scoredbelow 890 800 860 730 730
attractthe state'stop-achieving
studentsto UA/lass. #Enteringfreshmen 3,822 800 1,006 1,093
%ReportingSATscores 93% 42% 98% 85%
OneofthereasonstheMedical HStiagthesacnhdoonlatciloanssalradnaktsaaanredfSoArThisgchorsecshoaorlesfoerniforrseswhhmeonteonotketnhnegSFAalTld1u99n3n.gDtohees1n9o9t2-i9n3cluadceadsetmudiecntyseaardamintdteardetshurpopulgihedalbtyertnhaetiCvoelplregoegrBaomasr.d.
School attractsstudentsofhigh qual- Duetothenon-traditionalnatureofthestudentbody,lessthanhalfofUMassBoston'sfreshmenreportclassrankorSATscores Additionally,
freshmenrepresentonlyonethirdofenteringstudentsattheBostoncampus
ity isthe state's Learning Contract,
which reduces medical school tuition UMASS MEDICAL STUDENTS ALL COME FROM WITHIN THE STATE. THEIR SCORES
bytwo-thirdsforstudentswho ON THE MCAT EXCEED NATIONAL AVERAGES.
remain in Massachusettsfortwo Average MCAT score
yearsaftergraduatingand practicein All studentstaking MCAT
primarycareareas, publicorcommu-
nityservice, orin underservedareas.
Eighty-fivepercentofmedical school
alumni whocompletedthe learning
contractserviceare practicing medi-
— UMassFall93enteringclass
cinein Massachusetts morethan
two-and-a-halftimesthepercentage
ofprivate medical school graduates 1
I
who stay intheState. 12 15
Source:AssociationofAmericanMedicalColleges.NationaldataareforstudentswhotooktheMCAT(MedicalCollegeAdmissionsTest)in1993.
Scaleoftestis1 to15.
8