University Develops New Report Outlining Goals, Accountability Measures Through 2021

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In an effort to keep the people of Arkansas aware of the decisions of their flagship university and the choices affecting the students and educators of the school, the University of Arkansas administration has developed a document that outlines a vision, goals and measurable objectives for tracking improvement in a variety of key areas.

Chancellor G. David Gearhart commissioned the effort, titled “Transparency and Accountability to the People of Arkansas,” to highlight the university’s goals and give the public a thorough look into the operations of the university. The document, which has taken more than a year to write and review, will serve as a public blueprint of where the university is heading in the next several years.

“The university must be transparent in its operations and decision-making and hold itself publicly accountable on its performance on key indicators that demonstrate to all citizens that progress is continually being made,” said Gearhart. “Through this effort, we intended to provide a detailed look at where the University of Arkansas stands today, and where we expect to be upon our sesquicentennial in 2021.”

• Creating an engaging campus life;
• Keeping costs as low as possible;
• Enhancing diversity by attracting more students, faculty and staff from underrepresented groups;
• Improving graduation rates and degree-completion times, and;
• Fostering the arts on campus and throughout the region.

The document also reveals the monitoring process on a number of key measures that will ensure that the institution is staying on track in serving the needs of the state. Examples of specific areas to be monitored include freshman ACT and high school grade-point averages, retention and graduation rates of incoming freshmen, baccalaureate and graduate degrees awarded, state funding, tuition and fees, and faculty and staff salaries, among other areas.

“While the university experience is more than the sum of its parts, the campus must continue to monitor progress in a number of key areas,” he added. “These areas are good indicators of the kind of institution the state expects us to be – focused on quality education, research and service, as well as supporting and nurturing students, faculty and staff.”

The full document can be downloaded in PDF format at http://chancellor.uark.edu/06-04_TAP.pdf.