Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

The USM in 2010: 

Responding to the Challenges that Lie Ahead

RB.30 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) offers undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs in the arts and sciences and engineering. Within a strong interdisciplinary framework, UMBC programs link the cultures of the sciences, social sciences, visual and performing arts and humanities, and the professions.

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research, and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. Known for its outstanding faculty and cutting-edge research, UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility, and lifelong learning.

An Honors University in Maryland, UMBC will be one of the nation's best public research universities of its size as it combines the traditions of the liberal arts academy, the creative intensity of the research university, and the social responsibility of the public university. UMBC will be known for integrating research, teaching and learning, and civic engagement so that each advances the others for the benefit of society.

Goal 1: Provide a quality education for all students so that our graduates are highly employable, ready for graduate school, and better able to contribute to community service.

Objective 1.1. Through fiscal year 2004, UMBC's alumni will attend graduate school at a rate that will be equal to or greater than the average for the State public four-year institutions, which were 35% (UMBC) and 29% (State public four-year) for the fiscal year 1997 alumni.

Objective 1.2. The pass rate of fiscal year 2004 UMBC graduates taking PRAXIS I and II teacher education exams will be at least 95%, the estimated rate for the fiscal year 2000 graduates.

Objective 1.3. Through fiscal year 2004, employers' satisfaction rate with UMBC graduates will be at least 95%, from 100% obtained in a pilot survey of recruiters in fiscal year 2000.¹

Objective 1.4. Through fiscal year 2004, the percentage of UMBC alumni satisfied with the preparation for their current job or for graduate/professional study will be at least 95%, from 97% for the fiscal year 1997 graduating class.

Objective 1.5. The percentage of UMBC fiscal year 2004 alumni reporting that a UMBC education enhanced their knowledge, skills, and personal development in contributing to the welfare of their community will increase to 75% from 72% for the fiscal year 1999 alumni.²

Goal 2: Achieve national recognition as being among the best public research peer universities (those formerly Research II).

Objective 2.1. UMBC's rank among public research peer universities in prestigious national awards per 100 FT faculty will rise from 5^th in 1999 to the top 3 by fiscal year 2004.

Objective 2.2. UMBC's rank among public research peer universities in median SAT of the freshman class in fiscal year 2004 will remain in the top 2, as achieved in fiscal year 1999.

Objective 2.3. UMBC's rank among public research peer universities in the second-year retention rate of first-time, full-time freshmen will rise from 4^th for the Fall 1998 cohort to the top 2 by fiscal year 2004 (for the Fall 2003 cohort).

Objective 2.4. Federal research expenditures will increase to $25 million in fiscal year 2004, from $16 million in fiscal year 1999.

Objective 2.5. Total awards of sponsored grants and contracts will increase to $65 million in fiscal year 2004 from $51 million in fiscal year 1999.

Goal 3: Provide a racially and ethnically diverse pool of graduates who enter into the workforce and graduate/professional schools, and who are better able to contribute to community service.

Objective 3.1. Through fiscal year 2004, the graduate school-going rates for UMBC's African-American alumni will be equal to or greater than the average for all UMBC graduates, which were 49% (African-American) and 35% (all graduates) for the fiscal year 1997 graduating class.

Objective 3.2. Through fiscal year 2004, the six-year graduation rates for UMBC's African-American students will be equal to or greater than the average for UMBC peer institutions, which were 58% (UMBC) and 43% (peer institutions) for the Fall 1993 freshman cohort in fiscal year 1999.

Objective 3.3. The percentage of UMBC fiscal year 2004 African-American alumni reporting that a UMBC education enhanced their knowledge, skills, and personal development in contributing to the welfare of their community will be equal to or greater than the percentage for all UMBC alumni, which were 82% (African-American) and 72% (all alumni) for the fiscal year 1999 graduating class.

Objective 3.4. UMBC's rank among public research peer institutions in the 6-year graduation rate gap between African-American and all ethnic groups will remain in the top 2 by fiscal year 2004 (for the Fall 1998 cohort).

Objective 3.5. UMBC's rank among public research peer institutions in the 2^nd year retention rate for African-American freshmen will remain in the top 2 by fiscal year 2004 (for the Fall 2002 cohort).

Objective 3.6. UMBC's rank among public research peer institutions in the percentage of enrollment that is minority will remain in the top 2 by Fall 2004.

Objective 3.7. UMBC's rank among public research peer institutions in the percentage of bachelor's degrees awarded to African-Americans will remain among the top 2 by fiscal year 2004.

Goal 4: Promote economic development in the region and the State.

Objective 4.1. Increase the number of jobs created by companies in UMBC's Technology Center and Research Park from 250 in fiscal year 1999 to 500 in fiscal year 2004.

Objective 4.2. Increase property tax revenues generated by UMBC's Technology Center and Research Park from $50,000 in fiscal year 1999 to $140,000 in fiscal year 2004.

Objective 4.3. Maintain through fiscal year 2004, the high Prometric pass-rate for UMBC's workforce training programs, which in fiscal year 1999 was 85% (compared to the local average, which was 70%).

Objective 4.4. Through fiscal year 2004, the 6-year graduation rate will be equal to or greater than the average for UMBC's peer institutions, which were 60% (UMBC) and 59%(peer institutions) for the Fall 1993 cohort.³

Objective 4.5. UMBC's rank among public research peer universities in the number of IT bachelor's degrees awarded will remain in the top 2 by fiscal year 2004.

Goal 5: Increase fund raising from gifts and private partnerships, demonstrating support for the campus.

Objective 5.1. Capital Campaign dollars will increase to $60 million in fiscal year 2002 from $38 million in fiscal year 1999, achieving our Capital Campaign goal.

Objective 5.2. Through fiscal year 2002, endowment dollars will increase by a rate of at least $2 million annually from a high of $3.8 million increase in fiscal year 1999.