Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

The USM in 2010: 

Responding to the Challenges that Lie Ahead

RB.22 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

The University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), a comprehensive public research university, is the flagship institution of USM and Maryland's 1862 land-grant institution. UMCP offers baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral programs in the liberal arts and sciences, social sciences, the arts, and selected professional fields. UMCP also serves the State's agricultural, industrial, and commercial communities, as well as school systems, governmental agencies, and citizens.

As the State's comprehensive public research university, its original land grant institution, and the legislatively-mandated flagship institution of USM, the University of Maryland, College Park serves the citizens of the State through three broad mission areas of research, teaching, and outreach. The University is the State's primary center for graduate study and research, and it is responsible for advancing knowledge through research, providing high quality undergraduate instruction across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, and contributing to the economic development of the State.

The University of Maryland, College Park serves the citizens of the State by joining the ranks of the nation's premier public research universities and is nationally and internationally recognized for the quality of its faculty and students, for its outstanding academic programs in key research areas across the disciplines, for programs in the arts that are a national model of excellence and community involvement, and for outreach and service that are a key resource for the well being of the citizens of the State. It provides the highest quality undergraduate education, noted for a breadth and depth that are the hallmark of first-rate research universities, and its many special programs attract and graduate students of the highest academic caliber from every ethnic and racial group.

Goal 1: Provide the citizens of Maryland with a public research university whose programs and faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for excellence in research and the advancement of knowledge.

Objective 1.1. By 2004 move from 22^nd place in U.S. News and World Report's ranking of 147 national public universities, as reported in 1999, to at least 15^th place in those rankings.

Objective 1.2. Reduce the gap between UM faculty salaries and the mean faculty salary of UM's five peer institutions from $9.6 million in 1999 to zero in 2004.

Objective 1.3. Increase the number of faculty who hold membership in national academies from 19 in 1999 to 40 by 2004.

Objective 1.4. Increase the number of endowed chairs and professorships from 46 in 1999 to 75 by 2004.

Objective 1.5. Increase the level of annual research activity from $284 million in 2000 to $320 million by 2004.

Objective 1.6. Increase the average GRE score of enrolled graduate students from 1838 in 1999 to 1888 by 2004, and increase the number of graduate applications received from 13300 in 1999 to 16625 by 2004.

Goal 2: Provide an enriched educational experience to our students that takes full advantage of the special strengths of a diverse research university and promotes retention and graduation.

Objective 2.1. Increase the percentage of undergraduate students participating in campus-based living and learning programs, research activities, internships, independent study experiences, or special projects with off-campus institutions from 57% in 1999 to 80% by 2004.

Objective 2.2. Increase the second-year student retention rate of all UM students from 89.9% in 1999 to 92% by 2004.

Objective 2.3. Increase the six-year graduation rate for all UM students from 63.5% in 1999 to 70% in 2004; increase the six-year graduation rate for African American, Asian American, and Hispanic students from 46%, 67.3%, and 48.6%, respectively, in 1999, to 60%, 70%, and 60%, respectively, in 2004; and increase the five-year graduation rate for all full-time UM students from 83.4% in 1999 to 85% in 2004.

Goal 3: Expand our Maryland family of alumni and constituents to achieve a network of support that is the hallmark of an outstanding research institution.

Objective 3.1. Annual giving to the University from all sources will increase from $78.5 million in 1999 to over $125 million by 2004.

Objective 3.2. The total number of annual alumni donors to the University will increase from 12400 in 1999 to 25000 in 2004.

Goal 4: Promote economic development in Maryland, especially in areas of critical need, by engaging in a range of partnerships with private companies, government agencies and laboratories, and other research universities.

Objective 4.1. In support of the Maryland Applied Information Technology Initiative (MAITI), increase the number of degrees awarded by UM in the critical workforce shortage area of Information Technology (IT) by 30%, from 666 in 1999 to at least 866 by 2004.

Objective 4.2. Increase the number of companies that have graduated from the UM incubator program from 33 in 1999 to at least 50 by 2004.

Objective 4.3. Address areas of critical teacher shortage by increasing the number of certified secondary education teacher candidates graduating from UM and available to teach in the State's classrooms by over 60% by 2004, from 93 secondary education graduates in 1999 to over 150 by 2004.

Objective 4.4. Expand UM's participation in the USM undergraduate education initiative at Shady Grove by increasing our full time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate enrollment at Shady Grove from zero in 1999 to at least 500 by 2004.

Goal 5: Prepare our graduates to be productive members of the labor force, particularly in areas considered vital to the economic success of the State.

Objective 5.1. By 2004, the percentage of UM alumni employed full-time or enrolled in graduate or professional study on a full-time basis one year after graduation will equal or exceed the 1999 rate of 90%.

Objective 5.2. The overall pass rate of UM graduates on teacher licensure exams will increase from 99% in 2000 to 100% by 2004.

Objective 5.3. The percentage of alumni expressing satisfaction with their preparation for the labor market or their preparation for graduate or professional school will increase from 89% in 1999 to 90% or higher by 2004.

Objective 5.4. The percentage of employers expressing satisfaction with the preparation of UM graduates will increase to or be maintained at X% by year X.¹