Performance Details
University of Alaska - University of Alaska Southeast
Mission
The mission of the University of Alaska Southeast is student learning enhanced by faculty scholarship, undergraduate research and creative activities, community engagement, and the cultures and environment of Southeast Alaska.
Core Services
- STUDENT SUCCESS. Culturally and socioeconomically diverse students are provided ready access to educational opportunities and safe environments.
- -- Students are supported by an inclusive university community.
- -- Students successfully complete educational goals.
- TEACHING AND LEARNING.
-- Students are provided relevant programs and services, ranging from community college-level to graduate level. - -- Students demonstrate academic excellence in learning.
- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
-- Promote a better understanding of local, state, national, and international community needs and provide solutions with a special emphasis on Southeast Alaska. - RESEARCH AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. Faculty and students are engaged in research, scholarship, and creative expression.
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Performance Detail
| A: Result - STUDENT SUCCESS. Provide the academic support and student services that facilitate student access and completion of educational goals. |
Target #1: Undergraduate retention and persistence: the UAS target for FY20 is a year-to-year retention and persistence rate of 68% for undergraduate degree-seeking students
Analysis of results and challenges: A critical challenge for UAS is to improve student retention from one year to the next. The percentage of degree-seeking undergraduates at UAS returning the following year has remained mostly flat over the past five years. According to the University of Alaska Southeast 2017 student retention and satisfaction survey, the most common reasons for withdrawing from UAS were financial reasons (53% of respondents), class schedules that do not fit the student's schedules (38% of respondents), and moving out of the Southeast Alaska region (30% of respondents). • Beginning FY19, UAS will implement the EAB Student Success Collaborative system to help target students at risk, to promote campus-wide intervention strategies, and to monitor retention. • UAS sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are eligible for financial aid may apply for a Stay on Track award each semester in which they enroll in 15 or more credits. • New financial aid and advising policies are aligned to promote academic success, retention, and ultimately, degree completion. • Admission requirements are aligned with the Alaska Performance Scholarship program, and a revised student fee structure and the recent construction of a freshman dorm at the Juneau campus has also supported retention. The extensive efforts implemented in recent years are expected to help UAS meet its goal of a 68% retention rate by FY20. Related links: |
| A1: Core Service - STUDENT SUCCESS. Culturally and socioeconomically diverse students are provided ready access to educational opportunities and safe environments. |
Target #1: High demand job area graduates: the UAS target for FY20 is for 508 endorsement, certificate, and degree awards to be in high-demand job area programs, representing 75% of all degrees awarded at UAS
Analysis of results and challenges: UAS conferred 460 awards in FY18 YTD in high demand job areas--representing 69% of the 668 total awards earned at UAS. In comparison, 65% of the total awards earned in the UA System were from high demand job areas. UAS anticipates maintaining this high proportion of high demand job graduates in the future. The number of awards in high demand job areas have nearly doubled since FY09. The continued investment of TVEP funding from the State of Alaska has helped UAS maintain the infrastructure for many high demand job training programs. Related links:
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| A2: Core Service - -- Students are supported by an inclusive university community. |
Target #1: Full enrollment: the UAS target for FY20 is for 12% of all degree-seeking undergraduates to take 30 credits for the year
Analysis of results and challenges: • Full-time undergraduates (those with sophomore, junior, or senior class standing, who were taking fewer than 15 credits, in good standing, and who submitted a FAFSA to take advantage of available federal funding) were offered $500 in tuition waivers (the cost of a lower division three-credit class) if they enrolled in a total of 15 credits per semester. • This initiative, known as Stay on Track, informs students of the financial advantages to enrolling in 15 credits per semester, compared to the full-time minimum of 12. This initiative can help, in part, offset the recent tuition rate increases. • According to a UAS retention study, 23% of respondents said financial reasons prohibited them from taking a full 15 credits (McDowell Group, 2012, University of Alaska Southeast Student Retention Study, p. 5 http://www.uas.alaska.edu/student_services/docs/ uas_mcdowell_retention_study2012.pdf). UAS responded not only to the long-term cost advantage of taking more credits but also to student concerns about the immediate cost of taking additional credits. This initiative also helps to support student progression and retention in their degree programs. • The Alaska Performance Scholarship, which requires that recipients enroll in 30 credits per year beginning with their second year, was first implemented for the high school class of 2011. The Stay on Track initiative at UAS is aligned with the Alaska Performance Scholarship. Related links:
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| A3: Core Service - -- Students successfully complete educational goals. |
Target #1: Graduation efficiency: the UAS target for FY20 is 1.25 in the ratio of credits taken to credits required for degree completion
Analysis of results and challenges: The ratio of credits taken to credits required for degree programs (graduation efficiency) at UAS was 1.29 in FY18 and has improved since FY14 (1.36) and FY15 (1.40). UAS adopted this metric to help gauge the effectiveness of mandatory advising, to determine how well students are using degree completion plans, and to assess academic program quality. It is defined as the ratio of the number of credits completed to the number required for an undergraduate degree program, and now includes transfer as well as institutional credits. • Continuing efforts to bring the index down include advising strategies (such as required advising, Early Alert, and the implementation of EAB Student Success Collaborative), using DegreeWorks to focus degree-completion plans, and improving access to program courses. • According to the 2012 UA Graduate Survey, a large proportion of UAS graduates (60%) indicated that the ability to take some or all classes online was a very important factor in helping them attain their degree. UAS responded to these findings by offering a broader selection of courses and programs delivered with eLearning. • Similarly, 72% of students stated that the availability of online courses was very important to their experience at UAS, according to the 2017 UAS Retention Survey. Related links:
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| B: Result - TEACHING AND LEARNING. Provide a broad range of programs and services resulting in student engagement and empowerment for academic excellence. |
Target #1: Student credit hours: the UAS target for FY20 is 50.6 student credit hours
Analysis of results and challenges: The number of degrees awarded at UAS remains year the all-time high as students from the peak enrollment year (FY11) continue to graduate. However, enrollment and credit hours earned have declined in recent years, due in part to demographic shifts in Alaska and reduced program offerings as budgets have been cut and the UA System has streamlined program offerings. Overall, student credits hours declined from 45,900 credits in FY17 to 41,800 in FY18--in part, due to the strategic closure of the UAS Professional Education Center, with those services now offered through UAA. • The UA Strategic Pathways initiative is the bridge that UA is implementing to ensure UA remains relevant, productive and efficient, State of Alaska’s financial situation notwithstanding. • UAS continues to work towards supporting the UA System's “Alaska 65 by 2025” initiative--to “increase the percentage of working-age Alaskans who hold postsecondary credentials – from apprenticeship or certificate completion to advanced degrees – to 65% by the year 2025.” See http://65by2025.org/about/behind-the-campaign. • As part of the 65 by 2025 initiative, UAS is working to (1) improve the success of developmental students; (2) reduce “stop-outs” or students who leave UA without credentials; and (3) increase the percentage of students attending full-time. Combined, these efforts should result in movement towards the 65 by 2025 goal of a significantly more skilled Alaskan workforce as well as an increase in students' credit hours in the future. Related links:
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| B1: Core Service - TEACHING AND LEARNING. -- Students are provided relevant programs and services, ranging from community college-level to graduate level. |
Target #1: Faculty to completers: the UAS target in FY20 is stability in the ratio of regular instructional faculty to the number of endorsement, certificate, and degree completers at 0.17
Analysis of results and challenges: The ratio of regular instructional faculty at UAS to the number of endorsement, certificate, and degree awards was 0.18 in FY17. Across the UA system, the faculty to completers ratio was 0.24 in FY18, and averaged 0.25 over the last five years. The 2017 Student Retention Survey found that 96% of UAS students were satisfied with the quality of their UAS instructors/professors. According to the UA Grad Survey, UAS graduates (61%) were more likely than other UA graduates to cite support from faculty as very important in degree attainment. Because faculty members are crucial for student completion, UAS strives to maintain stability in this ratio. Related links:
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| B2: Core Service - -- Students demonstrate academic excellence in learning. |
Target #1: Structured experiential learning: the UAS target for FY20 is 0.29 in the ratio of students participating in structured experiential learning to the full-time equivalent of endorsement-, certificate-, and degree-seeking students.
Analysis of results and challenges: Students participate in a wide variety of structured experiential learning, such as student-led radio programming, student government, and undergraduate research conducted outside the classroom. One example, the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URECA) awards, were developed to enhance opportunities for undergraduate students in all disciplines to work directly with faculty on projects involving active, engaged learning. One quantifiable indicator for the broader array of opportunities is the number of students enrolled in internships, practica, and individual research courses compared to the number of endorsement-, certificate-, and degree-seeking student full-time equivalent. The metric provides context on the participation and engagement of students at UAS. In FY18, the UAS ratio was 0.27 compared with an average from FY14-FY17 of 0.24. Related links:
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| C: Result - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. Provide programs and services that connect with local, state, national, and international entities on programs, events, services and research that respond to the economic, environmental, social, and cultural needs and resources of |
Target #1: Non-credit instructional activity: the UAS target for FY20 is 1,150 non-credit instructional units.
Analysis of results and challenges: The measurement of non-credit instructional activity is based on contact hours, where 10 contact hours represents one non-credit instructional unit. The provision of non-credit instructional activity is related to introductory workforce development training and expands UAS’ engagement with the community. Non-credit instructional activity includes continuing education credits designed to provide opportunities for life-long learning and skill development. Offerings are market-driven, and customized training is arranged for local employers to address their particular needs. Continuing Education courses are offered on a self-support model and do not carry college credit. With a focus on strengthening non-credit instructional activity with additional workforce development training for the maritime, construction, and mining industries, UAS targets stabilization in the number of non-credit offerings that lead to credentials (Entry-Level Miner and Maritime/Multi-Skilled Worker credentials). Related links:
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| C1: Core Service - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. -- Promote a better understanding of local, state, national, and international community needs and provide solutions with a special emphasis on Southeast Alaska. |
| D: Result - RESEARCH AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. Provide programs and services that support research, scholarship, and creative expression by faculty and students. |
Target #1: Research proposals: the UAS target is 0.25 for the ratio of research proposals funded in FY20 to all proposals submitted.
Analysis of results and challenges: The ratio of the number of research grants awarded in FY18 to the number of research grant proposals submitted was 0.18 (Note: This does not compare the number of grants awarded to the cohort of proposals that yielded them). • Under sequestration, less federal funding was available in FY13. For example, the National Science Foundation budget was reduced by $356 million and expects fewer new awards for FY13 (National Science Foundation, July 17, 2013 http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/in133a/in133a.pdf). • Similarly, the United States Department of Agriculture announced reductions of 7.8% for FY13 (Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture). • Faculty responded by applying for more grants (32 in FY16, compared to 25 in FY14), including more competitive grants, with less success. Several faculty hired within the last two years are early career faculty who are working with the UAS Grant Proposal Coordinator to explore potential funding sources. • UAS has recently expanded the position of Vice Provost for Research to include Sponsored Programs. The position – held by the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences – will review grant proposals from UAS. This change along with Strategic Pathways improvements is expected to improve the overall quality and success of such proposals and to maximize careful and timely review. Related links:
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| D1: Core Service - RESEARCH AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. Faculty and students are engaged in research, scholarship, and creative expression. |
Target #1: Headcount of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Seeking Research Assistants: the UAS target for FY20 is 15 students.
Analysis of results and challenges: The number of research assistants at UAS is an effectiveness measure. Research assistant positions allow students to learn practical skillsets that enhance their education at UAS. This follows best practices on student engagement and student success. UAS has set a target of 15 degree seeking research assistants by FY20 in support of the research and creative expression core theme in the University of Alaska Southeast's Strategic Plan. Related links:
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Current as of August 13, 2019