Key Performance Indicators

University of Alaska

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Mission

University of Alaska System (UA)

The University of Alaska inspires learning, and advances and disseminates knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples. AS 14.40.010, AS 14.40.060

University of Alaska Mission Statement
Board of Regents' Policy 01.01.010
Adopted 10-06-00

Key Performance Indicators

• Target: Lead the world in Arctic-related research

• Target: Increase total research expenditures.

• Target: Increase the number of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs.

• Target: Sustain overall, long-term growth in number of new invention disclosures.

• Target: Maintain Outreach publication distribution.

• Target: Sell books and maps published by the UA Press.

Performance Detail

Target #1: Increase student full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment. Methodology: One student full-time equivalent (FTE) represents the number of credits required for "on-time" graduation for degree seekers, 30 credits for 2- and 4-year year degree seekers and 24 credits for graduate degree seekers, over the entire fiscal year (consecutive summer, fall, and spring semesters). For example, 1 student FTE is equivalent to a) 30 students taking a one (1) credit undergraduate course during the fiscal year, b) 2 students taking 15 undergraduate course credits over the fiscal year, or c) 1 student taking 30 undergraduate course credits in the fiscal year. Student FTE Enrollment Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 15,051 -9.99% FY 2019 16,721 -4.75% FY 2018 17,555 -5.07% FY 2017 18,492 Analysis of results and challenges: The number of student full-time equivalents attending UA decreased about 10 percent (1,670 FTE) between FY2019 and FY2020. Overall declines were primarily driven by losses in undergraduate student FTE, down almost 13 percent in lower division coursework and almost 6 percent in upper division coursework. Overall professional student FTE at UA was the only level that saw an increase of FTE in FY2020. All three universities experienced a drop in lower division and graduate student FTE, however upper division and professional student FTE trends varied across UAA, UAF and UAS.

Target #2: Increase completions. Methodology: Academic credentials include all for-credit degree, certificate and endorsements earned during the fiscal year. Credentials Awarded Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 4,278 -0.83% FY 2019 4,314 -5.27% FY 2018 4,554 -0.87% FY 2017 4,594 Analysis of results and challenges: UA awarded 4,278 degrees, certificates, and endorsements in FY2020, a small drop of 36 awards (less than 1 percent) from FY2019 and about 500 fewer (11 percent) than in FY2016. UAA had a slight increase in awards between FY2019 and FY2020, with 22 more awards, while UAF and UAS awarded 49 and 9 less awards respectively over the same period. Occupational endorsement, licensure, and 1-and 2-year certificate awards were down 15 percent (102 awards), and master and doctoral awards were down 5 percent (28 awards), while Associate (AAS and AA) awards were up 3 percent (84 awards), and bachelor awards were up 1 percent (10 awards) from the prior year.

Target #3: Increase UA-trained New Teachers hired. Methodology: This numerator is calculated from the number of individuals earning recommendation for initial teacher licensure from one of UA's universities. This can occur via receipt of a degree or other credential, or without a formal completion on record. The denominator is the estimated number of annual new teacher hires in Alaska. Proportion of New Teachers Trained at UA Fiscal Year % UA Trained Teachers Initial Lic Progam Grad FY 2020 23% 194 -21.14% FY 2019 29% 246 -12.77% FY 2018 33% 282 +9.73% FY 2017 30% 257 Analysis of results and challenges: In FY2020, 194 individuals, which accounted for 23 percent of UA trained new educators hired, were recommended for initial licensure. This was a -21 percent decrease from the 246 individuals that were recommended for initial licensure in FY2019, which accounted for 29 percent of UA trained new educators hired during the same time period. UA Anchorage accounted for nearly the entire decrease, with its initial teacher licensure programs suffering a loss of accreditation in January 2019. These programs were closed by the UA Board of Regents in September 2019. UA Fairbanks initial teacher licensures grew almost 2 percent between FY2019 and FY2020, offset by a 4 percent drop for UA Southeast, yielding an overall 2 percent loss from FY2019 to FY2020 in the number of initial teacher licensures in programs remaining at UA going into FY2021. Note: This measure is under evaluation for update.

Target #4: Increase the number of graduates from Health and related professions programs. Methodology: Health and related profession programs are identified by Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes and include programs qualifying graduates to work in health professions such as nursing and allied health, mental health professions such as clinical psychology, and health administration professions. Health and Related Profession Program Graduates Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 886 +6.62% FY 2019 831 -11.5% FY 2018 939 +7.44% FY 2017 874 Analysis of results and challenges: The number of completions in Health and Related Professions increased by nearly 7 percent (55 awards) in the last year. UAA awards the majority (72 percent) of these credentials, with UAF delivering about 21 percent and UAS the remaining 7 percent.

Target #1: Lead the world in Arctic-related research Methodology: Measured via information available in the Scopus database, ranking the aggregate total count of arctic publications and citations for UAF, UAA and UAS, compared to other institutions globally, over the prior five-year period, i.e. FY12 - FY16 for the FY17 baseline. Worldwide Rank in Number of Publications and Citations of Peer-reviewed Arctic Research Year YTD Total 2020 1.0 2019 1.0 2018 1.0 2017 1.0 Analysis of results and challenges: UA's universities held steady in FY2020 as the experts in Arctic research, in aggregate publishing more peer-reviewed research papers and receiving more citations for such papers than any other institution. The number of overall total publications for FY2020 increased by 11% from FY2019, due to an increase in both citations (up 5) and arctic publications (up 1,352) in the last year. UA led Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung by 1,119 total publications, and UiT The Arctic University of Norway by 4,261 total publications in FY2020.

Target #2: Increase total research expenditures. Methodology: Measured as the total of expenditures in the Research NCHEMS functional classification category, from any fund source. Total Research Expenditures (Million $) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 160.5 +1.58% FY 2019 158.0 +4.84% FY 2018 150.7 -5.46% FY 2017 159.4 Analysis of results and challenges: UAF accounts for the vast majority of UA's research activity. Over the last year, total research expenditures have increased by nearly 2 percent. Although growth was observed in FY2019 and FY2020, UAF faculty and staff reductions in recent years have made it more difficult to sustain the large number of annual competitive research funding proposal submissions required to maintain growth. UAA has increased since FY2018, but UAF and UAS have stayed about the same over the last year.

Target #3: Increase the number of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Methodology: STEM programs are identified by Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes, and include programs qualifying graduates to work in science, technology, engineering and math related professions. Includes programs in nursing and allied health. STEM Graduates Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 1,509 +0.27% FY 2019 1,505 -11% FY 2018 1,691 +3.87% FY 2017 1,628 Analysis of results and challenges: University of Alaska stayed consistent with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math related degrees in FY2020, awarding 4 more awards than in FY2019. The largest decrease in awards (-43) from FY2019 to FY2020 was in engineering and related programs, which was offset by an increase of 40 degrees awarded in health professions and related programs during the same time.

Target #4: Sustain overall, long-term growth in number of new invention disclosures. Methodology: Measured as the number of new invention disclosures made during a fiscal year, as reported by UA\'s universities. New Invention Disclosures Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 28 -31.71% FY 2019 41 +20.59% FY 2018 34 +100% FY 2017 17 Analysis of results and challenges: UA continues to advance intellectual property, a process that begins with invention disclosures. Over time, some result in commercialization of technologies valuable to Alaska and its economy by creating new jobs and revenue. The annual number of invention disclosures can be subject to large swings year-to-year; observed FY2018 performance surpassed the target of 19 disclosures by almost 80 percent. Reflecting this natural variability, the FY2019 and FY2020 targets reflect annual target growth of 10 and 9 percent, respectively. The total number of invention disclosures made during FY2020 decreased by 32 percent. UAA decreased by 11 invention disclosures from FY2019, UAF remained strong with 25 new invention disclosures (about the same number as observed in FY2019), and UAS did not have any invention disclosures in FY2020. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a shutdown of research in March and significantly impacted the amount of FY2020 invention disclosure totals statewide.

Target #1: Maintain Outreach publication distribution. Methodology: The total number of hard copy publications distributed by UAF Cooperative Extension Service, plus the total number of document downloads, during the fiscal year. Provided by the CES. Outreach Publication Distribution and Access Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 748,148 +15.5% FY 2019 647,720 +239.32% FY 2018 190,887 +6.99% FY 2017 178,410 Analysis of results and challenges: UAF Cooperative Extension Service (CES) has a statewide responsibility to publish and distribute research in a form useful and understandable to the general public. In April of 2018 there was an upgrade to the publications database, which allowed for better analytics tracking. A higher than usual number for downloads online was expected until the key words became more usable and then the numbers would stabilize and reach a new normal. In FY2018, the Extension distributed 190,887 publications in print and from its website, an increase of 7.0 percent from the FY2017 value of 178,410. As expected, there was a 239 percent increase in FY2019 with 165,909 sold and distributed in hard copy and 481,811 downloads online. In FY2020, the number of outreach publications distributed increased by 16 percent due to distribution of 93,302 publications and 654,846 downloads online.

Target #2: Sell books and maps published by the UA Press. Methodology: The total number of books and maps sold during the fiscal year by UA Press. UA Press Books and Maps Sold Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2020 16,564 -41.21% FY 2019 28,176 +3.71% FY 2018 27,167 +6.57% FY 2017 25,493 Analysis of results and challenges: The University of Alaska Press is one of very few book publishers operating in Alaska today, and the only one that focuses on scholarly and educational books and e-books. Its publications cover an expanding range of subject areas, including politics and history, Alaska Native languages and cultures, science and natural history, biographies and memoirs, poetry, fiction and anthologies, children's books, and original translations. Annual book sales by the University of Alaska Press vary depending on the popularity of new titles. The total number of books and maps sold during FY2020 decreased by 41 percent from the same time last year. This decrease can be attributed in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of a tourism season meant a loss in the portion of books meant to appeal to a general public audience, and which are usually sold during the summer at park and museum gift shops and airport book stores. Also, in an effort to minimize expenses, the sales and distribution partnership with the University of Chicago Press was renegotiated. This likely contributed to a loss in regional trade book sales, which UA Press has not been able to pursue due to budget cuts in recent years.

Current as of November 10, 2020