President s Advisory Boards Summit. Summary Report

Transcription

1 On The Road to Tier One T h e U n i v e R S i t y o f T e x A S A T E l P A S O President s Advisory Boards Summit Summary Report On April 29, 2011, the President s first Summit for Advisory Boards was attended by more than 100 advisory board members representing our seven colleges, schools, and divisions, as well as the University s Development Board and the Centennial Campaign leadership.

2 The purpose of the Summit, hosted by President Diana Natalicio, was three-fold: 1. To update our board members on UTEP s progress toward becoming a Tier One, national research university. 2. To seek our board members perspectives on UTEP s success in meeting the needs of our students and the Paso del Norte region. 3. To engage our board members in helping UTEP achieve its Tier One vision to become the first national research university with a 21st century student demographic. Building a National Reputation by Successfully Serving our Region UTEP is on a trajectory that is unprecedented in U.S. higher education. Our institution has rejected the widespread assumption that all universities must choose either access or excellence in defining their institutional missions and planning their future development. UTEP has demonstrated for more than a decade exceptional institutional success in enhancing teaching and research excellence without reneging on our strong commitment to create educational opportunities for young people from the historically undereducated Paso del Norte region. As a result of the pioneering work of educators at all levels across the El Paso region, UTEP s enrollment is predicted to reach 30,000 students by Through the leadership of the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence, El Paso has outperformed other major metropolitan areas in Texas in both high school graduation rates and the percentage of high school graduates who complete the statewide Recommended Curriculum or Distinguished Achievement Program. More young people in this region now aspire to and successfully pursue higher education as the pathway to a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their community. UTEP is very proud that more than 60% of this region s most academically accomplished high school graduates, who attend a public university in Texas, choose UTEP. And that percentage is steadily increasing. Research has revealed that students talent and motivation not their ethnicity, household income, ACT/SAT scores, or even their academic performance in high school are the most important predictors of their success. Building on this understanding, UTEP has been able to design and implement strategies that foster the success of students from a broad range of backgrounds who come to our campus with their dreams, and ensure that when they receive a UTEP diploma, they will be ready to compete successfully with their peers across the globe. Concurrently, UTEP has worked to build its capacity to conduct competitive research and doctoral programs, which has led to our designation by the Texas Legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as one of the State s seven Emerging Research Universities. Unlike most other institutions, UTEP s continued quest for excellence rests solidly on our strong commitment to access and to creating enriched educational opportunities for the residents of the Paso del Norte region. Summary Report April 29,

3 With the continued support of our friends and alumni, UTEP will lead the way for U.S. higher education to ensure the full participation of the fast-growing Hispanic demographic by creating a new research university model that transforms how students across the U.S. are educated in the 21st century. Thank you for joining us on UTEP s journey to Tier One. Your participation in the Summit has helped increase our understanding of what advisory board members and the broader community know about UTEP s mission and our quest to become the first national research university with a 21st century student demographic. We greatly appreciate your willingness to share your perspectives with us, and we are pleased to report your collective responses to the questions that were posed to you at the Summit. Q1 After hearing President Natalicio s presentation, which points resonated most with you? And Why? Knowing what specific information Summit participants retained from the President s presentation will provide us with important information that will help guide our fundraising and external communication processes with alumni and friends. Q2 Indicate the top three-to-five ways you can assist UTEP in achieving Tier One. You were selected to serve on one of UTEP s advisory boards because of your demonstrated leadership skills and your record of service to UTEP. We need your help presenting our message, accomplishments and fundraising goals to UTEP alumni and friends. Your understanding and commitment to helping us achieve our Tier One goal will provide a strong collective voice to our efforts. Q3 What three words would you use to describe UTEP? Words have power. They can inspire and help guide a University to greatness. We want to know the words you use to describe UTEP so that we can assess their effectiveness in communicating with others and identify new words that convey our successes and clearly communicate our vision for the future. The dialogue stimulated by these questions is summarized in the following pages.

4 Q1 What resonated with me? President Natalicio s message left the majority of Summit participants asking that greater efforts be made to ensure that UTEP s success story reaches a broader audience. You were impressed by UTEP s excellent record of attracting Top Ten Percent high school graduates and the partnership UTEP has forged with El Paso Community College and area school districts to close academic achievement gaps in this region. You also appreciated hearing about the important role UTEP plays in this region s economic development by preparing a 21st century workforce with capacity to attract business investment, and conducting externally-funded research that leads to the development and commercialization of intellectual property and start-up businesses. The following top three responses to the President s presentation were: 1. The UTEP story UTEP has made impressive strides in fully achieving its mission of access and excellence UTEP has seen two decades of steady growth in student enrollment, student graduation and faculty research The changes and growth of the UTEP campus are impressive. These changes speak to UTEP s success and commitment to improving educational opportunities in the region The success of UTEP is closely tied to its commitment to access in the region. There should be more information regarding excellence that becomes part of the UTEP story. Stories involving UTEP s success in research and alumni achievements should be shared with alumni and friends through so that the information is immediate and can be shared and distributed on a wider scale for minimal cost 2. UTEP Serves the Region Sixty-two percent of El Paso s Top Ten Percent high school graduates who attend a Texas public university enroll at UTEP Demographics of UTEP mirror the region s population UTEP collaborates with El Paso Community College and area school districts 3. UTEP Benefits the Region Accessible and affordable enrollment opens doors to more residents of this region Excellence is the guardian of the University An educated workforce creates jobs and attracts corporate investment Summary Report April 29,

5 President Diana Natalicio shares with Summit participants UTEP s success in closing the gap in student participation. Summit participants Lorez Curlin Retta (left) and Louann Feuille (right)

6 Q2 What is my role? UTEP must have the support of our stakeholders to reach our goals for the 21st century and beyond. As advisory board members, you have made a statement to your friends and your community that you believe in and want to support UTEP s future development as a Tier One university. These are some of the ways in which our board members wish to help UTEP: 1. help broaden awareness of UTEP - locally, regionally, and nationally Internally connecting students and faculty to regional businesses and opportunities for professional growth Externally creating an actively engaged UTEP alumni community that facilitates student internship and job placement opportunities and promotes research opportunities for faculty at UTEP Nationally initiating dialogue through both formal (alumni magazine, personal contact) and informal ( , social media) information exchange that updates UTEP alumni and friends on UTEP s progress toward becoming a national research university 2. Help expand UTEP s resources through public and private funding Seeking gifts from individual donors, corporations and foundations Supporting endowments in Chairs and Professorships Providing connection to corporations that offer opportunities for university research partnerships Broadening the engagement of all alumni in support of UTEP and its goals 3. Help others understand how UTEP s Tier One goal strengthens the regional economy All great cities have at least one major research or Tier One university Innovation and commercialization of UTEP research can serve as an economic engine to foster a stronger economy regionally A community s quality of life flourishes with an educated workforce Summary Report April 29,

7 Summit participants Donna Neessen (left), James R. Forbes (center), Pam Pippen (right)

8 Q3 And now a Word from You We appreciate your participation in the exercise to choose the top three words you believed best describe UTEP. The results reflect your keen awareness of our mission, and can be used to further shape our message to the community. The following are the top ten most popular words you associate with UTEP: 1. Accessible 2. excellence 3. Opportunity 4. engaged 5. diversity 6. visionary 7. Transforming 8. innovation 9. emerging 10. Treasure The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved the first doctoral degree offered by UTEP s School of Nursing: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (dnp). The Board has also approved the doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the College of Science. Summary Report April 29,

9 Dr. Soheil Nazarian (left), Professor of Civil Engineering and Richard Schoephoerster, Dean, College of Engineering, hood Manuel Celaya, 2010 doctoral graduate in Civil Engineering. Paydirt Pete with Athletic Director Bob Stull (left), and UTEP alumnus and supporter Steve DeGroat (right).

10 Next Steps By successfully serving our regional population, UTEP has moved into the forefront of U.S. higher education. Building on our strong commitment to access, we must now focus efforts on achieving the full capacity, breadth, innovation and regional impact of a national research university. On The Road to Tier One Objectives Amplify the Tier One message Continue to execute a strong name awareness campaign via communications Ensure reputation management of UTEP Increase web traffic to utep.edu and campaignforutep.org Actively engage in Centennial Campaign efforts in the country, especially in Texas. Tactics: Present engaging and informative stories about UTEP students, programs, alumni, and corporate partners on websites Launch compelling, concise campaigns aimed at key constituents and UTEP supporters; maintain dynamic, but not burdensome frequency. messages would accentuate latest Did you know? points and accolades Promote President Diana Natalicio s Tier One presentations around El Paso, the state and the nation More than $383 million in new construction and renovation projects are helping to expand UTEP s research capabilities. UTEP s portfolio of externallyfunded research includes more than $175 million in recent awards. Summary Report April 29,

11 Biological Sciences, Katherine A. Diaz

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