2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

internal business processes, technology, and the teamwork of administrators, faculty and staff,
the University will be recognized statewide as the model of excellence in higher education for
the effective and efficient use of human, fiscal and physical resources.
Significant Trends
The Strategic Plan continues to drive the institution to evaluate and improve its educational
offerings, outreach activities, and services to internal and external communities.
During FY 2009, the institution hired Dr. Roosevelt Newson as Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs. Working with the Provost and the Deans of Bowie’s four colleges,
Professional Studies, Business, Arts and Sciences, and Education, the institution created a Center
for Global Engagement, launched a new Bioinformatics degree and a College of Business
seminar series, and submitted a post-baccalaureate certificate in Addiction Counseling to USM
and MHEC. New partnerships with public schools and with private industry allowed Bowie
students to work in real world situations in the classrooms and in health management.
Increased focus on marketing and recruitment continues to show positive results. Fall 2008
(fiscal year 2009) headcount grew by 1.5 percent to 5,434. Full-time undergraduate student
population continued to expand to 3,689 (+3%) and now comprise two thirds of the total student
population. Transfer student interest in Bowie rose over fall 2007. The number of new fall
transfer students increased 10 percent from 419 to 462. Half of these transfer students came
from Maryland community colleges, specifically Prince George’s, Montgomery, Anne Arundel,
College of Southern Maryland, Community College of Baltimore County and Baltimore City.
During spring 2008, the University System of Maryland officially designated Bowie as a
“growth institution,” confirming the expectation that Bowie will absorb more students over the
next decade. Bowie’s USM growth target for FY 2009 was 4,417 FTE – a 100 FTE increase
over FY 2008. The institution exceeded its target by 79 FTE for a total of 4,496 FTE. Going
forward, Bowie will continue its aggressive marketing and outreach as part of an ongoing
enrollment initiative. This however is made increasingly difficult with each round of budget
cuts.
Bowie began implementation of its “Closing the Achievement Gap” USM initiative during FY
2009. The University System of Maryland launched this initiative in fall 2007 in recognition of
the disparity in academic performance between groups of students, especially groups defined by
gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Bowie’s benchmark is to decrease the
achievement gap in retention and graduation rates between its African-American students and all
students in the USM by 50 percent within five years. At the time the plan was developed, the 2 nd
year retention rate gap was 7 percentage points, increasing to 14 percentage points in 4 th year
retention. The graduation rate gap was 18 percentage points.
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