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

KEY GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES
GOAL 1: MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS IN
ACHIEVING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THE STATE
MFR Objectives 1.1 – 1.4
Bowie has reached the Board of Regents’ goal for faculty teaching load and has surpassed its
own goal of increasing the number of faculty with terminal degrees. The academic excellence of
the institution has been enhanced and the educational needs of the students and the state have
been strengthened as the percent of faculty with terminal degrees has progressively increased.
Since fiscal year 2006 the percentage of faculty with terminal degrees has increased from 78% to
92% in fiscal year 2009. Course units taught by core faculty have been reduced from the FY
2004 level of 8.6. Actual levels of course units taught per academic year have ranged from 8.5
to 7.5. For FY 2009, the faculty teaching load level was 7.5 course units, satisfying the Regents’
goal. The attainment of these goals is the result of efforts to more carefully scrutinize the
institution’s hiring practices and place greater emphasis on meeting specific programmatic needs
(Objectives 1.1 and 1.2).
The six year graduation rate (Objective 1.4) for the 2002 cohort is an early positive indicator that
administrative and academic improvements are affecting student success. The 2002 cohort six
year graduation rate was 45% compared to 40% for the 2000 and 2001 cohorts. At the present
time it is unrealistic to project that Bowie’s six-year graduation rate will reach 51 percent next
year. The University is unwavering in its commitment to increasing graduation rates as
evidenced by the President’s multi-year strategic objective to support this effort and the
alignment with the Closing the Achievement Gap plan goal to reduce the gap by 2 percentage
points annually. Bowie anticipates positive progress towards achieving that goal.
GOAL 2: INCREASE THE STATE’S SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED GRADUATES IN THE HIGH-DEMAND
FIELDS AND WORKFORCE SHORTAGE AREAS
MFR Objectives 2.1 – 2.3
The University has had some limited success in increasing enrollment in teacher education,
nursing and information technology (Objective 2.1). Teacher education majors have increased
from 294 reported in FY 2004 to the current 344, level a 17 percent increase. Nursing student
majors remain steady. However, the number of students actually admitted into the nursing
program doubled in the most recent year as a result of planned program expansion. Information
technology majors (computer science, computer technology and management information
systems) have dropped from the FY 2004 level of 545 to 360 in FY 2009, reflecting the
contraction of the industry.
Demand for the undergraduate nursing program continues to exceed capacity. In fall 2008, 86
qualified students, or half of the qualified applicant pool, were denied admission even after the
institution doubled its entering nursing class. Grant funding received this year enabled the
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