UIU Five-Year Achievements 2004 to 2010
Leadership and Governance
- Re-instituted President’s Cabinet (2004)
- Completed two cycles of strategic planning—an initial 3-yr. plan (2004), followed by a 5-yr. plan (2008)
- Implemented an ongoing staff development program (2005)
- Implemented an enrollment management system (2005)
- Implemented a performance evaluation system for senior executives (2006)
- Installed a new senior executive leadership team that has included the following positions:
Vice President of External Affairs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Planning Officer, Vice President of Advancement, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Senior Vice President of International Programs, Director of Athletics, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Academic Officer and Senior Vice President of Residential University, Senior Vice President of Academic Extension
- Established the University’s first Marketing and Communications Department (2006)—winner of 2007 Telly and Pinnacle Awards
- Reorganized international program under new vice president and transitioned the primary business/delivery model for greater control and accountability (2007)
- Strengthened the Board of Trustees by assisting with and/or facilitating:
development of membership criteria, recruitment of additional board members, reorganization of board committees to align with the University’s strategic plan, adoption of a statement of commitment and responsibilities, on-going in-service/training, implementation of trustee annual assessment and adoption of board agenda models
Fundraising/Development
- Received largest bequest in history of institution (2006)
- Received one of the largest gifts in school history (2004)
- Since 2004, Upper Iowa University has increased annual student scholarship funding by 780%; this increase is the result of Team Peacock Scholarship fundraising efforts.
- Endowed a business incubator grant program with a $500,000 gift (2007)
- Reorganized the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations and re-activated the position of Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations, to fill a vacancy two decades old (2008)
- Re-instituted a formal alumni association (2007)
- Secured a major multi-year rural economic development grant in 2007 and a second grant in 2009
- Worked with Iowa Congressional delegation to get an appropriation for Upper Iowa University in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (passed by Congress and signed by the President of the United States)—Upper Iowa University’s first successful effort at securing funding through such means.
Academic Dashboard
- Established a single academic curriculum approval process to include the first graduate program council
- Added eleven (11) new majors (8 undergraduate and 3 graduate)
- Increased the number of all full-time faculty by 90%
- Increased the number of Fayette campus full-time faculty by 74%
- Secured membership and participation in the North Central Association’s Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
- Joined the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) program which has shown Upper Iowa among the top 25% of colleges nationally for enhancing student learning every year since 2006
- Nationally ranked as one of the top five online degree-granting universities since 2008 by Online Education Database (OEDB) Online College Rankings
- Recognized by GetEducated.com as a “Best Buy” for the online MBA and Human Resources programs in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Ranked “Best Value in Online Education” for Psychology, Social Science, and Business Management in 2009, and Criminal Justice in 2010.
- Upper Iowa University ranked in the top 15 percent of Military Friendly Schools in 2010 according to G.I. Jobs magazine.
- Upper Iowa University designated a “Top Military Friendly School” by Military Advanced Education magazine in 2008 and 2009, as one of sixty colleges receiving such a designation
- Re-instituted a position to function as the chief academic officer for the University (2008)
- Instituted a study abroad program, an international visiting faculty program, and reintroduced a body of 63 international students to the principle campus in Fayette.
Athletics
- Completed transition from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II status (2007)
- Secured membership in new intercollegiate athletic conference (2007)
- Achieved six conference championships since joining the new athletic conference (2007)
- Added one new women’s sport (2007)
Organizational Performance
- Achieved five consecutive years of positive year-end operating results (averaging over $2 million per year)
- Completed $17.3 million in capital improvements over the last five years; and opened two (2) new educational centers in the US (Cedar Rapids, IA and Rockford, IL) and added four additional locations in Malaysia
- Developed a facilities master plan, which following Board approval in April 2008 resulted in the implementation of the first phase of an additional $75 million in capital improvements planned as part of the new five-year strategic plan
- Increased enrollment by 34.7% on the Fayette campus
- Increased overall University enrollment by 14% in five years
- Increased size of cash reserve off annual operating budget balances by 195%, from $4,032,284 (FY 03 – 04 year-end balance) to $7,873,400 (FY 08 – 09 year-end balance)
- Increased annual operating budget by 53 % in five years
- Increased base salaries for faculty and staff across-the-board by 24% in five years
- Earned the distinction of having the most diverse campus among all postsecondary institutions in Iowa (21% minority students).
- Achieved an average annual enrollment growth rate of 23% for online degree programs over the past five years
- Created a disaster resistant University by developing and exercising an emergency response plan, installing a one megawatt back-up power generator for the Fayette campus, and implementing a turn-key central storage system-based business continuity/data recovery system (in process)
External Relationships/Community Engagement
- Established the first position of Director of External Affairs and supported the election of this member of the staff to State’s House of Representatives (appointed vice chair of education and appropriations), and began hosting an annual reception for legislators.
- Established a regional economic development corridor and awarded the first local business development grant in 2008 and a second grant in 2009
- Established a student and faculty operated information technology service providing support to area businesses and enhancement of regional economic development.
- Securing partnership with a for-profit corporation in a joint venture to produce web-enabled academic support materials (in process)
- UIU named to the Corporation for National Community Service’s President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll (2007 and 2009)
- UIU awarded Duane Kramer Sports Tourism Award for hosting 2008 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Eleven (11) corporate training partners have been added since 2004
- Sixty (60) new articulation agreements have been signed with community colleges since 2004
Technology Enhancements
- Installed a new fully-integrated web-enabled portal system (Jenzabar) for business operations (2007) and rolled this technology out across the University to include extension sites in the US, the online program and self-instructional programs
- Installation of wireless Fayette campus (2007)
- Enhanced high-speed Internet access and capacity of the Fayette campus
- Installed the first prototype interactive television system between the Fayette campus and two academic extension centers (in process)
- Implemented the first universal enterprise-wide email system for all faculty, staff, students, and alums (2007)
- Established the first teaching with technology grant program for faculty (2007)
- Established new center for the research, development, support and application of e-learning, e-commerce, and cyber-security/information assurance
