Achievement Record October 2010
Y E A R T W O • Q U A L I T Y A N D A C C O U N TA B I L I T Y
www.usask.ca/achievementrecord
Achievement Record
1. Teaching, Learning and the
Student Experience
In order to gauge progress of the university’s strategic directions, and
to adequately represent this progress to our community and the public
at large, we have developed our second Achievement Record. We are
committed to being accountable. We take responsibility for measuring
and reporting the effectiveness of our work and using that information
to continuously improve our performance.
Benchmark
Peer comparable data representing the norm or desired state.
Target
The goal or objective to be obtained by a specific date/time.
1.1 Students
1.3 Student Completion Rates
Total number of undergraduate students in each year
Percentage of first-time, full-time direct entry students who graduated within
a six-year time frame
Aboriginal
International
Other
1,833
708
15,026
1,753
782
15,062
1,597
780
14,896
1,638
852
14,955
Entry and final year of the six-year time frame shown on the graph
Total number of graduate students in each year
1.4 Overall Satisfaction
Percentage of students who responded favourably to questions about their
overall quality of education/evaluation of their entire educational experience
Aboriginal
International
Other
81
604
1,989
93
631
2,091
101
642
2,202
119
717
2,397
1.2 Instructional Activity
Number of three credit unit equivalent registrations (3CUE) in each year
1.5 learning outcomes
In progress – According to the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) Learning
Charter, achieving the learning vision and goals to which we aspire requires the
active commitment of students, instructors, and the institution. The U of S is
working towards assessment tools for Learning Outcomes that will evaluate
students’ knowledge of their discipline or profession, as well as their ability to
apply critical and creative thinking to theoretical and practical problems.
2. Research, Scholarly and
Artistic Work
2.1 External Funding for Research, Scholarly
and Artistic Work
Total and Tri-Agency Research Revenue
3. Working Together
3.1 faculty and staff engagement
Percentage of U of S faculty and staff who responded favourably to questions about
their level of engagement
No survey was conducted in 2007
3.2 Administrative Efficiency
Administrative Cost Ratio
Administrative and general expenses as a percentage of total expenditures
2.2 Faculty Awards and Honours
Number of prestigious awards received by U of S faculty based on national
and international awards and honours over the four-year period
3.3 Diversified Revenues
Monetary donations received by the U of S
2.3 output and impact
In progress – An indicator for Output and Impact is currently under
development working in close collaboration with the Office of the VicePresident Research. In June 2010, a symposium was held with colleges and
units which focused in part on the need and process to develop research
indicators on output and impact at an institutional college/unit level. A followup to this symposium is currently being planned for this academic year.
3.4 campus sustainability
In progress – The Sustainability as a Shared Challenge commitment is
reviewing benchmarking tools that may be used to measure our sustainability
performance. From this review, a tool will be selected for the Campus
Sustainability indicator for inclusion in a future Achievement Record.
Q U A L I T Y A N D A C C O U N TA B I L I T Y
www.usask.ca/achievementrecord
4. An Engaged University
4.1 Research Partnerships with External Partners
Current number of: research partnerships with external partners;
centres; existing articulation agreements; and experiential learning
initiatives and internship programs
4.3 Aboriginal Community
Aboriginal Student Success
Number of self-identified Aboriginal students who have graduated in each
calendar year
Research Partnerships with External Partners
Experiential Learning Initiatives and Internship Programs, Existing
Articulation Agreements, and Centres
Graduate
Undergraduate
9
316
26
313
21
266
Aboriginal Faculty and Staff
Percentage of faculty and staff who have declared Aboriginal ancestry
4.2 National Reputation
Ranking of the U of S among 15 medical/doctoral institutions in Canada
according to Maclean’s University Rankings
IN PROGRESS
We are working toward becoming an engaged university. Some of the
indicators of our success require further development as part of our
commitment to quality and accountability.
University of Saskatchewan Achievement Record October 2010
Achievement Record Definitions and Sources
1. TEAC HING , LEA R NING AND THE S TUDENT EXPE R IEN C E
Indicator
Definition and Source
1.1 Students
Represents registered students over a year. Total numbers are provided for all undergraduate, graduate, Aboriginal, and
international students attending in the fall and winter term and/or the spring and summer term.
Source: Student Information System
1.2 Instructional Activity
Activity measured by the number of three credit unit equivalent registrations (3CUE) taken by students over a year. For
a regular three credit unit class, one 3CUE is calculated for each student registered in that class.
Source: Student Information System
1.3 Student Completion Rates
Represents the cumulative percentage of first-time, full-time (at least 24 credit units of activity in first year) direct entry
students who graduated from the U of S within a six-year time period.
Source: Student Information System
1.4 Overall Satisfaction
The percentage of U of S students who responded favourably to questions in various surveys about the overall quality
of their education. The latest data is used for each survey.
Source: National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC), and Canadian
Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS)
1.5 Learning Outcomes
In progress
2 . R E S EA R C H , S C HOLA R LY AND A R TI S TI C WO R K
2.1 External Funding for Research,
Scholarly and Artistic Work
Represents total revenue restricted for research activity for a given fiscal year. The Tri-Agency funding component of
total restricted research revenue is specifically identified and includes Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of
Health Research (CIHR), and Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) in Tri-Agency Funding.
Source: U of S Financial Statements and U of S Financial Systems
2.2 Faculty Awards and Honours
The number of U of S faculty and staff who received prestigious awards based on a selection of national and international
awards and honours over a four-year period.
Awards and honours considered: 3M Teaching Fellowship, Canada Gairdner Wightman Award, Canadian Academy of
Engineers Fellowship, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Fellowship, E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship (NSERC),
Killam Prize, Killam Research Fellowship, Molson Prize, NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, Royal Society of Canada
Fellowship, Tri-Council Highest Awards (NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Medal; SSHRC Gold Medal; CIHR Michael Smith Prize
in Health Research), American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science,
Canada Gairdner International Award, Fulbright Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, National Academies (National Academy
of Engineering; National Academy of Sciences; Institute of Medicine), National Humanities Center Fellowship, Sloan
Research Fellowship, and Woodrow Wilson Fellowships and Scholars Program.
Source: Office of the Vice-President Research
2.3 Output and Impact
In progress
3. wo r k i n g to g e t h e r
3.1 Faculty and Staff
Engagement
The percentage of U of S faculty and staff who responded favourably to questions about engagement and
development, diversity and the core values of the university.
Source: U of S Employee Opinion Survey
3.2 Administrative Efficiency
For a given fiscal year, the university’s administration and general expenses as a percentage of the University’s total
consolidated expenses. Administration and general expenses at the U of S include all activities provided in direct
support of instruction and non-sponsored research, including costs of central university administrative units and
centralized units supporting academic and research programs.
Source: U of S annual CAUBO return
3.3 Diversified Revenues
Total dollars received by the U of S through donation over the course of each fiscal period (May 1 to April 30).
Source: University Advancement report to the Board of Governors
3.4 Campus Sustainability
In progress
4 . AN ENGAGED UNIVE R S ITY
4.1 Engagement Partnerships
The number of (a) research partnerships with external partners (including research collaborators and funding agencies,
international entities, equipment vendors, and licenses with external licensees); (b) designated centers that operate at
various levels in the university structure; (c) existing articulation agreements; and (d) experiential learning initiatives
and internship programs.
Source: U of S Administrative Systems
4.2 National Reputation
U of S national reputation ranking among the 15 medical/doctoral institutions in Canada.
Source: Maclean’s University Rankings
4.3 Aboriginal Community
Highlights aboriginal activity at the U of S including the number of self-declared Aboriginal graduates, faculty and staff.
Source: Student and HR Information Systems
Development of the
U of S Achievement Record
Institutions hold themselves accountable because they care
about the quality and impact of what they do, and because they
value their relationships with the public and with stake-holder
groups. Accountability takes many forms, including annual
reports, speeches and presentations by leaders, and meetings with
interested communities. All forms of accountability must be backed
by information that is clear, transparent, accessible, and that is
presented with a minimum of commentary. It is essential to convey
institutional achieve­ments widely, succinctly and based on evidence.
The development of this Achievement Record is principle-based.
o u r pr i n c i ple s AR E :
1. The Achievement Record should be widely discussed and
collaboratively used.
2. The Achievement Record should support multiple purposes.
3. To serve its varied purposes, the Achievement Record should
be simple.
4. Indicators ought to measure, as much as practical, the things
that are meaningful or important to the organization.
5. Initially, the University of Saskatchewan should focus on
a practical initial set of indicators, leaving more elaborate
development for later if needed.
Online
Achievement Record
The website www.usask.ca/achievementrecord is available to
provide a richer view of the information contained within the printed
version of the Achievement Record. Features on the website include:
• explanation of the various targets and benchmarks used
in the preparation of the Achievement Record
• detailed breakdowns of the data used for each indicator
• full data definitions and sources
144-10/OCT10/.3M
• an opportunity to provide feedback
www.usask.ca/achievementrecord