UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Chancellor DePaolo
FROM:
University Planning and Quality Council
DATE:
March 24, 2006
SUBJECT:
Resource plans for UNCW’s progress measures
As a means of fostering the crucial link between strategic planning and
budgeting, and in an effort to understand thoroughly the costs of achieving
UNCW’s priority progress measures, the Planning Council has developed
descriptive strategic resource plans for progress measures #1, #2 and #5. It is
intended that these resource plans will be updated regularly to assist in
monitoring progress toward achieving the stated targets, and that they will be
displayed on UNCW’s planning Web site in a format similar to the plans attached.
This spring, the Planning Council will be discussing whether there is value in
developing resource plans for the remaining seven progress measures. At the
March 23 meeting of the Planning Council, working groups were established to
draft these resource plans for consideration at the Council’s April 19 meeting.
3 attachments
UNIVERSITY PLANNING
601 SOUTH COLLEGE ROAD, WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403
Progress measure #1: student-faculty ratio
Progress measure 1
Improve the student-faculty ratio from 18.2 to 1 in 2004-05 to 17.2 to 1 by
2007, with a long term target of 16 to 1.
Significance
The student-faculty ratio is a universal measure of an institution’s capacity
not only to offer small classes, but also to sustain directed individual study,
undergraduate and graduate thesis direction, senior projects, honors
projects, student involvement in faculty research, and student-faculty
interaction in general.
Where we are now
As of fall 2005, UNCW’s student-faculty ratio was 17.9 to 1. Nine of our
fourteen benchmark institutions have lower ratios.
Resource plan
Based on enrollment projections, approximately 37 anticipated enrollment
growth funded positions for 2006-07 and 2007-08, and the phase-in of
approximately 35 faculty positions funded by MALSA in fall 2006 and fall
2007, the student-faculty ratio can be reduced to 16.8 to 1 by fall 2007,
provided all these funds are used to hire faculty (or for operating expenses
to free up existing vacant positions for hiring purposes). If in addition, the
UNCW campus-initiated tuition increase recommendation is adopted ($30
per student per year for five years targeted for additional faculty positions),
the student-faculty ratio would drop to approximately 16.6 to 1 by fall
2007, and to 16.3 to 1 by fall 2010. An additional $1 million would have to
be identified in order to reduce the fall 2010 ratio from 16.3 to 16.
The cost of salary and benefits to hire a total of 153 additional faculty (the
number required to achieve a ratio of 16 to 1 by 2010) over the five-year
period is $12.3 million: $6.9 million in enrollment growth funds, $2.8
million in MALSA funds, $1.6 million in tuition increase funds, and $1
million from unidentified sources. Further planning is needed to determine
the total cost of hiring significant numbers of additional faculty (including
start-up costs, travel and staff support, facilities, etc.), to identify funding
for these additional costs, and for the allocation of future positions to
academic areas.
Estimated cost for salary and benefits (to achieve a ratio of 16 to 1):
$12.3 million.
Progress measure #2: student-staff ratio
Progress measure 2
Improve the student-staff ratio from 10.9 to 1 in 2003-04 to
10.0 to 1 by 2010.
Significance
Non-faculty staff personnel perform indispensable services that directly
affect the quality of a university. Professional staff include administrative,
public service, and academic support; and non-professional staff include
secretarial, skilled crafts, and service/maintenance.
Where we are now
As of fall 2005, UNCW’s student-staff ratio was 10.1 to 1. Five of our
fourteen benchmark institutions have lower ratios. Within the UNC
system, UNCW is next-to-last in student-staff ratio. Based on comparative
ratios in the UNC system, the greatest need appears to be in the areas of
clerical and service/maintenance staff.
Resource plan
Based on enrollment projections, approximately 167 new staff positions
would be needed to achieve a 10 to 1 student-staff ratio in 2010 at a cost
of approximately $7.6 million for salary and benefits. New staff positions
are funded by appropriated enrollment growth funds, student fees,
receipts, grants, and building reserves. Enrollment growth funds are
expected to provide approximately $1.2 million per year for the next five
years beyond salary and benefits for faculty needed to accommodate
enrollment increases. However, over the past two years UNCW has
established only three staff positions per year from enrollment growth
funds. Historically, over the past ten years UNCW has added an average
of 38 new staff positions per year from all funding sources combined.
Maintaining that rate of hiring staff would be required to meet the 10 to 1
target ratio.
Based on projections identified by the vice chancellors, however, the
university’s need is about twice as great as projected resources will
provide. Divisional requests amount to nearly 350 positions over the next
five years at a total cost of more than $15.3 million. Allocating available
resources to create staff hiring opportunities will require strategic
decisions to advance the seven goals of the strategic plan, and to provide
the necessary start-up costs, facilities, and operating expenses associated
with hiring additional staff.
Estimated cost for salary and benefits (to achieve a ratio of 10 to 1 in
2010): $7.6 million.
Progress measure #5: campus housing
Progress measure 5
Increase the percentage of undergraduates housed on campus from
23.1% in 2004-05 to 35% by 2009, with a long term target of 40%.
Significance
A strong core of undergraduate students living on campus contributes to
student engagement in academic activities, interaction between faculty
and students, involvement of students in campus organizations and
events, a general atmosphere of learning, greater likelihood of alumni
support, and a sense of campus community.
Where we are now
As of fall 2005, 22.3% of UNCW undergraduates were housed on campus.
Only three of our fourteen benchmark institutions house a lower
percentage of undergraduates on campus. Our benchmarks range from a
low of 20% to a high of 65%, with an average of 35.6%
Resource plan
Phase I (Seahawk Village) of a three phase privatized housing
plan, scheduled for completion by fall 2006, will add 524 assignable
apartment-style beds. Phase II, planned for completion by August 2007,
will add another 609 assignable beds. Together, the first two phases will
bring the percentage of undergraduates housed on campus to 32.1% by
fall 2007. A third phase, tentatively planned for fall 2009, would create an
additional 500 suite-style beds and achieve a level of 35.8%
undergraduates in campus housing. Construction costs (estimated at $27
million for Phase I and $36 million for Phase II) will be financed by bonds
issued by a UNCW corporation and to be retired by rentals. The cost of
staff required to operate and maintain the new housing is included in the
resource plan for progress measure #2.
Based on enrollment projections, to achieve the long term target of
40% by 2015 would require an additional 740 beds beyond Phase III. The
demand for additional beds after Phase III will be evaluated in 2009 and
plans will be developed according to unmet needs.
Estimated total construction cost of Phases I and II (to bring the
percentage of undergraduates housed on campus to 32.0% by fall 2007):
$63 million (from bonds issued by a UNCW corporation and to be retired
by rentals).