Academic Affairs
STUDENT OUTCOME EFFICIENCIES
A core academic efficiency involves helping our students complete their degrees in a timely and efficient manner. Since 2004, the percentage of FTFT baccalaureate degree-seeking students graduating within 4 years increased 29%, and the percentage graduating within five years improved 4.5%. Currently, over
25% of the entering baccalaureate cohort graduates within four years, and greater than 44% graduate within five years.
While this degree completion information does not correlate directly with the time period of July 2010 forward, it does showcase important student trend information in areas that may not lend themselves easily to year to year comparisons. These positive trends are the result of multiple initiatives across the
Academic Affairs Division designed to facilitate student persistence and progress towards their degree.
Even greater achievement in these areas is targeted with the establishment of the Retention Task Force and the implementation of its recommendations.
Time and Credits to Degree
WKU's undergraduate tuition structure allows students the opportunity to take additional credits above
12 hours at no additional tuition cost. This enables students to pursue multiple majors, professionallyoriented certificates, and/or degree programs (such as teacher education, engineering, and nursing) that require more than 120 hours without necessarily incurring additional cost.
Since decreasing the minimum number of credits required for the baccalaureate degree from 128 to 120 in Fall 2010, the average number of credits to degree at WKU has decreased from 142 to 139. This represents the largest decrease among Kentucky public institutions, and ties WKU with UK for the lowest average number of credits to degree.
WKU recently converted its graduate tuition structure to a per-credit hour basis. In Fall 2011, this change resulted in a cost savings of $445 per semester to full-time graduate students taking the recommended nine credit hours of graduate coursework.
Alternative Delivery
WKU’s Division of Extended Learning and Outreach (DELO) coordinates a range of programs that serve students throughout the WKU service region in pursuing postsecondary education in ways that fit their diverse needs and life situations.
Since 2005, the percentage of completed credits earned through distance learning increased 180%, from
5.5% to 15.4%. In the last year alone, the percentage of credits earned through distance learning increased 11%, from 13.9% in 2009-10 to 15.4% in 2010-11. In 2010-11, three additional master’s degrees, one baccalaureate degree, two undergraduate certificates and two undergraduate minor programs were made available online.

WKU’s dual credit program partners with 22 area high schools to offer college-level coursework as part of the high school curriculum. South Warren and Boyle County high schools joined as partners this year.
In 2010-11, student headcount in dual-credit courses increased 6% over 2009-10, with 1,167 students accounting for 2,529 course enrollments. Students who matriculated as degree-seeking freshmen having already earned college-level credit through dual credit or AP were 20% more likely to be retained to their second year and earned a higher GPA than those who did not (86% retained with a 3.22 GPA vs.
66% retained with a 2.66 GPA).
DELO’s Office of Cohort programs partners with business, industry and community groups to develop customized courses and programs. In 2010-11, cohort programs served 852 students, an increase of
33.5% over 2009-10. Enrollment grew 29% to 2,592 students.
Independent learning provides self-paced, non-semester based college-level coursework outside the traditional classroom setting. During 2010-11, 17 additional courses were added to the independent learning offerings; these included both general education and upper-division majors coursework.
Independent learning enrollments grew 6% during 2010-11 to 1,654.
Improved Advising
Since 2004, the percentage of students graduating from the major into which they were initially admitted has increased 8% to over 76%. Among those students who choose to change their major, the percent who graduate with a major from within the same department or college improved by 9.2% and
7.2%, respectively.
The Office of Institutional Research has developed an on-line cohort tracker that allows advisors and departments to track the progress of their majors towards graduation. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the percentage of baccalaureate degree-seeking students not yet graduated after six years. In
2010-11, this number decreased to 4.63%, a drop of 13% from the previous five-year average of 5.35%.
Academic counselors in our WKU REAL (Reaching Each Adult Learner) program review transcripts of students who have completed 80 or more hours and have not been enrolled for at least two years, to identify those who have earned enough credits for an Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies degree.
These students are also made aware of the number of credits/requirements remaining for completion of their baccalaureate degree.
In Fall 2011, WKU refined its placement of students with developmental/supplemental needs in mathematics, to better align students’ coursework with their intended programs of study. In a pilot involving 255 students, pass rates of students placed into college-level math courses (with supplemental instruction) were either equivalent to or up to 12 percentage points higher than matched groups of students taking zero-level courses; in addition to increased success rates, these students were able to complete their university math requirement in 1 course as opposed to 2 or 3 courses.
We have initiated second-semester advance registration of students with college readiness needs. This initiative will ensure that students satisfy their developmental/supplemental coursework within the first year of study as required under SB 1, while also ensuring that their course load includes college-level courses appropriate to their individual needs and professional aspirations.

The Fall 2011 Freshman Assemblies on the Bowling Green and Glasgow campuses emphasized “The
Value of a College Degree.” More than 2500 incoming students signed the Commitment to
Commencement 2015 as part of Freshman Assembly or new student orientation.
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES
For FY 12, the Division of Academic Affairs experienced a recurring budget cut of almost $1.48 million. Of this amount, over $1.22 million represented personnel (salaries plus benefits) budget cuts. These personnel cuts included 7 full-time faculty positions, 5 full-time staff positions, partial funding from 3 faculty positions and 1 staff position. Additional reductions involved part-time faculty wages, graduate assistant stipends, part-time staff, and student worker funds. State budget cuts for FY
12 and in recent years have necessitated universities becoming more efficient and effective in managing their resources. Several units within the division, including the Provost’s Office, the PCAL Dean’s Office and OCSE IT operations, achieved a significant reduction in overall expenses as a result of reorganization and/or consolidation of staffing. Considering the University’s continuing student growth, reductions in staffing levels require the division to reevaluate how and by whom we offer courses and provide services.
Maximizing Personnel Resources
With the recent significant enrollment growth at WKU, the Division of Academic Affairs believes that it is critical to enhance funding of its instructional and academic support functions. For FY 12, the division cut $490,000 in budgeted Teaching and Research Equipment and Classroom Improvements funds with the plan to fund if one-time funds are available. Using one-time funds for these expenditures allowed
Academic Affairs to reallocate the $490,000 of recurring funds to support critical staffing needs in the
Division. For FY 13, Academic Affairs plans to reallocate $530,000 to support additional base-budget instructional needs within Academic Affairs.
The employment of Instructors and other non tenure-track faculty personnel (Professionals-in
Residence, Executives-in-Residence, etc) allows for teaching general education and lower level courses while increasing the availability of tenured and tenure-track faculty members to teach upper level courses in departmental majors. In this regard, GFCB has replaced some Academically Qualified (AQ) faculty positions with Professionally Qualified (PQ) positions, while maintaining AQ/PQ ratios that meet or exceed AACSB accreditation guidelines. Colleges and departments remain mindful, however, of the need to provide lower level undergraduate students access to courses taught by experienced faculty members. In some cases, course class sizes increased slightly, where appropriate, to reduce the need for additional classes to be staffed.
For FY 12, Academic Affairs re-directed $1.25 million in support of a new initiative involving the use of qualified Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) to reduce the instructional workload for faculty members and thus provide enhanced opportunities for research by faculty members.
Streamlined Processes
Colleges and areas within Academic Affairs routinely reassess administrative procedures. Several colleges transitioned from paper to electronic faculty evaluation processes, to include E-signatures. This procedural change saved paper, copying and filing (both operating costs and employee time and effort) expenses, and physical file space.

Both the Admissions Office and Graduate Studies transitioned from paper application forms to online application processes over the last year or two. This not only resulted in savings on paper, printing, postage, and processing time, it also increased the accuracy of the application data itself. These processes have enabled these units to handle an increasing application pool within current staffing levels and reduce processing time per application.
The Office of Admissions now utilizes document imaging to increase efficiency by making documents more easily available to greater numbers of people on campus who require access to them, and the
Provost’s Office initiated an effort to scan Academic Council, University Curriculum Committee, and
University Senate minutes that date as far back as the mid-1960s. Other units cited increasing the application of e-mail, E-newsletters, enhanced websites, and downloads of information as means of employing electronic media to replace paper. Positive impacts include reduced costs for paper, postage, printing, copying and filing, processing time, and physical filing space. The Registrar’s Office enhanced its operations in several ways, including:
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An electronic transcript exchange, in which WKU and other Kentucky colleges and universities agreed to send electronic transcripts to each other, thus saving postage and reducing the manual workload associated with processing transcript requests;
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A new initiative to enhance the undergraduate catalog revision process, in which departments reviewed their departmental information on a website, proofread their revisions online and submitted corrections via an online form. Essentially, the undergraduate catalog revision process became a paperless process for the first time, saving both paper and employee time and effort;
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Simplifying and streamlining the collection of diploma names and addresses, using an online process through students’ TopNet accounts to pre-populate diploma name and address information in appropriate Banner fields, thus eliminating manual data entry of information from the Application for Graduation for approximately 5,000 applications received since July
2010; and
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Increasing utilization of Quick Address Software (QAS), in conjunction with the TopNet address update function, to verify student address information, thus entailing a reduction in paper forms and person hours.
Printing costs decreased due to the increased application of online processes and electronic document filing. Several units identified efforts to exploit network printing advantages compared to individual desktop printers. Some of these units acknowledged savings relating to toner cartridges and printer maintenance costs. For FY 11, the division experienced fiscal year savings of over $15,000 in postage costs; almost $5,000 in the rental, maintenance, and associated charges for copy machines, and almost
$22,000 in printing costs.
Saving dollars by spending less presents obvious opportunities for economic efficiencies. Previous paragraphs identified savings in paper consumption, printing, and filing. Areas in Academic Affairs recognized at least two other ways in which their units could add economic value to their purchasing efforts. Making bulk purchases, such as for the food labs in Family and Consumer Sciences, enables units to save on annual costs. In addition, some units more actively seek out lowest available prices and discounts.

Energy Efficiency
Several colleges and areas participated in endeavors to make buildings more energy efficient. While some of these savings relate to capital funding well beyond the resources of Academic Affairs, others correspond to energy benefits supported by classroom improvement funds. Examples range from the multiple energy conservation measures incorporated into the design of the new College of Education
Building, Gary Ransdell Hall, to the installation of more energy efficient windows for University Libraries and more efficient classroom renovation designs and air conditioning in other buildings.
Information Technology
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WKU-PBS Lighting Project: 97% reduction in lighting energy consumption from 62,860 KWH to
1,826 KWH; studio cooling requirements have been reduced by 75%. While in only relatively small studio, it did translate to a reduction in utility costs of approximately $10,000/year.
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Implemented a cloud-based email solution. Estimated savings: $50,000
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Online electronic W2s for employees replaced print, mailing and requests for duplicate copies.
Online K4/W4 tax forms where employees may change their selections for withholdings electronically and automatically updates employee records.
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Online event registration process for prospective students. Online Honors College admissions application.
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Paperless budget transfers and delegated authority to divisions.
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Online electronic student transcripts and numerous electronic forms are now used.
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IT solution to degree checkout, transcript audit and diploma processing. End of semester activities accomplished in 10 days rather than 4 weeks.
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Implemented WKU-GUEST network for accessing high-speed wireless network anywhere on campus.
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Across campus offices have been able to digitize old paper records (document imaging) and/or go paperless with current processes resulting in greater efficiencies (e.g., hiring).
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IT Help Desk: created the Consultant Accelerated Development Education in Technology
(CADET) program which employs students and provides them real-world experience.
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Developed and released iWKU mobile application to reduce time needed to find information.
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Wireless solution created for Bell Observatory to the WKU Network eliminating the need for leased solution previously in place.
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Skype was integrated into our existing telephone system. This provides a free means of communication for our international students, as well as travelling faculty and staff and study abroad participants.
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Interactive Video Services personnel designed a solution for the Choral Hall project which was a cost savings of $150,000 over the outside design consultant presented.
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Private partnerships have resulted in cash donations and in-kind donations to augment the IT division budget by over $500,000 in 2010 alone.
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The purchase of the new communications system allowed us to reconfigure our outside local telephone service line resulting in annual savings of $327,000.
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Changing computer replacements for faculty and student labs from a three-year to a four-year replacement cycle will generate savings of $115,000 per year.
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WKU purchased the outside cable plant from Bell South, which we had been previously leasing, for an annual savings of $96,000.

Campus Services and Facilities
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Energy Savings Performance Contract #1: The project was completed on July 1, 2002 and included significant improvements to campus facilities. WKU is in year 10 of the 12 year guaranteed agreement. To date WKU has received $1,596,044 in campus improvements and has saved approximately $1.1 million in both guarantees and subsequent refinancing on the loan. Current year estimated savings: $261,576. The project also significantly delayed a required contract change from TVA. The contract change would have been required much sooner because campus was approaching maximum summer demand limits. We estimate that we successfully delayed the TVA contract change for several years and avoided a higher-base line costs for utilities.
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Energy Savings Performance Contract #2: Final construction is being completed on WKU’s second ESPC contract. Campus capital improvements will be performed on approximately 22 facilities. The 15-year agreement is guaranteed to generate $1,019,204 in annual energy reductions. Over the ESPC contract life, we expect to receive $9.6 million in campus improvements and guaranteed savings of $406,923. Current year estimated savings: $669,832.
Because of a significant drop in interest rates, we refinanced the loan agreement from 15 years to 12 1/3 years and interest from 5.1% to 3.49%. After the payment of early buy-out-penalties on the previous loan, WKU will avoid additional $1,813,253 in financing costs.
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Energy Savings Performance Contract #2 (TVA/BGMU Grant Program): Because of energy efficiency improvements to our facilities under ESPC #2, WKU qualified for a TVA/BGMU Utility
Rebate. Current savings: $106,000.
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Expansion and Renovation Project: During the expansion and renovation of the Preston Center
(funded with agency bonds), WKU installed energy efficient systems including: low flow sinks, shower heads, toilets, energy efficient lighting, efficient and cost effective air handling systems, glare resistance on windows, and weather stripping on all exit doors. We also improved our laundry system to include an ozone mounted laundry system that eliminates the need for hot water, uses less water and reduces dry time. Most significantly, WKU eliminated the separate cooling tower and chiller and connected the building to the WKU chilled water system.
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Peak load Energy Software: WKU installed sensors and software that allows the campus to shift utility usage between major building systems. The largest part of our bill, during summer months, involves costs associated with peak rate TVA charges. Through the use of this system, we can now better control peak load during the summer months.
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Summer Work-hour Change: During the summer, WKU employees arrived at work 30 minutes earlier in the morning and reduced lunch by 30 minutes in-order to leave one hour earlier in the afternoon. This change allowed WKU to reduce power usage during the more costly time day.
These actions saved WKU money in three significant ways. First, WKU reduced power costs by better managing electric loads by increasing late afternoon building temperatures. Second,
WKU shifted power usage to business hours rates where power costs were significantly lower.
Third, we consolidated summer space and classroom use. The University was able to reduce power usage (KWH) 16.2% between summers of 2010 and 2011. Estimated savings: $285,000
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Steam line repairs: During summer 2011, WKU has repaired six campus steam lines to maintain its heat plant system. Broken and unrepaired steam lines act as “open windows” releasing a significant amount of energy and result in increasing our energy costs. Our multi-building steam line system is presently the most effective method of heating our buildings in the winter.
Parking Structure 1: Deferred Maintenance: WKU completed its third and final phase of maintenance of parking structure #1 (PS1). This facility houses 1,100 cars and is significant to WKU’s operations.
Our project costs were $2.5 million over 3 years. Before the repair, the estimated remaining useful life of the structure was 10 years. With this project, the life of PS1 has been reasonably extended an additional 20 years (30 years). The estimated replacement cost of this facility in 10 years would be

approximately $19.8 million (current dollars). Using a straight-line depreciation over the next 30 years, the University has spent $83,333 a year (or $2.5M) over thirty years and has projected savings of approximately $440,000 a year.
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Hazardous waste contract change: WKU re-bid its hazardous waste contract and reduced costs by 54% while improving service to the University. The contract also provided staff training at our current level and significantly expanded our employee training program at no cost to WKU.
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Master Plan 2010-2022: WKU used internal resources and the intellectual capacity of its employees to provide the University with its most recent Master Plan. The market price for a facilities master plan is $250,000.
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Job Order Contracts: WKU has grouped contracts for services together to better improve operational efficiencies by reducing time spent on each project. It is also expected that we receive the benefit of economies of scale by grouping contracts types together. Competitively bid contract groups include: Asbestos and Lead Based Paint Abatement, Window Replacement,
Concrete and Sidewalks, Paving, Locks, HVAC, Carpet Installation, and Electrical, General,
Masonry, Moving, Painting, and Plumbing Contractors.
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GIS/GPS Project: While using student interns, WKU has created a GPS/GIS utility system database to include, steam lines and manholes, sewer lines and manholes, sewer clean outs, sewer dilution pits, domestic water, post indicator valves, chilled water lines, high pressure fire lines, abandoned lines, water meters, fire hydrants, fire department connections, garden hose connections, fiber optic, cable, CCTV, telephone, gas lines, gas meters/regulators, pressure control regulators, valves, tanks, bike racks, building signage, bus stops, crosswalks, parking meters, parking lot signage, walks, parking, parking stripes, campus roads, parcel data and light poles. Estimated savings: $200,000.
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Steam Plant Natural Gas Boilers: The WKU heat plant has a central capacity of four boilers, two that have been idle for several years. In January 2010, we replaced one of these boilers by installing our first high efficiency natural gas (48M BTU) boiler at a cost of $933,000. Because of the price and the operational efficiencies of using natural gas, we used our newly installed boiler as a replacement for one of our coal fired boilers. Presently, natural gas used in our 84% efficient boiler is a cheaper source of energy, piped directly into the plant, and requires no waste removal and associated landfill cost. Natural gas also has significantly less environmental impact. In summer 2011, we installed our second high efficiency natural gas boiler (92M BTU) to replace the second idle coal boiler. This second boiler will allow the heat plant to burn 100% natural gas or some mixture, within EPA limits, as fuel prices change. Estimated savings since
January 2010: $567,000.
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Facilities Management and Planning Design Construction Consolidations: WKU permanently eliminated 5 vacant positions including: (3) Building Services Team Leaders, (1) Administrative
Assistant, and (1) Construction Manager. Savings: $264,000.
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Creation of electrical Sub-Meters: WKU’s Departments of Facilities and Housing have created multiple sub-meters to demonstrate electrical usage in real time. This allows buildings and areas with-in the University to “compete” for energy savings. Residence hall students have especially responded to such competitions.
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Shuttle Program Management Improvements: The Parking and Transportation Department, while allocating no new resources to these routes, better managed two shuttle lines called Red
Line, linking main campus with South Campus, and Blue Line, linking main campus with the north campus area. The Red Line and Blue Line increased student usage by 51% (12,000 rides) and 59% (3,000 rides), respectively.
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WKU is a member of the national Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher
Education and is proud of its bronze rating.
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Next Bus: WKU entered into a contract with Next Bus, which allows students to determine the arrival time of the next University shuttle bus in transit. This program creates certainty as to

when shuttles depart and arrive and helps students coordinate daily activities including arrival and departure times from classrooms, student services buildings and vehicles. Program provides better utilization and usage of our existing resources
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Drought resistance material program: WKU has created a program for landscaping that involves planting drought resistance material on WKU’s steep hills and ledges. The planting of this material reduces campus maintenance costs, improves ground technicians’ safety, and reduces environmental impact.
Finance and Administration
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WKU’s self-insured workers’ compensation program has been extremely effective in reduction of time loss injuries and the total program cost. WKU expended $772,019 for workers compensation in FY 2005; FY 2011 expenses totaled $439,110 or 43% less than FY 2005.
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Automated emails notify campus users when they have incomplete requisitions in the system.
This helps to speed up payments to vendors. Implemented electronic solution for purchase orders that is faster and reduces labor and supplies costs.
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The new Kentucky Educational Purchasing Cooperative (KEPC) office supply contract will result in cost savings and a larger rebate to WKU.
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Re-bid procurement card contract which will result in improved services and larger rebate annually.
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Implemented direct deposit for student payroll checks increasing the efficiency of payroll check distribution, eliminating cost of printing, and eliminating reissuance costs for lost or stolen checks.
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Web time entry has been fully implemented for all student employees. This is a significant convenience to students and a cost-savings measure for departmental staff who were involved in pickup, completion, approval, and delivery of student recap time sheets.
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Implemented PeerTransfer (international tuition payment process) which is efficient and results in cost savings to students and families.
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Utilize E-bay for enhanced surplus property disposal.
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With the exception of one bond issue to be refinanced, all bonds are at the lowest possible interest rates. Two refinancing in 2011 resulted in net present value savings of $465,000.
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The division eliminated two filled full-time positions and one vacant position. All responsibilities were reassigned within the division.
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Average days in payables have been reduced from 30.1 to 19 for a decrease of 37% (17% in last three years).
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An agency-bond funded project allowed WKU to create a state-of-the-art health services center that has resulted in almost 21,000 patient visits in 2011, an increase of 79% since 2007. It is anticipated that the Center will achieve accreditation in 2012.
Student Affairs
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Counseling Clinical GA Program: Our Counseling Center is accredited by the International
Associate of Counseling Services (IACS). According to IACS standards, WKU’s Center is short two full time clinicians. During a time of limited resources, WKU addressed this issue by increasing our clinical graduate training program. WKU currently maintains four, twenty hour a week graduate students. Current year savings: $75,000-$125,000.
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Psychiatric Services Access: IACS standards require reasonable student access to psychiatric services. The Counseling Center presently does not have a full-time psychiatrist on staff. As a

stopgap measure, the Counseling Center uses medical services provided by WKU Health Services to address the issue of medication access and has a signed a contract with the Bowling Green
Medical Center for student assessment. Current year savings: $90,000-$125,000.
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Judicial Office GA Program: The Office of Judicial Affairs now uses two graduate assistants per semester to assist with office responsibilities such as the preparation of judicial related materials, record keeping, forms preparation, filing and other general office support, as well as participating in discussions, meetings and judicial conferences. Current year savings: $22,000.
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CCTV Expansion: WKU has expanded its use of the CCTV camera system across campus. CCTV cameras increase observation and monitoring of campus, improve campus safety and security, and help to protect WKU from damage of its facilities and equipment. The system, referred to as video patrol, assists the police in monitoring campus and is especially useful in hard to access or remote areas of campus. When crimes are committed, the system is also helpful in the identification and prosecution of individuals involved in the commission of a crime.
Athletics
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Significant reallocations of funds have occurred to keep up with increases in travel costs.
Contracts have been negotiated to keep charter/commercial flights as low as possible.
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Eliminated Men’s soccer program.
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New Russell contract that started in 2012 allows us to receive $400,000 in free products and includes a cash commitment while allowing WKU to purchase at 50% all our athletic needs plus major sports get free uniforms. The contract has a $2 million value in money and merchandise.
We estimate that this new contract will save the department $120,000 annually.
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Athletics has capitalized on licensing revenue which has increased from $48,000 in 2002 to
$170,000 in 2011.
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Significant growth has occurred in endowments, annual private giving and athletics revenue to offset cost increases.