'Every academic discipline is important'
Acting President Targett holds program on State of the University
Editor's Note: Members of the University community may watch the webcast of the Sept. 29 State of the University presentation by logging in with their UDelNet ID here.
2:46 p.m., Sept. 29, 2015--University of Delaware Acting President Nancy M. Targett held a State of the University program on Monday afternoon, Sept. 28, in the Trabant University Center, covering a wide range of topics from diversity to fund raising to enrollment and affordability.
Targett opened by telling the audience that serving as acting president has provided her a new perspective on the University, offering a composite view of all the good work being done at UD.
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She cited talented and ambitious students, excellent faculty, a caring staff and engaged alumni.
The events of the last week, however, offered a sobering look at feelings of marginalization felt by African American students, she said, addressing concerns over the racial climate on campus.
“The events of the last week have given me some additional perspective about my University that found me with feelings of both pain and pride. I had pain that such feelings of disenfranchisement could be part of our campus and pride at how our students used the rally to come together and create a symbol of what we hope for UD,” Targett said, showing a slide depicting messages of hope attached to a tree on The Green.
The events, which included a rally on The Green, have opened a dialogue. “I heard the message loud and clear,” Targett said, adding that the campus community must set about making changes and that “we will get this right.”
UD should be guided by the image of the note-filled tree, she said, “an image of acceptance of equality, or a shared commitment to build an inclusive University. This is who we should always strive to be.”
Diversity, she said, is fundamental to the University’s mission. “We’re preparing students to succeed in a global work force — to cooperate and collaborate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds,” she said. That includes those of different races and with different sexual orientations and identities, different physical abilities, different socioeconomic backgrounds, different perspectives and different cultures.
Work toward that goal will continue, she said, and noted that this summer UD took a “significant step” toward greater equity and inclusion around gender issues with an updated Sexual Misconduct Policy and additional resources provided to the Title IX office.
“It’s absolutely critical that everyone on this campus feels safe and respected, and that we all understand our responsibilities,” Targett said.
In addition to diversity, Targett spoke on several items she sees as key to the progress of the University: development, relationships, finances, affordability, student debt, enrollment and academics.
Development
Raising funds is essential to the creation of endowed scholarships, graduate fellowships and endowed faculty positions, Targett said, adding that UD is planning a comprehensive campaign.
“Everyone on this campus — every student, every professor, every staff member — has benefited from the generosity of others,” she said. “That generosity doesn’t just happen on its own; we have to encourage it and cultivate it. Our alumni are our former students, and they want to give back to UD. Sometimes we just need to ask them.”
Relationships
The campus community depends on relationships, Targett said, and UD can achieve much through cooperation. “I want to engage with you so we can work together to solve problems and move forward.”
She joked about her newfound reputation for selfies on her Twitter feed, and said she is working to meet with people across campus – faculty and staff members, students, government leaders and business leaders.
Finances
Targett discussed the endowment as part of the bigger picture of University finances, and said earnings and income from the $1.5 billion endowment generate about $50 million per year, or 5 percent of the operating budget.
Only now, she said, is the health of the endowment returning to form following the hit taken in the recession.
The University receives about 13 percent of its operating budget from the state, which is facing its own financial pressures that have kept support flat for the last several years.
Targett said UD is “really grateful for the state’s investment,” noting that for every $1 the University receives it generates more than $14 in wages for the Delaware economy.
Addressing concerns that UD has a top-heavy administration, Targett said it falls square in the middle of the top 100 research universities in the country taking the ratio of management positions to students – 27.6 full-time management positions for every 1,000 students.
Most of the growth, she said, has come in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, which has paid dividends in fundraising; in public safety, a response to tragic events across the nation; and compliance with increased rules and laws around areas such as research grants and Title IX policies.
Affordability
“We all believe that UD offers an outstanding education, and we want to make sure students and their families can afford that education,” Targett said.
UD increased tuition and fees just 1.44 percent for in-state undergraduate students and 2.37 percent for out-of-state undergraduate students this year, “the lowest percentage increase in more than 30 years.”
Looking forward, she praised the “generous scholarship commitment” from the Give Something Back Foundation and its founder Bob Carr, which is providing $3 million to leverage UD's Commitment to Delawareans program in support of the state's neediest students.
Student debt
The University is striving to help students graduate with as little debt as possible, Targett said, calling it a serious issue that is “putting a serious drag on this generation.”
In the past five years, she said, UD has more than doubled the amount of assistance provided to $85 million through University, state and private grants and scholarships.
Enrollment
Enrollment has been strong at UD, Targett said, with nearly 27,000 students applying to become members of this year’s freshman class of 4,100. She contrasted that to the 60 percent of colleges in the country falling short of their admissions goals.
“What’s happening at UD is that we’ve been very successful at providing an affordable and excellent education,” she said.
With changing demographics, UD cannot afford to become complacent, Targett said, citing new and innovative programs including the UD World Scholars and Delaware in D.C.
Academics
“One of the biggest reasons students are coming to UD is the strength of our academic programs and the breadth of degrees we offer,” Targett said, repeating twice the phrase: “Every academic discipline at UD is important.”
Addressing concerns that UD has become too science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) oriented at the expense of the arts, humanities, education, human services, business and health sciences, Targett said that over the long term all areas have benefited from new resources.
To attract top quality students, it is important to “maintain a wide variety of academic programs at UD,” she said.
Important moving forward is interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial work, Targett said, highlighting the Pocket Farmer app developed by students on campus to assist Christmas tree farmers.
“It’s these kinds of hands-on projects that inspire and transform our students,” she said. “Our research and scholarship can help us advance basic understanding of the world and find workable solutions to complex problems.”
Article by Neil Thomas
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson