Engage in path-breaking graduate education, research, scholarship and creative activities that shape the world.
Background
To become premier, °®¶¹´«Ã½ must enhance its graduate programs and research activities. To accomplish this, we will use our world-class research facilities to their best advantage, and we will increase recruitment of faculty and graduate students to meet the demands of increased enrollment while lowering the student-to-faculty ratio.
Our research will focus on issues of societal, technological, economic, cultural, intellectual and aesthetic significance — all issues critical to our future — through thoughtful development of five transdisciplinary areas of excellence. These areas of excellence will include our cutting-edge efforts in smart energy and healthcare, as well as the work °®¶¹´«Ã½ scholars are doing in the humanities, social sciences and professional schools as they explore changes in the meaning of citizenship, challenges facing societies around the world as they seek to create sustainable communities, and the role of material objects and images in shaping society and culture.
This transdisciplinary research will transform the way we think, live and learn at °®¶¹´«Ã½ as we answer important questions. But more than that, it will inspire our undergraduate and graduate students to pursue careers in which they can use the knowledge they gain at °®¶¹´«Ã½ to improve our world.
One specific enhancement the University is considering is the establishment of a school of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy. A feasibility study is underway, and we anticipate the many opportunities such a school would bring to enhance our life sciences research activities and help our students pursue exciting careers as healthcare professionals.
The University will foster a culture of research at all levels. Undergraduate students will be aware of and involved with research, mentored by both graduate students and faculty. Students and faculty will seek funding from alternative government and industry sources to complement our state funding.
Through the resulting growth of students, faculty and research activities, °®¶¹´«Ã½ University will lay the groundwork to seek membership in the Association of American Universities. This elite group is composed of 62 leading research institutions that shape their communities and the world. Through membership, °®¶¹´«Ã½ will take its place among the top public and private universities in the country.
Goals & Metrics
Goal: °®¶¹´«Ã½ is recognized nationally for outstanding doctoral education.
Metric
°®¶¹´«Ã½'s rank among 225 reporting public institutions for earned doctorates
What/How
NSF survey of earned doctorates
Why
The number of doctoral degrees awarded is an important component of being a premier research institution.
Target
Top 80 public institutions
Goal: °®¶¹´«Ã½ has a research, scholarship, and creative activities profile of a premier public university.
Metric
°®¶¹´«Ã½'s research rank among 70 reporting public institutions (without medical schools)
What/How
Based on research and development expenditures reported in the NSF HERD survey
Why
University with large research expenditures are more highly regarded as research universities
Target
Top 40 public institutions by 2025
Goal: °®¶¹´«Ã½ has a collaborative culture for research, scholarship, and creative production.
Metric
Number of collaborations among tenure and tenure-track faculty
What/How
Average number of collaborations per faculty member; includes journal articles, conference proceedings, books and federal grants
Why
In order to solve the world's complex problems, multiple perspectives are necessary and we encourage faculty to work together.
Target
2 by 2020
Goal: The research, scholarship and creative activities at °®¶¹´«Ã½ significantly enhance and enrich society.
Metric
Dollar value of technology transfer and commercialization activities
What/How
Activities include royalties, equity in companies, grants to companies, company jobs, company fundraising as reported by the Office of Entrpreneurship and Innovation Partnerships (EIP)
Why
The commercialization metric is one measure of technology transfer activites at °®¶¹´«Ã½.
Target
$10M by 2025