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University of Delaware MSCHE Self-Study — 4.30.20 final for community review 1 2 3 Index of Tables 4

5 Index of Figures 6

7 Glossary of Acronyms 8 The following acronyms are used frequently, both institutionally and in this document. 9 10 AAP—Associate in Arts Program 11 APR—Academic Program Review 12 ATS—Academic Technology Services 13 CANR—College of Agriculture and Natural Resources 14 CAP—Conditional Admission Graduate Program 15 CAS—College of Arts and Sciences 16 CBA—Collective Bargaining Agreement 17 CEHD—College of Education and Human Development 18 CEOE—College of Earth, Ocean and Environment 19 CHS—College of Health Sciences 20 CIRTL—Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning 21 COE—College of Engineering 22 COI—Conflicts of Interest 23 CTAL—Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning 24 DSS—Office of Disability Support Services 25 ELI—English Language Institute 26 ELR—Office of Employee and Labor Relations 27 FYS—First Year Seminar 28 HEC—Higher Education Consortia 29 HR—Human Resources 30 IGS—Institute for Global Studies 31 IRE—Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness 32 IT-ATS—IT Academic Technology Services 33 IT-CSS—IT Client Support and Services 34 IT-UMS—IT University Media Services 35 NIIMBL—National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals 36 OAE—Office of Academic Enrichment 37 OEI—Office of Equity and Inclusion 38 OISS—Office of International Students & Scholars 39 OSL—Office of Service Learning 40 PAC—Partnership for Arts & Culture 41

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PCS—Professional & Continuing Studies 42 PRR—Periodic Review Report 43 SGA—Student Government Association 44 SSSP—Student Support Services Program 45 UD—University of Delaware 46 UDIT—University of Delaware Information Technologies 47

48 49 Executive Summary 50 The University of Delaware is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant and Space-Grant institution that is state-51 assisted and privately governed and one of the oldest universities in America. Since 1743, UD has 52 educated scholars, researchers and educators. Over the centuries, it has grown and evolved, 53 becoming a global leader and taking its place as a top academic and research institution. 54 55 The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has classified the University as a 56 Doctoral university with “very high research activity,” a distinction achieved by fewer than 3 percent 57 of colleges and universities in the country. It ranks among the nation’s top 100 universities in federal 58 research and development support for science and engineering. 59 60 And today, the University offers a broad range of degree programs (three associate programs, 150 61 bachelor’s programs, 126 master’s programs and 60 doctoral programs) through eight colleges, 62 educating nearly 24,000 individuals annually. 63 64 UD has integrated its commitment to research, scholarship, teaching and engagement into a unique 65 learner-centered environment in which our individual strengths join, lifting us all. Our collaborative 66 relationships, with our engaged Board of Trustees and local and state governments, are supported by 67 an equally engaged campus community of students, faculty and staff. Together, the UD community 68 invests time and talent to ensure our goals around student success, interdisciplinary and global 69 education, and diversity and equity always meet the highest levels of excellence. 70 71 Standard I—Mission and Goals 72 Highlights 73 As a learner-centered research institution, the University of Delaware promotes an environment that 74 encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry and respect for the values and views of 75 a diverse population. Its Mission Statement reflects these commitments and is foundational to its 76 tradition of scholarship, research and service. 77 78 Operating within an environment of excellence is possible (and has been so successful) due to our 79 adherence to the five strategic priorities established within the last five years. The Mission and these 80 priorities—enhancing our student’s success, fostering a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, 81 building an environment of inclusive excellence, strengthening interdisciplinary and global programs, 82 and investing in our intellectual and physical capital—guide everything at the University. 83 84 Recommendations none 85 86

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Standard II—Ethics and Integrity 87 Highlights 88 A commitment to ethics and integrity is foundational to everything done at the University of 89 Delaware. Its policies and practices reinforcing the University’s dedication to its mission and values 90 promote an environment in which these qualities are fostered every day and are spelled out in the 91 University’s Mission Statement and Statement of Values. 92 93 In the last several years, the University has also enhanced its commitment to diversity, which has 94 resulted in wholesale changes to our policies and administrative structure, resulting in tangible 95 results. One of these results is the establishment of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, which has 96 encouraged a more inclusive, equitable, diverse and welcoming climate on campus. Student 97 recruitment and retention efforts have led to record increases in the enrollment and retention of 98 underrepresented minority and first-generation students. 99 100 Recommendations 101

• Review UD’s current Conflict of Interest disclosure policy to include all faculty and 102 administrators and to address issues of conflict of commitment. 103

• Develop a policy statement affirming the rights of students to academic freedom. 104 • Continue efforts to promote a climate that fosters respect among all members of the 105

University community. 106 • Review and update policies on consensual relationships and workplace harassment and 107

bullying covering faculty, students and staff. 108 109 Standard III—Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience 110 Highlights 111 UD is characterized by a deep culture of learning at the undergraduate and graduate levels, which 112 creates the foundation for an ongoing commitment to recruiting and retaining faculty proficient in 113 the use of effective teaching practices and focused on student learning. 114 115 Its high-impact educational experiences for undergraduates achieves results, shown by the high 116 numbers of students who participate in at least one high-impact experience (relative to students at 117 peer institutions). They work in internships, field experiences or clinical placements; go on a study 118 abroad program or live in a learning community; and complete a capstone project, exam or 119 portfolio. 120 121 Undergraduate research has been an important part of the educational program at UD since the 122 early 1980s, and today, many departments include it as an integral part of their curricula. The 123 General Education program at the University has been extensively reviewed and modified over the 124 past five years, noteworthy reforms including capstone experiences, First Year Seminars and a new 125 diversity learning rubric against which all multicultural courses would be benchmarked. 126 127 Recommendations 128

• Establish uniform protocols to update program information across departments and 129 programs to ensure necessary updates are made in a timely manner. 130

• Establish a uniform process for ongoing assessment of universities abroad after their initial 131 assessment. 132

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• Create processes to evaluate all online programs that address student satisfaction with the 133 online learning experience. 134

135 Standard IV—Support of the Student Experience 136 Highlights 137 In the last decade, the University has invested significantly in structures and services that promote 138 student success, including: 139

• The establishment of a Division of Enrollment Management 140 • A new Finish in Four program 141 • Strategic deployment of academic advising and support resources to the students that need it 142

most 143 • Evaluating and implementing new policies that aid our students in their success 144 • Growing outreach, pipeline programs and matriculated programs that are geared toward 145

providing students the supports they need to succeed 146 • New student affairs-academic affairs partnerships that are centered on promoting retention, 147

persistence and graduation success 148 149 Recommendations 150

• Create and implement a coordinated assessment effort around the impact of programs and 151 services that are designed to enhance the student experience. 152

• Continue to leverage and grow UD’s use of Blue Hen Success to make data-driven decisions 153 within academic and student affairs with an aim to direct support to those student 154 populations that need it most. 155

• Facilitate the ongoing investment in building a University-wide model of effective academic 156 advising that includes academic acclimation, mentoring and career readiness. 157

158 Standard V—Educational Effectiveness Assessment 159 Highlights 160 The University of Delaware is fully committed to the assessment of student learning and using the 161 data to improve its academic programs. Fifty-five percent of academic programs across campus use 162 educational goal assessment processes to improve student learning. Also, we are in the midst of a 163 campus-wide initiative to coordinate and centralize the publication of program educational goals and 164 their related assessment practices to empower more academic units to employ cycles of continuous 165 improvement in their programs. 166 167 Recommendations 168

• Implement the actions outlined in the report from the Task Force on Learning Goals & 169 Assessment concerning learning goals, annual program educational goal assessment and 170 methodology. Data collection should occur systematically, and, for non-accredited programs, 171 planning should begin in advance of the self-study year for the unit’s Academic Program 172 Review. 173

• Follow the protocols outlined by the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment 174 to achieve its Excellence in Assessment designation. This should be an aspirational goal for the 175

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University, one that will strengthen our academic programs and overall institution through 176 the process of pursuing it. 177

178 Standard VI—Planning, Resources and Institutional Improvement 179 Highlights 180 The University of Delaware is a strong, solid institution, and as it continues to grow, specifically with 181 the expansion of the STAR campus—designated an Opportunity Zone and one of the largest 182 sources of economic impact in the state—and its research collaborations, the region will experience 183 significant, positive economic impact. 184 185 Operational excellence underlies everything done at the University, including the implementation of 186 process and systems improvements—budget, planning and reporting systems, IT strategic plan, and 187 the campus master plan. Each is a success story in its own right and tangible examples of completed 188 activities at the University. 189 190 Recommendations 191

• Fine tune UD’s budget model to support strategic plans and mitigate risks, while closely 192 monitoring resources to ensure strategic initiatives are adequately funded while continuing to 193 address deferred maintenance goals. 194

• Continue to make progress on strategic initiatives including the Campus Master Plan and 195 Information Technology Strategic Plan, development of the STAR campus, and Operational 196 Excellence initiatives to continue to move toward stated goals in alignment with the 197 University’s mission. 198

Standard VII—Governance, Leadership and Administration 199 Highlights 200 The University of Delaware is a privately governed, state-assisted institution of higher education, 201 which serves as the state’s flagship institution of higher education. This partnership ensures that 202 management of the University’s affairs vests with its Board of Trustees consisting of self-203 perpetuating, elected members, gubernatorially appointed members and ex-officio members. 204 205 UD’s shared governance between the Board of Trustees, University administration, the faculty and 206 the student body is instrumental in advancing the University’s mission and continued commitment 207 to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and service. Working with a strong 208 Faculty Senate and the local chapter of the AAUP, the Administration values open communication 209 and consensus-building in its interactions with the faculty. Likewise, President Assanis has formed a 210 strong, collaborative, and high-performing senior leadership team that is well-connected across 211 campus and has advanced operational excellence on many fronts. 212 213 Our University-wide policies, procedures and standards for individual conduct, institutional 214 expectations, compliance with local, state and federal laws, mitigation of risk, and 215 support toward the University’s mission are reviewed annually, published and shared widely. 216 217 Recommendations 218

• Annually review the Graduate College’s governing documents and policies for the first three 219 years and regularly thereafter, to ensure that it functions as effectively as possible and meets 220 its intended goals. 221

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• Provide the entire campus community with governing documents, policies and procedures as 222 they are developed and implemented so all members are aware of them and have adequate 223 opportunity to review. This will allow all members the chance to provide input, improving 224 overall communications. 225

• Promote opportunities for staff members to engage with the Administration and receive its 226 support and guidance regarding available career paths. 227

• Ensure ongoing review and assessment procedures for non-academic units across campus to 228 determine their alignment with institutional goals. 229 230

Introduction 231 The University of Delaware traces its history to 1743, making it one of the oldest universities in the 232 nation. During that year, the Presbytery of Lewes expressed the need for an educated clergy, 233 inspiring the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison to open a school in New London, Pennsylvania. The first class 234 was comprised of students who would go on to become statesmen, doctors, merchants and scholars 235 including Thomas McKean, George Read and James Smith, who all signed the Declaration of 236 Independence. Read also signed the U.S. Constitution. Their later achievements caused historian 237 John Munroe to write that this class was “possibly the most distinguished … taken as a whole, of 238 any class in any school in America.” 239 240 Alison’s school relocated to Newark, Delaware, in the mid 1760s and was renamed NewArk College. 241 It opened as a degree-granting institution in 1834 and was renamed Delaware College. Less than 20 242 years later, in 1867, the college was designated one of the nation’s historic land-grant colleges. Fifty-243 eight women made history as the first class of the affiliated women’s college that opened in 1914. 244 The two colleges joined and in 1921, the new institution was named the University of Delaware. 245 246 Since 1965, the University has nearly quadrupled its undergraduate enrollment and greatly expanded 247 its faculty, academic offerings and its influence around the world. As UD moved through the end of 248 the 20th century and into the 21st, it strategically added new academic programs and research 249 initiatives, locations in Dover, Georgetown, Wilmington, and Lewes, which is dedicated to the 250 marine sciences. Major additions to the physical campus in Newark were made—new residence 251 halls, classroom and research buildings, laboratories, athletic facilities and student centers. We are a 252 learner-centered, research-intensive, technologically advanced university with global impact that 253 never loses sight of our mandate to serve those in our regional and local communities. The 254 University celebrated its 275th anniversary in 2018. 255 256 The University, a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant and Space-Grant institution that is state-assisted and 257 privately governed, is located in Newark, Delaware, a suburban community of more than 33,500 258 midway between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland. The Carnegie Foundation for 259 the Advancement of Teaching has classified the University as a Doctoral university with “very high 260 research activity,” a distinction achieved by fewer than 3 percent of colleges and universities in the 261 country. And it ranks among the nation’s top 100 universities in federal research and development 262 support for science and engineering. The University of Delaware received the Carnegie Community 263 Engagement classification in 2015, in recognition of the extension and impact of its scholarship 264 through our work with more than 300 community partners in dozens of locales. 265 266

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Dr. Dennis Assanis became the 28th president of the University on June 6, 2016, and, under his 267 leadership, UD has undertaken its most ambitious plans yet. The STAR campus (Science, 268 Technology and Advanced Research), an innovative public-private partnership, is in continuing 269 development on 272 acres adjacent to the Newark Campus. The University also has increased the 270 numbers of distinguished faculty; increased the enrollment of undergraduate international students; 271 doubled the deferred maintenance budget to address an aging infrastructure; and established the 272 Graduate College, which promotes student services and support at the graduate level and facilitates 273 the development of interdisciplinary programs. 274 275 Today, the University of Delaware offers a broad range of degree programs (three associate 276 programs, 150 bachelor’s programs, 126 master’s programs and 60 doctoral programs) through eight 277 colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arts and Sciences, Alfred Lerner College of Business 278 and Economics, Earth, Ocean and Environment, Education and Human Development, 279 Engineering, Health Sciences, and the new Graduate College. 280 281 UD is a very-high research institution dedicated to all who come here to learn. Our commitment to 282 overall student success—undergraduate and graduate, curricular and co-curricular—is evident in all 283 we have accomplished for and with our students—through our interdisciplinary programs, inclusive 284 excellence work, study abroad programs, the creation of the Graduate College and the STAR 285 campus with its unique, innovative and collaborative approach to that learning. The University of 286 Delaware is a learner-centered research university led by exceptional faculty and staff dedicated to 287 excellence in learning, scholarship and engagement with our community and the world. We work 288 tirelessly to be an open, inclusive community that supports diversity and equity while offering a safe 289 and welcoming environment to all. 290 291 We also place an emphasis on collaboration. University leadership is comprised of the President, 292 Provost, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, a deputy provost, four vice provosts, 293 12 vice presidents, and eight deans. Our faculty are renowned researchers and scholars, dedicated to 294 the intellectual, cultural and ethical development of our students—nearly 24,000 diverse individuals 295 who pursue a range of educational goals: graduate, undergraduate, associate, and professional and 296 continuing studies. Our graduates—scholars, professionals and citizens of the world—are prepared 297 to contribute to a global society that needs leaders with creativity, integrity and a dedication to 298 service. 299 300 In fall 2019, UD enrolled one of the largest undergraduate classes in the University’s history, with 301 18,135 students on the main campus; 36% are Delaware residents. Increasing the number of 302 international undergraduates has been an explicit goal since 2016, and in 2019, we enrolled 1,016 303 students from 64 countries, comprising 5.6% of all undergraduates. Domestic students come from 304 43 states, and the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 305 Islands. Nonresident students make up 61% of UD undergraduates. Since 2015, UD has increased 306 the percentage of undergraduate domestic underrepresented minority students to 16 percent. 307 Currently, 15% of our undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients; 13% are first-generation students; 308 and 8% are from low-income families. 309 310 Enrollment continues to climb at the graduate level too, with the second largest number of students 311 arriving on campus in fall 2019—4,130 students, of which 24% are Delaware residents. We currently 312 have the most diverse graduate cohort on record, with about 11% of domestic students coming 313 from underrepresented groups. International students—1,244 of them—come from 82 countries 314

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and account for 30% of the graduate student population. Doctoral enrollment is 2,058; there are 315 1,999 students in master’s and Educational Specialist programs and 73 in certificate and non-degree 316 programs. 317 318 About half of graduate students are financially supported by graduate contracts: 43% with 319 assistantships; 6% with fellowships; and 1% with tuition scholarships. In addition, the University’s 320 online programs continue to grow, with 591 students enrolled in online master’s and certificate 321 programs as of fall 2019. 322 323 The University’s 1,379 faculty and 3,380 staff members (as of fall 2019) are key players in the 324 institution’s success. Through their steadfast and seemingly tireless support, they show their 325 commitment to the University’s mission and values, and serve, support and collaborate with the rest 326 of the campus community to ensure the best possible learning environment for our students. 327 328 We promote an environment in which all people are inspired to learn—one that cultivates learning 329 and encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry and respect for the views and 330 values of an increasingly diverse population, fostering the free exchange of ideas. The University has 331 a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, which is manifested in its research and creative 332 activities, teaching and service, and in line with its commitment to increasing and disseminating 333 scientific, humanistic, artistic and social knowledge for the benefit of the larger society. Our mission 334 statement, which reflects these beliefs, is: 335 336 The University of Delaware exists to cultivate learning, develop knowledge, and foster the free exchange of ideas. 337 State-assisted yet privately governed, the University has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, which is 338 manifested in its research and creative activities, teaching, and service, in line with its commitment to increasing 339 and disseminating scientific, humanistic, artistic, and social knowledge for the benefit of the larger society. 340 Founded in 1743 and chartered by the state in 1833, the University of Delaware today is a land-grant, sea-341 grant, and space-grant university. 342

The University of Delaware is a major research university with extensive graduate programs that is also 343 dedicated to outstanding undergraduate and professional education. UD faculty are committed to the intellectual, 344 cultural, and ethical development of students as citizens, scholars and professionals. UD graduates are prepared 345 to contribute to a global and diverse society that requires leaders with creativity, integrity and a dedication to 346 service. 347

The University of Delaware promotes an environment in which all people are inspired to learn, and 348 encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry, and respect for the views and values of an 349 increasingly diverse population. 350

An institution engaged in addressing the critical needs of the state, nation, and global community, the 351 University of Delaware carries out its mission with the support of alumni who span the globe and in partnership 352 with public, private, and nonprofit institutions in Delaware and beyond. 353 354 Institutional Goals and Five Strategic Priorities 355 The University maintains an environment of operational excellence by adhering to the five strategic 356 priorities established by President Dennis Assanis based on input from a major, year-long strategic 357 planning effort in 2014-15. This effort was led by an executive committee and three working groups. 358 Members of the entire campus community were asked for feedback to plans written by these groups, 359 and then a draft strategic plan was produced at about the same time that the University president at 360 that time, Patrick Harker, announced his resignation. The completed plan was called Delaware Will 361 Shine. 362

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363 The new president, Dennis Assanis, took the main components from Delaware Will Shine, identifying 364 the University’s five key strategic priorities: 365

• Enhancing our students' success—Students come to the University of Delaware in 366 pursuit of the knowledge and skills necessary for success, both personally and professionally. 367 Our responsibility is to prepare them to be competitive, collaborative, curious, informed and 368 inspired so they can navigate an increasingly complex world. We expect our students to be 369 engaged citizens who are aware of their intellectual strengths and interests, as well as their 370 ethical values and commitments. Our students must be adept at thinking critically, 371 communicating effectively, working independently and cooperatively, interpreting meaning 372 from the world, and reasoning clearly in whatever discipline they pursue. 373

• Building an environment of inclusive excellence—We are committed to building a 374 campus community that reflects the rich and complex diversity of the human experience, 375 and we will nourish a campus culture that promotes and celebrates excellence for every 376 individual. Diversity strengthens UD, benefits all students and promotes a society that 377 respects differences in identity, belief, ability, background and perspective. Our pursuit of 378 inclusive excellence will enable success by bringing the work of diverse teams to bear on the 379 most complex challenges we face as an institution and as a society. As a university, we are 380 dedicated to the ideals of personal freedom, free speech and free inquiry, and we must 381 always live out those ideals with civility toward one another. 382

• Strengthening interdisciplinary and global programs—The most complex problems 383 facing society do not adhere to national and geographic borders or the boundaries of single 384 disciplines; nor can our attempts to address them. We must be fully engaged in the 385 challenges of our world and contribute our expertise in an integrated manner to find 386 solutions. UD’s Graduate College enables greater cross-disciplinary collaborations, 387 development of dynamic academic programs and extraordinary achievements in discovery, 388 creativity and scholarly productivity. Excellence in graduate education benefits 389 undergraduates by connecting more students to research opportunities and other high-390 impact experiences. As the University of Delaware approaches the 100th anniversary of its 391 pioneering study abroad program, the University recognizes the transformative impact that 392 travel and global study of diverse cultures can have on our students. We are committed to 393 creating even more opportunities to cultivate global citizens who value peace, cooperation 394 and human rights, in alignment with our values for inclusiveness. 395

• Fostering a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship—Throughout the University, our 396 students and faculty must be able to develop innovative solutions to difficult challenges and 397 apply entrepreneurial thought and approaches in everything they do. We will build the ideals 398 of innovation and entrepreneurship into the entire curriculum, as well as extracurricular 399 programs, so students learn to question the status quo and embrace opportunities to develop 400 creative and sustainable solutions to the complex challenges they identify. This mindset is 401 essential for preparing our students to succeed in the global knowledge economy. As an 402 economic engine for our state and region, the University is committed to attracting world-403 class talent, producing novel technologies and driving meaningful partnerships with scalable 404 impact. We are in the unique position to enrich society with a fresh culture propelled by 405 people who innovate, create, embrace change and take risks. 406

• Investing in our intellectual and physical capital—To fulfill the University's ambitions, 407 we need excellent people, and they in turn need excellent facilities and resources. We will 408 continue to grow the faculty in strategic areas, both within and across the disciplines, and 409

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cultivate an ethos that values education, research, scholarship and engagement, as well as 410 their integration across the University. We are investing in our University facilities on the 411 Newark Campus, by building our Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) 412 Campus, while also expanding our academic and athletic facilities on the South campus and 413 breathing new life into our buildings around the historic Green. We are also planning 414 strategically on enhancing our presence throughout the state. We are committed to the 415 principles of operational excellence, beginning with a commitment to sound stewardship of 416 resources, compliance and effectiveness in all of our academic and non-academic units. To 417 this end, we will continually evaluate our administrative structures, policies, models and 418 practices so we can implement changes when necessary to align with our priorities. 419

420 421 422 The Self-Study Process 423 UD’s self-study took place over the course of two years. Given the size and scope of the institution, 424 a standards-based approach was chosen. Each standard was assigned to one of six working groups 425 with the Steering Committee addressing Standard I. The Steering Committee was made up of two 426 co-chairs of each working group and the leadership team—Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs, 427 Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Associate Director of Educational 428 Assessment, Director of Financial Systems, and Director of Institutional Research. 429 430 The broader UD community was included throughout the self-study process; in surveys, town hall 431 meetings, and meetings with dedicated constituency groups identified by each working group. 432 University Communications was tasked with keeping the campus community updated via UDaily, 433 the University’s online news platform and a website dedicated to the Middle States Self-Study. 434 University leadership, including the Board of Trustees, was also kept apprised throughout the 435 process. A graduate assistant was hired to help maintain the evidence inventory, work with CTAL 436 on data collection and provide technical assistance, and a professional editor was hired to help the 437 steering committee create its final document. 438 439 The Self-Study is organized by individual standard, with references to appropriate criteria 440 throughout. Links have been provided to the Evidence Inventory and relevant online information. 441 Recommendations have been provided at the end of each chapter and summarized along with 442 chapter highlights within the Executive Summary. 443 444 Self-Study Timeline 445 February - December 2019: Each of the seven working groups—one per standard—will gather and 446 analyze evidence that shows how UD meets the criteria for the standard. The Office of Institutional 447 Research and Effectiveness and the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning will gather any 448 additional data that are needed for the self-study. 449

January - December 2020: Working groups will summarize their findings, gather input from the UD 450 community and develop recommendations. Working groups will submit their final report to the 451 Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will draft the self-study narrative, gather input on the 452 self-study from the UD community and finalize the report. 453

Spring 2021: The Middle States External Review Team will visit the University of Delaware. 454

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455 456 457 STANDARD I: MISSION AND GOALS 458 459 The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it 460 intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution 461 fulfills its mission. 462 463 The University of Delaware traces its roots to 1743 and counts great leaders among its first students, 464 including three signers of the Declaration of Independence and a signer of the Constitution. UD has 465 grown dramatically over the decades, taking its place as a top, learner-centered academic and 466 research institution, which continues to educate world leaders, including a Nobel Prize-winning 467 scientist, a Tony Award-winning choreographer and the former Vice President of the United States. 468 469 New strategic priorities implemented in 2016 laid out ambitious goals that support the University’s 470 mission, including the development of a 272-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Newark campus, 471 known as the Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) campus; an increase in 472 enrollment and faculty; establishment of the Graduate College; and the doubling of the budget to 473 address deferred maintenance issues. 474 475 476 Criterion 1c: Clearly defined mission and goals that are approved and supported by the governing body 477 478 UD’s mission was developed and approved by the University Faculty Senate on April 5, 1993, and 479 revised and approved on April 24, 2019. Revisions have been approved by the Board of Trustees on 480 May 26, 1993; May 19, 2008; and May 14, 2019. (Std.I.1c). Our mission statement in full is: 481 482 The University of Delaware exists to cultivate learning, develop knowledge, and foster the free exchange of ideas. 483 State-assisted yet privately governed, the University has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, which is 484 manifested in its research and creative activities, teaching, and service, in line with its commitment to increasing 485 and disseminating scientific, humanistic, artistic, and social knowledge for the benefit of the larger society. 486 Founded in 1743 and chartered by the state in 1833, the University of Delaware today is a land-grant, sea-487 grant, and space-grant university. 488

The University of Delaware is a major research university with extensive graduate programs that is also 489 dedicated to outstanding undergraduate and professional education. UD faculty are committed to the intellectual, 490 cultural, and ethical development of students as citizens, scholars and professionals. UD graduates are prepared 491 to contribute to a global and diverse society that requires leaders with creativity, integrity and a dedication to 492 service. 493

The University of Delaware promotes an environment in which all people are inspired to learn, and 494 encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry, and respect for the views and values of an 495 increasingly diverse population. 496

An institution engaged in addressing the critical needs of the state, nation, and global community, the 497 University of Delaware carries out its mission with the support of alumni who span the globe and in partnership 498 with public, private, and nonprofit institutions in Delaware and beyond. 499

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The University’s mission aligns with its values, which are woven throughout the institution—in 500 classrooms, offices and laboratories—and in our actions, which guide us every day. They are 501 expressed in the Student Values Statement adopted by the Student Government Association and 502 the Statement of Respect and Responsibility of the Office of Equity and Inclusion and listed here: 503

Academic Freedom. We each have the responsibility to foster an atmosphere that promotes the 504 free exchange of ideas and opinions. Everyone has the right to benefit from this atmosphere. 505 506 Diversity and Inclusion. We welcome and value different backgrounds, perspectives and learning 507 experiences; this is essential for educating global citizens, developing knowledge, and advancing and 508 enhancing our world. 509 510 Innovation. Revolutionary thinking is part of our DNA—our first students in 1743 helped found 511 this nation. We want to make a significant difference in the world, and we are collaborating across 512 disciplines with risk-taking, creativity and innovation to address the biggest challenges of our time. 513 514 Community. Our supportive, friendly campus community advocates for each individual's voice to 515 be heard. We encourage respect and civility toward everyone, knowing that mutual appreciation and 516 dialogue leads to greater learning. 517 518 Service. As an engaged University, we create and capitalize on innovative partnerships with 519 government, industry and the community for economic and civic development. These connections 520 enrich our scholarship, research and creative activity, enhance the curriculum and ultimately 521 contribute to the public good. 522 523 524 Criterion 1a: Clearly defined mission and goals that are developed through appropriate collaborative participation by 525 all who facilitate or are otherwise responsible for institutional development and improvement; AND Criterion 1d: 526 Clearly defined mission and goals that guide faculty, administration, staff and governing structures in making decisions 527 related to planning, resource allocation, program and curricular development, and the definition of institutional and 528 educational outcomes 529 530 Since its last Middle States assessment in 2011, the University of Delaware has engaged in strategic 531 plan development, implementation and assessment in three phases. (Std. I.1a) 532 533 The Path to Prominence—The Path to Prominence was implemented and assessed from 2008 through 534 2014. Among many achievements during this period: financial aid to Delawareans quadrupled, 535 philanthropy increased 140%, $450 million was spent on capital projects, the faculty and student 536 body became more diverse, graduation rates rose above national averages and the University became 537 a major economic engine in the state with an impact of $6.2 billion. Documentation of this period 538 can be found here. 539 540 Delaware Will Shine—During the following year, the University engaged in campus-wide strategic 541 planning led by a team of more than 100 faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the external 542 community. The broader community also was invited to engage in extensive discussions as the team 543 refined its strategic efforts. Delaware Will Shine, which built on the Path to Prominence, was approved by 544 the Board of Trustees on May 12, 2015. Documentation of this period can be found here. (Std.I.1c) 545

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546 Strategic Priorities 2016—In June 2016, Dennis Assanis became the University’s 28th president. 547 Under his leadership, and using Delaware Will Shine as a foundation, five strategic priorities were 548 identified for the University: (a) enhance the success of our students; (b) build an environment of 549 inclusive excellence; (c) strengthen our interdisciplinary and global programs; (d) foster a culture of 550 innovation and entrepreneurship; and (e) invest in our intellectual and physical capital. 551 552

Criterion 1b: Clearly defined mission and goals that address external as well as internal contexts and constituencies 553

University Engagement 554 Our mission and five strategic priorities underscore our commitment to the UD community, while 555 acknowledging our responsibility to the community-at-large. (Std. I.1b) As a Land-Grant, Sea-556 Grant and Space-Grant state-assisted research institution, UD has a tradition of applying knowledge 557 and creativity to the challenges facing these communities in Delaware and around the world and 558 meets those responsibilities through a variety of programs. 559 560 From the serious—identifying climate-change threats to the region and empowering communities to 561 prepare—to the whimsical—the oyster festival held in the tiny community of Leipsic with the help 562 of UD’s Sustainable Coastal Communities specialist—Delaware’s Sea-Grant Program delivers 563 outreach and provides funding for research affecting the state’s waterways and coastlines. Reports 564 on the program can be found in the Sea Grant Reporter and the Sea Grant Site Review Briefing 565 Book. For nearly half a century, this program has assisted in the wise use, management and 566 conservation of the state’s coastal resources, and is housed in the College of Earth, Ocean and 567 Environment (CEOE). 568 569 UD was established as one of the state’s land-grant universities with a mission of teaching, research 570 and extension in 1869. Cooperative Extension is part of this program and is housed in the College 571 of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Through its offices in each of Delaware’s three 572 counties, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension connects the public with university 573 knowledge, research and resources to address youth, family, community and agricultural needs. 574 Collectively, they make more than 250,000 contacts annually. CANR also supports Delaware’s $3 575 billion poultry industry through translational research to reduce poultry disease. 576 577 Established in 1991, UD’s Space-Grant Program is funded by NASA to train Delaware students and 578 researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program supports internships 579 in industry and at NASA centers throughout the year. Funding is also provided for a significant 580 number of programs aimed at professional development of pre-college teachers. 581 582 Following the May 2014 report from the University of Delaware Carnegie Task Force and our 583 subsequent application to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Carnegie 584 Foundation designated the University as a community-engaged university. Based on the Task 585 Force’s recommendations, the University launched the Community Engagement Initiative in spring 586 2015 to enhance UD’s identity and contributions as an engaged university. Through this initiative, 587 UD launched several partnerships that reflect our continued commitment to Delaware communities: 588 589

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• The Partnership for Arts and Culture promotes the engagement of the arts and cultural 590 disciplines in designing, implementing and assessing multidisciplinary solutions to social 591 issues; serves as a centralized repository and resource for information regarding current UD 592 arts and culture community engagement projects; and serves as a collaboratory for the 593 development of new inter-arts, multidisciplinary initiatives. 594

595 • The mission of the Partnership for Healthy Communities is to align and strengthen UD 596

research, educational and service capabilities to improve the health and well-being of 597 communities near and far. It connects with various organizations and agencies to advance 598 health promotion, teaching and service that improve outcomes, reduce health inequities and 599 inform policy discussions through research, evaluation and dissemination of information. 600 The College of Health Sciences has three direct patient-care clinics—nurse-managed primary 601 care, physical therapy and speech language hearing—that are an important component of 602 our Healthy Communities serving 8,573 patients from local communities annually. 603

604 • UD’s Sustainable Coastal Community Initiative program provides science-based information 605

to help the state analyze and offer solutions to the issues and challenges facing coastal 606 communities throughout Delaware. 607 608

• Through the Public Service and Applied Research program, a partnership between the State 609 and the University’s Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, 610 students, faculty and staff perform research and service-learning projects that impact state 611 institutions and citizens. 612 613

• The Partnership for Public Education, the Newark Partnership and the Wilmington 614 Partnership are three more examples of ways UD engages with the community and enriches 615 the lives of its residents and the lives of members of the campus community. 616

Criterion 1e: Clearly defined mission and goals that include support of scholarly inquiry and creative activity, at 617 levels and of the type appropriate to the institution 618

UD is a major learner-centered research university that is doctoral-granting with very high research 619 activity that supports Land-, Sea- and Space-Grant missions with international reach and impact. 620 Classified as R1 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a designation 621 afforded to fewer than 3% of all U.S. institutions of higher education, UD expends $160 million in 622 sponsored research activity annually. UD scholars tackle a wide array of contemporary challenges—623 innovating clean cars and clean fuels, giving mobility to youngsters with disabilities, conserving the 624 precious artifacts of our collective global heritage, and creating life-changing inventions right at your 625 fingertips—our touchpad technology made smartphones possible. 626 627 UD has achieved excellence in a number of areas, with top-ranked graduate programs including 628 physical therapy and chemical engineering, which are consistently in the top 10 programs in the 629 country. Other UD graduate programs regularly make the list of top 25% nationwide. Further 630 developing a culture of multidisciplinary research significantly expands high-profile research and 631 educational initiatives, builds and maintains an excellent research infrastructure and increases the 632 University’s research stature. The success of programs that cross disciplines is evident in the recent 633 growth of collaborative research projects, including those that are federally funded. UD is a 634

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recognized global leader in the topics of biopharmaceutical manufacturing innovation, chemical 635 process intensification, catalysis for energy innovation, composite materials research, 636 interdisciplinary humanities research, preservation of material culture, and rehabilitation and 637 biotechnology among others. 638 639 640 Criterion 1f: Clearly defined mission and goals that are publicized and widely known by the institution’s internal 641 stakeholders 642 643 President Assanis has communicated frequently on the University’s five strategic priorities. For 644 example, he has engaged the University community on the five priorities in presentations to the 645 Faculty Senate, in outreach to our alumni; and at meetings of the Board of Trustees. The University 646 is a mission-driven institution; awareness of and reference to the mission is a significant and guiding 647 factor in its structure and operation. 648 649 650 Criterion 1g: Clearly defined mission and goals that are periodically evaluated 651 652 The most recent revision to the mission statement occurred during the 2018-2019 academic year 653 following the recommendation of the Provost’s Commission on Tenure-Track Faculty. The 654 Commission asserted that faculty scholarship is reflected in our teaching, artistic performances and 655 exhibitions, engaged service with those beyond the walls of the institution, and in our research, and 656 the changes reflect the value we place on these activities. They were approved by the University 657 Faculty Senate on October 8, 2018, and April 24, 2019, and approved by the Board Trustees on May 658 14, 2019. (Std. I.1c) 659 660 661 Criterion 2: Institutional goals that are realistic, appropriate to higher education and consistent with mission 662 663 UD’s mission and goals have consistently aligned with national trends in higher education 664 improvement. In the last few years, several reports from the National Academies indicate areas in 665 which these trends map directly to UD’s five strategic priorities, evidence that the University is in 666 line, or ahead of the curve, with our national peers with respect to: student success (Supporting 667 Students' College Success: The Role of Assessment of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal 668 Competencies (2017); inclusive excellence (Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and 669 Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2018); creation of 670 interdisciplinary and global programs (The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with 671 Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education: Branches from the Same Tree (2018); 672 emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation (Research Universities and the Future of America: 673 Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation's Prosperity and Security (2012), Rising Above the 674 Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (2007); and 675 investment in intellectual and physical capital (Research Universities and the Future of America: 676 Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation's Prosperity and Security (2012). 677

Criterion 3: Goals that focus on student learning and related outcomes and on institutional improvement; are 678 supported by administrative, educational, and student support programs and services; and are consistent with 679 institutional mission 680

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The University’s five strategic priorities drive initiatives and activities across the institution (Std.I.1d) 681 and (Std.I.3). Here are some examples of how the priorities focus our efforts both centrally and 682 within our eight colleges. They are discussed in in more detail in the following chapters. 683

684 Enhancing the success of our students—Although UD boasts a 73% four-year graduation rate, 685 we focus on improving instruction, increasing the prevalence of high-impact practices (e.g. 686 undergraduate research, study abroad, experiential learning), and improving student support services 687 to continue to improve the success of our students (See chapters on Standards III and IV for more 688 details). Each focal area is informed by our commitment to a student-centered approach that 689 encourages every student to become independent problem solvers, critical thinkers and lifelong 690 learners. 691 692 As part of our Student Success Initiative, the Blue Hen Success Collaborative (BHSC) was 693 launched in 2017, combining the best of technology, research and predictive analytics to help UD 694 leverage data and manage advising and academic resources to increase retention and graduation rates 695 for students, particularly those who are underrepresented and underserved. The BHSC allows 696 advisors to access to their students’ information, communicate with students and make referrals to 697 support units across campus (e.g., Disability Support Services, Career Services). Students can easily 698 schedule appointments with their advisor and find and schedule tutoring appointments. The Student 699 Success Initiative also has created a central advising website, which is a one-stop shop for students’ 700 advising needs. Finish in Four messages target certain at-risk populations to provide proactive, 701 consistent information emphasizing the need to complete at least 30 credits each year to graduate in 702 four years. In addition, we have implemented associated policies to encourage a four-year 703 enrollment-to-graduation timeframe (e.g., eliminating the extra tuition charge for credits beyond 17 704 credits; removing the 2.0 GPA requirement to change majors; and creating a grade replacement 705 policy for up to two courses taken within a student’s first 28 credits at UD). These efforts have 706 raised the percentage of first-year students completing 30 hours by 3% for Newark-based students 707 and more than doubled the percentage of students in the Associate of Arts Program who have 708 completed 30 hours. 709

710 Of the seniors responding to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), 93% reported 711 engaging in at least one high-impact practice (i.e., service-learning, learning community, research 712 with faculty, internship or field experience, study abroad or culminating senior experience) and 77% 713 reported participating in two or more high-impact practices (NSSE 2017 High-Impact Practices 714 University of Delaware, p. 3). Although approximately one-third of our students work with faculty 715 on research projects and about one-third engage in study abroad programs, first-generation and low-716 income students are often financially less able to access these high practices. To help these students 717 participate in faculty research projects, UD created the Research Apprenticeship Work-Study 718 program wherein students eligible for work-study assignments may work on faculty research projects 719 for their work-study employment. 720

721 Opportunities for experiential learning are woven into the curriculum. All undergraduate students 722 are required to participate in at least one three-credit discovery learning course in which they learn 723 effective actions, alternatives and solutions to situations and/or problems that occur in real-life 724 contexts. Examples include The UDairy Creamery and Vita Nova Restaurant, which are small, 725 student-run businesses that expose undergraduates to innovation in the food services; and UD’s 726 physical therapy, nurse-managed care and speech therapy clinics, which allow students to participate 727 in clinical health care without leaving campus. 728

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729 To support current and anticipated growth in graduate enrollment, the University’s Faculty Senate 730 voted to add the Graduate College on May 7, 2018, to promote academic excellence and enhance 731 student services and support in the University’s graduate and professional education. The final 732 report around the establishment of the Graduate College stated that it would “increase the visibility 733 of graduate and professional education at UD with internal, as well as external, constituents … 734 signal the University’s commitment to offering the highest level of education and research training 735 to a broad continuum of post-baccalaureate learners.” (University Graduate Working Group Final 736 Report, 2017) 737 738 UD students, faculty and staff have ample opportunity to adopt a mindset of entrepreneurship 739 and innovation, vital to our role as an economic engine for the state and region. In addition to the 740 Horn Entrepreneurship Program’s undergraduate entrepreneurship major and minor, each college 741 has created an entrepreneurship certificate program in conjunction with the Horn Program to enable 742 students of any academic background to develop their entrepreneurial skills. The Horn Program was 743 ranked as one of the top 50 undergraduate schools for entrepreneurial studies in The Princeton 744 Review and Entrepreneur Magazine's 2020 list. Fueled by a $199 million cooperative agreement 745 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, UD’s Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing 746 Program will help develop new medicines efficiently and effectively. The Office of Economic 747 Innovation and Partnerships assists faculty and staff with intellectual property development, 748 licensing and contracts, and startup business development. 749 750 UD’s student body also benefits from a number of maker spaces across campus, including the new 751 5,000-square-foot Maker Gym that serves as an incubator for innovation and entrepreneurship, and 752 physical, hands-on making, by providing access to equipment, tools, training and other resources for 753 the entire university community. 754 755 UD consistently strengthens its commitment to diversity and inclusion, building an environment of 756 inclusive excellence. In 2014, the position of Vice Provost for Diversity was created, which 757 precipitated the creation of Diversity Action Plans, hiring of Chief Diversity Advocates in all units, 758 and implementation of Inclusive Excellence Quality Reviews in all colleges. More recently, a 759 Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion and additional staff positions were filled in the Division 760 of Student life to support inclusive excellence. In 2015, the Admission Guidelines Committee 761 reviewed undergraduate admissions practices at UD and comparable institutions, as well as current 762 research on admissions practices, to improve access for first-generation, low-income, and 763 underrepresented minority students. As a result, a major initiative to increase access was 764 implemented in 2017. This Test Optional Admissions Program for Delaware residents allows 765 them to apply to the University without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Of those students who 766 utilized the program, about 22% fell into categories of Pell-eligible, first generation or 767 underrepresented minority groups. By the fall of 2019, all those percentages had more-than doubled, 768 proving that the Test Optional program is helping to diversify our student body and further 769 reinforce UD’s learner-centered approach. 770 771

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772 Newark Campus First-Time First-Year: Resident Students 773

Test Optional Participants

New Student Enrollment: Residents

New Domestic URM Student Enrollment: Residents

New Low Income Student

Enrollment: Residents

Fall 2016 0 1216 243 164 Fall 2017 218 (15.5%) 1402 336 240 Fall 2018 394 (28.6%) 1377 323 199 Fall 2019 422 (30.0%) 1407 334 278 774

The University of Delaware has been presented with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity 775 (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused 776 publication in higher education, recognizing our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Since 2014, 777 the representation of domestic underrepresented minority students and students of color at UD has 778 consistently increased among Associate in Arts (Facts & Figures 2019-20), Newark Undergraduate 779 (Facts & Figures 2019-20), Graduate (Facts & Figures 2019-20), and Professional and Continuing 780 Studies (Facts & Figures 2019-20) students. 781 782

783 784 Since 2012, UD’s four-year graduation rates rose for most groups pursuing bachelor’s degrees, 785 putting UD in line with AAU public institutions (p. 11 Inclusive Excellence: Mid-Term Report 786 Spring 2018). The number of women faculty has increased over the past five years, and in 2017, 787 women made up 44% of all UD faculty (p. 15 Inclusive Excellence: Mid-Term Report Spring 2018). 788 This milestone was facilitated by the ADVANCE-IT program, which started as an NSF-funded 789 project to promote female faculty recruitment and retention. 790

791

28.5% 30.1% 30.8%

33.3%37.4%

14.6% 15.1% 15.3% 15.4%

16.1%

8.7% 9.6% 10.5% 10.9%11.2%

16.3% 16.3%17.3%

20.3% 18.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Domestic Underrepresented Minority Enrollment Trends

Associate in Arts Newark Undergraduate Graduate Prof. & Cont. Studies

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UD has spent time and resources over the past several years to strengthen its interdisciplinary and 792 global programs. The Graduate College, with its focus on interdisciplinary graduate programs, will 793 help UD meet its goal of doubling graduate enrollment over the next decade. Today, we offer 15 794 interdisciplinary graduate programs, meaning that faculty from two or more colleges collaborate on 795 curricula at the master’s or doctoral levels. Biomechanics and Movement Science, Bioinformatics, 796 Water Science and Policy, Microbiology and Economic Education are a few examples of 797 interdisciplinary graduate programs created in the last ten years. The Affiliate Faculty provision at 798 UD allows faculty in one department or college to participate fully in graduate education in other 799 units, enhancing the interdisciplinary opportunities for graduate research. Cluster searches have been 800 completed in data sciences, African-American material culture, biopharmaceuticals, disaster research 801 and water security in 2018-2019, and most appointments have been made across two 802 departments/colleges. 803 804 Today, approximately 33% of our students study abroad annually and approximately 120 students 805 begin their undergraduate programs via our World Scholars program, spending their first semester in 806 Rome, Madrid, Auckland or Athens. On the Newark campus, our goal is to enroll at least 1,000 807 international students in the undergraduate class to enhance the multicultural experience for all 808 members of the campus community. International students comprise about 30% of the graduate 809 student body, and efforts in international student enrollment are strongly supported by our English 810 Language Institute, which provides a strong Academic Transitions program to allow international 811 graduate students to earn credit while improving their English-language skills. 812 813 UD sends researchers to all seven continents, often in partnership agreements with foreign 814 institutions. We have a number of international partnership agreements and initiatives, including 815 CALVA, a French-led international collaboration of climate researchers working to improve 816 calibration and validation of satellite observations and climate modeling in Antarctica, and the Borel 817 Global Fellows program, a partnership between CANR and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in 818 Africa that trains African students in agricultural areas vital to food security in that country. 819 820 Since 2017, UD has hired 171 new full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, finished 1 million 821 square feet of new construction or building renovation, and doubled efforts to tackle deferred 822 maintenance issues—all to meet growing enrollment, research and community engagement, thereby 823 investing in our intellectual and physical capital. 824 825 In November 2009, UD acquired a 272-acre site adjacent to the main campus in Newark, which was 826 formerly occupied by the Chrysler Assembly Plant. This Science, Technology and Advanced 827 Research (STAR) campus has been built up through a number of public-private partnerships. 828 Since 2012, a total of nearly 1 million square feet of new construction has been added via this 829 public-private partnership model. UD also has constructed its own building—the Ammon-830 Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center, which will house the national headquarters for 831 the UD-led Manufacturing USA Institute, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing 832 Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) as well as the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, the Department of 833 Biomedical Engineering, and others. Some of the business partners who have located to the STAR 834 campus are Chemours, Bloom Energy, SevOne and Discover Bank. The STAR campus also 835 includes incubator space to afford opportunities for faculty and student entrepreneurs to start and 836 grow their businesses. 837 838 839

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Criterion 4: Periodic assessment of mission and goals to ensure they are relevant and achievable 840

The University of Delaware routinely reviews its mission statement and institutional goals during 841 natural milestones in the University’s evolution such as changes in administration. At other times, 842 policy and procedure changes that refer to the mission trigger a review to ensure that the University 843 is, at all times, in alignment with its stated values and goals to empower everyone to learn and 844 flourish. 845

In the last decade, UD has done much to expand its reach. Through innovative and strategic 846 planning, the University has recognized and acted upon opportunities to reinforce its commitment 847 to its students, its community and the world. The holistic UD experience revolves around the 848 intersection of teaching, research and service with commitment to providing the utmost 849 opportunities for student success. We will move into the next decade with an ongoing open and 850 collaborative approach, dedicated to fostering the learning that we have always committed to for all 851 UD students. 852 853 854 RECOMMENDATIONS - none 855 856 857 858 STANDARD II: ETHICS AND INTEGRITY 859 860 Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all 861 activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and 862 commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully. 863 864 865 Criterion 1: A commitment to academic freedom, intellectual freedom, freedom of expression and respect for 866 intellectual property rights 867 868 A commitment to academic freedom begins with the University’s Mission Statement: “The 869 University of Delaware promotes an environment in which all people are inspired to learn, and 870 encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, free inquiry and respect for the views and values of 871 an increasingly diverse population.” The University emphasizes that commitment even further in its 872 Statement of Values recognizing that “[w]e each have the responsibility to foster an atmosphere that 873 promotes the free exchange of ideas and opinions [and] [e]veryone has the right to benefit from this 874 atmosphere” (UD Values). These rights are clearly articulated in UD’s “Academic Freedom 875 Statement” (4.2.1) in the Faculty Handbook strongly affirms the freedom of inquiry and expression 876 in research and teaching and the exercise of shared governance responsibilities. The handbook also 877 contains a “Statement of Professional Ethics” (4.2.2) that upholds the importance of academic 878 freedom, intellectual property rights and the respectful exchange of ideas for all members of the 879 University community. 880 881 882 Criterion 2: A climate that fosters respect among students, faculty, staff, and administration from a range of diverse 883 backgrounds, ideas, and perspectives 884

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885 In the last Middle States report, UD was criticized for its shortcomings in terms of diversity. 886 Specifically, the report said, “UD is not diverse in either absolute or relative terms. With few 887 exceptions, we believe that the University trails its peers in every measure of diversity in every 888 constituency of the institution.” 889 890 This criticism intensified our activities in this area. One of the first and most significant steps was 891 the creation of a new University-wide leadership role, Vice Provost for Diversity (VPD). The VPD 892 advances the University’s academic mission and goals in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and 893 human rights by leading efforts to define, assess and cultivate diversity as both an institutional value 894 and an academic priority. Serving as the senior advisor to the President and Provost on matters of 895 diversity, the VPD collaborates with campus leaders on initiatives designed to support UD’s 896 diversity efforts. The VPD is assisted in this work by the Executive Council Diversity Committee 897 (composed of faculty and staff) and by the Chief Diversity Advocates, who provide leadership in the 898 key areas of diversity, equity and inclusion in their college, department or academic unit. In order to 899 better highlight these activities, the VPD maintains a website with comprehensive information on 900 UD’s diversity infrastructure, initiatives and outcomes. 901 902 In the last decade, the University has taken the opportunity to look inward and grow from the 903 process. The VPD’s mid-term report cites some of the efforts taken and results, including: 904 905

• Enrollment numbers among historically underrepresented and underserved groups from 906 North America have increased 20% in the past five years for undergraduate students and 907 33.5% for graduate students who identify as Black/African American. For 908 Hispanic/Latino(a) graduate students, enrollment numbers have grown 54% in the past five 909 years, and the number of individuals who identify as two or more races has risen 81% since 910 2013. 911

912 • Of our faculty hires in FY18, almost 25% were from historically underrepresented and 913

underserved groups, a rise of almost 6% over the previous year. While we are encouraged by 914 these efforts, we understand that mentoring and professional development opportunities like 915 our institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity 916 improve the climate for faculty success and aid promotion and tenure outcomes. 917

918 The University also established the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) to encourage a more 919 inclusive, equitable, diverse and welcoming climate on campus. Workshops and training sessions 920 promote tolerance, respect and inclusion. OIE also manages complaints of harassment and 921 discrimination, affirmative action compliance and protection of minors on campus. Important 922 policies on Sexual Misconduct and Non-Discrimination were developed over the past few years, 923 setting higher expectations for conduct, promoting transparency and assuring due process. 924 925 Overall campus diversity infrastructure also has been improved over the past several years. 926 Examples include the establishment of the Center for the Study of Diversity in the College of Arts 927 & Sciences; diversity and inclusion committees in multiple colleges, academic departments, and non-928 academic units; UD’s ADVANCE Institute; and the Cochran Scholars Program, aimed at promoting 929 inclusive excellence among UD faculty. A new Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion in the 930 Division of Student Life was hired as well. 931

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932 New policies and practices that support the University’s commitment to fostering this climate of 933 respect and inclusion include a new hiring protocol that helps avoid implicit bias through search 934 committee training and establishment of evaluation rubrics with objective criteria. 935 936 New faculty members undergo a multi-day orientation program and learn new mentoring initiatives 937 based on protocols from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, of which UD 938 is a member. All faculty and staff also receive periodic training that promotes a climate free from 939 sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination. 940 941 Surveys done by UD’s ADVANCE Institute, which was founded to promote faculty diversity, 942 development and success through a grant from the National Science Institute, indicate that faculty 943 satisfaction with experience of community at UD and perceptions of positive changes with the 944 administration’s diversity efforts from 2016 to 2018 are positive, overall. They also show room for 945 improvement, with respondents citing a decline in perceptions of the departmental climate for 946 women. 947 948 The survey data about departmental climate are significant because, although we still have work to 949 do, we, as a community, care about these issues and are committed to improving the climate on 950 campus. At the University level, we are exploring the development of an anti-bullying policy for 951 faculty, staff and students and are working with initiatives around bystander intervention. 952 953 Student recruitment and development are key to UD’s inclusive excellence goals. Since the last 954 Middle States review, we have piloted a test-optional admissions policy and established the Blue Hen 955 Success Collaborative, an academic advising and student support system that helps identify potential 956 academic challenges and provides immediate support, helping our students learn in ways that are 957 most relevant and impactful for them. These efforts have resulted in record increases in the 958 enrollment and retention of underrepresented minority and first-generation students. New students 959 receive training that promotes healthy lifestyles and an inclusive environment through New Student 960 Orientation and the First-Year Seminar Program. Our students have embraced and enriched our 961 diversity efforts in many ways, including the development of the “We Are Blue Hens” Values 962 Statement, which extends to faculty and staff. 963 964 Over the last several years, the University has built rich programming, scholarships and community-965 based partnerships to attract underrepresented and first-generation undergraduate and graduate 966 students and ensure their success, sense of belonging and persistence to graduation. 967 968 Our efforts have been recognized, in part, by the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity 969 (HEED) Award, which we received from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest 970 diversity-focused publication in higher education. This national honor recognizes U.S. colleges and 971 universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. 972 973 UD also was named 2017 co-winner of the top Diversity and Inclusion Award for actively 974 promoting inclusive excellence in the workplace by the Delaware chapter of the Society for Human 975 Resource Management. 976 977 Pre-college & Pipeline Programs 978 Pre-college and pipeline programs at UD are designed to promote a college-going culture and 979

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success through academic excellence, leadership development and an ethos guided by inclusion, 980 integrity and innovation. 981 982 The College Readiness Scholars Institute (CRSI), launched in summer 2013, is a 16-day residential 983 program for Delaware high school students that instructs them about the academic, interpersonal 984 and intrapersonal skills needed for college success. Participants become better prepared to be 985 competitive, collaborative, curious, informed and inspired by the potential for personal and 986 professional success they can see before them. Many have called this program “life changing.” To 987 date, 90% of CRSI alumni have enrolled in college after high school graduation; nearly half at UD. 988 989 The Health Sciences Summer Camp, run by UD’s College of Health Sciences, gives 990 underrepresented students exposure to education and job opportunities in health sciences. Nearly 991 100 students have participated in the camp since it began in 2017. Many participants go on to do 992 research internships and enroll in the University of Delaware, where they can earn a $500 993 scholarship their freshman year if they attend the College of Health Sciences. The camp was among 994 50 programs in the country to receive the 2019 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT 995 Into Diversity magazine. 996 997 The UD Undergraduate Research Scholars Program provides summer research opportunities for 998 college students who are not currently enrolled at UD but want to learn more about the graduate 999 school experience and possibly pursue an academic or research career. Students spend 10 weeks on 1000 the UD campus immersed in a research project where they work closely with faculty, graduate 1001 students and postdoctoral researchers, learning more about graduate programs and developing a 1002 valuable network of contacts. The program provides a stipend, housing and round-trip 1003 transportation along with a rigorous pursuit of excellence in their chosen field. 1004 1005 Support & Retention Programs 1006 Under the leadership of the Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for 1007 Enrollment Management, the Vice President for Student Life, and the Dean of the College of Arts 1008 and Sciences, UD’s Student Success Initiative is a coordinated, university-wide effort to promote the 1009 success and retention of all UD undergraduates, but particularly for students from groups that have 1010 historically been underserved. A major driver has been the Blue Hen Success Collaborative (BHSC), 1011 which combines the best of technology, research and predictive analytics to help UD leverage data 1012 and manage advising and academic resources to increase retention and graduation rates. These 1013 programs help guide all UD students to successful outcomes. 1014 1015 The Blue Hen Success Grant program, provides small awards, ranging from $300 to $3,000, to 1016 eligible students who are nearing graduation but facing minor shortfalls in paying their tuition or 1017 fees. Also known as a retention grant, it provides emergency funding so that financial circumstances 1018 do not become barriers to graduation. To date, 101 students have been awarded grants totaling 1019 $195,000, keeping them on the path to graduation. 1020 1021 In 2015, The Give Something Back Foundation, based in Lockport, Illinois, donated $3 million to 1022 UD to give 150 of the most-needy Delaware high school students the opportunity to graduate from 1023 the University debt-free. The first beneficiaries of the gift matriculated at the University in fall 2019. 1024 1025 In 2017, the University received two major grants to help students pursuing degrees beyond their 1026 bachelor’s degree. The National Science Foundation granted $1 million to support the Bridge to the 1027

24

Doctorate, which provides tuition, fees, annual stipends, individual mentoring, conferences and 1028 other support for underrepresented students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields. As a result 1029 of this program, 12 students are pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees, many of whom never 1030 considered graduate school to be a feasible option. 1031 1032 The Unidel Foundation helped establish and support a distinguished graduate scholars’ program at 1033 UD with a $2.5 million grant. The program awards up to two years of stipend support (in the form 1034 of graduate fellowships or assistantships) to more than 30 new graduate students each year. These 1035 competitive awards are based on academic achievement as well as membership in historically 1036 underrepresented groups. 1037 1038 1039 Criterion 3: A grievance policy that is documented and disseminated to address complaints or grievances raised by 1040 students, faculty, or staff; the institution’s policies and procedures are fair and impartial, and assure that grievances are 1041 addressed promptly, appropriately and equitably 1042

The University has extensive grievance procedures for faculty, staff and students that ensure a fair, 1043 prompt, and impartial investigation and decision-making process into any grievance. Grievance 1044 procedures address issues from workplace concerns to grade grievances to reasonable 1045 accommodations for individuals with disabilities and concerns about discrimination or harassment. 1046

In recent years, the University has revised its Sexual Misconduct and Non-Discrimination policies 1047 that apply to students, faculty and staff (Non-Discrimination Policy Revised, effective Aug. 1, 2017). 1048 The policies ensure each complaint of discrimination or harassment based on a protected status, 1049 including sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, gender identity, sexual orientation and any other 1050 status protected by law, is handled fairly and equitably by trained staff in the University’s Office of 1051 Equity and Inclusion. Complainants and respondents, regardless of their status at the University, are 1052 permitted to be accompanied to any meeting under these policies by up to two support people, who 1053 may be lawyers. The University strives to resolve these matters as fairly and expeditiously as 1054 possible. 1055

UD’s faculty are members of American Association of University Professors (AAUP) with grievance 1056 procedures outlined in their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). In addition, as outlined in the 1057 Faculty Handbook, the Faculty Senate Committee on Welfare and Privileges provides an 1058 opportunity for faculty members to file a complaint against other faculty members or administrators. 1059 Mediation is the first step, with the hope that many of these disputes can be resolved with the help 1060 of a neutral third party. If mediation is unsuccessful, a hearing is held, and the Committee makes a 1061 recommendation to the Provost. 1062

Many University staff members are also represented by unions, including American Federation of 1063 State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) Locals 439 and 3472, and the 1064 Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #7. Those employees may pursue grievances against University 1065 management through their CBAs. 1066

Even non-union employees may follow the grievance procedures in the University Administrative 1067 Policy Manual if they are unhappy with a decision made by their supervisor. Those procedures 1068 provide employees with several steps to follow to resolve their complaint, with the employee 1069 permitted to provide evidence and call witnesses at each step of the process. 1070

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The University’s Student Guide to University Policies contains the University’s Code of Conduct 1071 that applies to all students. The University’s Office of Student Conduct and the Graduate College 1072 oversee the procedures that are followed if a student is believed to have violated this code, including 1073 a hearing, if the student requests it, before an impartial hearing officer and an appeal to an Appellate 1074 Board consisting of students, faculty and staff. Students are permitted to have an advisor assist them 1075 throughout the process. 1076

The University’s Office of Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) oversees formal grievance 1077 procedures for exempt, non-exempt and union-represented staff. Staff members serve as members 1078 of the University’s exempt and non-exempt grievance committees to ensure fair treatment of 1079 employees. Grievances filed by union-represented staff are processed in accordance with the 1080 grievance procedures outlined in applicable collective bargaining agreements. 1081 1082 1083 Criterion 4: The avoidance of conflict of interest or the appearance of such conflict in all activities and among all 1084 constituents 1085 1086 UD seeks to avoid conflicts of interest (COI), and the appearance of the same, across the University 1087 through multiple and reinforced norms, policies and procedures. Generally speaking, University 1088 policy states that “a potential COI occurs when there is a divergence between an individual’s private 1089 interests and the individual’s professional obligations, such that an independent observer might 1090 reasonably question whether the individual’s professional judgement, commitment, actions or 1091 decisions could be influenced by considerations of person gain, financial or otherwise.” 1092 1093 UD’s Office of the General Counsel, the Research Office and University-academic leadership ensure 1094 propriety and avoidance of even the semblance of COI by requiring the practice of full and prior 1095 disclosure in writing of any association, relationship or circumstance that might suggest that 1096 decisions were made by a University employee or affiliate for personal gain, either directly or 1097 indirectly, and which were contrary to the best interests of the University. 1098 1099 COI-related matters are eliminated or managed based on guidance established by the Board of 1100 Trustee Bylaws, the Human Resource Code of Ethics, the Conflict of Interest Policy for Senior 1101 Administrators, the Human Resource Policy for the Employment of Immediate Family Members, 1102 the Procurement COI Policy, the Research COI Policy and Procedures for Faculty and Professional 1103 Staff, and identified-COI management practices. 1104 1105 UD has established and maintains a societal currency which extends to requiring uncompromised 1106 institutional-effort commitment, guidelines for acceptable dual employment, expectations governing 1107 the integration of international students and scholars into the University community, and 1108 protections for identifying and preventing excessive influence from international and other external 1109 entities. 1110 1111 The University encourages everyone in its community to engage with public and private entities in 1112 sponsored research and other forms of creative endeavors, including outside consulting, which must 1113 be conducted consistent with University COI expectations and requirements. Additionally, all of the 1114 creative and educational-related activities of the members of the University community that occur 1115 with entities outside of the University, must be consistent with the UD’s Intellectual Property (IP) 1116 Policy. Institutional policies and procedures regarding COI, employment-related effort commitment, 1117

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and University IP Policy create an effective protocol for avoiding COI and its appearance. On-going 1118 diligence in these areas continues to ensure that members of the UD employee and affiliate 1119 community remain informed and anchored in the clear and specific ethical expectations regarding 1120 University-related activities. 1121 1122 1123 Criterion 5: Fair and impartial practices in the hiring, evaluation, promotion, discipline and separation of employees 1124 1125 The University of Delaware continues to demonstrate a commitment to equitable and unbiased 1126 practices in hiring, advancement, evaluation, discipline and separation of employees and is subject to 1127 federal, state and local legislation, executive orders, regulations and guidelines regarding equal 1128 opportunity and affirmative action. UD has been recognized locally as well as nationally for its 1129 outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. 1130 1131 UD has made intentional and strategic changes over the last few years to attract more diverse 1132 candidates and make more diverse hires. Some examples include unconscious bias training for 1133 search committees; defined search protocol outlining expectations, reviews and processes for faculty 1134 searches; position advertisements covering more than a dozen job boards focused on 1135 underrepresented populations; search best practices and recruiting consultations; and the 1136 implementation of a new applicant tracking system, which will allow for a more effective process. 1137 1138 The Office of Equity and Inclusion offers workshops around such topics as intercultural 1139 communications, allying and advocating for others, unconscious bias, privilege, identity, 1140 intersectionality and more. In addition, nine caucuses have been created specifically for faculty and 1141 staff to gather with like-minded/like-identified individuals. These groups help participants find 1142 common voice and grass-roots-modeled steps toward awareness and change. The caucuses serve as 1143 a resource, an ally and an advocate to their constituents. 1144 1145 ELR also provides mediation services to resolve workplace conflict among staff, managers and/or 1146 faculty members, as well as assistance to managers in addressing performance and behavioral issues. 1147 In situations where disciplinary action is warranted, ELR assists managers in determining the 1148 appropriate level of discipline, informing the employee of such action, reviewing and ensuring the 1149 existence of supporting documentation, and drafting correspondence related to the disciplinary 1150 action to maintain consistency across the University. An ELR representative may participate in the 1151 meeting between the employee and manager. 1152 1153 1154 Criterion 6: Honesty and truthfulness in public relations announcements, advertisements, recruiting and admissions 1155 materials and practices, as well as in internal communications 1156 1157 UD’s central Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) adheres to the highest professional 1158 standards and best practices in public relations and marketing. OCM sets guidelines for all colleges 1159 and departments across campus and handles all media relations. News—both positive and 1160 negative—is posted on the University’s website. 1161 1162 OCM’s Use of Digital Media Policy provides a University-wide standard of excellence for creation, 1163 use and management of all digital and multimedia properties including, but not limited to, websites, 1164 social media, email marketing, video and photos. Such topics include guidelines for intellectual 1165

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property use, privacy issues, photo permissions, censoring and ethical standards. All external 1166 relations policies are found on UD’s website. 1167 1168 The University’s office of undergraduate admissions abides by the Code of Ethics and Professional 1169 Practices set forth by the National Association of College Admission Counselors whose guidelines 1170 provide specific expectations for transparency, truthfulness and ethical behavior in all recruiting and 1171 admission practices. The University has been an institutional member in good standing for decades. 1172 1173 When it comes to recruitment materials, all published rankings and student outcomes data are 1174 provided or vetted by the University’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, which is 1175 guided by the Association for Institutional Research Statement of Ethical Principles. 1176 1177 On July 1, 2019, the University established a Graduate College in recognition of the impact of 1178 graduate study on overall scholarship and discovery. Among other benefits, having a Graduate 1179 College provides centralized, consistent graduate student recruitment and admissions operations. 1180 1181 In recruiting athletes, UD abides by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) policies 1182 for responsible recruitment. This includes Bylaw 10.1 Unethical Conduct, which describes unethical 1183 conduct by a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or a current or former institutional staff 1184 member; and Bylaw 13.01.2 Institutional Responsibility in Recruitment, which states that “any 1185 member of an institution’s athletics staff or a representative of its athletics interests shall not recruit 1186 a prospective student-athlete except as permitted by this Association (NCAA), the institution and 1187 the member conference (CAA).” 1188 1189 In response to the national admissions scandal in 2019 in which dozens of parents, coaches, 1190 consultants and celebrities were indicted for standardized test cheating and acceptance bribery, UD 1191 administrators examined the University’s processes to ensure there were no vulnerabilities. As a 1192 precaution, UD Athletics is now taking additional steps to ensure that each student who was 1193 admitted and identified as an athlete is actually a participant on a team. 1194 1195 1196 Criterion 7: As appropriate to its mission, services or programs in place: (a) to promote affordability and 1197 accessibility;(b) to enable students to understand funding sources and options, value received for cost, and methods to 1198 make informed decisions about incurring debt 1199 1200 The Office of Undergraduate Admissions maintains a site for all relevant information on financing a 1201 UD undergraduate degree. The University’s Net Price Calculator tool is designed to provide 1202 prospective undergraduate students with an early indication of what they may pay for a UD 1203 education. The results indicate the amount and types of financial aid the student may qualify for if 1204 enrolled at UD as a full-time college freshman. An accurate financial award package is included with 1205 each offer of admission. This information is shared on the Undergraduate Admissions website as 1206 well as on the site for Student Financial Services. Both sites provide additional information on 1207 services, programs and frequently asked questions. 1208 1209 Student Financial Services also maintains a Cost of Attendance site for all students (undergraduate, 1210 graduate, special sessions, and professional and continuing studies), outlining cost of attendance 1211 based on estimated student budgets that include tuition/fees, housing, books/supplies, and 1212 personal/miscellaneous expenses. Academic-year costs assume full-time attendance for two 1213

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semesters, Fall and Spring. These budgets are used to award financial aid and are published annually. 1214 1215 1216 Criterion 8: Compliance with all federal, state and Commission reporting policies, regulations and requirements to 1217 include reporting regarding: a) the full disclosure of information on institution-wide assessments, graduation, retention, 1218 certification and licensure or licensing board pass rates; b) the institution’s compliance with the Commission’s 1219 Requirements of Affiliation; c) substantive changes affecting institutional mission, goals, programs, operations, sites 1220 and other material issues which must be disclosed in a timely and accurate fashion; and d) the institution’s compliance 1221 with the Commission’s policies 1222 1223 The University is committed to complying with all federal, state, and local regulations, commission 1224 policies and reporting requirements as discussed in the Verification of Compliance reports. 1225 1226 UD’s Your Right to Know website maintained by the Office of Institutional Research and 1227 Effectiveness includes detailed information about graduation and retention rates, student financial 1228 aid and health and safety information for the student consumer. 1229 1230 Information regarding Middle States accreditation, various program accreditations and policies and 1231 procedures also are posted on the University’s website. The President’s senior leadership team 1232 members are responsible for compliance with the Board of Trustees, policies and procedures, 1233 requirements of affiliation and federal regulations as they pertain to their areas. 1234 1235 1236 Criterion 9: Periodic assessment of ethics and integrity as evidenced in institutional policies, processes, practice and 1237 the manner in which these are implemented 1238 1239 The University affirms its commitment to ethics and integrity through its Code of Ethics applicable 1240 to staff, its Professional Ethics Statement in the Faculty Handbook and its Code of Conduct 1241 applicable to all students. The University periodically reviews its policies and practices to ensure they 1242 comply with applicable laws. The University’s Policy on Policies, found in the Administrative Policy 1243 Manual, encourages policy owners to review their policies regularly and provides that any 1244 substantive revisions must be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel and approved by the 1245 President’s Executive Committee. The Student Guide to University Policies, which contains the 1246 Code of Conduct, is reviewed and revised annually. The Office of Equity and Inclusion reviews and 1247 revises the Sexual Misconduct and Non-Discrimination Policies on a regular basis to ensure the 1248 policies are accessible and equitable for all members of the University community. 1249 1250 The University routinely conducts campus climate surveys to receive feedback from students and 1251 other members of our campus community on their experiences (see IRE's Surveys website for a full 1252 listing). UD’s Compliance Hotline, serviced by EthicsPoint, provides an anonymous, confidential 1253 and independent resource for reporting suspected misconduct and other issues of concern. Reports 1254 are handled promptly and discreetly by the Office of Internal Audit. 1255 1256 1257 Recommendations 1258

• Review UD’s current Conflict of Interest disclosure policy to include all faculty and 1259 administrators and to address issues of conflict of commitment. 1260

• Develop a policy statement affirming the rights of students to academic freedom. 1261

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• Continue efforts to promote a climate that fosters respect among all members of the 1262 University community. 1263

• Review and update policies on consensual relationships and workplace harassment and 1264 bullying covering faculty, students and staff. 1265

1266 1267 1268 STANDARD III: DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF THE 1269

STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE 1270 1271 An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, 1272 certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, 1273 program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations. 1274 1275 1276 Criterion 1: Certificate, undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional programs leading to a degree or other 1277 recognized higher education credential, of a length appropriate to the objectives of the degree or other credential, designed 1278 to foster a coherent student learning experience and to promote synthesis of learning 1279 1280 The University of Delaware has more than 150 undergraduate programs, 126 master’s degree 1281 programs (with 14 joint degrees within them), 60 doctoral programs, 34 certificate programs and 1282 more than 25 non-credit programs. Students who come to UD have multiple opportunities, under 1283 the guidance of advisors and faculty, to undertake a coherent and rigorous course of study that 1284 integrates multiple modes of learning, engages broad issues within their academic fields and includes 1285 hands-on practical experiences. In this section, we highlight examples of programs at all levels that 1286 exemplify UD’s approach to education and student learning. 1287 1288 All undergraduates are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits from the list of University 1289 breadth courses that are part of the General Education program (Std.III.5), which support UD’s 1290 contention that a college education requires a breadth of knowledge across diverse fields and 1291 perspectives. 1292 1293 UD’s high-impact educational experiences for undergraduates achieve results, as shown by our 1294 senior participation rates in the following experiences: 71% work in an internship, field experience 1295 or clinical placement, 53% complete a capstone project, exam or portfolio, 53% participate in 1296 service-learning, 35% conduct research with faculty, 33% go on a study abroad program, and 25% 1297 live or work in a learning community. These figures compare favorably with peer and aspirational 1298 institutions—where 93% of UD students participate in at least one high-impact experience, peer 1299 institutions have 89% participating and AAU institutions and Carnegie R1 both have 86% (NSSE 1300 2017 High-Impact Practices University of Delaware, p. 3). 1301 1302 A notable example of the pervasive influence of such high-impact practices can be seen in UD’s 1303 designation as a community engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of 1304 Teaching in 2015. UD offers undergraduates the opportunity to integrate course-based learning with 1305 experiences beyond the classroom through the Community Engagement Scholars Course of Study, a 1306 four-year program that can be integrated into any major or minor, contains several common courses, 1307

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culminates in the creation of an e-portfolio, and allows undergraduates to undertake a meaningful 1308 civic engagement project as part of their overall educational goals. Exemplary courses include those 1309 offered in the Human Development and Family Studies Early Childhood Education curriculum, the 1310 Alfred Lerner College of Business Hospitality and Business Management practicum program, and 1311 the School of Nursing undergraduate program where community outreach is an integral part of 1312 faculty and student experiences. 1313 1314 At UD, 73% of students earn their bachelor's degree within four years, one of the top 10 rates 1315 nationwide among residential public universities, and 95% of UD graduates are working, pursuing 1316 further education or serving in the military within six months of earning their bachelor's degrees 1317 (UD Career Outcomes website). The long-term value of a UD bachelor’s degree has been calculated 1318 at $1.2 million after 40 years, which ranks in the top 50 among public universities nationwide, and 1319 has been highlighted in various “best-value rankings” by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, 1320 Kiplinger and MONEY magazine. 1321 1322 UD’s success in providing excellent graduate educational experiences is evident from the recognition 1323 many of its programs have received. Chemical Engineering, Clinical Psychology, Education Policy, 1324 Elementary Teacher Education, Online MBA, Online Master of Education, Physical Therapy, Public 1325 Finance and Budgeting, and Public Management and Leadership, have all been ranked in the top 1326 quartile nationwide, as noted in U.S. News & World Report. 1327 1328 The Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) has been the number one such program in the nation. 1329 Admitting a cohort of 60 students per year, it is characterized by an intense timetable, a coherent 1330 course of study that includes multiple modalities and an outcomes-based approach to course and 1331 curriculum design. The DPT program has seven clearly defined outcomes aligned with the American 1332 Physical Therapy Association’s core values and are available to students in the program handbook. 1333 1334 Another exemplary graduate program is The Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art 1335 Conservation. Offering a three-year Master of Science degree to a small cohort of 10 students per 1336 year, this program is one of only four in the country. Likewise, our Preservation Studies Program is 1337 one of the only Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in preservation in the nation. For both 1338 programs of study, learning goals and competencies are refined by the faculty on a regular basis, in 1339 keeping with feedback from alumni currently leading conservation and historic preservations 1340 initiatives worldwide. 1341 1342 Building on this tradition of success in graduate education, UD has developed more than 30 new 1343 programs since 2016 designed to create coherent professional pathways for students in emerging 1344 areas including programs in medical and molecular laboratory science, and communication and 1345 speech disorders. 1346 1347 1348 Criterion 2: Student learning experiences that are designed, delivered, and assessed by faculty (full-time or part-time) 1349 and/or other appropriate professionals who are: a) rigorous and effective in teaching, assessment of student learning, 1350 scholarly inquiry, and service, as appropriate to the institution’s mission, goals, and policies; b) qualified for the 1351 positions they hold and the work they do; c) sufficient in number; d) provided with and utilize sufficient opportunities, 1352 resources, and support for professional growth and innovation; e) reviewed regularly and equitably based on written, 1353 disseminated, clear, and fair criteria, expectations, policies, and procedures 1354 1355

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UD is characterized by a deep culture of learning at the undergraduate and graduate levels, which 1356 creates the foundation for an ongoing commitment to recruiting and retaining faculty proficient in 1357 the use of effective teaching practices and focused on student learning: UD has a student-faculty 1358 ratio of 15:1, and 91% of the current full-time faculty hold terminal degrees in their research and 1359 teaching disciplines. The University will continue to evolve its distinctive culture of learning through 1360 its commitment to a variety of programming designed to provide successful outcomes. 1361

In recent years, the University has built on its commitment to faculty and their needs and talents by 1362 making several positive changes: faculty onboarding/orientation has been enhanced; guidelines for 1363 faculty mentoring have been developed; the work of adjunct faculty has been assessed; and the 1364 University’s promotion and tenure documents have been overhauled to provide a clearer path to 1365 promotion for the CT (non-tenure-track) instructors who now make up almost a quarter of the full-1366 time faculty. 1367 1368 New initiatives have been instituted and existing events, programs and support services related to 1369 faculty development, advancement and innovation have been enhanced. Collectively, these 1370 strengthen an educational culture that promotes effective student learning. Key examples of new 1371 opportunities include UD’s Faculty Accountability Program to enhance faculty’s scholarly 1372 productivity and the Provost Initiative for Innovation and Excellence in E-learning to help faculty 1373 enhance students’ online learning experiences. Additionally, UD’s ADVANCE Institute—originally 1374 developed to increase the representation and advancement of women in STEM and social science 1375 careers—has been adopted campus-wide to further increase diversity in faculty hiring. 1376 1377 Long-standing annual events have been enhanced to better support faculty, including the 1378 aforementioned New Faculty Orientation and the Summer Institute on Teaching. Another addition 1379 is the Faculty Commons, a partnership between many entities, including the University Library, 1380 Museums and Press, Professional and Continuing Studies, IT-Academic Technology Services, and 1381 the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning, the Institute for Transforming University 1382 Education. 1383 1384 UD has also launched voluntary initiatives targeted at further promoting and assessing the quality of 1385 teaching. These include the development of the Faculty Peer Observation Program to support 1386 faculty in collaborative examination and improvement of their teaching through peer observation 1387 and feedback, and the formation of the Working Group on Student Course Feedback to develop 1388 recommendations to improve existing services related to faculty development, advancement and 1389 innovation. 1390 1391 1392 Criterion 3: Academic programs of study that are clearly and accurately described in official publications of the 1393 institution in a way that students are able to understand and follow degree and program requirements and expected 1394 time to completion 1395

The University provides web portals with detailed, regularly updated information about degree and 1396 program requirements, including access to information about specific academic programs, 1397 enrollment, advising, transfer requirements, experiential learning, and research and career planning. 1398 These portals also provide students with electronic tools to navigate these sites, track requirements 1399 and plan their courses of study. 1400

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The official listing of academic programs, courses and policies is found in the undergraduate and 1401 graduate catalogs, both of which are available online through UD’s website. The Academics tab 1402 provides a starting point to navigate toward specific requirements such as descriptions of all 1403 undergraduate and graduate programs, links to the main pages of all eight colleges, and links to 1404 student services portals, including Advising Central, the Registrar and the Office of Academic 1405 Enrichment. The Find Your Major link also leads students to a searchable alphabetical list of UD’s 1406 150 undergraduate majors. 1407

The Office of the University Registrar maintains online Student Resources with a comprehensive 1408 menu of links to important information about a range of topics, including academic advisement, 1409 calculating GPAs, University policies and help with UDSIS, the University's student records system. 1410 One important planning and tracking tool in UDSIS is the Degree Audit function that helps 1411 students and advisors track progress toward planning course selection and meeting requirements. 1412

As mentioned earlier, the Blue Hen Success Collaborative (BHSC) provides a platform that 1413 facilitates advising and communication with students. Through the BHSC, students can easily 1414 schedule appointments with their advisors and make tutoring appointments. Using the BHSC 1415 predictive analytics and referral tools, advisors are able to identify students who may need more 1416 support, make referrals to other support units and monitor to see if students are following through 1417 with referrals to support units. The Blue Hen Planner allows students to generate multiple scenarios 1418 of their course schedule prior to individual registration. Students can save preferred schedules as 1419 favorites and import the best one through WebReg, UD’s self-registration tool, at their appointment 1420 time. 1421 A third tool for current students is the My UD portal, an interface that organizes web resources by 1422 category (Academics, Student Life, Financial Resources, Tech Support, etc.), which is an important 1423 part of our efforts to help students navigate the vast amount of information available via UD’s 1424 website. 1425 1426 1427 Criterion 4: Sufficient learning opportunities and resources to support both the institution’s programs of study and 1428 students’ academic progress 1429 UD’s wealth of opportunities and resources support student learning within their chosen programs 1430 of study and encourage them to explore their disciplines, enhance their careers and apply their 1431 learning to the wider community. These experiences take three broad forms: a systematic set of 1432 programs to support students’ academic progress in the classroom; opportunities specific to 1433 particular programs or majors that enhance student learning and engagement within them; and 1434 opportunities that encourage all students to engage deeply in disciplinary or global learning 1435 experiences outside the classroom. 1436 1437 Examples of support for students’ academic progress: 1438 1439

● The Office of Academic Enrichment (OAE) empowers students to develop the academic 1440 skills and strategies that will pave the way for future success. OAE helps students accelerate 1441 their learning progress and meet learning standards while supporting their continued success 1442 through a range of tutoring services, workshops and skill-building courses. OAE also 1443 includes our Academic Advocates who provide intensive support to students who are in the 1444

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probation process and other students who may need additional support during their college 1445 career. 1446

1447 ● The University Writing Center fosters excellence in writing through one-to-one writing 1448

tutorials, oral communications tutorials for students preparing oral presentations, support 1449 for graduate student writing through dissertation retreats and the Dissertate Write Now! 1450 Program, writing fellows for faculty who promote writing in their classrooms, and an 1451 ongoing workshop series on various writing topics. 1452

1453 ● The Mathematical Sciences Learning Laboratory (MSLL) is dedicated to improving 1454

teaching and learning in foundational mathematics courses. Improvement efforts include the 1455 implementation of research-validated learning strategies in the classroom and use of a 1456 continuous improvement model to systematically study and improve the courses over time. 1457 The MSLL Open Lab is open six days a week offering study space and free, drop-in 1458 mathematics tutoring to students enrolled in eight different mathematics courses. 1459

1460 Programmatic examples of opportunities to extend student learning: 1461 1462

● The School of Nursing has received international recognition for its innovative practice of 1463 immersing students in clinical care through Health Care Theatre, a reality-based simulation 1464 that provides meaningful, experiential service-learning opportunities. 1465

1466 ● Hands-on experience through experiential learning centers such as the Vita Nova restaurant, 1467

the Marriott Center for Tourism and Hospitality, the Geltzeiler Trading Center and the 1468 JPMorgan Chase Innovation Center is provided through The Lerner College. 1469 1470

● The College of Education offers students firsthand experience at the Early Learning Center 1471 and the Laboratory Preschool. 1472

1473 ● Engineering students focus on design problems and participate in undergraduate research as 1474

individuals or in teams. Vertically Integrated Projects unite undergraduate student and 1475 faculty research in a team-based context in Electrical Engineering. Construction engineering 1476 students participate in a 26-week co-op program, and Mechanical Engineering students work 1477 in teams in the Design Studio that combines state-of-the-art facilities, such as 3-D printers 1478 and computer-aided design software. 1479

1480 ● Students in Earth, Ocean and Environment study in the field at White Clay Creek and the 1481

Delaware coastal regions and aboard the Research Vessel Hugh R. Sharp. 1482 1483

● Agriculture and Natural Resources has established a new major in Sustainable Food Systems 1484 designed to integrate theory and practice through resources including a U.S. Department of 1485 Agriculture-certified organic vegetable operation, a greenhouse with hydroponics and a 1486 farmbot, shop production yard, botanic gardens and ecology woods. 1487

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1488 ● In the College of Arts & Sciences, Art & Design students can pursue a number of projects 1489

through work with community partners. In History, education majors explore Civic 1490 Engagement in America with students in the Associate in Arts program as they assist local 1491 high school students develop civically engaged programming. Students enrolled in SOC 452, 1492 Drugs and the Criminal Justice System, explore the broad social impacts of the drugs-crime 1493 nexus by working with student inmates at a local correctional facility. 1494 1495

Finally, UD offers a wide range of programs that supplement and enhance students’ learning 1496 experiences across colleges and majors. 1497 1498

● Undergraduate research has been an important part of the educational program at UD since 1499 the early 1980s, and today, many departments include it as an integral part of their curricula. 1500 Biological Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geography and Earth Sciences, 1501 and Plant and Soil Science exemplify this culture and practice. Grant-funded programs such 1502 as INBRE and EPSCoR and several NSF-REUs provide summer research opportunities for 1503 both UD students and undergraduates from other institutions. Support for undergraduate 1504 student research is provided by the Undergraduate Research Program, which offers 1505 UDRAW, a research apprenticeship program to work-study-eligible early career students; 1506 Summer Scholars and Summer Fellows programs for students at any point in their careers; 1507 and support for students pursuing a senior thesis and an enhanced degree. In the summer of 1508 2019, more than 600 undergraduate research students, from sophomores to rising seniors, 1509 were funded to pursue undergraduate research and community-based projects. 1510 1511

● The World Scholars program, administered by the Institute for Global Studies, is a four-year 1512 program providing a framework for internationalizing a student’s academic program of 1513 study. These highly motivated students spend their first semester abroad, participate in an 1514 international living and learning community their sophomore year, engage in a second 1515 semester abroad during their junior year, and complete a capstone experience focused on 1516 global issues their senior year. World Scholars have the opportunity to acquire the skills and 1517 competencies needed for success in an increasingly interconnected world through 1518 engagement on campus and abroad. 1519 1520

● The Honors Program provides resources for the most academically motivated students and 1521 administers the General Honors Award, the Honors Degree and Honors Degree with 1522 Distinction enhanced degrees. 1523 1524 Since 1976 UD’s Honors Program has evolved into a comprehensive and well-regarded 1525 program and earned a national reputation for its rigor and creativity and its bright, 1526 enthusiastic and intellectually curious students. The 2017 Princeton Review called Honors 1527 the “intellectual pearl of the University.” 1528 1529

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The Honors Program is based on the three pillars of challenge, enrichment and community, 1530 and its students are academically motivated and immerse themselves in strong living and 1531 learning communities. They are challenged through rigorous coursework and high 1532 expectations, and they study in smaller classes that increase opportunities for faculty 1533 connections and undergraduate research. Honors students are encouraged to pursue 1534 educational opportunities outside of the classroom and to serve the community. Reserved 1535 housing options foster community; first-year Honors students live together with upper 1536 division peer mentors who serve as academic and social resources. 1537 1538 UD Honors students consistently take on campus leadership roles, win prestigious national 1539 scholarships and awards, pursue advanced and professional degrees at high rates, and are 1540 employed in top positions. 1541

1542 1543 Criterion 5: At institutions that offer undergraduate education, a general education program, freestanding or 1544 integrated into academic disciplines, that: a) offers a sufficient scope to draw students into new areas of intellectual 1545 experience, expanding their cultural and global awareness and cultural sensitivity, and preparing them to make well-1546 reasoned judgments outside as well as within their academic field; b) offers a curriculum designed so that students 1547 acquire and demonstrate essential skills including at least oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative 1548 reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency and information literacy. Consistent with the 1549 mission, the general education program also includes the study of values, ethics and diverse perspectives 1550

UD’s General Education program prepares students through broad and deep educational 1551 opportunities to be: 1552

• Engaged citizens, involved in the world around them, who understand the major challenges 1553 and debates of the day; 1554

• Aware of their intellectual strengths and interests and of their ethical values and 1555 commitments; 1556

• Capable of interpreting the arts and culture of contemporary and past societies; and 1557 • Equipped with the essential skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving world, including 1558

the ability to be a lifelong learner, creator and innovator. 1559

To fulfill these goals, major requirements and general education requirements are combined to meet 1560 five objectives. We prepare students who are able to: 1561

• Read critically, analyze arguments and information and engage in constructive ideation; 1562 • Communicate effectively in writing, orally and through creative expression; 1563 • Work collaboratively and independently within and across a variety of cultural contexts and a 1564

spectrum of differences; 1565 • Critically evaluate the ethical implications of what they say and do; and 1566 • Reason quantitatively, computationally and scientifically. 1567

Over the past five years, the General Education program has been extensively reviewed and 1568 modified. In 2015, the Faculty Senate passed four resolutions resulting in the following General 1569

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Education requirements: English 110, 3 credits; First Year Seminar, 1 credit; Discovery Learning 1570 Experience, 3 credits; University breadth courses, 12 credits; a Multicultural course, 3 credits; and 1571 Capstone Experience, 3 credits. 1572 1573 In addition, the Faculty Senate approved a core course for sophomores that would address grand 1574 challenges and great debates. These requirements provide a developmental framework that allows 1575 students to achieve measurable learning objectives throughout all four years. Since implementing the 1576 resolutions in 2015, UD has begun assessing the results. 1577 1578 First Year Seminar (FYS) helps undergraduate students adjust to college life, learn about strategies 1579 for success and emphasize class discussion. As part of the General Education review process, a new 1580 set of required elements was developed for all FYS sections. One of these was the adoption of a 1581 common reader, generally with a social justice theme, that is chosen by a committee of faculty, staff 1582 and students. 1583 1584 While the General Education program already included a requirement for a multicultural course, a 1585 2015 resolution required a new diversity learning rubric be developed. Once this rubric was in place, 1586 all courses designated as meeting the multicultural requirement were required to be re-screened for 1587 their compliance during the following two academic years. Findings from a 2018 assessment of the 1588 newly designated courses are documented in the Evidence Inventory. 1589

UD’s commitment to enabling students to meet the general education objectives is evidenced 1590 through the new General Education Capstone and the University-wide curricular mapping initiative. 1591 The General Education Capstone requires students to engage in explorations where the outcomes 1592 are unknown or in self-assessment, reflection and analysis that prepares them for future success (or 1593 both). All students, preferably in their senior year, take a course within their majors or programs 1594 designed to synthesize their academic experience. The capstone course experience should be an 1595 expression of the totality of a student’s growth, development and learning as an undergraduate. 1596 Capstone courses differ based on a student’s course of study, but include field experiences, 1597 professional practicums, intensive course-based research or the creation of e-portfolios. 1598 1599 Beginning in 2016, a screening process was developed for capstone courses that aligned with the 1600 2015 Faculty Senate resolutions. To date, all undergraduate degree programs have designated 1601 capstone courses. The Faculty Senate and CTAL assessed the capstone course designation in 2018-1602 19 and recommended that the capstone goals regarding self-assessment and reflection should be 1603 clarified for both students and instructors. They also recommended to the Senate’s General 1604 Education Committee that the capstone should be emphasized as a summative experience that relies 1605 on coursework and experienced obtained in the pursuit of a degree. 1606

The first step in the University-wide curricular mapping project took place in 2015. Faculty indicated 1607 the degree to which students had the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills identified in 1608 the General Education objectives in each of their courses. In 2017, the Faculty Senate charged the 1609 General Education Committee and the Committee on Undergraduate Studies to update and finalize 1610 the General Education curricular mapping data. Working with CTAL, the committees asked UD 1611 departments and programs to review the data they had previously submitted and make any necessary 1612 corrections and updates. In 2018, CTAL compiled these data and submitted them to the Registrar to 1613 incorporate into the university’s course catalog. These data are now available in the Courses Search 1614 webpage which allows everyone, particularly students and academic advisors, to search for courses 1615

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that provide significant opportunities to achieve specific General Education objectives. 1616 1617 1618 Criterion 6: In institutions that offer graduate and professional education, opportunities for the development of 1619 research, scholarship and independent thinking, provided by faculty and/or other professionals with credentials 1620 appropriate to graduate-level curricula 1621

The University’s mission statement articulates a tripartite commitment to undergraduate, graduate 1622 and professional education. As a major research university with extensive graduate programs, the 1623 establishment of a Graduate College in June 2018 affirmed UD’s commitment to graduate and 1624 professional education. It also increased overall knowledge of the University’s commitment to the 1625 highest level of education and research training with a learner-centered approach. The Graduate 1626 College leverages strategic cross-college collaborations, effectively promotes academic excellence 1627 and enhances student services and support. 1628

The University of Delaware offers 60 doctoral and 126 master’s degree programs. Of these 1629 programs 14 are dual degrees, 15 interdisciplinary and 20 online. Other options include an avenue to 1630 complete a traditional four-year bachelor’s program plus a master’s program in one additional year, 1631 known as a 4+1 degree (25 are currently available). Thirty-four certificate programs across UD’s 1632 eight colleges are supported by more than 80 Centers and Institutes furnishing both classroom and 1633 experiential learning experiences. Many of our degrees are research-based; evidence of this research 1634 productivity can be observed in the Graduate Student Government and Graduate College annual 1635 campus-wide Graduate Students’ Forum for Research and Creative Work, with approximately 100 1636 graduate student presentations, a distinguished guest speaker and reception. UD is one of the top 1637 100 institutions for federal obligations in science and engineering and interdisciplinary initiatives in 1638 energy science and policy, the environment and human health. 1639

Many UD students teach while in their graduate programs—some are preparing for careers as 1640 educators—and UD provides resources to help with their classroom effectiveness. In the summer of 1641 2016, UD became a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning 1642 (CIRTL), an international network of research universities committed to preparing outstanding 1643 future faculty with the ultimate goal of improving undergraduate education. The University’s CIRTL 1644 program officially began in the spring of 2017 and partners with other UD institutions including the 1645 Faculty Commons, the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning (CTAL), Academic 1646 Technology Services (ATS) and the Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education (ITUE). 1647 Examples of these collaborations include the Summer Institute on Teaching, Teaching as Research 1648 workshops and the UNIV 601/602 course series on Pedagogy and Learning. The Department of 1649 Art & Design now requires a new course focused on classroom preparedness of all of its first year 1650 Master of Fine Arts candidates. 1651

UD has centrally funded mechanisms to provide stipends to graduate students in addition to 1652 teaching and research assistantships. These highly competitive awards span research areas from all 1653 academic programs and support more than 250 students annually. These merit-based programs 1654 identify, recruit and support our graduate students through stipends, travel, professional 1655 development, summer research funding, collections-based research activities and external funding 1656 nominations and include: 1657

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• Graduate Scholars Award—Two-year merit-based awards for underrepresented 1658 populations 1659

• Doctoral Fellowship, Dissertation Fellowship—Competitive 3rd or 4th year Ph.D. student 1660 fellowships 1661

• Unidel Distinguished Graduate Scholarship—Prestigious multi-year doctoral fellowship 1662 awards 1663

• Glotzer Award, Louise Roselle, Winterthur and Collection-based awards for funding 1664 research, travel and/or archival-based scholarship 1665

• Graduate College Travel Awards—Merit-based graduate student funding for academic 1666 activities, including research, presentations, exhibitions or performance, and professional 1667 development related to their program of study 1668

• Graduate student recruiting—Competitive awards to recruit high-quality graduate 1669 candidates 1670

• Summer Fellowships for graduate students—Research, travel and/or living expenses 1671 • External funding programs such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research 1672

Fellowships Program, Google Fellowships and Nobel Travel awards 1673

The Graduate College also sponsors Innovation Grants, internal awards for faculty and graduate 1674 students, to create new opportunities in graduate education and enhance the graduate student 1675 experience. 1676

Examples of previous funding include support for seminars or conferences; career readiness 1677 workshops; networking events that link graduate students and post-docs with industry, government 1678 or nonprofits; training in teaching or public communications; and other innovative inter-1679 professional development programs. Each proposal must include a plan for engaging current 1680 graduate students or recent graduate alumni in the planning process and clearly state the expected 1681 outcomes. Two programs that have garnered high levels of interest are Words for Nerds, a five-part 1682 workshop series partnering journalism and science students to introduce ways they can reach the 1683 media, general public and lawmakers through simple language about research. Secondly, the Video 1684 Tools for Scientists program teaches graduate students to create short, animated videos that 1685 communicate their research work to the general public. 1686

This commitment to maintaining such a range of support has led to excellent outcomes for graduate 1687 and professional education students career goals and satisfaction. In 2019 there were 4,164 1688 graduates—313 doctorates and 950 masters. many facets of their experience including program 1689 quality, financial support, knowledge gained, advisement and quality of instruction. 1690 1691 1692 Criterion 7: Adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval on any student learning opportunities 1693 designed, delivered, or assessed by third-party providers 1694 1695 Third-party providers and/or partners are significant at UD in two major areas: study abroad and 1696 online learning. 1697 1698

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The University of Delaware was the first U.S. institution to offer a study abroad program—in 1923 1699 when a group of students spent an academic year in France. The University later pioneered the 1700 faculty-led short-term group program model. Most students participate in winter term faculty-led 1701 programs, but this model does not meet all student needs and interests, so UD partners with a 1702 number of universities abroad so students can enroll for a semester in those programs. UD also 1703 works with non-degree-granting organizations (many in the United States) that provide instruction, 1704 and in some cases, logistical assistance relating to housing, group transportation, securing local 1705 speakers, and ordering tickets for admission to museums, theaters, etc. The University also uses the 1706 services of organizations that are non-degree-granting and registered outside the U.S. In these cases, 1707 the organization typically does not provide instruction but offers logistical help in customizing 1708 faculty-led programs and/or providing internship experiences. 1709

1710 Proposed partnerships with universities abroad are vetted in a number of ways including 1711 consultation with QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University 1712 Rankings and with other U.S. institutions that already have such agreements about their experience 1713 regarding academic rigor, student services, housing and responsiveness of the international office. 1714 For U.S. providers that are not degree-granting institutions but nevertheless teach courses, questions 1715 are asked about the school of record and the extent of its academic oversight, and sample faculty 1716 CVs are requested. Finally, in the case of agreements with organizations located abroad and 1717 registered in their respective countries, a similar process is followed; UD faculty may verify the 1718 quality of the academic experience by examining sample syllabi. 1719 1720 UD participates in the University of Georgia’s Study Abroad research consortium, the Consortium 1721 for the Analysis of Student Success through International Education. The goal of the consortium is 1722 to document the outcomes of international education for various student groups and international 1723 education’s impact on timely college completion. 1724 1725 More than 20 online for-credit programs are offered at UD, many of which have been developed in 1726 partnership with Wiley Education Services. An example of how partnerships are developed and 1727 program quality assured, can be seen in the online MBA program, which was ranked 47th in its 1728 category by U.S. News & World Report in 2020. 1729 1730 1731 Criterion 8: Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of programs providing student learning opportunities 1732

The effectiveness of programs providing student learning opportunities is regularly and widely 1733 reviewed and assessed through the APR, or Academic Program Review process. The Office of 1734 Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE) supports departmental APR by providing 1735 department-specific information related to students, faculty and resources that assists departments in 1736 addressing specific criteria within two Middle States standards: 1737

• Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience 1738 • Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment 1739

In addition to the APR process, CTAL is also deeply involved in helping faculty, departments and 1740 administrators conduct effective reviews and assessments as needed. 1741

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1742 In the 2016 Periodic Review Report (PRR), reviewers wrote that “UD truly distinguishes 1743 itself with its thorough commitment to assessing student learning,” and in the intervening 1744 years, efforts in this area have only increased (2016 PRR Reviewer’s report located in 1745 Evidence Inventory, p. 7). 1746 1747 Formally established in 1975, CTAL has collaborated with the Faculty Senate since 2006 to reform 1748 General Education as well as support faculty-identified areas of curricular need, and since they have 1749 worked to create, evaluate and support systems of assessment that are closely aligned with the 1750 educational goals of departments and programs, as well as the University’s mission. CTAL’s 1751 approach to educational assessment is driven by faculty and supported by the administration. Three 1752 types of General Education courses exemplify this collaboration at work: First Year Seminar, the 1753 Multicultural course, and the Capstone course. (A more detailed discussion of the capstone 1754 assessment cycle is discussed in the Standard V chapter.) 1755 1756 Since 2004, CTAL has operated as a combined assessment office and teaching and learning center, a 1757 unique model that allows CTAL to partner in the assessment process with nearly all who teach at 1758 UD. CTAL supports faculty, chairs, and all those involved in educational assessment through 1759 multiple means including targeted events, funding opportunities and campus-wide programming. 1760 1761 1762 Recommendations 1763

• Establish uniform protocols to update program information across departments and 1764 programs to ensure necessary updates are made in a timely manner. 1765

• Establish a uniform process for ongoing assessment of universities abroad after their initial 1766 assessment. 1767

• Create processes to evaluate all online programs that address student satisfaction with the 1768 online learning experience. 1769

1770 1771 1772 STANDARD IV: SUPPORT OF THE STUDENT 1773

EXPERIENCE 1774 1775 Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits 1776 students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The 1777 institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support 1778 system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the 1779 educational experience, and fosters student success. 1780 1781 The University of Delaware is committed to the success of all our students, and we have developed 1782 support systems to promote that success. Since our last review, the University has invested 1783 significantly in structures and services that ensure that UD’s diverse student body thrives including a 1784 division of Enrollment Management, expanded services in the Division of Student Life, a new 1785 Finish in Four program and updated orientation programs. 1786

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1787 1788 Criterion 1a: Clearly stated, ethical policies and processes to admit, retain, and facilitate the success of students 1789 whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals provide a reasonable expectation for success and are compatible with 1790 institutional missions, including accurate and comprehensive information regarding expenses, financial aid, 1791 scholarships, grants, loans, repayment, and refunds 1792 1793 The Undergraduate and Graduate academic catalogs annually outline the University’s tuition and fee 1794 structure and financial aid policies. General information on Delaware residency status is included 1795 and also can be found on the Registrar’s website. The catalogs also include such clear and accessible 1796 information as comprehensive breakdowns of the cost of attendance by semester and academic year; 1797 and information on tuition discounts for special populations such as Delaware residents over age 60, 1798 Delaware teachers and veterans. Differential charges for Engineering, Business and Nursing 1799 undergraduate students, implemented in a phased approach are also outlined in the catalog, with 1800 additional FAQs available on the Provost’s website. 1801 1802 The Student Financial Services website is the most comprehensive source of financial information 1803 for students, with pages specific to Undergraduate, Graduate, Associate in Arts, International, and 1804 Professional and Continuing Studies students. Each section has information on costs, payment and 1805 aid options specific to that population. Financial aid policies and procedures are outlined in further 1806 detail with links to Department of Education resources on maintaining Satisfactory Academic 1807 Progress and the impact of withdrawals. The Financial Wellness page focuses on educating students 1808 about planning and paying for post-secondary education with tools to help understand their financial 1809 responsibilities. 1810 1811 Other tools include the Net Price Calculator that allow undergraduate applicants to see an early 1812 indication of the cost of their education at UD. The prospective student enters biographic and 1813 financial details, information about high school education and placement test scores. Then they 1814 receive estimated information on Merit Aid eligibility and estimated costs for the first academic year. 1815 These resources are evaluated regularly with an eye toward improving effectiveness and financial 1816 literacy that is a priority at UD. 1817 1818 1819 Criterion 1b: a process by which students who are not adequately prepared for study at the level for which they have 1820 been admitted are identified, placed, and supported in attaining appropriate educational goals 1821 1822 All applicants are reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to ensure they support the 1823 strategic goals of the University regarding overall quality, numbers and diversity. Students who may 1824 not be traditionally prepared, yet have the ability to thrive with appropriate support, also are 1825 identified. A variety of programs support that population: 1826

The Associate in Arts Program (AAP)—Delaware state residents who are not prepared for 1827 admission to UD’s Newark campus may apply directly to the AAP, where class sizes are smaller, 1828 special academic support and services are provided, and the financial burden is lower, ultimately 1829 providing them the path to a bachelor’s degree. UD accepts approximately 90% of applicants who 1830 are residents of Delaware; approximately one-third of these accepted applicants are admitted to the 1831 Associate in Arts Program. A small number of nonresident students are enrolled in AAP (a total of 1832 16 in fall 2019). The AAP provides geographic access to one of UD’s locations throughout the 1833

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state—on the Delaware Technical Community College (Del Tech) campuses in Dover, Georgetown 1834 and Wilmington, at the University of Delaware Downtown Center in Wilmington, and on the 1835 Rollins campus for students enrolled in the Rollins School of Nursing—where courses are taught by 1836 UD faculty, including new Continuing Track full-time, permanent faculty. Grades are recorded on 1837 University transcripts and a UD degree is awarded upon completion. Students receive a UD 1838 identification card, may join student organizations and participate in ROTC, marching band, study 1839 abroad, service learning, and other co-curricular activities—benefiting from many of the same 1840 resources as students attending the main campus in Newark, Delaware. 1841

When compared to national and local data for community colleges, data for the Associate in Arts 1842 Program indicate that the three-year graduation rate of 66.6% for the 2015 cohort is better than for 1843 students attending community colleges. Based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 1844 System (IPEDS), which provides information on graduation rates for two-year community colleges, 1845 on average, 32.6% of U.S. community college students graduate within three years [based on the 1846 2015 cohort](U.S. Department of Education, 2019). The average overall AAP completion rate for 1847 the last five cohorts (fall 2007 through fall 2011) is 67% and of those students who obtained the AA 1848 Degree, the average continuation rate to Newark Campus is 88%, and the average overall Bachelor's 1849 Degree completion rate of those continuers is 78%. 1850

The SEED (Student Excellence Equals Degree) scholarship, funded by the state since 2005, makes 1851 AAP financially accessible, and even without the scholarship, AAP’s tuition is one-third of the 1852 standard undergraduate tuition. 1853

Get Ready—Students whose preparation is uneven may be considered for conditional admission 1854 through the Get Ready program, especially if there are exceptional circumstances and life events. 1855 The Get Ready program at the University of Delaware is coordinated by the Office of Academic 1856 Enrichment, and includes a five-week summer residential program, intensive support from an 1857 academic advocate beginning in the summer and continuing through the academic year, and 1858 structured support through the first academic year. 1859

Delaware in D.C.—Students who are not competitive for fall admission but otherwise demonstrate 1860 a potential for success may be admitted to the spring semester with the condition that they spend 1861 the fall semester in our Delaware in D.C. program studying at American University (AU) in 1862 Washington. Faculty from both AU and UD teach a curriculum of five, three-credit courses and a 1863 one-credit UD seminar course. An internship to develop professional skills also is required. 1864

Student Support Services Program (SSSP)—From admission to graduation, students are 1865 supported and enriched academically, culturally and socially through this federally funded TRIO 1866 program. 1867 1868 Academic Transitions—International students are required to demonstrate English language 1869 proficiency to receive direct admission to UD. Those who are academically qualified, but whose IBT 1870 (TOEFL) or IELTs scores fall below UD’s established minimum, may be offered conditional 1871 admission and asked to enroll in the English Language Institute’s intensive English program or, if 1872 possessing somewhat higher proficiency levels, its Academic Transitions program. The Academic 1873 Transitions program is a pathways program combining credit-bearing advanced English for 1874 Academic Purposes classes with sheltered University credit courses taught by faculty from the 1875 academic department that owns the course. ELI trains content faculty in pedagogical and cross-1876 cultural approaches to create a more inclusive and supportive classroom experience. Students are 1877 supported by close advising, early intervention, instructional students and social and academic 1878

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mentors. Students matriculating out of ELI’s pre-academic conditional admissions programs have 1879 averaged a 95.6% persistence rate through their sophomore year. 1880 1881 International First Semester (IFS)—Students whose English language proficiency is at the lower 1882 end of our norms are placed in IFS to ensure their successful transition to university studies. 1883 Although research clearly demonstrates that the first semester of undergraduate studies is 1884 challenging for all students, international students face additional issues of language, cultural 1885 adjustment, psycho-social stress, and adapting to a very different academic environment. IFS applies 1886 many of the effective features of Academic Transitions (sheltered classes, a specially designed 1887 freshman composition class, mentoring, and close advisement) to fully matriculated, first-year 1888 international students. 1889

College Readiness Scholars Institute (CRSI)—CRSI is a pre-college program that develops a 1890 college-going culture and readiness skills among first-generation and low-income state residents. The 1891 program serves rising first-year through rising seniors in high school. 1892

Students entering graduate programs at UD also receive appropriate assistance where needed: 1893

Bridge to the Doctorate—Bridge to the Doctorate is a competitive program supported by the 1894 National Science Foundation to broaden participation of under-represented minorities in graduate-1895 level studies in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Participants must have completed 1896 undergraduate study at an institution that is part of the national Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority 1897 Participation network, with which UD has participated for more than 25 years. 1898 1899 Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program—Federally funded by TRIO, the 1900 McNair Scholars Program offers effective preparation for doctoral study to low-income, first-1901 generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. 1902 McNair Scholars participate in extensive undergraduate research internships in their field of 1903 interest. Of the 230 alumni of UD’s McNair Program, 32 alumni have now obtained Ph.D.s or other 1904 research-intensive doctoral degrees. Another 34 alumni are in the process of obtaining their Ph.D. or 1905 other research-intensive doctoral degree. 1906 1907 ELI Conditional Admission Graduate Program (CAP)—International graduate program 1908 candidates are required to demonstrate English language proficiency in order to receive direct 1909 admission to UD. Those who are academically qualified but whose IBT (TOEFL) or IELTs scores 1910 fall below UD’s established minimum may be offered conditional admission and enroll with the 1911 English Language Institute (ELI), which has a dedicated program for conditionally admitted 1912 graduate students that addresses seminar presentation skill development, writing within the genres of 1913 their respective fields, critical reading and vocabulary development and academic note taking. 1914

1915 Grad-CAP students must meet linguistic and academic requirements defined by the ELI program to 1916 matriculate. In addition to completing the requirements for the Graduate CAP program, students 1917 also participate actively in a special program called CAP Cohort. The Graduate CAP Cohort 1918 provides preparation in linguistics, academic, professional, social and cultural skills. 1919

1920 International Teaching Assistant Training Program (ITA)—International teaching assistants 1921 assume their instructional duties after attending this program, which is held for four weeks in the 1922 summer and two in January and is administered by ELI. Students focus on language use for 1923 instructional purposes and learn about American classroom culture and basic pedagogy. Training 1924

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activities include Linguistic Training classes with small group tutoring sessions, Cultural Orientation 1925 to the American university classroom addressing mock teaching situations and a Pedagogy 1926 component focusing on asking and answering questions and leading discussions. 1927 1928 1929 Criterion 1c: orientation, advisement, and counseling programs to enhance retention and guide students throughout 1930 their educational experience 1931 1932 Advisement was a focus area in UD’s previous Middle States Self-Study report and an area in 1933 which we have invested a lot of time, energy and financial resources. Academic advising has 1934 expanded too, increasing advisor resources and implementing a University-wide advisement 1935 system, the Blue Hen Success Collaborative. Resources also have been devoted to efforts 1936 dedicated to student social and mental well-being. 1937 1938 Orientation 1939 Unique Orientation & Transition Programs have been added for international, transfer and 1940 veteran students through the New Student Orientation Office, established within the last 10 1941 years. These students are introduced to and prepared for academic and co-curricular 1942 experiences through registration, navigation of University services and activities within the 1943 Division of Student Life, among others. Additional transition support is provided through 1944 1743 Welcome Days in which students interact with University values, connect with student 1945 organizations, engage in community-building activities within their residence halls 1946 communities, and become acclimated to UD’s physical and cultural environment. The 1947 orientation experience for first-year and transfer students continues through enrollment in First 1948 Year Seminar, discussed in detail in Standard III. 1949

AAP students participate in a two-part orientation—a virtual pre-advisement session followed by a 1950 New Student Orientation advising appointment in June or July. In August, students attend Campus 1951 Welcome, a half-day orientation including presentations, a campus tour and other activities led by 1952 Peer Mentors. Orientation to the campus is continued in a dedicated first year seminar course, 1953 UNIV116: Strategies for Academic Success. 1954

Additionally, Orientation & Transition Programs and the University student centers offer the 1955 Extended Orientation programs Summit and QUEST, respectively. Summit helps to ease new 1956 first-year students into the campus community through outdoor exploration, and QUEST is a 1957 journey of self-discovery and personal leadership development for new first-year students. 1958 1959 Select orientation pre-arrival, arrival and ongoing programs tailored to specific student 1960 populations are provided through the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS). One 1961 such program is the UD Pre-Departure Orientation program, launched in 2019, which brings 1962 orientation and transition support to new students and their families in their home country 1963 prior travelling to the United States. This collaboration between the Office for International 1964 Students and Scholars, Division of Student life, Office of Admissions, Development and 1965 Alumni Relations and the English Language Institute helps cultivate an inclusive environment 1966 for our new international students. 1967 1968 Assessment is an important component of the New Student Orientation program, so data is 1969 collected from new students and their families after each orientation session to evaluate the 1970

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program’s effectiveness. New students also complete a 1743 Welcome Days survey each September. 1971 Analyses from 2018 show that 1743 Welcome Days helps new students create new friendships 1972 (86%), identify campus activities to join (91%), learn more about what is expected of them as 1973 students (93%), and feel like they are a part of the UD campus community (91%)— findings that 1974 have been consistent since 2016. OISS also administers the International Student Barometer (ISB), 1975 an international survey to assess support services and transition experiences for international 1976 students. Findings from the first administration of the ISB in 2017 indicated that 90% of 1977 international students were satisfied with their overall arrival experience. 1978 1979 Advisement 1980 Improving academic advising services has been a top priority at UD, and over the past decade, 1981 we have expanded our advisement technologies and advising models, implemented the Blue 1982 Hen Success Collaborative platform, adopted a Finish in Four credit accumulation advisement 1983 strategy, implemented proactive advisement services and created centralized positions to 1984 examine all aspects of this area of student support. Through our Student Success Initiative, we 1985 also conducted an academic policies audit, resulting in numerous changes to modernize our 1986 policies to align with best practice research. We have added supplementary programs to 1987 support our first-generation and underrepresented student populations and standardized 1988 several advisement strategies to improve the accuracy, consistency and accessibility of our 1989 advisement services for all students. 1990 1991 Advisement Technologies and Advising Models 1992 In 2013, an overhaul to the Degree Audit System was completed, providing students and 1993 advisors with a reliable tool to track progress of degree requirements. A What-If Audit was also 1994 implemented, allowing students to analyze what previously taken courses would potentially 1995 apply to a new major or minor. Other technical advancements included the implementation of 1996 an electronic transcript and certified electronic diploma (CeD), both allowing students to send 1997 their credentials to potential employers and graduate schools more efficiently, which is 1998 especially helpful when sending credentials internationally. Significant improvements to UD’s 1999 online tools to support the transfer credit process have been made including a robust Transfer 2000 Credit Matrix, which provides prospective and current students with an unofficial guide about 2001 transfer credits. Potential transfer course equivalencies from more than 800 institutions are 2002 updated almost daily. Finally, UD implemented online catalog/curriculum software providing 2003 the inclusion of four-year planning guides for each major, reinforcing the ability for on-track 2004 degree completion. 2005 2006 The Office of the University Registrar offers assistance with obtaining official transcripts for 2007 students wishing to transfer out of UD, and a non-University website, CollegeTransfer.Net, 2008 offers cross-university comparisons that include the University of Delaware. Students must 2009 work with institutions to which they would like to transfer to manage details. The Office of 2010 International Students & Scholars provides information, services and support for international 2011 undergraduate and graduate students and International Student Advisors help students manage 2012 the timeline, forms and procedures for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, 2013 which is run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 2014 2015 In 2017-28, an Advising Taskforce composed of faculty and staff met to review UD’s advising 2016 model, looking at best practices and comparator/competitor advisement models and defining our 2017

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desired advisement model. The culmination of these efforts resulted in a written proposal to the 2018 administration for adjustments to UD’s existing model recommending improvements to the 2019 accuracy, consistency and accessibility of our advisement services. While there is more work to be 2020 done, their efforts have resulted in increased standardizations across our advisement services as well 2021 as an overhaul of the advisement model within the largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences. 2022 In Spring 2019, the college hired nine additional professional advisors who are assigned to work 2023 with freshmen, sophomore and new transfer students, with faculty advisors still supporting the 2024 junior and senior students. 2025 2026 A much-needed online presence to support advisement for all undergraduates came to fruition 2027 when our Advising Central website went live in the fall of 2018. Students are accustomed to 2028 finding quantities of information at the click of a button, and this website provides policies, 2029 procedures, support services and the academic tools to navigate toward success. It also 2030 contains significant content for advisors. 2031 2032 Blue Hen Success 2033 In 2016, UD partnered with the Education Advisory Board (EAB) to implement the 2034 advisement and student support system we call the Blue Hen Success Collaborative (BHSC). 2035 Coordinated by faculty, staff and academic leadership, the BHSC uses the EAB Navigate 2036 (Campus) platform and has a major impact on the support UD can provide to undergraduate 2037 students from enrollment to graduation. By combining technology, best practice research and 2038 predictive analytics, the platform helps UD leverage data and manage advising and academic 2039 support resources to increase retention and graduation rates for students. The platform is 2040 widely utilized and provides efficient and effective tools to advisors, faculty and staff. 2041 2042 Finish in Four Advisement 2043 UD always has promoted the importance of staying on-track with degree requirements and 2044 completion. In 2017, we deliberately branded a Finish in Four approach with students and 2045 parents. This approach leveraged best practice research around credit accumulation and credit 2046 momentum and includes purposeful messaging that promotes the need to accumulate at least 2047 30 credits a year, with the focus of finishing a degree within a four-year timeframe. Since this 2048 initiative began, more first-year students have earned at least 30 credits than ever before and 2049 continue to do so to stay on track toward graduation. For example, of the fall 2017 bachelor’s 2050 degree-seeking cohort, 61% of first-year students completed 30+ credits in 2017-18, up from 2051 58% for the fall 2016 cohort. The fall 2017 associate in arts cohort saw 38% of first-year 2052 students complete 30+ credits in 2017-18, up from just 16% for the fall 2016 cohort. 2053 2054 Proactive, Standardized Advisement Services 2055 The audit of key academic policies conducted in 2016 resulted in the modernization of UD’s 2056 policies to align with best practice research, culminating in a program established in 2017 that 2057 coordinates and sends regular advising messages to key student populations throughout the 2058 year. The Blue Hen Success Collaborative platform also allows advisors to schedule students 2059 for time-sensitive appointments. Another policy change removed the restriction that restricted 2060 students with a GPA below 2.0 from changing majors, allowing them to receive critical 2061 advising assistance from their new academic department. We also eliminated the additional 2062 tuition charge that was applied when students enrolled in an 18th credit hour (full tuition 2063 originally covered 12 to 17 credit hours). This change further promotes the ability of all 2064

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students to complete their degrees in a four-year timeframe. The initial results of this change 2065 have been positive, with the number of full-time students taking more than 18 credits nearly 2066 doubling from fall 2017 to fall 2018. 2067 2068 Additional efforts to enhance advisement services for specialized populations includes a 2019 pilot 2069 program to adjust the outreach and support for students in the academic probation process by using 2070 language in the probation letter that reassures students that the University is here to help, developing 2071 a new probation process website, and assigning an academic advocate to work with first-time 2072 probation students. This approach shifts the perception of academic probation as punitive to a 2073 process that can ultimately help students be successful at UD. Some departments on campus have 2074 developed specific probation programs, such as the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ 2075 “UCanDoIt” program, which includes referrals to appropriate resources and proactive appointments 2076 to discuss academic progress. UD also offers a variety of guidance for Career, Pre-Health and Pre-2077 Law advising. 2078 2079 Assessment on academic advising has been sporadic and incomplete on a wide scale. A variety of 2080 assessments done over the years have shown the need to improve the process, including the 2015 2081 AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management assessment, the 2019 Student Government survey and 2082 various responses to New Student Orientation surveys. 2083 2084 One area that has used advising assessments successfully is the University Studies area (undeclared 2085 majors) starting with fall 2015 when they conducted an initial assessment to determine if University 2086 Studies students were receiving the advising support and resources they needed to excel. The 2087 responses from the fall 2015 advising assessment informed their strategic plan for 2015-2016. More 2088 recently, University Studies completed a spring 2019 advisement survey; the results indicated that 2089 students seem highly satisfied with their University Studies academic advisors—over 90% 2090 satisfaction ratings in almost all areas. 2091 2092 In 2019, the College of Arts & Sciences underwent a significant advisement model change, moving 2093 from a primarily faculty advisement model, to a split/shared model, hiring nine staff advisors who 2094 are generally assigned to first- and second-year students, with faculty advisors still assigned to upper 2095 class students. After the first semester under this new model, the College conducted a brief student 2096 advising survey. Approximately 90% of the students responding to the survey indicated that their 2097 advisor was responsive, knowledgeable and helpful. Additionally, there is interest by University 2098 administrators to examine the advisement survey details from University Studies and Arts and 2099 Sciences and scale that process university-wide in the future. 2100 2101 Support Programs 2102 UD’s colleges provide independent academic advisement in their respective advisement/academic 2103 service offices for students throughout their UD career. While each college may not organize 2104 advisement the same way due to our decentralized advising model, the units meet regularly to ensure 2105 we are being as accessible, consistent and supportive to our students as possible. 2106 2107 Continuing Education students are non-matriculated students who typically take a maximum of 2108 seven credits during a semester or session and receive academic advisement and registration 2109 assistance through the ACCESS Student Services Center. 2110 2111

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The University Studies program supports the educational experiences of matriculated students who 2112 have not yet declared a major or are transitioning from one major to another. The program’s goal is 2113 to ensure that students are given the opportunity to explore different majors and career interests 2114 before finalizing their academic path. 2115

For several decades, UD has been a pioneer in identifying and providing support services for first-2116 generation, underrepresented and low-income students such as the RISE Program in Engineering, 2117 NUCLEUS in Arts and Sciences, ASPIRE in Education, UDREAM in Business, and in more recent 2118 years, AgCelerate in Agriculture and Natural Resources. During the 2019-20 academic year, the 2119 Deputy Provost of Academic Affairs & Student Success staff convened these decentralized support 2120 programs monthly to provide their leaders with opportunities to learn more about each other and 2121 share best practices, support and long-term strategies to make these programs more effective for 2122 students who have historically been underserved. Finally, APPLE (Association of Pre-Professional 2123 Leaders in Education) supports elementary education students in the College of Education and 2124 Human Development in the exchange of methods, ideas and concepts important to the next 2125 generation of teachers. 2126 2127 The new Coordinator of Transfer Services helps guide Transfer Students through their transfer 2128 process beginning prior to admission. Also, a Coordinator of Student Veterans Services position was 2129 added to support and encourage our ever-growing group of students who use VA educational 2130 benefits. 2131 2132 Graduate Students 2133 A month-long summer program, The RAMP (Review of Advanced Mathematical Problems), helps 2134 transition students from undergraduate- to graduate-level mathematics by reviewing and exercising 2135 essential mathematical topics including vector calculus, linear algebra, computational mathematics 2136 and discrete mathematics. 2137

As mentioned earlier, CIRTL enhances opportunities for graduate students to improve their 2138 teaching skills through on-campus training opportunities, online and hybrid courses and 2139 programming offered by other CIRTL Network member institutions future faculty professional 2140 development work with Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral fellows. 2141 2142 Counseling and Other Programs to Enhance Retention of Students 2143 The Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) serves undergraduate and full-time 2144 graduate students through short-term, individual and group clinical services and innovative 2145 strategies, including a counselor-on-demand to provide walk-in assistance. The 24/7/365 UD 2146 Helpline is a crisis text line available all day, every day, all year. Other services are offered for You 2147 Got This! and First in your Family (for first-generation college students); Students of Color Drop-In 2148 Hours for students who self-identify as students of color; and LavChats (an LGBTQ+ and 2149 Questioning discussion series); and Rainbow Drop-In Hours for LGBTQ+ students. 2150

Off-campus referrals for mood and anxiety disorders and attention/learning disorders may be made 2151 when necessary—UD has a new, full-time Referral Coordinator who follows up with students and 2152 their family as necessary to ensure appropriate counseling is established. Two new staff 2153 psychologists have been added who have expertise in helping black students in culturally responsive 2154 ways. A sports psychologist works with the Athletics Department to address student-athlete mental 2155 health needs and performance enhancement. 2156

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CCSD and the Division of Student Life administered the Healthy Minds Study in 2017, which 2157 allowed the University to obtain baseline campus and benchmark data related to Counseling Center 2158 Assessment of Psychological Symptoms measures. CCSD also hired a clinical data specialist in 2018 2159 who helps guide assessment efforts in the unit. 2160

The Office of the Dean of Students is the central resource for students, families, faculty and staff 2161 when navigating a variety of complex issues of the student experience; counselors are assigned based 2162 on the student’s college and their status—graduate, veteran or University Studies. 2163 2164 UD’s tutoring services, including individual, drop-in, study groups, and the PASS program (Peer-2165 assisted Study Session) are part of the Office of Academic Enrichment (OAE). Additional staff 2166 hired since 2017 administer these services and have allowed for the expansion in the number of 2167 hours, tutors and locations available for drop-in tutoring. A number of initiatives with PASS tutoring 2168 have been implemented and staff provide academic assistance through workshops, skill-building 2169 courses and individualized help. In 2019, three Academic Advocates were hired who work 2170 intensively with vulnerable students, connecting them to University resources, helping them navigate 2171 the transition to college and/or assisting them achieve academic, professional and personal success. 2172 Two new groups that have been served since adding these advocates are STARS (Students Taking 2173 Academic Responsibility), which includes students on academic probation for the first time, and 2174 New Blue for first-generation students and other students who are predicted to have difficulty 2175 transitioning into college-level work based on their high school records. 2176 2177 When students want help exploring majors, preparing for and finding jobs and internships, 2178 connecting to employers, getting assistance with resumes and cover letters and more, they turn to 2179 the Career Center. The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) provides accommodations and 2180 services to students with disabilities, psychological and medical conditions, or temporary injuries that 2181 limit their access to the UD environment, including testing accommodations, alternative print media 2182 and assistive technology. 2183 2184 The University Library, Museums and Press (collectively, the Library) is a central hub on campus 2185 that provides resources and spaces for learning and discovery. Faculty utilize its collections to meet 2186 UD’s teaching, learning and research mission. Library staff help bring the collections to life in the 2187 classroom and offer numerous workshops, programs, instruction sessions and individual 2188 consultations to students to help in the development of lifelong critical thinking and analytical skills. 2189 Through a course using the Baltimore Collection, for example, students were challenged to think 2190 about implicit biases in collection descriptions. 2191 2192 UD recognizes that there are unique populations that need special assistance. Some of these include 2193 international students, honors students, veterans, student-athletes, transfers and those who are 2194 studying abroad. Additionally, the newly created Spectrum Scholars program, a partnership between 2195 JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the Center for Disabilities Studies, was launched to promote a 2196 welcoming environment for undergraduate students with autism. Spectrum Scholars participants 2197 receive coaching and career development as they work toward a successful career upon graduation. 2198 2199 The Division of Student Life launched its inaugural Spring Into Success Conference in January 2200 2018 to continue the curricular and co-curricular transition experience for students returning to 2201 campus for the spring semester, new transfer students and students arriving from the Delaware 2202 in D.C. and World Scholars programs. This collaborative effort relies on University 2203

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departments to provide substantive workshops, panels and presentations to help students set 2204 goals as they enter the new semester. 2205 2206 Established in 1976 as a way to help enhance culture and community, the Center for Black 2207 Culture (CBC) is commonly referred to as a “home away from home” for many black students. 2208 A broad range of programs address professional and leadership development, education and 2209 cultural enrichment, identity and group awareness, social integration, and community support 2210 and engagement. Each One Reach One is a popular peer mentoring program established 25 2211 years ago that assists first-year black students in their transition to UD by fostering a sense of 2212 belonging, promoting co-curricular involvement and raising awareness of CBC programs. 2213 2214 Academic support—tutoring, academic advisement and monitoring, a first year seminar course for 2215 student-athletes—for the approximately 600 student-athletes housed in the Department of 2216 Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services is provided through Student Services for Athletes. 2217 The Student Services/Leadership team focuses on the overall life skills development of our student-2218 athletes and has oversight of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), BLUE Leadership 2219 program, HENS mentoring program, and the Career Services for Athletes program. Combined, 2220 these units comprise UD’s Student-Athlete Success Team. 2221 2222 2223 Criterion 1d: processes designed to enhance the successful achievement of students’ educational goals including 2224 certificate and degree completion, transfer to other institutions and post-completion placement 2225 2226 UD’s commitment to student success is a top priority with particular emphasis on degree 2227 completion in four years and post-graduation planning. New initiatives support overall 2228 educational experiences including interdisciplinary academic programs, a growing community 2229 of scholars and new transformational learning environments. Efforts in this arena are 2230 distributed across Advising, Academic Support for students requiring additional resources and 2231 Career Services and some have previously been discussed. Others include: 2232 2233 Degree Completion—Academic Support 2234 Beyond academic and student experience supports provided through OAE and SSSP, individual or 2235 group tutoring is provided within specific disciplines: The Interdisciplinary Science Learning 2236 Laboratories offer peer tutoring for introductory courses in biology, chemistry and physical science; 2237 the Mathematical Sciences Learning Laboratory offers tutoring during designated open lab times for 2238 a variety of mathematics courses including non-credit intermediate algebra, pre-calculus, and 2239 calculus; and the Physics Help Center provides support to students in introductory physics and 2240 astronomy courses, including assistance with homework, studying, lab reports and questions about 2241 physics concepts. 2242 2243 The University’s Writing Center provides one-to-one tutorials for undergraduate and graduate 2244 students, oral communication tutorials, and support for graduate-student writing through 2245 dissertation boot camps and writing programs. A selective group of writing fellows (peer tutors) also 2246 supports faculty who promote writing in their classrooms while the oral communication consultants 2247 (peer tutors) assist UD undergraduate and graduate students with their oral communication needs. 2248 Further, UD provides support in foreign language instruction. The Language Proficiency Center 2249 engages students in one-on-one or small group instruction with trained language mentors in 2250 languages such as Spanish and French. 2251

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2252 Collectively, 30 full-time staff, four part-time staff and more than 30 student-employees work 2253 in the centralized Career Center in the Division of Student Life, the Career Services Center in 2254 the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, and in new career services-related roles 2255 within the Department of Athletics, the Graduate College and Alumni Relations. These staff 2256 connect students and alumni with post-completion placement and career development 2257 resources, such as Handshake, a platform where close to 7,000 employers recruited UD 2258 students for over 42,000 jobs, internships and other professional experiences, a centralized 2259 employer on-campus information session and interview program, and 22 large career fairs and 2260 networking events. Resources to support career development include one-on-one career 2261 counseling and coaching meetings; drop-in meetings and resume critiques, which were utilized 2262 11,215 times; a Winter Term and Summer job shadowing program; a mentoring program 2263 within the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics; bus trips to New York, 2264 Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and other cities where students visit employers and interact 2265 with professionals, alumni and recruiters; and 10 supplemental online platforms that help 2266 students (24/7) explore career fields and majors, understand the skills and knowledge necessary 2267 for the workforce, prepare for the job application process and interviews, and research 2268 employers. 2269 2270 Integration of career development, preparation and placement into the curricular and co-curricular 2271 student experience varies across the University. The Alfred Lerner College of Business & 2272 Economics has a required first-year career and professional development course, and individual 2273 academic departments and student organizations weave career content into some coursework and 2274 programs. In the past year, the central Career Center and Lerner Career Services Center led or 2275 helped organize 364 career readiness programs, workshops and classroom presentations for 95 2276 academic departments, administrative units and student organizations. The Career Center also offers 2277 a grant program to fund career programs created by faculty and staff, is heavily involved in UD’s 2278 first-year seminar program and is launching a “career influencer network” to train faculty and staff 2279 to have more impactful career discussions with students and provide better direction on preparing 2280 for the future of work. Overall, 74% of unique undergraduate and graduate students utilized career 2281 development and placement resources, services and programs over the last academic year, including 2282 84% of first-year students. 2283 2284 The Center for Health Profession Studies supports a community of pre-health profession students 2285 in their academic and extracurricular preparation to enter medical, dental or other professional 2286 graduate programs. Their services include advisement, connections with medical shadowing and 2287 experiential opportunities, and preparation of application materials for such programs. The Legal 2288 Professional Preparatory Program prepares students for careers in law or related fields through law 2289 school advisement, programs where alumni, legal professionals and law school recruiters guide 2290 students on legal career paths, and mentorship. High impact practices that prepare students for 2291 successful placement, such as internships, undergraduate research, entrepreneurial activities, and 2292 clinical and field experiences are delivered through the Discovery Learning Experience, academic 2293 internship programs, Horn Entrepreneurship, clinical rotations in the Health Sciences, student 2294 teaching, and the Undergraduate Research Program. Graduate and postdoctoral students receive 2295 additional placement support from advisors in their programs, and those considering careers in 2296 academia may utilize services and programs in the Center for Teaching & Assessment of Learning 2297 on curriculum design and teaching best practices. 2298 2299

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Employment and continuing education outcomes, which indicate the effectiveness of the programs 2300 and services supporting student career development and placement, are tracked for every major and 2301 graduate program through UD’s Career Outcomes website. Over the past five years, the university 2302 has collected data on 81% of bachelor’s degree graduates with a 95% placement rate; 84% of 2303 master’s degree graduates with a 95% placement rate; and 91% of doctoral graduates with a 99% 2304 placement rate. 2305 2306 2307 Criterion 2: Policies and procedures regarding evaluation and acceptance of transfer credits, and credits awarded 2308 through experiential learning, prior non-academic learning, competency-based assessment, and other alternative learning 2309 approaches 2310 2311 Transfer applicants and current students receive comprehensive information throughout the 2312 process. Transfer credits are accepted from regionally accredited degree-granting institutions of 2313 higher education, international institutions with comparable recognition, and from some institutions 2314 with other accreditation. While the Office of the University Registrar is the primary contact 2315 regarding evaluation of transfer credit, final determination rests with individual academic 2316 departments. 2317

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions recruits and admits transfer students using, in part, the 2318 robust network of articulation agreements within the community college system in Delaware and 2319 throughout the region. Students are well aware of these agreements through marketing materials, 2320 websites and counseling sessions, UD’s student catalogs and CollegeTransfer.Net, a public resource 2321 to help prospective transfer students evaluate their options across institutions. 2322

UD awards test credit for select secondary and post-secondary examinations and education 2323 programs. Program eligibility for credit, qualifying scores, and UD equivalencies are routinely 2324 reviewed, and policies are revised accordingly. Individual subject areas are approved on a course by 2325 course basis, and students must submit the program's official certifying document (e.g., certificate, 2326 score report, transcript) to request consideration for credit. Details on the programs currently 2327 recognized for credit can be found on the Registrar’s website. 2328

The University does not broadly award credit for experiential learning, but credits are posted for 2329 military service aligning with the University’s curriculum. Students must submit either the Joint 2330 Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force transcript for evaluation. Additionally, 2331 the University Faculty Senate approved a resolution to begin awarding credit for CLEP Exams no 2332 later than Fall 2020. 2333 2334 2335 Criterion 3: Policies and procedures for the safe and secure maintenance and appropriate release of student 2336 information and records 2337

The Office of Information Technologies manages network and system security to ensure all student 2338 data and information about employees, alumni and others is secure. The University complies with 2339 the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which regulates the release of student 2340 records, and members of the campus community receive security training and are required to read 2341 and acknowledge the FERPA policy annually. Compliance information is posted on the Registrar’s 2342 website. Student records are released only with the student’s written consent. They may restrict 2343

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directory information and may allow a designee to view their other information through a self-2344 service portal. 2345

The University owns all University information and has an established data governance policy that 2346 guides information maintenance and security. The management of University information is subject 2347 to the general oversight of the Board of Trustees, and data governance is a cooperative effort 2348 between data trustees, stewards and custodians. The Vice President for Enrollment Management is 2349 the data trustee for student academic records. 2350 2351 2352 Criterion 4: If offered, athletic, student life, and other extracurricular activities that are regulated by the same 2353 academic, fiscal, and administrative principles and procedures that govern all other program 2354

The Division of Student Life operates a number of student advisory and governing boards to inform 2355 and recommend best practices in governance and services on campus. One of the main governing 2356 bodies for undergraduates is the Student Government Association (SGA), which helps ensure that 2357 all students’ concerns and opinions about UD are heard. SGA also works with a student-led 2358 financial Allocations Board that determines funding criteria and budget request procedures for 2359 student organizations. 2360 2361 In 2018-19, Student Life re-envisioned and implemented the Student Life Advisory Board and 2362 Student Life’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board. Both include undergraduate and graduate 2363 students and are designed to ensure open communication between UD students and leadership 2364 within the Division of Student Life. Additional Student Life advisory boards or student-led 2365 governing bodies exist within select Student Life units (e.g. Student Health Advisory Committee, 2366 Fraternity and Sorority Leaders and Learning Councils by Chapter Affiliation, and Student Diversity 2367 and Inclusions and Center for Black Culture by Affinity Group). 2368 2369 At the graduate level, the Graduate Student Government (GSG) is advised by the Graduate College. 2370 GSG creates a forum for graduate student advocacy while acting as a conduit between students, 2371 faculty and administration. Additionally, the Graduate College oversees the adjudication of academic 2372 integrity and non-academic student violations (Note: Violations of the Sexual Misconduct Policy and 2373 Non-Discrimination Policy are heard by the Office of Equity and Inclusion and sanctioned through 2374 the Office of Student Conduct.) 2375 2376 Residence Life & Housing maintains significant co-curricular engagement at UD. First-year students 2377 are required to live on campus and many upper division students also opt to do so. Living Learning 2378 Communities (LLC) are a central part of that work and the following are required by major, college 2379 or program: Biology, Discover Our World! College of Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE), 2380 First-Year Honors, Visual Art and Design, and Nursing Nook. 2381 2382 The Office of Student Conduct educates primarily undergraduate students about behavior 2383 expectations pursuant to the Student Guide to University Policies and holds them accountable. 2384 Students, faculty and staff sit on boards and panels to render decisions on appeals and sanctions for 2385 sexual misconduct and non-discrimination policy violations. Individual departments within the 2386 Division of Student Life undergo periodic program review to maintain compliance with external and 2387 professional standards. 2388 2389

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The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services aspires to be a national model 2390 for student success, graduating inspired, conscientious, lifetime and engaged Blue Hens with 2391 leadership skills who positively impact their communities. This commitment is supported within 2392 Intercollegiate Athletics through their academic support unit, Student Services for Athletes. In 2393 addition, Student Services/Leadership focuses on the overall life skills development of its student-2394 athletes. This area has oversight of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and programs 2395 including BLUE Leadership, HENS mentoring, and Career Services for Athletes. Athletics also has 2396 made a concerted effort to support the wellbeing of its student-athletes by adding a Sport 2397 Psychologist and a Nutritionist to its staff. 2398 2399 As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), UD remains in compliance 2400 with their rules and regulations, and oversight is handled by the Compliance Office. The Student-2401 Athlete Handbook contains additional information about University resources and NCAA rules. 2402 The Faculty Board on Athletics provides internal departmental oversight around academic integrity 2403 and performance, Title IX, admissions and student-athlete welfare. 2404 2405 Students participate in fitness activities, competitive and recreational team and individual sports and 2406 more through the programs, facilities and services of Recreation Services, which follows best 2407 practices established by their national organization, NIRSA, Leaders in Collegiate Recreation. 2408 2409 2410 Criterion 5: If applicable, adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval of student support services 2411 designed, delivered, or assessed by third-party providers 2412 2413 All student support services provided by third-party providers undergo institutional review and 2414 approval through the Office of Procurement, which relies on its Procurement Policy. Contracting or 2415 purchasing student support services “designed, delivered, or assessed by third-party providers” must 2416 adhere to these policies. There are no such support services currently under contract with the 2417 university. 2418 2419 2420 Criterion 6: Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of programs supporting the student experience 2421 2422 Ongoing improvement depends on ongoing assessment of the student experience. In addition to the 2423 aforementioned assessment methods, the Division of Student Life regularly solicits feedback from 2424 students and the broader university community about how we are meeting the needs of our 2425 students. A full-time staff member in the division and three full-time staff in the Center for 2426 Counseling and Student Development, Residence Life & Housing, and UD Career Center 2427 departments manage these assessments. A recently formed Student Life Assessment Council, a 2428 representative body of staff from the 14 departments, advances divisional assessment priorities. A 2429 volunteer base of division staff known as the Peer Assessment Leaders (PAL) Network provides 2430 short-term support and guidance to staff peers regarding assessment. 2431 2432 The Division adopted new learning outcomes in 2016 that articulate co-curricular learning across 2433 four domains: Self-Discovery and Development, Personal Wellness, Social Responsibility, and 2434 Inclusivity & Action. These learning outcomes were developed through a collaborative process and 2435 review of numerous resources, including the UD General Education outcomes, other student affairs 2436

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divisions’ learning outcomes, and publications such as Learning Reconsidered: A Campus Wide Focus on 2437 the Student Experience, and the LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes. 2438 2439 A number of co-curricular programs have articulated learning goals for students, including 2440 Residence Life and Housing, which has established and assessed learning outcomes for its programs 2441 provided to residential students. Other co-curricular experiences with a course credit component 2442 also have established learning outcomes with corresponding measures for assessing learning. 2443 Examples include courses for residential assistants, orientation leaders and Blue Hen Leadership 2444 Program participants. Many programs have learning goals associated with student participation, and 2445 several departments have unit-level learning outcomes or are currently developing them (e.g., 2446 Residence Life and Housing, Orientation and Transition Programs, UD Career Center, University 2447 Student Centers). 2448 2449 All departments in the Division track student program participation and usage of services and 2450 facilities through information collected primarily through student ID card readers that connect 2451 student participation and usage to students’ institutional records. This allows departments to better 2452 understand who engages with programs and services and to obtain contact information to 2453 administer follow-up evaluations. 2454 2455 Departments within the Division administer large-scale surveys and other assessments on a routine 2456 basis to gauge student experiences. For example, residential students participate in the Fall Floor 2457 Feedback and Spring Reflection surveys to provide critical information about their experiences with 2458 programming, resident assistants, and community building and leadership opportunities. First-year 2459 and transfer students who attend orientation and transition experiences participate annually in the 2460 1743 Welcome Days Survey and Spring into Success evaluation. The Division also partners with the 2461 Center for the Study of Diversity to administer the Student Diversity and Success Project, a 2462 longitudinal study that explores diversity competency as a measure of student success. 2463 2464 The UD Career Center collaborates with the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to 2465 administer and use data from the Career Plans Survey. Additionally, a number of large-scale surveys 2466 and assessments are administered to better attend to the health and wellbeing of UD students. These 2467 projects include the College Risk Behavior Survey (in partnership with the Center for Drug and 2468 Health Studies), Healthy Minds Study, AlcoholEdu, and Bringing in the Bystander evaluations. 2469 2470 The Division of Student Life has conducted ad hoc assessment activities to assess program 2471 effectiveness and inform program development including its first Student Life Family survey in 2472 2018. Results helped illuminate parent and family needs and interactions with the University to build 2473 a more robust parent and family program. The University student centers also conducted a survey in 2474 fall 2018 to learn more about student experiences with the physical and programmatic elements of 2475 the Perkins and Trabant student centers. Meanwhile, the UD Career Center is a participant in the 2476 pilot program for The Career Readiness Project, a collaboration between SkillSurvey and the 2477 National Association of Colleges and Employers, which measures and assesses students’ progress in 2478 eight career readiness competencies that are most in demand by employers. 2479 2480 Since 2015, five units (Center for Black Culture, Office of Student Conduct, Orientation and 2481 Transition Programs, Student Services for Athletes and University Student Centers) have completed 2482 external program reviews. This process helped them update areas relating to mission, programmatic 2483 focus and staffing. The Center for Counseling and Student Development and Student Health 2484

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Services also participate in periodic reviews to maintain their accreditation with the International 2485 Association of Counseling Services, Inc., and Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care, 2486 respectively. 2487 2488 Finally, the Division began an annual report process in summer 2019, whereby departments 2489 submitted reports to the Office of the Vice President for Student Life in which they had reflected on 2490 and explained their progress in key areas such as student success, inclusive excellence, innovation 2491 and operational efficiencies. The annual report process is ongoing. 2492 2493 In addition, the Library routinely conducts a survey of the campus community to learn how it can 2494 improve staff interaction with the community. Most recently conducted in 2016, the LibraryQUAL+ 2495 Survey results led to the creation of more comfortable and inspired spaces (including group and 2496 individual study rooms), a reflection space for quiet prayer and meditation and a nursing mother’s 2497 room. These spaces complement the enhancement of services such as the development of open 2498 educational resources that can aid in reducing the overall cost of textbooks for students at the 2499 University. LibQUAL+ is but one assessment instrument; the Library also employs focus groups 2500 and interviews with students to gather feedback. Recently, the Library has partnered with the BHSC 2501 and other stakeholders to assess the impact of library use on student retention and graduation rates. 2502 This program is still in its infancy and data are not yet available, but based on similar studies at other 2503 institutions, we hope to see a strong correlation. 2504 2505 2506 Recommendation 2507

• Create and implement a coordinated assessment effort around the impact of programs and 2508 services that are designed to enhance the student experience. 2509

• Continue to leverage and grow UD’s use of Blue Hen Success to make data-driven decisions 2510 within academic and student affairs with an aim to direct support to those student 2511 populations that need it most. 2512

• Facilitate the ongoing investment in building a University-wide model of effective academic 2513 advising that includes academic acclimation, mentoring and career readiness. 2514

2515 2516 2517 STANDARD V: EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 2518

ASSESSMENT 2519 2520 Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished 2521 educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate 2522 expectations for institutions of higher education. 2523 2524 The University of Delaware is continuously engaged in an expanding culture of learning outcomes 2525 assessment at many levels. Furthermore, UD has a long history of providing excellent academic 2526 programs to its students, supported by a set of University-wide and sometimes college-specific 2527 general education courses. In this chapter, we summarize UD’s robust system for maintaining 2528 academic programs and present data on the status of programs’ educational goals, assessment of 2529

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these goals and use of assessment data for program improvement. We also review the assessment of 2530 University-wide common requirements. This chapter takes on a different organizational structure 2531 from others in this self-study. Because criteria 1 (educational goals), 2 (organized and systematic 2532 assessments), and 3 (consideration and use of assessment results) are so intimately intertwined, we 2533 found it impractical to explicitly disentangle them. Criteria 4 and 5 are addressed individually. 2534 2535 The life cycle of academic programs at the University of Delaware 2536 A set of educational learning goals designed to provide educational opportunity and value to 2537 students lies at the core of every academic program at the University. Faculty working together in 2538 departments and other academic units create programs, which are then vetted by an appropriate 2539 committee (either graduate or undergraduate) within the Faculty Senate. Academic programs receive 2540 probationary approval for five years at which time the goals should be documented in the 2541 University’s academic catalog. This level of review and documentation was enhanced in 2018 after a 2542 review of our assessing the effectiveness of assessment processes (Std.V.5) as it identified gaps in 2543 our previous policies and practices. After successful completion of the probationary period, 2544 programs are eligible for permanent status. All academic programs are continually reviewed and 2545 renewed through our APR process that runs on a seven-year cycle. See the full life cycle of academic 2546 programs in Figure 5.1, below. 2547 2548

2549 2550 2551

Figure 5.1: The life cycle of academic programs at the University of Delaware 2552 2553 During the APR process, academic units must address Middle States Standards III and V in their 2554 department self-study. The APR self-study and external reports are reviewed by the Faculty Senate, 2555 the Dean from the unit’s home college, the Deputy Dean or Associate Dean of the unit’s home 2556 college, the Dean of the Graduate College (if appropriate), the Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs 2557 and the Provost. 2558 2559 Assessing assessment of student learning at the University of Delaware (Std.V.5) 2560 Assessment of student learning within programs has been delegated to the academic units that 2561 administer the programs, and individual programs and units have strong assessment ethic cultures, 2562 however, the writing of this self-study has illuminated several gaps at the institutional level. 2563 2564 Previous initiatives to develop and implement comprehensive assessment have occurred in fits and 2565 starts. For example, in 2008, there was a University-wide initiative to develop program educational 2566

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goals, curriculum maps and program-level assessment practices. Since there were no coordinated 2567 efforts to gather data and support these initiatives, few were successfully integrated into regular 2568 policies and practices at the department level. It is important to note that many of our programs are 2569 professionally accredited so they must meet high standards of assessment established within their 2570 disciplines. For non-accredited programs, individual academic units must perform their own 2571 assessment. They frequently rely on indirect assessment methods, including national and local 2572 surveys, student course evaluations, and faculty grading to obtain measures of learning success and 2573 inform program revisions. 2574 2575 All units and program directors were surveyed to better understand the state of assessment of 2576 program educational goals on campus during the 2019-2020 year. The responses characterized 300 2577 of the approximately 337 undergraduate and graduate degree programs on campus. Of these, 2578 84.33% have developed or highly developed educational goals and meet criterion 1. (Std.V.1) (Clearly 2579 stated educational goals at the institution and degree program levels, which are interrelated with one another, with 2580 relevant educational experiences and with the institution’s mission.) The remainder have either explicit goals 2581 that lack some clarity or they have only implicit goals. The results of this survey are shown in Figures 2582 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4, broken out by college or portfolio as a proxy for broad subject category; further 2583 details are available in the Evidence Inventory. 2584 2585

2586 2587

Figure 5.2: Program educational goals from 2019-2020 2588 2589 We also surveyed program directors on their practices for systematically assessing whether these 2590 goals were achieved. Among those who responded (n=300), 44% have highly developed practices 2591 for organized and systematic assessment of program educational goals and meet criterion 2 2592 (Std.V.2). Another 28.66% have a process in place that assesses educational goals though it might 2593 not be as organized and systematic as desired. The remaining 27.33% do not have a clear description 2594 of an organized and systematic assessment plan. 2595 2596

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2597 Figure 5.3: Program assessment plans from 2019-2020 2598

2599 We also coded data for the ways in which program directors use assessment data to improve their 2600 programs, included in Figure 5.4. Among those who responded (n=300), 40.33% have highly 2601 developed practices in place and meet criterion 3 (Std.V.3). Another 22.33% have a process in place 2602 though it might not be as organized and systematic as desired. 2603 2604

2605 2606

Figure 5.4: Use of program assessment data from 2019-2020 2607 2608 2609 2610 2611

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Initiatives to enhance assessment activities and organization of data 2612 Recent initiatives on campus describe ongoing efforts to coordinate and centralize the gathering of 2613 information on student learning and to make these data more accessible to the faculty. Since 2019, 2614 as the result of the Provost’s Task Force on Learning Goals & Assessment, UD has engaged in an 2615 expanding culture of learning outcomes assessment at many levels. 2616 2617 Informed by the task force and catalyzed by CTAL, a number of diverse efforts to increase campus 2618 awareness about the value of continuous appraisal of student learning and review of program 2619 educational goals have been undertaken. These efforts are intrinsic to the University’s mission, and, 2620 by both encouragement and mandates, the culture is changing, and concrete processes are now in 2621 place to make assessment an essential part of the academic enterprise. A recent example of this 2622 changing culture is shown by the participation in the reimagined Winter Institute on Learning (WIL) 2623 held January 28-30, 2020, in which 65 faculty representing 16 departments and 21 programs 2624 participated, including seven programs which had partially stated, or not stated, educational goals 2625 before participating. Further, 11 of the 21 programs had partially practiced, or not practiced, 2626 assessment plans before participating in the event. 2627 2628 A significant means of ensuring instructional and program quality through the assessment of student 2629 learning is required for all programs and courses. A resolution requiring that all undergraduate major 2630 degree programs and graduate degree programs publish educational goals in the academic catalog 2631 was recently passed by the Faculty Senate (Std.V.1). This policy was promulgated in February 2020 2632 and approved by the Faculty Senate in March 2020. Furthermore, all programs are required to 2633 submit an annual assessment report beginning in October 2021. 2634 2635 To receive full accreditation, most professional programs have mandates for achieving program 2636 educational goals, assessment methods and utilization of results, all of which must be communicated 2637 clearly to students. To ensure that educational goals are now included in the programs that did not 2638 previously require them (e.g., nearly all of the programs in the College of Arts & Sciences), UD has 2639 revised program-proposal and program-permanent status policies. All new proposed programs must 2640 include specific educational goals and an assessment plan for determining if students are achieving 2641 these outcomes. At the college level, deans are now expected to consider program educational goals 2642 and assessment results during annual strategic planning and resource allocation discussions. It is 2643 expected that during the spring of 2020, the Provost will formalize a University process for the 2644 submission of annual assessment reports and their critical role in academic program review. During 2645 these annual conversations, deans will assess the assessment processes at the program level, further 2646 enshrining criteria 1, 2, 3 and 5. In the strong tradition of collaboration between the Faculty Senate, 2647 the faculty, and the Provost’s Office, department heads are invited to set their own assessment 2648 priorities and parameters for assessment within disciplinary frameworks and in partnership with 2649 CTAL. 2650 2651 All degree programs are expected to submit an annual assessment report to their dean describing at 2652 least one program educational goal, how it was assessed, the assessment results, a brief discussion of 2653 any program or course modifications to be made in response to the results, and an outline of any 2654 support/resources needed to make necessary alignments. As a consequence of these various 2655 initiatives, CTAL is prepared to support academic programs in the creation/refinement of clearly 2656 delineated program educational goals, and the creation/execution of an assessment plan to 2657 determine student achievement of these goals. 2658 2659

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Academic and administrative structures that govern assessment of learning objectives 2660 The University of Delaware has shared governance through interactions between central 2661 administration and the Faculty Senate, and it is through this deep relationship that we assess and 2662 sustain the educational effectiveness of our academic programs. Functions related to the assessment 2663 of educational effectiveness are the responsibility of the academic units and five key standing 2664 committees of the Faculty Senate—General Education Committee, Undergraduate Studies 2665 Committee, Graduate Studies Committee, and Academic Priorities and Presidential Advisory 2666 Committee—and Past President’s Committee, which provides a written response and develops an 2667 implementation plan. The College of Arts and Sciences’ Senate Educational Affairs Committee also 2668 plays an important role to be discussed below. 2669 2670 The General Education Committee is responsible for monitoring and supporting the elements of 2671 UD’s general education requirements including writing and composition, multicultural, capstone and 2672 discovery learning. 2673 2674 Upon the anticipated adoption of the above-mentioned Senate Resolution, all new programs will be 2675 required to have program educational goals specifically described in the program proposal along 2676 with a plan for how they will be assessed. The Undergraduate Studies Committee reviews each 2677 undergraduate proposal and makes a recommendation to the full senate. Graduate programs are 2678 treated differently depending upon whether they are interdisciplinary or department based. All new 2679 graduate programs are explicitly required to have learning goals and an assessment plan. 2680 Department-based graduate program proposals are routed through the Graduate Studies Committee 2681 and on to the Faculty Senate. Proposals for new interdisciplinary graduate programs are routed 2682 through the Graduate College first, and then to the Graduate Studies Committee and on to the 2683 Faculty Senate. 2684 2685 All new undergraduate programs are required to have educational goals (Std.V.1) and an assessment 2686 plan (Std.V.2 and Std.V.3) as part of the program proposal. Initially, new programs are probationary 2687 for a period of five years. After the probationary period, departments can request that probationary 2688 programs received permanent status. The permanent status program review process requires that 2689 program directors assess the program during its probationary period. 2690 2691 All permanent programs are reviewed during each department’s Academic Program Review (APR). 2692 APR is a function of the Office of the Provost in conjunction with the University Faculty Senate 2693 and is coordinated by the Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs. It is designed to evaluate the 2694 quality, productivity and the role of each academic unit and program in the fulfillment of the 2695 University's mission and strategic goals. (Unit refers to an academic department, college or program.) 2696 APR encourages self-study and planning within units. This ensures comparability among review 2697 reports and strengthens the linkages connecting the planning agendas and practices of individual 2698 units with those of their colleges and of the University as a whole. Reviews inform academic and 2699 budgetary planning decisions at every level of administration. 2700

The Provost and deans select units for review. Academic units will normally be reviewed at seven-2701 year intervals, but the Provost may accelerate this schedule. The Senate Academic Priorities Review 2702 Committee will have the opportunity to suggest programs or programmatic areas for review. The 2703 Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs coordinates all reviews, working with the unit under review 2704 and with the review panel to ensure that the process will be fair, efficient and effective. 2705

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Each review is conducted by a five-member panel whose members come from disciplines related to 2706 that of the unit under review. The dean responsible for the unit under review submits names of 2707 potential external reviewers to the Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs in conjunction with the 2708 unit. Four reviewers are selected from the approved list and the fifth reviewer is a UD faculty 2709 member from another unit who is chosen by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees and 2710 Nominations. 2711

The College of Arts and Sciences, which represents roughly half the academic units on campus, has 2712 its own Senate and Academic Affairs Committee which reviews programs and breadth requirements. 2713 The Faculty Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee accepts these recommendations in almost all 2714 cases, so a considerable amount of work related to program review and modification is handled by 2715 the CAS Academic Affairs Committee. In addition, CAS Academic Affairs reviews Second Writing 2716 courses, which are required for all CAS majors. 2717 2718 Many of the high-level institutional analyses are undertaken by the Provost’s Office through the 2719 Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs, IRE and CTAL. In addition, several representatives of the 2720 Provost’s office work closely with the Faculty Senate around issues of educational effectiveness, 2721 especially the Coordinating Committee on Education and General Education. 2722 2723 Assessing Student Learning 2724 The Faculty Senate established the Center for Teaching Effectiveness (CTE) in 1975. In 2011, CTE 2725 merged with the Office of Assessment to become the current Center for Teaching & Assessment of 2726 Learning (CTAL). CTAL has a full-time staff of six, whose mission is to foster an inclusive culture 2727 of evidence-based teaching and learning across the University by inspiring effective teaching and 2728 assessment using high-impact strategies, tools and collaborations. Several new programs have been 2729 added to CTAL and their ongoing work with faculty, staff, students and administration 2730 demonstrates how assessment at the University is moving beyond a compliance-oriented approach 2731 to one that is closer to the classroom and curriculum, and thus to the regular ongoing work of 2732 faculty. 2733 2734 The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE) is the primary source of accurate and 2735 reliable data, analysis and research at UD. This office facilitates decision making that impacts 2736 priorities for unit and institutional improvement; engages in research and analysis to demonstrate 2737 institutional effectiveness, inform decision-making and facilitate policies and practices; and provides 2738 institutional leadership, innovation and insight into critical trends and needs in higher education, 2739 resulting in metrics and applications of data for strategic and operational decision making. 2740 2741 Three interdependent units comprise IRE—Institutional Research (IR), Business Intelligence (BI) 2742 and the Delaware Cost Study/Higher Education Consortia (HEC). IR is the primary source for 2743 benchmarking data from national databases and targeted institutional surveys of peer institutions 2744 and ensures the University is in compliance with government regulations and accreditation 2745 standards. IR identifies emerging issues, initiates innovative research and fosters institutional 2746 learning in collaboration with the University community to achieve strategic milestones and build 2747 institutional memory. It also publishes compliance-related reports, surveys and other institutional 2748 and academic-support reports. The IR Annual Activities webpage details these and provides target 2749 completion dates, and institutional effectiveness efforts are detailed within the Institutional 2750 Effectiveness Assessment Framework. Specific work related to educational effectiveness includes 2751 administering the National Survey of Student Engagement, the HERI Diverse Learning 2752

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Environment Survey, the gradSERU Graduate Experience in the Research University, and the Post-2753 Graduation (Career) Plans Survey. 2754 2755 Business Intelligence provides a business view of the right information at the right time and is 2756 always evolving to provide the UD community the intelligence they need to make strategic business 2757 decisions. BI interacts with University constituents to develop a clear understanding of business 2758 requirements to facilitate a reliable, comprehensive and consistent data source to support 2759 operational, tactical and strategic reporting and analysis needs. BI builds multiple platforms for 2760 access to information and informs users including active online reports, dashboards, and data 2761 searching and reporting. BI supports business decisions by analyzing and modeling historical data 2762 predicting trends in a meaningful way. BI is implementing a campus-wide central data analytics 2763 platform, which will blend and model data from both internal and external sources to create curated 2764 data applications designed and approved to answer key institutional questions. 2765 2766 The Higher Education Consortia advances the national dialogue in higher education by providing 2767 insights into the changing environment of instructional costs, productivity and scholarly activity, as 2768 well as providing an array of products and services to four-year colleges and universities. The 2769 Delaware Cost Study is a national data consortium founded in 1992. Since then, more than 700 2770 institutions have participated in the study, making it the tool of choice for discipline-level 2771 comparative analysis of faculty teaching loads, direct instructional costs, and separately budgeted 2772 scholarly and public service activity. This information helps inform the University’s budget and 2773 resource management models which includes instructors’ college of record and student credit hours. 2774 2775 IRE supports departmental Academic Program Review (APR) by providing department-specific 2776 information related to its students, faculty and resources. This information assists departments in 2777 addressing specific criterion within Standard III and Standard V. IRE typically provides a set of 2778 standard summary tables and charts displaying seven-year trends for institutionally collected 2779 information such as enrollment, retention and graduation. 2780 2781 Educational Goals at UD 2782 In broad terms, there are three sets of educational goals for undergraduate programs at UD. The 2783 General Education requirements and objectives set common goals for students in all undergraduate 2784 programs. Some are aspirational, with no specific accountability mechanism, but others are tied to 2785 graduation requirements. Some colleges have specific educational goals or requirements, such as the 2786 College of Arts and Sciences, which requires a "second writing" course of all its undergraduate 2787 students. Finally, each degree program is expected to have unique educational goals and assessments; 2788 of course, some have many of their goals dictated by programmatic accreditation, but others have 2789 significant flexibility and independence to set and assess their own goals. 2790 2791 Fundamental, institution-wide measures of student success at UD include undergraduate retention 2792 and graduation rates. Seventy-three percent of UD bachelor's degree students earn their degree 2793 within four years; this is among the top graduation rates for public institutions in the nation (The 2794 Chronicle of Higher Education, Colleges With the Highest and Lowest 4-Year Graduation Rates, 2017, 2795 Almanac 2019). 2796 2797 UD also collects detailed data about students' post-graduation success. Ninety-five percent of UD 2798 alumni are employed or pursuing further education six months after earning their bachelor's degree, 2799 11% higher than a national benchmark of 84% for R1: Doctoral-Very High institutions (National 2800

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Association of Colleges and Employers, First Destinations for the College Class of 2018: Findings 2801 and Analysis, 2019). 2802 2803 In addition, every three years, the University participates in the National Survey of Student 2804 Engagement (NSSE), a national data collection conducted by the Indiana University Center for 2805 Postsecondary Research. The benchmark study is directed at measuring the extent to which students 2806 are engaged with faculty, with each other, and with their studies in educationally effective activities. 2807 By many measures in NSSE, UD students report more or higher quality educational experiences 2808 than students at peer institutions or in national benchmarks. For example, 77% of UD NSSE 2809 respondents who were seniors in 2017 reported participation in two or more high-impact practices 2810 compared to 63% of all NSSE respondents who were seniors at participating Carnegie R1 2811 universities, 64% at participating AAU institutions, and 68% at participating comparator institutions 2812 (NSSE 2017 High-Impact Practices University of Delaware, p. 3). 2813 2814 University-level educational goals and assessments: General Education 2815 General Education goals and objectives were described in the chapter on Standard III. To reiterate, 2816 General Education at UD can be broadly described as a set of requirements—specific courses or 2817 categories of courses and related-but-separate set of aspirational objectives—that are embedded 2818 throughout each program's curriculum and are suggested to each student by their academic advisor. 2819 These requirements and objectives were updated and reaffirmed by the University's Faculty Senate 2820 in 2014 and 2015 as appropriately interrelated, supported by relevant courses and experiences and 2821 aligned with UD's mission. As a result of the work of UD’s General Education Task Force, our 2822 University-wide general education courses all meet criteria 1 and 2 (Std.V.1 and Std.V.2). 2823 2824 The Faculty Senate Committee on General Education works closely with University administrators, 2825 particularly CTAL, to regularly assess General Education at UD. To meet criterion 3 (Std.V.3), the 2826 committee collaborates with CTAL to establish a calendar of assessments, some conducted by 2827 CTAL staff and some conducted by UD faculty, with priorities given to areas that are new or 2828 recently changed, have been previously discovered or suspected to be challenging, and have not 2829 been assessed in several years. Several specific examples are described in the following sections. 2830 2831 General Education requirements 2832 All students who matriculate to the University as new first-year undergraduate student are required 2833 to enroll in a First Year Seminar (FYS) course, most of which are managed by the FYS Office, a unit 2834 in the Provost’s Office. The requirements for a course to be certified as an FYS course were updated 2835 by the Faculty Senate in 2015 and further refined by an ad hoc committee; subsequently, FYS 2836 courses were recertified against the updated requirements. Course effectiveness is assessed annually 2837 by FYS. In 2019, the Faculty Senate Committee on General Education charged the FYS Office and 2838 the CTAL to conduct a detailed assessment of all FYS courses. 2839 2840 All UD undergraduate students are also required to successfully complete at least one course that is 2841 certified as multicultural, based on requirements that were updated in 2015 when other General 2842 Education requirements were modified or reaffirmed. Following this recertification process, some 2843 multicultural courses were reassessed, recommendations for future revisions to the requirement were 2844 made and a Multicultural Course Handbook was developed by the Faculty Senate Committee on 2845 Diversity and Inclusion, the Center for the Study of Diversity, CTAL and faculty. 2846 2847

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Other General Education requirements have been the focus of assessment efforts, including the 2848 ENGL 110 Seminar in Composition (in 2019-20), a course that is regularly and intensely monitored 2849 by the faculty in the Department of English who teach it. The capstone course requirement, a new 2850 University-wide requirement created in 2015, was first assessed in 2018-19. The final requirement, a 2851 Discovery Learning Experience, is overdue for a systematic assessment. 2852 2853 General Education objectives 2854 To help all UD constituents understand how the General Education objectives updated in 2014 are 2855 connected to the curriculum of each undergraduate degree program, a listing of every undergraduate 2856 course including a substantial focus on one or more General Education objectives was compiled. 2857 Reports were then created for every undergraduate degree program describing how students might 2858 meet the General Education objectives. These reports are part of the standard package of data 2859 included in Academic Program Reviews and are used in other ways. For example, one department 2860 has provided the report to its advisory board for discussion about the program's curriculum. 2861 2862 College-level educational goals and assessments: Breadth requirements and second writing 2863 Although all UD undergraduates are required to complete one or more courses in four different 2864 "breadth" categories, the certification of these courses is done by the College of Arts and Sciences. 2865 The University-wide requirements—that some colleges and programs supplement with additional 2866 requirements or stipulations about breadth courses—were examined in the 2014 renewal of General 2867 Education requirements; many faculty believe that exposure to multiple disciplines and their unique 2868 ways of understanding the world is a foundational part of a liberal education. 2869 2870 All undergraduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, and some programs in other 2871 colleges, require students to take an upper-level course that is certified as a "second writing" course. 2872 Like breadth courses, this requirement is also managed by the College of Arts and Sciences. 2873 Assessment of this graduation requirement has historically been coupled with assessment of the 2874 requirement for undergraduate students to complete ENGL 110; these two requirements are 2875 intended to build on one another. This is regularly included in the assessment calendar cooperatively 2876 built by the Faculty Senate Committee on General Education and CTAL; the most recent 2877 assessment was completed in 2019. 2878 2879 Program-level educational goals and assessments for all students 2880 Every undergraduate and graduate degree program is required to have explicit educational goals, 2881 which are documented in UD’s academic catalog as described in detail above to ensure criterion 1 is 2882 met. This level of review and documentation (Std.V.5) was enhanced during the process of writing 2883 this self-study as it identified gaps in our previous policies and practices. 2884 2885 Each degree program is also required to have an assessment plan appropriate to its educational 2886 goals, which are documented in the University's internal course documentation system. This system 2887 is currently in development by UD IT and a mock-up of the current form will be available in the 2888 evidence inventory. The results of these assessments and their impact on the curriculum and 2889 practices of the program are described and reviewed during each department's Academic Program 2890 Review. 2891 2892 Non-Credit Programs 2893 UD’s Professional & Continuing Studies (PCS) unit has a robust method for assessing student 2894 learning—by utilizing pre- and post-program surveys. Pre-program online surveys assess participant 2895

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needs and allow for post-program comparison of impact through another online survey. Difference 2896 is measured on a 1-4 scale, which displays the student’s understanding of the learning objectives. A 2897 third of a point increase in student-reported survey questions generally indicates knowledge gained. 2898 In addition, if a certificate program has multiple modules (our equivalent to separate courses), they 2899 ask for specific feedback after each module. 2900 2901 PCS takes these assessments seriously. Feedback and learning outcomes are reviewed with 2902 instructors, which helps the unit to improve effectiveness. PCS programs are developed from to 2903 meet a need in the region or workforce, or address a skill gap, and are constantly working to 2904 maximize students’ learning outcomes. 2905 2906 Third-Party Providers 2907 Regarding criterion 4 (Std.V.4), nearly all of the third-party assessment of educational goals at UD 2908 occurs in the context of continuing education units (CEUs). UD contracts with outside 2909 organizations to provide CEUs to course or workshop participants. We do not administer licensure 2910 exams to award recognized professional credentials, although we offer courses and workshops that 2911 prepare students for professional certification such as Project Management Professional or Certified 2912 Public Accountant. 2913 2914 Study Abroad 2915 UD’s history is rich with study abroad opportunities. Nearly all study abroad courses are taught by 2916 UD faculty, so the related assessment practices are identical to other UD courses and programs. 2917 Study abroad courses taught by faculty at other institutions are treated as transfer courses. The 2918 World Scholars program requires students to engage in multiple semesters of study abroad, starting 2919 with their first semester, spent at one of four partner institutions—John Cabot University (Rome, 2920 Italy), St. Louis University—Madrid (Madrid, Spain), American College of Greece (Athens, Greece) 2921 and University of Auckland (Auckland, New Zealand). These institutions are also accredited, which 2922 provides us with an additional layer of assurance of course quality. The World Scholars program as a 2923 whole also has educational goals and an ambitious plan for assessment. 2924 2925 Assessing our Assessment 2926 The final criterion of Standard V requires that we "assess our assessment" to ensure that we 2927 periodically examine the effectiveness of our assessment practices. We have built this assessment 2928 into our practices, which require us to regularly make context-driven decisions about our own 2929 assessment priorities and strategies. At the institutional level, this occurs in the ongoing 2930 collaborations between the faculty who provide oversight of the university's educational mission and 2931 the administrative units that support them in this role. For example, CTAL has a chair on the 2932 Faculty Senate Committee on General Education and routinely adjusts the annual assessment plan 2933 to align with the committee's needs and interests. At the program level, this occurs in the 2934 collaboration between the college deans, department chairs and program faculty as they annually 2935 update their program's assessment plans. The APR process requires faculty to summarize seven 2936 years of assessment work and seek external feedback on that work as part of the department's 2937 educational responsibilities. 2938 2939 Recommendations 2940

• Implement the actions outlined in the Academic Program Review guidelines concerning 2941 learning goals. Data collection should occur systematically, and, for non-accredited 2942

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programs, planning should begin in advance of the self-study year. The Task Force on 2943 Learning Goals & Assessment has outlined annual program educational goal assessment and 2944 methodology, which should be more fully followed by the Provost’s Office, deans, chairs 2945 and faculty. 2946

• Follow the protocols outlined by the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment 2947 to achieve its Excellence in Assessment designation. This should be an aspirational goal for the 2948 University, one that will strengthen our academic programs and overall institution through 2949 the process of pursuing it. 2950

2951 2952 2953 STANDARD VI: PLANNING, RESOURCES AND 2954

INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT 2955 2956 The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its 2957 mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to 2958 opportunities and challenges. 2959 2960 In economic terms, the University of Delaware is a strong, solid institution, and other businesses 2961 and economic agents look to UD as a reliable source of activity. As the University continues to grow 2962 in the coming years with the expanded of the STAR campus and its research collaborations, the city 2963 and the region will experience significant, positive economic impact. 2964 2965 The University generates an annual economic impact within Delaware of approximately $2.81 2966 billion, supports nearly 24,500 jobs and realizes $1.16 billion in earnings. That impact means that for 2967 every dollar the state invests in UD, the University produces $23 in economic activity within the 2968 state. $1.27 billion of that impact takes place within Newark, supporting 15,390 jobs and $733 2969 million in earnings. Importantly, the University’s impact is felt all along the east coast, largely 2970 through the economic contributions of alumni located in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington 2971 and other major cities. Within the Northeast Corridor, the University is responsible for an annual 2972 economic impact of $4.68 billion, supporting almost 33,320 jobs (UD Economic Impact Final 2973 Report, 2018). 2974

2975

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2976 The STAR campus has been designated an Opportunity Zone and is expected to be one of the 2977 largest sources of economic impact in the state of Delaware over the next decade. Given its 2978 proximity to the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak and the SEPTA rail line, enhanced by a new $50 2979 million transportation center, transit-oriented development and partnership opportunities will drive 2980 continued interest by prospective collaborators. 2981 2982 Operational Excellence 2983 Operational excellence is the foundation of everything we do at the University of Delaware. In our 2984 ongoing review to balance efficiency with quality while optimizing service, we maintain central 2985 versus decentralized models of administrative delivery to eliminate unnecessary duplication while 2986 retaining appropriate redundancies to mitigate risks. We also invest in process and systems 2987 improvements, including implementation of a financial budget, planning and reporting system, 2988 Concur travel and expense system, business intelligence reporting tool and maximization of space 2989 utilization across campus. The University hires faculty strategically, and optimizes instructional 2990 staffing ratios and class section sizes, assuring quality, minimizing cost and incentivizing 2991 interdisciplinary collaboration between departments and colleges. 2992 2993 2994 Criterion 1: institutional objectives, both institution-wide and for individual units, that are clearly stated, assessed 2995 appropriately, linked to mission and goal achievement, reflect conclusions drawn from assessment results and are used 2996 for planning and resource allocations AND Criterion 8: strategies to measure and assess the adequacy and efficient 2997 utilization of institutional resources required to support the institution’s mission and goals 2998 2999 Financial Resources 3000 Rated Aa1 by Moody’s, the University has solid wealth and ample financial resources to support 3001 operations. In fiscal year 2019, the University had total cash and investments of more than $1.9 3002 billion. Its level of spendable cash and investments stood at $1.7 billion, compared to $1.4 billion in 3003 fiscal 2014, a rise of 21%. These reserves cover annual operations by a strong 1.7x compared to the 3004 Aa1-median for public universities of 1.0. 3005

3006 3007 Criterion 7: an annual independent audit confirming financial viability with evidence of follow-up on any concerns 3008 cited in the audit’s accompanying management letter 3009 3010 In accordance with its charter, the Audit Visiting Committee of the Board of Trustees recommends 3011 engagement of the independent auditors, currently KPMG, to the Executive Committee of the 3012

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Board of Trustees, which makes the appointment. The Audit Visiting Committee reviews the annual 3013 audit reports of the independent auditor as well as all critical accounting policies and practices. The 3014 committee also reviews material adjustments to the financial statements and comments from the 3015 independent auditors about UD’s internal accounting controls. Management implements 3016 recommendations of the independent auditors as applicable. Audit reports are available on the VP 3017 Finance website. 3018 3019 Philanthropy 3020 The University of Delaware has realized significant philanthropic growth as a result of the launch of 3021 Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware in fall 2017. The Campaign has raised 3022 $759 million to date, surpassing the goal of $750 million by June 2020. The campaign, a University-3023 wide effort to fund the University’s strategic priorities, already has exceeded anticipated results. 3024 Leveraging data and analytics, the Office of Development and Alumni Relations drives 3025 philanthropic engagement and revenue to the University. 3026 3027

3028 3029 3030 Criterion 1: institutional objectives, both institution-wide and for individual units, that are clearly stated, assessed 3031 appropriately, linked to mission and goal achievement, reflect conclusions drawn from assessment results and are used 3032 for planning and resource allocation AND Criterion 3: a financial planning and budgeting process that is aligned 3033 with the institution’s mission and goals, evidence-based, and clearly linked to the institution’s and unit’s strategic 3034 plans/objectives AND Criterion 8: strategies to measure and assess the adequacy and efficient utilization of 3035 institutional resources required to support the institution’s mission and goals 3036 3037 Budgeting Process and Budget Model 3038 UD follows a strategic planning and budgeting process to leverage resources efficiently and 3039 effectively, thereby fulfilling its mission, achieving institutional goals and maintaining a strong 3040 financial position. 3041 3042 UD’s mission statement outlines the University’s goals, which are further defined by our strategic 3043 planning documents. UD’s leaders, with oversight from the Board of Trustees, define the 3044 programmatic activities and tasks that fall within these guiding documents. 3045 3046 At its core, the annual planning cycle is structured around two major Board meetings in the fall and 3047 spring. Subcommittee and executive committee meetings precede each meeting of the entire Board. 3048

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The executive committee includes the chairperson from each subcommittee in addition to the Board 3049 chair. 3050 3051 After the planning assumptions are determined, the Budget Office develops a general idea of the 3052 University’s capacity to fund the strategic investments that leadership would like to make in future 3053 years. Once the initial framework of the four-year financial plan has been built, central 3054 administration identifies structural capacity and deficit occurrences. This helps to identify whether 3055 budget reductions are needed, if we have capacity to allow administrative growth to provide more 3056 high-quality and robust services, or whether there are opportunities to reallocate resources to fund 3057 areas of strategic need without impacting service delivery. 3058 3059 Capital budgeting and planning is administered centrally at the University but is heavily influenced 3060 by continually surveying the administrative and academic needs of the campus. 3061 3062 3063

3064 3065 3066 3067 3068 3069 3070 3071 3072 3073 3074 3075 3076 3077 3078 3079 3080 3081 3082 3083 3084

3085 UD’s budget model incorporates predictable base funding, formulaic returns of incremental revenue 3086 generated above the base and strategic pool funds. This model advances strategic initiatives and 3087 provides essential University-wide support services, while retaining incentives to reward unit-level 3088 success and fuel the development of new programs and revenue streams. The model is meant to 3089 create incentives that promote academic quality, excellence and financial sustainability; maintain 3090 fiscal responsibility; encourage innovation and entrepreneurship; and provide transparency, clarity 3091 and predictability at all levels. The process starts with a base budget, established by unit as of FY 3092 2017 actuals. The other incremental revenue sources budgeted by this model—undergraduate, 3093 graduate, F&A and special session—are then allocated based on changes in the revenues generated 3094 in their college and the results of the new budget request process. 3095 3096

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Although the incremental revenue budgeted by the model is largely activity based, the allocations of 3097 that revenue are made on the basis of activity and strategy. Therefore, in addition to the activity-3098 based allocations to the colleges and departments, there is an equally important strategic pool 3099 allocation. This allows the President and Provost to allocate funding in a strategic, rather than purely 3100 formulaic, way. 3101 3102 The activity-based allocations are meant to incentivize colleges, departments and faculty to 3103 participate in entrepreneurial activity that will benefit the entire campus. To facilitate this, a 3104 quantitative distribution exists in the model—one that provides colleges and departments a 3105 predictable, formulaic reward for program growth. However, we must ensure that we do not 3106 sacrifice quality for quantity, which is the reason for the strategic portion of the model. 3107 3108 3109 Criterion 3: a financial planning and budgeting process that is aligned with the institution’s mission and goals, 3110 evidence-based, and clearly linked to the institution’s and unit’s strategic plans/objectives AND Criterion 6: 3111 comprehensive planning for facilities, infrastructure and technology that includes consideration of sustainability and 3112 deferred maintenance and is linked to the institution’s strategic and financial planning processes AND Criterion 8: 3113 strategies to measure and assess the adequacy and efficient utilization of institutional resources required to support the 3114 institution’s mission and goals 3115 3116 Ten-year financial plan 3117 To successfully implement UD’s strategic plan, the President, Senior Leadership team and Board of 3118 Trustees recognized that the University needs to invest resources in advance of generating new 3119 revenue. The 10-year-plan is a dynamic model developed at a macro level meant to inform senior 3120 leaders and the Board of the general direction of University resources, track progress toward the 3121 strategic plan, and measure risk and reward. 3122 3123 3124 Criterion 4: fiscal and human resources as well as the physical and technical infrastructure adequate to support its 3125 operations wherever and however programs are delivered 3126 3127 Human Resources 3128 The Office of Human Resources (HR) is a strategic partner, promoting excellence, integrity and 3129 knowledge to our internal and external partners. As a result, we have the ability to attract, develop, 3130 reward, engage and retain our most valuable asset—our people. 3131 3132 In fall 2019 there were 4,688 full-time faculty and staff supported by Human Resources in areas of 3133 talent solutions, compensation and benefits, payroll, employee and labor relations and HR 3134 information systems. We have put a variety of initiatives in place to support enhanced and 3135 streamlined service delivery allowing us to invest less time in manual processes and dedicate more 3136 time serving as a strategic partner. 3137 3138 In 2017, the University partnered with Aon Hewitt to complete an in-depth analysis and assessment 3139 of the HR department, which identified several opportunities for improvement in the areas of HR 3140 strategy, organizational structure, processes and technology, and communication and program 3141 delivery. 3142 3143

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An evaluation of Human Resources was conducted, and changes were made to heighten service 3144 delivery to internal and external customers. Recruiting and onboarding were merged to create a 3145 more seamless process for new hires, and new hire turnaround time was reduced by 50%. Building 3146 on that change, and to drive more unified, talent-centric services to the University, recruitment was 3147 merged with learning and development to create a new functional unit, Talent Solutions, which 3148 includes talent acquisition, engagement and development. This unit focuses on the entire employee 3149 life cycle: from recruitment and onboarding to employee engagement, development, and workforce 3150 planning. Additionally, an Associate Vice President of Human Resources was hired to focus on 3151 strategic operations, increase collaboration among functions and streamline processes. Finally, 3152 college HR managers were realigned to report to the University Human Resources office to promote 3153 consistency, enhance compliance and streamline HR service delivery. 3154 3155 With the realignment of Human Resource managers, an assessment plan was established to measure 3156 effectiveness and obtain feedback for optimal service delivery. Meetings with internal and external 3157 customers and focus groups were conducted to collect data, which provided feedback on workflow 3158 and business demands. The aggregate data will be shared with stakeholders to identify and improve 3159 business practices. These collaborative efforts will help us achieve greater consistency. To further 3160 support and sustain this realignment, we are planning an HR Solutions Center where members of 3161 the campus community may consult with subject matter experts on a variety of human resources 3162 topics. 3163 3164 UD has implemented various projects to maintain the operational excellence of our processes and 3165 technology, including the 2018 implementation to TIAA as the single administrative service provider 3166 of the retirement program. This change included an online platform that allowed participants to 3167 make account updates instantly and eliminated paper forms and processing times. Through focus 3168 groups and interdisciplinary work teams, we continue to evaluate and improve our processes. For 3169 example, currently, we are evaluating our paid time off programs for competitiveness and efficiency. 3170 Based on in-depth benchmarking, data analysis, budget modeling and forecasting, we were able to 3171 implement an eight-week paid parental leave policy for our staff in July 2019. 3172 3173 We also implemented Talent Link, a new applicant tracking system, which streamlines and simplifies 3174 the recruitment cycle for all users. This system also saves on recruitment time and costs while 3175 providing access to reporting tools and powerful analytics. We have increased our ability to measure 3176 operational efficiencies, such as time to hire, and to monitor progress toward affirmative action 3177 plans. Potential candidates are more engaged and hiring managers are empowered, as they receive 3178 more informed and consistent communication that is easier to access. The talent planning toolkit 3179 also gives managers the necessary resources for talent planning and the ability to see succession 3180 planning at the University level. Talent Link is a major initiative in support of projected faculty 3181 growth, giving us the capability to recruit and hire top-quality candidates more efficiently and 3182 manage the most complex searches. 3183 3184 UD’s compensation system ensures equity, fairness and market competitiveness, enabling us to 3185 recruit and retain the best talent and advance key strategic initiatives. To maintain market 3186 competitiveness, UD participates in several salary surveys annually in higher education and general 3187 industry. In addition, every three to five years, a full internal salary evaluation is conducted based on 3188 market data. The FY 2019 review resulted in a 3% salary structure adjustment. 3189 3190

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All benefits are reviewed annually to ensure they meet the diverse needs of our faculty and staff, 3191 while remaining fiscally responsible. We benchmark our benefit plans, participate in various surveys, 3192 and conduct annual reviews to remain abreast of benefit trends and costs. For FY 2020, we were 3193 able to hold rates flat and saw a nearly $0.5 million dollar reduction in rates across several benefit 3194 lines (dental, long-term disability) through our bidding and negotiation process. 3195 3196 The realignment of college HR managers has offered a more consistent and timely delivery of HR 3197 initiatives to the colleges and departments and improved communication. University leadership, 3198 college deans, and HR managers learn about initiatives early and can contribute, gain alternative 3199 perspectives and buy-in, and promote cascading messaging. In addition, a Communications 3200 Director, based in the Office of Communications and Marketing, was assigned to Human Resources 3201 for consultation and expertise on communications. Through these collaborative efforts, the 3202 applicant tracking system project, the Paid Parental Leave program and new software system to 3203 identify, manage, track and report on employee and labor relations activity have been provided to 3204 the University community. 3205 3206 3207 Criterion 4: fiscal and human resources as well as the physical and technical infrastructure adequate to support its 3208 operations wherever and however programs are delivered AND Criterion 6: comprehensive planning for facilities, 3209 infrastructure, and technology that includes consideration of sustainability and deferred maintenance and is linked to 3210 the institution’s strategic and financial planning processes AND Criterion 8: strategies to measure and assess the 3211 adequacy and efficient utilization of institutional resources required to support the institution’s mission and goals 3212 3213 Information Technology 3214 The deliberate adoption and implementation of information technologies in accordance with the 3215 University’s strategic vision provides UD an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its role as a pre-3216 eminent learner-centered research institution while meeting its strategic goals and enabling the 3217 efficient day-to-day work of its students, faculty and staff. 3218 3219 UD relies on the information technologies organization (UDIT) to achieve the goals presented in 3220 the University’s five strategic priorities. As summarized in its annual reports, UDIT provides critical 3221 oversight and strategic focus to the University’s operational, research and academic goals, and 3222 essential support to the University community. It performs these operations by optimizing IT 3223 resources; managing technology; promoting research and scholarship, data security and accuracy; 3224 and providing streamlined processes for business and student learning and success; managing 3225 operational and infrastructure needs; and aligning technology oversight, innovation and investment. 3226 3227 The University’s 2019-2024 Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan, completed in May 2019, 3228 addresses challenges and establishes the strategic direction for technology-related institutional 3229 improvement. It supports growth in research and innovation, enables academic excellence, improves 3230 the student experience, and achieves greater operational excellence. It relies on technology strategies 3231 informed by other University initiatives including the Research Information Management Task 3232 Force, Data Governance Committee, the emerging Online Learning strategy, and external reviews of 3233 technologies and business processes conducted in 2016 and 2018. 3234 3235 To further optimize IT resources and operational effectiveness, UDIT established its Strategic 3236 Operations organization (UDIT-SO) in 2018 and worked across the institution in 2019 to approve 3237 an IT governance structure. Combined, these advancements directly benefit technology and project 3238

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oversight and enable UDIT and the University to improve on existing IT services, promote trust in 3239 University-wide IT services, provide a more consistent service experience for UD communities, 3240 reduce information security risks, and create a framework to better organize responsibility for 3241 services among IT organizations. 3242 3243 UDIT-SO is comprised of the University’s IT Project Management Office, IT Service Management, 3244 the IT-Communications Group, IT Human Resources, and IT Financial Operations. UDIT-SO 3245 ensures the sound adoption, integration and communication of an Information Technology Service 3246 Management position to improve efficiency and user services related to technology implementation 3247 and customization, IT project management, and the University’s IT service inventory. 3248 3249 Implementation of the University’s IT governance structure is underway, and will ensure innovative, 3250 reliable and robust information technology. It also will determine and define campus-wide IT 3251 priorities and policies in accordance with the University’s Strategic Plan and be informed by the IT 3252 Strategic Plan. Oversight of the IT governance structure includes determining when use of a Core 3253 Services Framework should be mandated and how to allocate the costs of fulfilling demonstrable 3254 needs for premium capabilities that supplement a core offering. 3255

As UD builds major research initiatives focused on biotechnology, energy, biopharmaceuticals, and 3256 data science, among others, the need for advanced cyberinfrastructure and support for researchers, 3257 faculty and students working in these areas is increasingly critical. UDIT partnered with campus 3258 communities and organizations to address needs and create efficiencies tied to advancements in 3259 research to ensure that current and emerging research needs related to data creation, transfer, 3260 archival and analysis did not outpace UD’s internet connection and bandwidth capacity. 3261

In response, UDIT created the position of Enterprise Architect and hired a Chief Information 3262 Security Officer, as well as a Director of Research Cyberinfrastructure. UD’s network connection 3263 also was expanded to the Internet2 Network. The upgrade, funded through a grant from the 3264 National Science Foundation, created specific networking configurations enabling researchers in 3265 data-hungry fields to access new high-bandwidth capabilities. Enhancements included the creation 3266 of a network capable of transferring information at a rate of 100 gigabits per second (Gb/s) and a 3267 science demilitarized zone (ScienceDMZ) linked to UD’s high performance computing (HPC) 3268 clusters (Farber and Caviness) that will maximize the speed and secure transfer of shared datasets 3269 across both infrastructures. High-performance computing clusters offer a robust computing 3270 environment to UD researchers, including those at the STAR campus, engaged in new data-3271 intensive scientific exploration. Such initiatives underpin our institution’s effective and continued 3272 participation in the national research community benefitting society and improving U.S. 3273 competitiveness. They also secure our position as a Service Provider, Level III, of the XSEDE 3274 Federation—a critical support capability for faculty engaged in high-performance computing and 3275 data science. 3276

As a learner-centered institution, UD invests in technology to improve student learning and success. 3277 Investments include those in physical and virtual learning spaces as well as instructional quality, web 3278 accessibility and faculty development. UDIT continues to partner with faculty, the Office of the 3279 University Registrar and colleges to complete classroom technology upgrades from analog to digital 3280 technology in centrally scheduled classrooms. One hundred thirty-three classrooms already have 3281 been upgraded at a rate of approximately 30 classrooms per year. In addition, UDIT supports the 3282

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new Audion Conference Facility (STAR Tower) through state-of-the-art audiovisual resources. The 3283 IT Strategic Plan includes the development of a learning space master plan, which will promote 3284 flexible room designs, support varied pedagogies and improve foundational capabilities. 3285 3286 UD outlined its commitment to improving web accessibility in its Web Accessibility initiative. To 3287 help meet this commitment, UDIT implemented a suite of accessibility tools, with corresponding 3288 training workshops, that included SiteImprove, Ally, and Kaltura and transitioned the University 3289 from Sakai to Canvas to consolidate support of Learning Management Systems. These changes offer 3290 the University community a richer toolset, better accessibility features and better support. Other 3291 tools and applications recently implemented by UDIT to facilitate student learning and success 3292 include SecureW2 Wi-Fi, UD Capture and Zoom Pro. 3293 3294 Recent initiatives and investments have grown UD’s business intelligence capabilities to improve 3295 transactional reporting, enable advanced analytics and increase data-based decision-making across 3296 campus. Specifically, UDIT has deployed HelioCampus as a Business Intelligence platform for 3297 advanced analytics and has created strategy to improve the integration of data among existing and 3298 future transactional systems and HelioCampus. UDIT will continue to support the work of the 3299 Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness and the Data Governance Committee to improve 3300 data management and use. In parallel, UDIT is seeking to provide improved tools to facilitate ad hoc 3301 transactional reporting and support the redesign of business processes—all while investing in new 3302 technology systems that support such improved processes and reduce the complexity of the current 3303 application portfolio. 3304 3305 UDIT is exploring and implementing administrative technologies that are configurable and 3306 conducive to delivering effective services. In partnership, UDIT has supported and will support the 3307 launch of new administrative tools to streamline business processes across UD. The applications 3308 include Concur (travel management), Axiom (budget system), and PageUp (talent acquisition). 3309 UDIT also upgraded to the latest enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities across all of 3310 PeopleSoft capabilities to include finance, human resources, research and the student information 3311 system. 3312 3313 The University’s new IT Strategic Plan includes a roadmap to upgrade PeopleSoft and other 3314 administrative technologies while preparing the University to move to the next generation of student 3315 information (SIS) and enterprise administrative systems (ERP). As it implements the plan, UDIT 3316 will continue to work across the University to assess UD’s core administrative technologies that 3317 support student and administrative services to ensure operational excellence. Strategies will continue 3318 to increase the technological and organizational capacity to streamline processes and enhance user 3319 experiences with digital services. 3320 3321 3322 Criterion 4: fiscal and human resources as well as the physical and technical infrastructure adequate to support its 3323 operations wherever and however programs are delivered AND Criterion 6: comprehensive planning for facilities, 3324 infrastructure, and technology that includes consideration of sustainability and deferred maintenance and is linked to 3325 the institution’s strategic and financial planning processes AND Criterion 8: strategies to measure and assess the 3326 adequacy and efficient utilization of institutional resources required to support the institution’s mission and goals 3327 3328

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Faculty Commons 3329 UD’s Faculty Commons brings together people, events, instructional support, funding opportunities 3330 and a shared space for everyone who teaches at the University. It also presents development 3331 opportunities and events throughout the year and offers sustained faculty engagement with 3332 comprehensive course development, instructional design and technology support services—3333 including those in support of the University’s future online-learning strategy. The following 3334 University organizations work together to accomplish the Faculty Commons’ purpose: Academic 3335 Technology Services, Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning, Professional & Continuing 3336 Studies, Library, Museums and Press, Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education, 3337 Interdisciplinary Humanities Resource Center, IT University Media Services, Interdisciplinary 3338 Science Learning Laboratories, IT Client Support and Services, and the Office of Service Learning. 3339 3340 Faculty Commons is a partnership between several University-wide units and is led by an 3341 interdisciplinary Council of Partners. These Faculty Commons Partners (FCP) represent each 3342 partnering unit. Units maintain their identity, location, mission and charge, while supporting those 3343 who teach at UD, forging collaborations, and supporting activities that advance such efforts. FCPs 3344 are committed to collaboration between faculty, students and staff to foster student learning and 3345 inspire effective teaching; support teaching as an intellectually stimulating and critical practice, driven 3346 by inquiry, experimentation, reflection and collaboration; promote inclusive, student-centered 3347 educational strategies and assessments; foster a robust network around teaching and learning best 3348 practices; and promote the use of emerging technologies and digital innovations to help shape the 3349 future of learning at UD. 3350 3351 3352 Criterion 6: comprehensive planning for facilities, infrastructure, and technology that includes consideration of 3353 sustainability and deferred maintenance and is linked to the institution’s strategic and financial planning processes 3354 Facilities 3355 The University of Delaware's central campus and the main venue for our eight colleges is located in 3356 Newark, Delaware. Other locations that extend the work of our agriculture and earth sciences 3357 colleges, our Associate in Arts program, and our Professional and Continuing Studies programs are 3358 located in Dover, Georgetown, Wilmington, and Lewes, Delaware. Our STAR campus, an extension 3359 of central campus, enhances partnerships, student experiential learning and public engagement in a 3360 live-learn-work community. 3361 3362 The University continues to make significant, ongoing investments in facilities and infrastructure via 3363 its Capital Projects and Deferred Maintenance programs. Funding originates from operating capital 3364 and gift budget sources. Very little annual funding for capital projects comes from the state; over the 3365 last five years, the University has received on average of $7.4 million annually for capital 3366 improvements. While UD has grown significantly during the past decade, sufficient infrastructure 3367 exists to support the University’s mission. 3368 3369 Investments in Facilities and Infrastructure 3370 All capital investments are guided by the University’s master plans, by the aspirational goals of the 3371 President and the priority initiatives of advancing equity and inclusion (Title IX) and diversity. These 3372 include The Campus Master Plan (2019), the Campus Framework Plan (2017), the STAR campus 3373 Master Plan (2015), the Residence Life Master Plan (2018), Space Utilization Plan (2014), Facilities 3374 Condition Assessment Report (2017), and the Facilities Strategic Plan (2018). 3375 3376

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Key investments in new construction and fit-out for facilities and infrastructure since 2010 include 3377 Ammon Pinnizotto Biopharmaceutical Center, Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building, 3378 Life Science Research Facility, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Pearson Maker Space, Residence Halls 3379 (Redding, Gilbert, South Academy Street, and Caesar Rodney Dining and Residence Hall), Bob 3380 Carpenter Center Addition, the College of Health Science at STAR—Phase III (Tower), South 3381 Green Infrastructure, Whitney Athletic Center, and the College of Health Science at STAR—Phase 3382 II. 3383 3384 UD’s capital resources are focused on enhancing the student experience. We have built or renovated 3385 2,100 undergraduate beds, while decommissioning more than 2,000 beds in outdated facilities. A 3386 new 1,100-seat dining hall was opened in 2016, and a 400-seat dining hall was renovated in 2017. 3387 Renovation of classrooms, teaching laboratories and libraries are funded through dedicated annual 3388 budgets. 3389 3390 The University has spent over $1 billion in construction since 2010. 3391 3392 Ongoing investment in campus facilities and infrastructure is strategically coordinated and funded 3393 through the University’s 10-year deferred maintenance program. Following the completion of a 3394 Facilities Condition Report (2017), an accelerated investment of the deferred maintenance program 3395 was implemented. This 10-year program will provide approximately $360 million for the repair and 3396 replacement of such items as underground utilities, building enclosures (replacement of roofs, 3397 windows, etc.), and major building infrastructure (heating and cooling systems). 3398 3399 The University has significant real estate holdings, one of which is the 272-acre STAR campus, a 3400 former Chrysler manufacturing plant and a designated brownfield site, acquired in 2009. This parcel 3401 is being developed as a 24/7/365 mixed-use research community formed through partnerships with 3402 private industry. UD’s objective is to utilize ground leases and public-private partnership ownership 3403 structures (commonly referred to as P3’s) to transfer operating risk and capital requirements to 3404 collaborating third parties while securing the income necessary to maintain the property and 3405 ownership. While the University views the STAR campus as a long-term development project that 3406 will take more than 50 years, by the end of 2020, there will be approximately 1 million square feet of 3407 repurposed industrial and new contemporary laboratories, offices, manufacturing, amenities and 3408 incubation space with nearly 2,100 paid jobs. The STAR campus is an integral part of the student 3409 experience where connectivity, community engagement, experiential learning and sustainable growth 3410 are possible through a development strategy that includes vertical density—a live/work/learn 3411 environment including green and convening spaces. The capital investment to date is approximately 3412 $530 million for four buildings, a park, 2.25 miles of roads and in excess of 2,000 surface parking 3413 spaces, site preparation and brownfield commitments. 3414 3415 The Facilities, Real Estate and Auxiliary Services Department is the steward of the University’s 3416 physical and operational foundations and has begun implementation of a more holistic planning 3417 function to provide a predictable and achievable outcome that supports UD’s strategic, financial, 3418 research and educational goals. 3419 3420 3421 Criterion 1: institutional objectives, both institution-wide and for individual units, that are clearly stated, assessed 3422 appropriately, linked to mission and goal achievement, reflect conclusions drawn from assessment results, and are used 3423 for planning and resource allocation AND Criterion 3: a financial planning and budgeting process that is aligned 3424

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with the institution’s mission and goals, evidence-based, and clearly linked to the institution’s and units’ strategic 3425 plans/objectives AND Criterion 4: fiscal and human resources as well as the physical and technical infrastructure 3426 adequate to support its operations wherever and however programs are delivered AND Criterion 5: well-defined 3427 decision-making processes and clear assignment of responsibility and accountability AND Criterion 8: strategies to 3428 measure and assess the adequacy and efficient utilization of institutional resources required to support the institution’s 3429 mission and goals 3430 3431 Research Operations 3432 In 2017, President Assanis announced five strategic university priorities, which underlined the 3433 critical importance of research. In alignment, and through processes coordinated across the 3434 University, UD has undertaken significant, strategic expansion of its research infrastructure. As a 3435 result, UD is classified in the top 3% of U.S. institutions with a Carnegie classification of very high 3436 research activity. 3437 3438 UD has strategically planned for and undertaken growth in its research infrastructure across several 3439 key areas through several means: expanded physical resources, coordinated faculty recruitment 3440 efforts (cluster hiring), increased University research expenditures on science, new administrative 3441 processes and partnerships to support and better align operational efforts to apply for and 3442 administer large federal grants, and expanded opportunities for students, including those from 3443 diverse backgrounds. 3444 3445 STAR Campus Growth, Expanded Research Facilities and Campus Resources 3446 The University’s STAR campus is a nexus for cutting-edge research, top-notch academics, 3447 community service and economic development comprising more than one million square feet of 3448 research, clinical and industrial space by the end of 2020. 3449 3450 The future of healthcare is taking shape through an emphasis on applied research to improve 3451 community health in the Health Sciences Complex and 10-story Tower at STAR, recognized by 3452 USA Today as one of the most “amazing university buildings across the USA.” These facilities 3453 integrate primary care clinics that offer the community nutritional counseling, mental health services 3454 and exercise counseling; physical therapy clinic; speech language hearing clinic; and shared labs for 3455 translational research while providing students’ experiential learning opportunities on campus. 3456 3457 The $165 million Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center at STAR houses a $435 3458 million investment in biopharmaceuticals via the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing 3459 Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), a Manufacturing USA Institute sponsored by the U.S. Department 3460 of Commerce, representing over 120 universities, community colleges, corporations, government 3461 agencies and nonprofits. NIIMBL optimizes the manufacture of revolutionary life-saving medicines 3462 produced from living cells and prepares the future workforce. In addition to NIIMBL headquarters, 3463 the center houses the Delaware Biotechnology Institute and UD’s Biomedical Engineering program. 3464 3465 Chemours, a Fortune 500 performance chemicals powerhouse, established its global research and 3466 development center on the STAR campus. And a new six-story, 100,000-square-foot FinTech 3467 building—to be constructed through a partnership of UD, Delaware Technology Park and Discover 3468 Bank—will further strengthen Delaware’s financial services technology sector. These partnerships 3469 provide exciting opportunities for research collaborations and talent pipelines for UD faculty, 3470 students and alumni. 3471 3472

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The University also has established several other notable research centers including Rapid 3473 Enhancement in Process Intensification Deployment ($140 million, U.S. Energy Department); 3474 Delaware Center for Translational Research ($25 million, National Institutes of Health); Catalysis 3475 Center for Energy Innovation ($12.8 million, U.S. Department of Energy); and Delaware 3476 Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR, $23 million, NSF and State of 3477 Delaware). 3478 3479 Faculty Development, Retention and Coordinated Interdisciplinary Cluster Hiring for 3480 Research 3481 Since 2017, the University has hired 171 new full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, contributing 3482 to fresh perspectives on research and teaching. Efforts such as ADVANCE (5-year NSF funded 3483 initiative) complement this growth. ADVANCE helps develop new ways to increase the 3484 representation and advancement of women faculty in STEM and social science positions, 3485 contributing to the creation of a more diverse science and engineering workforce. These and related 3486 efforts have resulted in a more diverse faculty, including 52% of new full-time tenured and tenure-3487 track faculty in 2019 being women and 27% representing persons of color. 3488 3489 Additional efforts to expand UD’s ability to apply for and win competitive research grant awards 3490 include cluster hiring initiatives in natural, life, and social sciences, engineering, health science, 3491 humanities, policy, business and the arts. To date, cluster hires have taken place in Africana studies, 3492 data science, coastal water security and healthy communities. These and related efforts help us 3493 attract top-tier faculty who are excited about the possibilities of collaboration with a critical mass of 3494 scholars; enhance the scope, impact and reputation of our research enterprise and our educational 3495 and engagement programs; develop new interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate programs; 3496 diversify our faculty; and provide mentoring opportunities for faculty. 3497 3498 Increased Operation and Expenditures on Research 3499 The Research Office launched an extensive evaluation of research administration services in 2018 3500 and, as a result, many recommendations were generated to improve research administration 3501 infrastructure. The Operational Excellence in Research Administration (“OPERA”) initiative was 3502 launched to address them. And in accordance with the University’s research growth strategy, we are 3503 reviewing and revamping our research administration with the goal of providing top-notch support 3504 for researchers at every step, from proposal submission to award closeout. 3505 3506 In 2019, UD achieved $161.1 million in sponsored research expenditures, a total that has increased 3507 by more than 55% in the past decade. This growth is a testament to the innovation and hard work 3508 of our faculty. The Research Office has instituted robust programs supporting faculty development, 3509 from popular workshops on grant writing to an NIH Proposal Academy for new investigators. The 3510 office also has facilitated workshops or symposia on water research, international research, data 3511 science and high-performance computing, and innovations in materials science and neuroscience. 3512 These events have fostered new research collaborations and also catalyzed the process, culminating 3513 in the recently launched Data Science Institute, as one example. 3514 3515 Enhanced Capacity for Students to Engage in Research 3516 Graduate student enrollment increased approximately 10% between 2016 and 2018, and the 3517 Graduate College, established in 2019, is expected to add 1,000 new doctoral and 2,000 master’s 3518 students, nearly doubling that student population. 3519 3520

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The Graduate College elevates graduate research and bolsters undergraduate research at UD, as 3521 graduate students routinely work with undergrads in our labs, makerspaces and in the community, 3522 reinforcing our commitment to the learner-centered approach. It also promotes interdisciplinary 3523 programs and brings together existing graduate programs to better support the academic, financial 3524 and career needs of graduate students, and elevates the research opportunities and experiences 3525 across campus. UD strongly values undergraduate research and provides meaningful experiences for 3526 more than 1,000 students annually. Our signature Summer Scholars program, led by the Office of 3527 Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning, engages more than 500 students in 10-week 3528 projects alongside faculty each summer, with student stipend support by federal agencies 3529 approaching $2 million. 3530 3531 Other notable programs, resources and investments include expanding the capacity for research 3532 commercialization and incubation through Delaware Innovation Space and Delaware Technology 3533 Park, public-private partnerships with UD that foster innovation and entrepreneurship while 3534 offering students in any major to learn design, leadership, product development and other skills. 3535 3536 The University also has expanded student research and experiential opportunities through the 3537 nationally ranked Horn Entrepreneurship program, offering robust opportunities for aspiring 3538 innovators—the Delaware Innovation Fellows program, in which students become part of a 3539 motivated community interacting with business executives and community leaders; internship 3540 programs through the Career Center and the Community Engagement Initiative; and Spin In, a 3541 program by our Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships, connecting early-stage companies 3542 with interdisciplinary teams of students to move innovations into the commercial pipeline. 3543 3544 Expanded Research Facilities and Partnerships 3545 UD has added a dozen new, exciting partnerships and expanded our research facilities across 3546 disciplines to enhance our students’ learning and the University’s standing. 3547 3548

▪ The Biden Institute is a world-class intellectual center focused on issues rooted in two 3549 guiding principles long embraced by Vice President Joe Biden—economic opportunity and 3550 social justice. 3551

3552 ▪ The Data Science Institute, launched in 2018, is bringing together students and faculty from 3553

UD’s colleges to work with big data to address problems and opportunities facing society. 3554 3555

▪ With $25 million from the National Institutes of Health and the state, the Delaware Center 3556 for Translational Research ACCEL Program is expanding clinical and translational research. 3557

3558 ▪ A partnership with the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center connects UD’s research 3559

enterprise with veterans and employees who serve them to improve patient care. 3560 3561

▪ UD’s Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation—an Energy Frontier Research Center—won 3562 $12.8 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance groundbreaking technologies 3563 to convert biomass into chemicals and fuels. Partners include Brookhaven National Lab, UC 3564 Santa Barbara, Caltech, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of 3565 Maryland, UMass-Amherst, University of Minnesota, University of Pennsylvania and Stony 3566 Brook University. 3567

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3568 ▪ The Delaware Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research received $23 million 3569

from the National Science Foundation and the state to assess threats to water security and 3570 develop solutions through technology and behavioral research. 3571

3572 ▪ UD partnered with the state and DuPont to establish the nonprofit Delaware Innovation 3573

Space Inc., a business incubator in Wilmington to spur the growth of science-based 3574 businesses while offering students experiential learning and entrepreneurial engagement. 3575

3576 ▪ The MakerGym, a novel 6,700-square-foot makerspace, serves as a connecting hub for 3577

students and faculty working in areas from wearable technology to astrophysics. It includes 3578 an advanced manufacturing research center focusing on additive printing, a leading area for 3579 UD. 3580

3581 ▪ The $30 million UD Nanofabrication Facility, "the machine shop of the 21st century," is 3582

advancing nanotechnology and training our students as future experts in this growing field. 3583 The facility has world-class capabilities with applications in solar energy, materials and other 3584 fields. 3585

3586 ▪ The Center for Biomedical and Brain Imaging houses the state’s first magnetic resonance 3587

imaging scanners dedicated to research. The facility enables research in psychopathology, 3588 cancer, stroke, cerebral palsy, osteoporosis and other diseases and disorders. 3589

3590 ▪ UD is leading major projects in the Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification 3591

Deployment Manufacturing Institute. Led by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 3592 it leverages $70 million from the Energy Department and $70 million in commitments from 3593 130 partners. 3594 3595

Research Reputation Building 3596 The Research Office works closely with the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) to 3597 highlight UD’s stories of discovery, innovation and impact through articles on our UDaily news 3598 service, in video, social media and other platforms. The award-winning UD Research magazine is 3599 published twice a year in print and online, along with a monthly e-newsletter. 3600 3601 Special events are held to raise campus and public awareness of major topics that underscore why 3602 research matters. In spring 2019, for example, UD hosted NIH Director Francis Collins, who toured 3603 facilities, met with graduate students, and took part in a live-streamed fireside chat on America’s 3604 health. Additionally, UD Day in D.C., a signature University of Delaware event held every other year 3605 on Capitol Hill, offers an exciting display of cutting-edge research supported by federal funding. 3606 3607 Supporting evidence includes documents concerning relevant information about Interdisciplinary 3608 Cluster hires, Research Office Assessment/Operational Excellence in Research Administration 3609 (“OPERA”) Initiative, NIIMBL reports, Delaware Innovation Space, Data Science Institute (DSI), 3610 The Center for Biomedical and Brain Imaging (CBBI), Energy Frontier Research Center, Planning 3611 for Building X, UD’s status as a Sea-Grant, Space-Grant, Land-Grant institution, state of Delaware 3612 support for research, and Graduate College infrastructure. 3613 3614

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3615 Recommendations 3616

• Fine tune UD’s budget model to support strategic plans and mitigate risks, while closely 3617 monitoring resources to ensure strategic initiatives are adequately funded while continuing to 3618 address deferred maintenance goals. 3619

• Continue to make progress on strategic initiatives including the Campus Master Plan and 3620 Information Technology Strategic Plan, development of the STAR campus, and Operational 3621 Excellence initiatives to continue to move toward stated goals in alignment with the 3622 University’s mission. 3623

3624 3625 3626 STANDARD VII: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND 3627

ADMINISTRATION 3628 3629 The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way 3630 that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or 3631 affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the 3632 institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate 3633 autonomy. 3634 3635 The University of Delaware’s governing structure is instrumental in advancing our mission and 3636 continued commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and service. 3637 The University is governed by a Board of Trustees that has overall legal and fiduciary responsibility. 3638 UD’s administration is comprised of the President, Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief 3639 Operating Officer, deputy/vice provosts, vice presidents, deans and department chairs. 3640 3641 3642 Criterion 1: a clearly articulated and transparent governance structure that outlines roles, responsibilities, and 3643 accountability for decision making by each constituency, including governing body, administration, faculty, staff and 3644 students 3645 3646 The University of Delaware is committed to shared governance between the Board of Trustees, 3647 University administration, the faculty and the student body. Our University-wide policies, 3648 procedures and standards for individual conduct, institutional expectations, compliance with local, 3649 state and federal laws, mitigation of risk, and support toward the University’s mission are published 3650 in the Administrative Policy Manual, Faculty Handbook and the Student Guide to University 3651 Policies. Policies regulating conflicts of interest are in place for Trustees, Senior Administrators, 3652 Faculty and University Employees. 3653

The Board of Trustees is comprised of 20 who are elected by a majority of the full Board, eight 3654 appointed by the Governor of the State of Delaware, and four—the President of the University, the 3655 Governor of the State of Delaware, the Master of the State Grange, and the President of the State of 3656 Delaware Board of Education—are ex-officio members. Only the President and one Trustee, who is 3657

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also a tenured faculty member, are employed by the University. The appointment protocol and 3658 responsibilities of the Board are prescribed in the University Charter and Bylaws. 3659 3660 The University’s Administration is headed by the President, Dennis Assanis, who is supported by 3661 the Provost, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a deputy provost, four vice 3662 provosts, 12 vice presidents, and eight deans. The administrators’ biographies are available here. 3663 3664 Each college’s Dean serves as its chief administrative and operating officer, subject at all times to 3665 the supervisory authority of the Provost and President, who are generally responsible for managing 3666 and directing the academic, administrative, operational and financial affairs of the college. 3667 3668 Department chairs play a critical role, working with the deans as part of each college's leadership 3669 team and facilitating decision-making within their units, following approved departmental bylaws. 3670 The bylaws of each unit are bolstered and supplemented by unit workload, merit pay and P&T 3671 documents. Together, these documents ensure that department chairs effectively govern their units 3672 for the collective good of the university. 3673 3674 The members of the University’s faculty play a critical role in the development, implementation 3675 and management of curriculum and educational policy through membership in their department and 3676 college, the University of Delaware Chapter of the American Association of University Professors 3677 and the Faculty Senate. 3678

• AAUP—The University of Delaware Chapter of the American Association of University 3679 Professors (AAUP) is the sole and exclusive bargaining representative for all full-time 3680 employees who are regular voting members of the voting faculty of the University of 3681 Delaware. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covers wages, benefits and 3682 conditions of employment for members of the bargaining unit. The current CBA is in effect 3683 through June 30, 2021. Through the CBA, the AAUP also oversees the maintenance of 3684 other written policies and practices, including those found in the Faculty Handbook and 3685 Human Resources. The CBA is also the guardian of academic freedom at the University. 3686 Faculty members who believe there has been a potential violation of the CBA may file a 3687 grievance. 3688

• The Faculty Senate—The Faculty Senate functions as the standing executive committee of 3689 the faculty (both TT and CT) and exercises all the powers vested by the Board of Trustees to 3690 (1) supervise the care, control and instruction of the students, (2) formulate and administer 3691 the curricular and educational policies of the University, (3) recommend and advise on 3692 policies governing academic appointments, standards of conduct, and promotion and tenure, 3693 and (4) establish, disestablish and modify academic programs. The Faculty Senate is 3694 composed of 50 representatives of the faculty across all eight colleges. The membership and 3695 function of the Faculty Senate are described in the Faculty Handbook, which serves as the 3696 main repository of faculty policies and regulations. The Faculty Senate includes 20 standing 3697

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committees to assure all aspects of shared governance and student/University success are 3698 discussed and acted upon. 3699

3700 Administrative Staff contribute to shared governance through their own units, service on search 3701 committees or task forces, and participation in the Advisory Council for Exempt Staff or Non-3702 Exempt Advisory Staff Council. These groups provide employees a forum to discuss important 3703 issues with senior leadership. Members of these groups also have the opportunity to provide 3704 feedback on University policies and serve as members of the University’s grievance committee. 3705 Members of UD’s three administrative staff unions—American Federation of State, County and 3706 Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 439, AFSCME Local 3472 and the Fraternal Order of 3707 Police Lodge #7—communicate regularly with senior management during monthly labor-3708 management meetings, which allow for discussion of issues related to their collective bargaining 3709 agreements and collaborative development and revision of certain policies. 3710 3711 Two student associations—the UD Student Government Association and the UD Graduate 3712 Student Government—are the elected bodies whose membership and function are described in their 3713 governing documents. Both associations appoint representatives to participate in relevant Board of 3714 Trustees committee meetings (such as Academic Affairs) and general search committees (such as the 3715 2018 Provost Search Committee, that included graduate and undergraduate student representation) 3716 to provide input to the President and the Provost, deans and other senior officials as necessary. 3717 3718 3719 Criterion 2: A legally constituted governing body that: (a) serves the public interest, ensures that the institution 3720 clearly states and fulfills its mission and goals, has fiduciary responsibility for the institution, and is ultimately 3721 accountable for the academic quality, planning, and fiscal well-being of the institution; (b) has sufficient independence 3722 and expertise to ensure the integrity of the institution. Members must have primary responsibility to the accredited 3723 institution and not allow political, financial, or other influences to interfere with their governing responsibilities; (c) 3724 ensures that neither the governing body nor its individual members interferes in the day-to-day operations of the 3725 institution; (d) oversees at the policy level the quality of teaching and learning, the approval of degree programs and the 3726 awarding of degrees, the establishment of personnel policies and procedures, the approval of policies and by-laws, and 3727 the assurance of strong fiscal management; (e) plays a basic policy-making role in financial affairs to ensure integrity 3728 and strong financial management. This may include a timely review of audited financial statements and/or other 3729 documents related to the fiscal viability of the institution; (f) appoints and regularly evaluates the performance of the 3730 Chief Executive Officer; (g) is informed in all its operations by principles of good practice in board governance; (h) 3731 establishes and complies with a written conflict of interest policy designed to ensure the impartiality of the governing 3732 body by addressing matters such as payment for services, contractual relationships, employment, and family, financial or 3733 other interests that could pose or be perceived as conflicts of interest; (i) supports the Chief Executive Officer in 3734 maintaining the autonomy of the institution. 3735 3736 The University of Delaware is a privately governed, state-assisted institution of higher education. In 3737 return for support from the state of Delaware, the University performs a critical function by serving 3738

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as Delaware’s flagship institution of higher education. This partnership ensures that all power and 3739 control to manage the University’s affairs vests with UD’s Board of Trustees. 3740 3741 The contractual agreement between the University and the state resides in the University’s charter, 3742 Delaware Code, Title 14, Chapter 51, which grants exclusive power to the Board to make decisions 3743 affecting the University, including, but not limited to, its fiscal affairs. The University of Delaware 3744 Bylaws further explain the powers of the Board stating “nothing provided in these Bylaws shall 3745 diminish or reduce the Board’s plenary authority over all matters related to the control and 3746 management of the affairs of the University.” [bylaws Section 1.2]. 3747 3748 Board of Trustees 3749 The Board of Trustees consists of self-perpetuating, elected members, gubernatorially appointed 3750 members and ex-officio members. The Board’s Nominating Committee reviews and considers 3751 eligible individuals for service as self-perpetuating, elected members. Consideration is based on 3752 multiple factors, including added diversity, areas of expertise and relationship with the University. 3753 Nominated candidates are recommended to the full Board and approved at its semiannual meeting. 3754 All Board members are then confirmed by the Delaware State Senate. 3755 3756 The Vice President and University Secretary are responsible for the administration of matters related 3757 to the Board, its standing committees and visiting committees, including the official record of 3758 actions considered and taken, providing staff support for the Board and its committees, and acting 3759 as the liaison between the Board and the University Administration. 3760 3761 Full Board meetings are held twice a year, and members participate in an annual retreat, where they 3762 hear reports from the President, faculty and students on topics of central importance to the 3763 University’s strategic priorities. There is also a comprehensive orientation program for all new 3764 Trustees where they learn about the University’s mission, its history, the important relationship with 3765 the state, the faculty, the students, and of course, their fiduciary duties and the important role they 3766 play in governance at the University. 3767 3768 Board Committees 3769 There are seven Standing Committees, three Visiting Committees and two Special Committees of 3770 the Board which oversee all aspects of the management and success of the University. 3771 3772

▪ The Executive Committee of the Board has authority to transact all business and take any 3773 action that could come before the Board at any time between its regular meetings. 3774 3775

▪ The Committee on Academic Affairs ensures that 1) the University’s academic programs 3776 are consistent with the University’s mission and overall strategy, 2) resource allocations 3777 reflect the University’s academic priorities, 3) academic programs are appropriate for the 3778 students, and 4) academic programs are effective. To meet the needs of shared governance, 3779

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the Faculty Senate and Undergraduate and Graduate Student Governments provide reports 3780 to the Board on their current academic governance actions and goals. 3781 3782

▪ The Committee on Finance oversees UD’s fiscal affairs to ensure integrity and strong 3783 financial management. 3784

3785 ▪ The Committee on Grounds and Buildings oversees matters relating to real estate, 3786

construction and maintenance of property. 3787 3788

▪ The Committee on Honorary Degrees and Awards oversees the issuance of honorary 3789 degrees and awards, making recommendations to the full Board for approval. 3790

3791 ▪ The Committee on Public Affairs and Advancement oversees matters related to political, 3792

economic, social and public policy issues and the environment in which the University 3793 operates. The Committee also oversees matters related to UD’s advancement program. 3794

3795 ▪ The Committee on Student Life and Athletics has oversight over non-academic matters 3796

related to services for students or to athletics. 3797 3798

▪ The Audit Visiting Committee provides oversight over the financial reporting and audit 3799 processes, the University’s system of internal controls and compliance with laws and 3800 regulations, and also makes recommendations to the Committee on Finance. 3801

3802 ▪ The Investment Visiting Committee oversees matters related to the investment strategy 3803

for the University’s endowment and makes recommendations to the Committee on Finance. 3804 3805

▪ The Architecture Visiting Committee provides oversight over matters related to the 3806 architectural design of key campus buildings and makes recommendations to the Committee 3807 on Buildings and Grounds. 3808

3809 Visiting committees perform other specific functions in support of the standing committees, such as 3810 the Audit Visiting Committee and Investment Visiting Committee that support the Committee on 3811 Finance, and the Visiting Architecture Committee that supports the Committee on Grounds and 3812 Buildings. The regular involvement of and engagement with faculty and students has grown in 3813 recent years, and it is now a standard practice to invite representatives of the undergraduate student 3814 government association, the graduate student government and faculty to each standing committee 3815 meeting. Those individuals are invited to participate in the discussion and contribute to the 3816 conversation. 3817 3818 Board Conflict of Interest 3819 Trustees are required to act in a manner consistent with their fiduciary duty and responsibility at the 3820 University. To ensure this, Trustees are required to submit an annual conflict-of-interest form 3821

87

disclosing their financial interest, or that of an affiliate, in a transaction for the provision of goods 3822 and services to the University for compensation or remuneration and affirming that (1) the Trustee 3823 has read the Conflict of Interest Policy and (2) the Trustee will avoid participating in any University 3824 decision involving or affecting such transaction or where, for other reasons, the Trustee’s 3825 independent judgment could be affected by a conflict of interest. Trustees are charged to act on 3826 behalf of the University and in support of its mission. In these capacities they are expected to hold 3827 the interests of the University paramount. 3828 3829 3830 Criterion 3: A Chief Executive Officer who: (a) is appointed by, evaluated by, and reports to the governing body 3831 and shall not chair the governing body; (b) has appropriate credentials and professional experience consistent with the 3832 mission of the organization; (c) has the authority and autonomy required to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, 3833 including developing and implementing institutional plans, staffing the organization, identifying and allocating 3834 resources, and directing the institution toward attaining the goals and objectives set forth in its mission; (d) has the 3835 assistance of qualified administrators, sufficient in number, to enable the Chief Executive Officer to discharge his/her 3836 duties effectively; and is responsible for establishing procedures for assessing the organization’s efficiency and 3837 effectiveness. 3838 3839 Presidential Responsibilities. As stipulated in the Bylaws of the University of Delaware, the 3840 President—the Chief Executive Officer of the University—is appointed by the Board of Trustees, 3841 and has general supervision of University affairs. 3842 3843 The President meets regularly with members of his senior leadership team to discuss strategic 3844 planning and engage with faculty and students to get their feedback. The President holds an 3845 Executive Committee meeting with his direct reports and the President of the Faculty Senate, and an 3846 Executive Roundtable meeting with his direct reports, President of the Faculty Senate and the deans 3847 twice a month. These meetings provide an opportunity for collaboration, updates, delivery of 3848 announcements, solicitation of feedback, sharing of information and participation in a team 3849 environment. 3850 3851 The Presidential Search 2015 3852 Following the 2015 announcement of the resignation of the former President, Patrick Harker, a 3853 Presidential Search Committee was formed consisting of eight Trustees, one administrator, one 3854 undergraduate student, one alumnus and four faculty members. A Presidential search web page was 3855 developed, which provided periodic updates and permitted candidate nominations. Fifteen focus 3856 groups were conducted among a broad constituency, including faculty at all levels, students, 3857 community leaders, administrators and staff to develop the position description. In addition, four 3858 open forums were held on campus to solicit additional feedback. The position profile included a list 3859 of goals for the new president articulated by members of the Presidential Search Committee and 3860 based, in large part, on comments from these meetings. 3861 3862

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The Search Committee identified the top 50 candidates (from the initial list of 150) for review. 3863 Candidates were interviewed by the Search Committee and the Chair and vice chairs of the Board, 3864 which selected the top candidate and presented him to the entire Board in a special meeting on 3865 November 18, 2015. 3866 3867 Dr. Dennis Assanis took office on June 6, 2016, and was inaugurated December 7, 2016. Dr. 3868 Assanis is a distinguished educator with a wide range of academic leadership experience and a 3869 worldwide reputation as a scholar and expert in both fundamental and applied studies of internal 3870 combustion engines and energy systems. Before coming to UD, Dr. Assanis served as provost and 3871 senior vice president for academic affairs at Stony Brook University and as vice president for 3872 Brookhaven National Laboratory Affairs. He previously taught and conducted research at the 3873 University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 3874 3875 Presidential Performance 3876 The President’s performance is evaluated annually by the Board. The Board Chair leads a review of 3877 the prior year’s goals and accomplishments and solicits feedback from other members of the Board, 3878 the Compensation Committee and the Executive Committee. The annual review process also 3879 establishes goals and expectations for the following fiscal year. 3880 3881 In addition, the University conducts a comprehensive presidential assessment every 3-5 years, which 3882 provides both President and Board with feedback on ways to strengthen leadership and their 3883 relationship. Past comprehensive reviews have engaged an external consultant and have used surveys 3884 and small group and individual interviews with Board members and senior leaders to collect 3885 feedback on presidential leadership. 3886 3887 3888 Criterion 4: An administration possessing or demonstrating: (a) an organizational structure that is clearly 3889 documented and that clearly defines reporting relationships; (b) an appropriate size and with relevant experience to 3890 assist the Chief Executive Officer in fulfilling his/her roles and responsibilities; (c) members with credentials and 3891 professional experience consistent with the mission of the organization and their functional roles; (d) skills, time, 3892 assistance, technology, and information systems expertise required to perform their duties; (e) regular engagement with 3893 faculty and students in advancing the institution’s goals and objectives; (f) systematic procedures for evaluating 3894 administrative units and for using assessment data to enhance operations 3895 3896 The Administration 3897 President Assanis has formed a strong, highly collaborative, and high-performing senior leadership 3898 team that is well-connected across campus. Organizational charts for the University for the 3899 President, Provost, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, 12 vice presidents and 3900 eight deans outline their reporting responsibilities. 3901 3902 Their vitae detail the educational and experiential backgrounds of the senior-level officers, affirming 3903 that they possess the appropriate skills and abilities to perform their responsibilities. Deputy and vice 3904

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provosts, associate vice presidents and directors fulfill additional roles including oversight for 3905 diversity, graduate and professional education, the library, museums and press and academic affairs. 3906 Staff employees support the senior leadership team in the management of day-to-day operations of 3907 academic and administrative units that support faculty and students. 3908 3909 President Assanis has made notable additions and changes to his senior leadership team designed to 3910 elevate certain units, to provide closer collaboration between the President and the individual units 3911 and advance operational excellence on a number of fronts. 3912 3913 Key Administration changes include: 3914

• the creation of a Vice President for Strategic Planning and Analysis, reporting directly to the 3915 President, to help align the fine detail and big picture of a comprehensive budget with 3916 academic planning to articulate the strategic vision of the campus; 3917

3918 • the creation of a Vice President for Human Resources (previously a Chief Human Resources 3919

Officer) which elevated the function of human resources from purely transactional to a 3920 much more strategic partnership with leadership that anticipates outcomes, solves problems 3921 and recommends actions on the people side that will add value to the business; 3922

3923 • the Director for Internal Audit was renamed the Director for Internal Audit and Compliance 3924

and now fulfills the role of Chief Compliance Officer which provides leadership, direction 3925 and integration over compliance activities throughout the University; 3926

3927 • the Vice President for Student Life and the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and 3928

Innovation now report directly to the President to provide closer oversight of the student 3929 life activities and the research operation; and 3930 3931

• the creation of a Vice President/Provost and Chief Diversity Officer, a search for which is 3932 currently in progress. 3933

3934 The President also relies on standing committees, roundtables, commissions, caucuses and ad-hoc 3935 task forces to examine, address and advise on campus-wide issues. Examples include the President’s 3936 Executive Committee and the President’s Roundtable. A series of nine Diversity Caucuses give voice 3937 to campus issues by identifying barriers, developing alliances and collaborating with other campus 3938 organizations, units and committees, and communicating institutional progress, goals and strategies 3939 through open meetings and reports. 3940 3941 Faculty and Student Engagement 3942 UD aspires to be a model of shared governance. Working with a strong Faculty Senate and the local 3943 chapter of the AAUP, the Administration values open communication and consensus-building in its 3944 interactions with the faculty. There were acknowledgements in the 2010 Middle States Review that 3945 limitations in transparency and coordination existed between the two groups. Since that time, the 3946 Administration, Faculty Senate and the AAUP have worked hard to improve transparency and 3947 shared governance. Faculty serve on numerous campus-wide committees that are tasked with 3948

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evaluating policies and procedures, hiring senior administrators and providing consultation to the 3949 President. 3950 3951 The University invests time and energy in ensuring that all students are regularly engaged so they 3952 may provide feedback and guidance on matters of institutional decision-making and to ensure 3953 transparency in matters of the University’s governance. As described above, the University supports 3954 an ongoing student governance structure that formally includes student government associations on 3955 both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Beyond these formal structures, students are included 3956 on many committees and decision-making bodies at the University, including the Board of Trustees 3957 and Faculty Senate. The Vice President for Student Life hosts a Student Life Advisory Board and 3958 deans host student advisory boards for their academic units. Students are invited to join task forces 3959 and various working groups throughout the University, and they play an active role in advancing 3960 resolutions through governance processes to achieve and advance UD’s mission. 3961 3962 Data to Inform Decision Making 3963 The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE) is the primary source of accurate data, 3964 analysis and non-biased research to facilitate decision making and institutional improvement. The 3965 Institutional Research area provides institutional leadership, innovation and insight into critical 3966 trends and advances in higher education, resulting in metrics and applications of data for strategic 3967 and operational decision making. The Business Intelligence area contextualizes institutional business 3968 processes and systems’ data by understanding the needs of institutional leadership and providing 3969 analytic models that address those needs and the intelligence to make strategic business decisions. 3970 3971 IRE has created dashboards and data extracts that track student retention and persistence as well as 3972 the cost per instructional unit of different departments. The College of Arts and Sciences, for 3973 example, has used this information to better support students who take required courses in 3974 Mathematics and English. External reviews and assessments are done periodically, however, IRE’s 3975 goal is to more fully align these reviews to meet institutional goals across campus. 3976 3977 3978 Criterion 5: periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administration 3979 3980 UD’s Administration engages the faculty on important initiatives, including the creation of the 3981 Graduate College and strategic planning. Governance documents are reviewed and updated as 3982 needed and the charter can be amended only with the consent of the University and the state of 3983 Delaware. The University Bylaws are reviewed regularly and amended as needed. 3984 3985 The Administrative Policy Manual, Faculty Handbook and the Student Guide to University Policies 3986 are reviewed annually to ensure policies are up to date and clearly understood. Specifically, there is a 3987 Policy on Policies that establishes how University-wide policies in the Administrative Policy Manual 3988 can be created, updated, revised and retired, based on the needs of the University, as well as for legal 3989 and compliance purposes. In addition, four collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) for our union 3990 workforce are negotiated periodically, based on the terms of each CBA. The performance of faculty, 3991 department chairs, deans and other senior leaders are regularly evaluated based on published 3992 procedures. Annual performance appraisals are done on all administrative staff by their supervisors 3993 and overseen by Human Resources. 3994

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3995 Each college has objectives, goals and plans which may require special evaluation procedures and 3996 deans are evaluated annually by the Provost who bases the evaluation on the realization of those 3997 objectives, goals and plans. 3998 3999 Department chairs also are subject to regular evaluation and merit reviews that may include the 4000 submission of an annual report or a set of strategic goals and metrics. The deans meet regularly with 4001 department chairs to assess faculty hiring plans, budgetary requirements, student and faculty 4002 achievement and development goals, where applicable. 4003 4004 Faculty performance evaluations are managed by the Office of the Provost, as outlined in the 4005 Faculty Handbook and CBA. Evaluations are based on the teaching, research/creative activity, and 4006 service developed by the department and clearly communicated to faculty members. The criteria are 4007 consistent with workload plans developed in accordance with the AAUP CBA. 4008 4009 Between 2016-2019, numerous changes were made to the Faculty Handbook to improve the 4010 evaluation process for Tenure Track Faculty. This evaluation process has improved the opportunity 4011 for excellence in the Promotion and Tenure process as well as annual evaluations to award merit 4012 increases. 4013 4014 Departments and Programs 4015 Academic Program Review (APR) is conducted by the Office of the Provost in conjunction with the 4016 Faculty Senate and is designed to evaluate the quality, productivity and the role of each academic 4017 unit and program in the fulfillment of the University's mission and strategic goals. APR encourages 4018 self-study and planning within units, ensures comparability among review reports and strengthens 4019 the connections between the planning agendas and practices of individual units and those of their 4020 colleges and of the University. Reviews inform budgetary planning decisions at every level of 4021 administration. 4022 4023 Academic units are normally reviewed every 10 years, but the schedule may be accelerated in 4024 individual cases at the discretion of the Provost, who selects units to review in conjunction with the 4025 deans. The Senate Academic Priorities Review Committee may suggest programs or programmatic 4026 areas for review, and the Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs coordinates all reviews, working with 4027 the unit under review and with the review panel to ensure that the process is fair, efficient and 4028 effective. 4029 4030 APR guidelines were revised 2019 by the Faculty Senate to provide better scheduling and 4031 organization. By improving the APR process and efficiency, the stated goals of improving thorough 4032 reviews will improve departmental and programmatic success. Some academic units and schools are 4033 also regularly evaluated by their own accrediting bodies. Non-academic units are also regularly 4034 evaluated. 4035

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4036 4037 Recommendations 4038

• Annually review the Graduate College’s governing documents and policies for the first three 4039 years and regularly thereafter, to ensure that it functions as effectively as possible and meets 4040 its intended goals. 4041

• Provide the entire campus community with governing documents, policies and procedures as 4042 they are developed and implemented so all members are aware of them and have adequate 4043 opportunity to review. This will allow all members the chance to provide input, improving 4044 overall communications. 4045

• Promote opportunities for staff members to engage with the Administration and receive its 4046 support and guidance regarding available career paths. 4047

• Ensure ongoing review and assessment procedures for non-academic units across campus to 4048 determine their alignment with institutional goals. 4049

4050

4051

Conclusion 4052 4053 The University of Delaware has realized great outcomes in the past decade and is poised to continue 4054 to innovate and create opportunities for transformational changes going forward. Our institution 4055 and our people—students, faculty, staff and alumni—hold the keys to the world in their hands, 4056 thanks, in large part, to UD’s emphasis on its place as a learner-centered, very-high research 4057 university. Through the integration of our teaching, research, scholarship and engagement, UD 4058 provides a unique, welcoming and exciting environment in which to learn, teach and work. 4059 4060 Higher education has changed dramatically, and UD has adapted and moved forward with every 4061 shift in demographics, technology and society. We have a strong foundation and dedicated people at 4062 every level who are eager to use their talents to advance and improve the University’s excellence, 4063 quality and impact. By continually examining and adjusting our approaches, we have expanded, and 4064 will continue to expand the breadth and impact of our active learning approaches beyond the 4065 classroom and laboratories to include more experiential studies and community partnerships. We 4066 have developed and will continue to develop programs that increase affordability and access, while 4067 maintaining the highest standards for excellence and engaging student experiences and success. Our 4068 students are critical thinkers with diverse perspectives. They are passionate about the purpose and 4069 passion they form and refine here. And they are responsible, ethical leaders who are civically 4070 engaged and globally involved. 4071 4072