The University of Toledo Board of Trustees received an update on the University’s strategic plan and the Academic Affiliation with ProMedica at its last meeting of the calendar year Dec. 16.
The progress report on the strategic plan highlighted achievements in student success, including improving the six-year graduation rate to 51.2% and exceeding the goal set out in the plan three years ahead of schedule. The first- to second-year retention rate has increased for seven consecutive years, and UToledo enrolled its highest academically prepared freshman class this fall. Student-athletes also earned a record GPA of 3.277 for the 2018-19 academic year and received the Mid-American Conference Academic Achievement Award.
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Karen Bjorkman also reported on new mentoring programs as part of recent growth in professional development opportunities for faculty and staff; completion of 25% of projects outlined in the multiple-campus master plan; and the 20 academic programs nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Read the strategic plan report card.
Updating trustees on the Academic Affiliation with ProMedica, Dr. Christopher Cooper, executive vice president for clinical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, shared progress that has been made in growing the clinical training opportunities for students and recruiting and retaining talent in Toledo.
Since the Affiliation Agreement went into effect in 2015, the number of hospital beds where students gain clinical experience has nearly tripled, and the size of the faculty has more than doubled. Several residency programs have grown in size, and new training programs have been added in endocrinology, rheumatology, hematology-oncology and patient safety.
More College of Medicine graduates are staying in Toledo for their residencies with 33% more students matching with UToledo over last year. And nearly half of the 2019 graduating residents and fellows who went into practice stayed in Ohio — 32% in Lucas County and 13% in other areas of the state.
In other business, trustees approved funding to support two campus construction projects — a joint Public Safety Center with the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio State Highway Patrol and renovating Driscoll Center to be the new location for Toledo Early College High School.
The new joint Public Safety Center at the corner of Dorr Street and Secor Road is expected to be complete in December 2020. UToledo will contribute $1.2 million in state capital dollars and $2.55 million of local funds previously budgeted for the project. State partners will contribute $2.75 million to the state-of-the-art facility that will accommodate about 100 employees with better officer-wellness features, more comfortable meeting space for those in need of police services, and improved processing, management and storage of evidence.
UToledo will fund $1.75 million toward the renovations of Driscoll Center that will be jointly funded by Toledo Public Schools, which is contributing another $1.75 million to the project. UToledo and the school district are finalizing a long-term lease for the high school to relocate from Scott Park Campus to Main Campus to provide students more options to experience the college atmosphere. Toledo Early College High School plans to be in the new location for the 2020-21 academic year.
Trustees also approved the Com-Doc campus-wide print management program and Republic Services as the new supplier of solid waste services for campus.
In addition, tuition rates were approved for high school students who take UToledo courses through the College Credit Plus Program. Courses delivered on campus and online will be $145 per credit hour; those delivered off campus by University faculty will be $80 per credit hour; and courses that are taught by faculty-credentialed high school teachers off campus will be $41.64 per credit hour.
