The University of California today (July 18) released its annual Accountability Report, a trove of data depicting how well the university is meeting key goals related to teaching, research and public service.
President Mark G. Yudof initiated the report five years ago to enhance public transparency of UC operations.
The report shows trends related to undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, academic success, tuition, funding, research and health care. For the first time this year, it details the many public services that UC provides Californians, from outreach programs in K-12 schools to agricultural advisers in county offices around the state.
This year, as in years past, trends reflect a mixed picture. Two decades of state disinvestment have resulted in rising tuition, constraints on enrollment and fewer ladder-ranked faculty.
At the same time, UC has upheld its historic commitment to offer a spot to every qualified California student who applies for freshman admission; and despite budgetary pressures, the university continues to serve large numbers of students from low-income families.
"There is a lot to be proud of in this report," said UC Provost Aimée Dorr. "We continue to enroll more low-income and first-generation undergraduate students than any other leading university. And UC's strong financial aid program has kept tuition and fees down for our students from low-income families. The net cost for these undergraduates is lower today than it was eight years ago."
The report also shows that:
- Despite rising tuition and fees, demand for a UC undergraduate education continues to surge: California resident applications for freshman admissions grew by nearly 10 percent between 2011 and 2012.
- The numbers of enrolled undergraduate and graduate students continue to rise, while the proportion of undergraduates remains at about 80 percent.
- UC freshman are better prepared academically today than they were 10 years ago, as measured by grades, standardized test scores and high school coursework.
- More than 40 percent of UC undergraduates are from populations that historically have been underserved by higher education, such as low-income families and students who are the first generation in their family to attend college.
- UC undergraduates are completing their studies more quickly than in the past, and overall graduation rates have gone up.
- UC's research and development activity continues to flourish, accounting for about one-twelfth of all U.S. academic research expenditures.
"One of UC's highest priorities has always been to ensure that a UC education remains accessible to all qualified Californians," Dorr said. "This report demonstrates that, despite a period of tremendous budgetary pressure, our commitment to that goal has never wavered."