Annual report Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez (SUAGM) 2009-2010

Annual Report 2009-2010

AGMUS

CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Our Guiding Principles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Vision 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Message from the Chair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2009-2010 Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Message from the President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 U.S. Advisory Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Development and Alumni Affairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Institute for Public Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Office of Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Managing our System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Executive Vice Presidency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Planning and Academic Affairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Marketing and Student Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 National and International Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Administrative Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Human Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Financial Affairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 2009-2010 Financial Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Our Universities Universidad del Este. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Universidad Metropolitana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Universidad del Turabo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Distance Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Sistema TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Projections for the year 2010-2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Organizational Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

From low tech typing courses to high tech advanced degrees

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he Ana G. Méndez Educational System (AGMUS), as it is known today, evolved gradually from low tech typing courses in the early 1940s to high tech education for a knowledge economy at the dawn of the 21st Century.

Ana G. Méndez’ vision of 60 years ago has radiated into today’s sophisticated university system of three thriving universities providing associate to doctorate degrees, thirteen (13) off-campus educational centers, three U.S. campuses serving Hispanics, the only educational station owned by a private entity in Puerto Rico and a pioneering facility in distance learning.

The story of visionaries is often one of goals set and goals reached. Ana G. Méndez was no exception.

She had the volition to make change, to provide the disadvantaged with the necessary academic tools to create and pursue their own dreams. She believed that higher education should not be exclusive, that everyone, no matter their social condition, should be enabled to climb the ladder of literacy and opportunity and enter a professional world.

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Ana González Cofresí was born in 1908, the fourth of eight siblings and the first in her family to earn a university degree. She and businessman José Méndez Rivera married in 1923 shortly before her 16th birthday. Her husband was supportive of her desire to continue her education. While raising two daughters, she studied nights at Central High School to earn her high school diploma. She enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in 1935, where she concentrated on business courses. Her only son José was born in 1937 and Ana’s mother pitched in to care for the infant so her daughter could continue her studies and graduate in 1940.

Despite its initial purpose as a school to train teachers, UPR presented an enormous hurdle for large numbers of the island’s student population. According to “Recuerdos del Porvenir,” a meticulous history of the Ana G. Méndez University System by noted historian Guillermo A. Baralt, these young men and women graduates of public high schools either lacked the requisite grade-point average or the financial wherewithal, or both, to obtain a degree at what was seen as the exclusive campus in Río Piedras, the University City.

Ana G. Méndez aimed to transform that horizon and provide a solid professional education for the underprivileged in Puerto Rico’s developing society.

At the time, that was a radical thought. For just like the island’s political future, Ana’s dream, was still in fragments, still in flux. The curtain was rising on the dreadful days ahead: a looming world war. Yet, the perceptive Ana saw her mission like a ray of light.

Blessed with character, grit, and fortitude, she elected to pursue a vision of an educated population in Puerto Rico. She had already earned her bachelor’s degree and was teaching commercial business courses at a high school of commerce. She set her sights on starting her own school to obtain her goal.

In 1941, with money borrowed from her husband and second-hand furniture donated by professors Florencio Pagán and Antonio Muñiz Souffront, her colleagues and collaborators in the venture, Ana G. Méndez opened the Puerto Rico High School for Commerce with a modest offering of high school diplomas in typewriting and commerce. Her daughters Dora and Grecia were among the first students, filling out the limited initial enrollment in a space on the second floor of a pharmacy in Río Piedras.

The fledgling school initiated students into more than the basic arts of business and typewriting. These three pioneers in education – Méndez, Pagán and Souffront – had a keen understanding of Puerto Rico’s economic ills. They proposed to produce professionals with an understanding of the economics in order to participate as productive citizens in a democracy. And, they wanted to create a new kind of public servant instilled with democratic and cultural values.

The Puerto Rico High School of Commerce was the beginning, the seed of what eventually became the Puerto Rico Junior College (PRJC), the cornerstone of AGMUS. PRJC was inaugurated in 1949 in a building next to the high school and became the first college institution in Puerto Rico to offer associate degrees.

An energized Ana G. Méndez and her cohorts obtained accreditation from the Middle School Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools before the island’s Council on Higher Education granted a license, and did so retroactively. They built a Puerto Rican version of a junior or community college, an educational system

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in vogue in the 1950s in the United States. The impact of the GI Bill and the returning veterans of the Korean conflict had a favorable impact.

In 1959, PRJC inaugurated new buildings in Cupey to house the administration and arts and sciences divisions. By 1969, two decades after organizing Puerto Rico Junior College, the institution was renamed and legally incorporated as the Ana G. Méndez Educational Foundation. The previous year, PRJC had inaugurated a third campus in Gurabo, which was renamed Colegio Universidad del Turabo, the first under the Ana G. Méndez umbrella to offer bachelor’s degree programs.

As the academic offerings advanced, the names of the three institutions changed from “colegio universitario” to “universidad.” In 1981, Turabo offered the first graduate degree programs, dropping the “colegio universitario” to become the Universidad del Turabo.

There’s an old saying that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. José F. Méndez proves the proverb.

Armed with the discipline and knowledge of business administration obtained at the Citadel Military College in Charleston, South Carolina, José F. Méndez returned to Puerto Rico following his graduation in 1957. He

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furthered his education at the UPR graduate School of Planning, studying nights as his mother did years before, and as the majority of AGMUS students do today.

When the matriarch retired in 1974, her son succeeded her at the helm of this progressive university system, becoming the second president of the Ana G. Méndez Educational Foundation. Uppermost in his mind apparently was her mission to provide access to higher education to those underserved public school students.

Under the leadership of José F. Méndez, the Ana G. Méndez Educational Foundation as the nonprofit educational institution was then known, was transformed. The introduction of federal grants and scholarships, primarily the Pell Grants, benefited island students and the university played a leading role in assisting them in obtaining funding. Student registration of the educational foundation had reached 4,445 for the 1976-1977 academic year.

In 1985, the university system introduced Channel 40, the island’s only privately owned educational television station in Puerto Rico and was broadcasting

university courses; the distance education program was initiated with the televised studies project.

UT started its School of Engineering in 1990 and in the next decade became the site of the Museum and Center for Humanistic Studies; in 2003, UT initiated doctoral degree programs in business administration and education. The 1990s saw PRJC evolve into Colegio Universitario del Este, relocate to Carolina and forge a niche in tourism and hotel administration.

In 1993, the Ana G. Méndez Educational Foundation, Inc, became known as the Ana G. Méndez University System, Inc. and the AGMUS President’s Advisory Board was set up with the participation of distinguished professionals. Under the new Vision 2005 strategic plan, students were defined as clients and became the central focus of all efforts.

In 1995, the National Science Foundation selected Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) as a Model Institution of Excellence. In 1996, AGMUS and Regis University of Denver formed a landmark partnership to develop an accelerated model of university degree programs, dubbed AHORA, designed especially for adult students who worked.

The 21st Century at the Ana G. Méndez University System opened with an online master’s program at UT’s Graduate School of Administration. In 2003, AGMUS spread its wings beyond Puerto Rico’s shores, inaugurating the Metro Orlando University Center in Orlando; two additional Florida campuses followed.

In Puerto Rico, AGMUS spearheaded a new model of economic development - the multi-sector regional development organizations.

In 2009-2010, AGMUS celebrated its 60th anniversary with enrollment reaching 42,129 students, an 86 percent growth since 2000. Thousands of Puerto Ricans owe their professional careers to the vision and resolution of Ana G. Méndez, a vision continued and expanded by diverse strategic projects of her son, José F. Méndez, his team and advisors. Thanks to their vision and mission, thousands of students continue to receive academic preparation to contribute to the social and economic progress of Puerto Rico – and the world.

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Our guiding principles he following fundamental principles, on which the Ana G. Méndez University System (AGMUS) was founded 60 years ago, serve as the backbone of a new vision that is being formulated to successfully take AGMUS forward to the year 2015 and beyond.

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• Academic institutions are integral components of the communities they serve.

• In a democratic society, every human being has the right to an education, regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, social status, physical or mental condition, religious, political or social belief.

• The real needs of Puerto Rico must be understood so that its human resources can be enriched and graduates can make a positive contribution to the progress of society in the work force.

• The development of human potential requires an open-door policy that allows students to benefit from academic programs to the full extent of their abilities.

• The educational development of the students should emphasize academic skill and growth that is productive in both daily living and employment.

• All educational institutions should aspire to achieve academic excellence and should commit themselves to fostering such excellence through enlightened approaches to education.

• The fundamental commitment of the Ana G. Mendéz University System promotes a better quality of life for our students, employees and the community at large.

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• Faculty members must innovate for the benefit of their students and for their own professional growth.

2 0 1 5 VISION 2015: Focus on growth and excellence to Puerto Rico’s economic growth and to the overall community. In the next years, the University System seeks to be recognized as an entity of transformation, constant innovation, and financial stability, centered on individuals as its main and principal focus, while making effective use of its technological, physical, and management resources to support its mission.

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SERVICES AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

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PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

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MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FISCAL STRENGTHENING

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TECHNOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL

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QUALITY AND EFF NAL EC TIO TIV E ITU NE ST SS IN

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s part of the University System’s goal to become a principal initiator of ideas on the island, Vision 2015 focuses on strategies to generate feasible solutions that meet Puerto Rico’s economic and social development needs over the next decade.

Vision 2015 not only embraces the strategies implemented over the past decade in Vision 2005, it takes them to greater heights by emphasizing new and expanded vectors or strategic priorities. These vectors are focused on seven key areas that include academic affairs, student services and development, public engagement, management and organizational development, physical and technological infrastructure, fiscal strength, and institutional quality and effectiveness.

With Vision 2015, Ana G. Méndez University System’s goal is to be recognized not only as an institution of higher learning, but one of excellence in the areas of research and services, contributing significantly

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Message from the Chair

In fulfilling its mission, AGMUS makes a positive impact

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ooking back on my two-year appointment as Chair of the Ana G. Méndez University System’s Board of Directors (AGMUS), I see the ways in which the work of this Board has greatly impacted and strengthened the university programs on science, technology, engineering, math and health. One of our biggest achievements has been the growth in the number of graduates, master’s and Ph.D. degrees awarded, and the success of our faculty in obtaining research grant awards, especially in science, health and engineering. Our universities’ enrollment in 2009-2010 topped 42,000, with nearly 4,000 of those working towards graduate degrees. Over the last two years, our university system experienced an unprecedented increase in the number of faculty members holding Ph.D’s degrees.

Our mission has always been to serve and educate our students, providing a vibrant and stimulating curriculum and state-of-theart laboratory and training facilities. In the years that I have been associated

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with AGMUS in a wide range of capacities – spanning over a period of 16 years of service – AGMUS has energized our students providing them with the tools and opportunities to study science. By educating and exposing our students early in their academic science career, we seek to support our student population in achieving their goals of higher education.

AGMUS’ strategic science vision for each university is focused on identifying and pursuing clusters or research priorities, covering emerging disciplines such as nanotechnology, new trends in biomedical fields such as metabolic diseases. In doing so, AGMUS is creating an environment that fosters a level of excellence in undergraduate research opportunities for our students.

As a leader in undergraduate education, AGMUS is making strides across Puerto Rico and abroad by increasing our distance and virtual learning opportunities, throught the recent launching of the Virtual University.

Our three universities excel in a wide range of academic fields

and student participation including sports, entrepreneurial activities, the performing arts and the culinary arts. The University System has expanded its campuses in Puerto Rico and off the Island with the opening of three campuses in the state of Florida.

At these campuses, AGMUS has pioneered bilingual college education for our students on the mainland.

Overall, the University System has experienced an unprecedented expansion in its physical facilities by acquiring real estate for the construction of new science buildings, parking and green areas.

AGMUS involvement with our community at large has fostered business and academic interactions establishing multi-sector economic development clusters, a unique AGMUS initiative for Puerto Rico.

These clusters, composed of coalitions between city government, private industry, and academia, are taking the lead in reshaping science, technology and entrepreneurship training. These economic development alliances, which are tuned in to the occupational needs of the region, have helped the community to grow, as well as the university.

Projecting AGMUS’ future, five and ten (10) years ahead, is the responsibility of the Board of Directors.

Our mission is triangular in scope, consisting of education, service and research. Each side of the triangle enhances the other. Every day AGMUS fulfills its mission, preparing students for careers in health sciences, technology, hospitality services, as well as teaching and business – with an emphasis on exploring new ventures and entrepreneurships.

With potential expansions, AGMUS is poised to maintain a pathway of growth and high quality standards of learning in higher education. In this way, AGMUS fulfills the dream and plans of our founder, Ana G. Méndez, and carefully mastered and strengthened by her son and President, Dr. José F. Méndez.

Cordially,

Florabel G. Mullick M.D., Sc.D., FCAP

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2009-2010 AGMUS Board of Directors

• Florabel G. Mullick, MD, Board Chair

• Juan R. Melecio, Esq.

• Antonio J. Colorado, Esq., Board Vice Chair

• Víctor Hernández, DMD

• José F. Méndez, Dr.h.c., AGMUS President

• Félix R. Schmidt, MD

• José Domingo Pérez, CE

• Daneris Fernández, Ch.E.

• Zoraida Fonalledas, Esq.

• José F. Méndez, Jr., MBA

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Executive Committee

Bylaws Committee

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Florabel G. Mullick, MD Board and Committee Chair

Antonio J. Colorado, Esq. Board Vice Chair and Chair, Finance Committee

José F. Méndez, Dr.h.c.

Legal Counselor, ex-oficio member

AGMUS President

Víctor R. Hernández, DMD Chair, Academic and Student Affairs Committee

Audit Committee

José Domingo Pérez, CE Chair, Audit Committee

Finance Committee • • • • •

Juan R. Melecio, Esq. - Chair José F. Méndez, Dr.h.c. - AGMUS President Florabel G. Mullick, MD - Board Chair José E. de la Cruz Skerrett, Esq.

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José Domingo Pérez, CE - Chair Antonio J. Colorado, Esq. Zoraida Fonalledas, Esq. Juan R. Melecio, Esq. Víctor R. Hernández, DMD

Antonio J. Colorado, Esq. - Chair José F. Méndez, Jr., MBA Juan R. Melecio, Esq. Félix R. Schmidt, MD Daneris Fernández, Ch.E.

Academic and Student Affairs Committee • • • •

Víctor Hernández, DMD - Chair José F. Méndez, Jr., MBA José Domingo Pérez, CE Zoraida Fonalledas, Esq.

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Message from the President

We aim high

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s we move into the global community, the Ana G. MĂŠndez University System (AGMUS) is evolving, building bridges between our universities and businesses as well as linking academia to socioeconomic progress. We aim high, fostering research capabilities that emphasize innovation and enterprise to establish ourselves as a world-class research center.

At AGMUS’ core are three universities: Universidad del Turabo (UT), Universidad del Este (UNE) and Universidad Metropolitana (UMET). Each has a distinct character and specialty; each furthers our aspirations that AGMUS achieve recognition as a leader in research and development. This year, 79 of our undergraduates received research internships to study in the United States, Latin America and Europe. We also held three research symposiums attended by 700 students, faculty members and health care professionals.

We have come a long way over the last two decades. Our strategies to advance scientific research in Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics plus Health (STEM + Health) will bring us closer to our goal of becoming a global research institution.

Pursuing academic excellence, we continue the process of obtaining specialized accreditations to raise the quality of our academic programs. Our engineering school is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; our nursing programs, by the League of Nursing Accrediting

Commission. We also have accreditations from the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, American Health Information Management Association, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiology Technology.

At Universidad del Turabo (UT) we inaugurated the Puerto Rico Energy Center, a teaching and research facility focused on sustainable energy sources. Through the efforts of our Office of Economic Development and Commercialization, the center will collaborate with the Puerto Rico Administration for Energy Affairs in establishing public policy for the use and management of alternative sources of energy.

Additionally, the energy center will expand through undergraduate and graduate research into renewable energy sources and the commercialization of new technologies. The center is a joint project with INTECO, the first of four initiatives launched by AGMUS that have evolved into a decentralized, regional model for economic development.

In expanding health sciences, we inaugurated the UMET Health Sciences School at Bayamón and established a bilingual program leading to a bachelor’s degree in nursing, breaking new ground in training nurses. UNE completed the first phase of a Community Health Promotion Center that will be a community health clinic as well as a teaching and research facility.

For UT, we finalized the design of a school of health

sciences that will include a community health center to provide services to the university community as well as surrounding towns.

At the three universities, we inaugurated wellness centers, staffed with physical trainers and nutritionists to benefit our associates as well as our athletes. This is a relatively new concept in Puerto Rico, not enjoyed by other educational institutions. Part of our purpose is to increase the productivity of our associates and put them on track to improving their health.

We pursue our global goals, moving forward the concept of internationalization at each of our institutions, an initiative that dates back to the 1990s.

Most recently we laid the groundwork to establish a two-year community college in the Dominican Republic and to expand our U.S. branch network to Maryland.

During the 2009-2010 academic year, we inaugurated a third learning center in Florida in the Tampa Bay area. These university branches target Hispanics seeking a college education; our edge is providing an opportunity to enroll in a bilingual program that allows Spanish speakers to learn English while also learning their future profession.

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For the first time, we have a strong collaborative effort between the three universities and Sistema TV, our television station and the only privately owned educational TV station in Puerto Rico.

The Governor of Puerto Rico designated AGMUS to hold the first Congress of the Third Sector, singling out the sector’s contribution to Puerto Rico’s economic development. Nearly 2,000 representatives of not-forprofit organizations participated in the orientation and professional training activities.

The Executive Summer Academy, an important initiative of the UT School of Business and Entrepreneurship, was held for the second year. Executive training programs can be found in Ivy League schools in the states, but not in Puerto Rico – until now. Despite hard times, the sessions were well attended.

While a global downturn has stretched its long tail far beyond our island shores, we have pulled together an excellent team to manage the financial maelstrom and continue to pursue our objectives, albeit at a slower pace. We base our optimism for AGMUS’ future on the support and cooperation of a fine team of administrators, associates, deans, faculty and alumni.

We are grateful to our generous donors who believe in the need for a strong socioeconomic oriented educational system.

We have been privileged to develop a vision of education that has made AGMUS the fastest growing university system over the past decade, increasing its enrollment 86% to 42,129 students in academic year 2009-2010. Our mission to offer educational opportunities to students who may not have had a notion of a university education goes back more than 60 years when a brilliant woman persuaded two intelligent men to join her in an educational adventure that led to the AGMUS of today. In this annual report, commemorating the 60th anniversary of Puerto Rico Junior College (Universidad del Este today), we celebrate the achievement of my mother Ana G. Méndez in widening the circle of higher education to include students who would have never stepped foot in a university classroom.

For 2010-2011, the Ana G. Méndez Virtual University is high on our list of priorities. The virtual university is a logical evolution from the distance learning programs pioneered here in the 1980s. It’s been an arduous process to obtain licensing for an institution of higher education that has no precedent in Puerto Rico. But make no mistake about it; the Ana G. Méndez Virtual University is “under construction.”

Opening the “doors” to a virtual university will bring us closer to our dream of being recognized worldwide for our forward-looking teaching and innovative research, and it will help us to become a leader in developing global leadership capabilities.

And we keep aiming high...

Cordially,

José F. Méndez Dr.h.c.

President

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U.S. Presidential Advisory Board

Science, engineering and health

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cience and technology is a primary focus of the programs of AGMUS and the U.S. Presidential Advisory Board has played a pivotal role in important advances made by our universities in the areas of science, engineering and health. The Board is made up of distinguished professionals in science and technology from U.S. government agencies and private institutions.

• Florabel G. Mullick, MD • Dr. William Dawes, Jr. • José A. Centeno, MD • Mr. Ronald Blackburn • Mr. Scott May • Herman J. Gibb, Ph.D., MPH • Nizar N. Zein, MD • Dr. Michael Chartock • Dr. Susan Phillips Speece • Dr. Felix R. Schmidt • Dr. Mark Bradley Lyles • Dr. Melissa A. McDiarmid

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Development and Alumni Affairs

New Capital Campaign moves AGMUS forward Margarita E. Méndez Escudero

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he Office of Development is in the final planning phase of our new AGMUS five-year Capital Campaign. Two years ago, we completed our first capital campaign, raising $20 million; and last year, we wrapped up donor’s pledge agreements. Thanks to the heartfelt generosity and ongoing support of donors, our accomplishments in partnership become more significant each year.

During 2009 -2010, our partnerships helped achieve four milestones in AGMUS’ institutional development.

The first is the construction of the second phase of the Dr. Josefina Camacho de La Nuez Museum and Center for Humanistic Studies at Universidad del Turabo (UT). UT also inaugurated the third phase of the José Domingo Perez Engineering School, financed completely by private donations.

We also marked the 15th anniversary of the Permanent Scholarship Fund, which recognized scholarship recipients and the commitment of our donors to education. In the same spirit, we launched the first internal campaign to benefit low-income students, raising nearly $90,000 and facilitating 168 partial scholarships. This systemic campaign will become an annual fundraiser.

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This year, our Development Team crafted the final proposal and pipeline of philanthropic opportunities to present in the new capital campaign to the community-at-large. Along with appeals for funding for scholarships, our proposal seeks community support for our schools and additional local education televised programming. These projects will enable our university system to continue its legacy in supporting meritorious students in their pursuit of a university education.

These projects will also foster an entrepreneurial environment while integrating the community-at-large in the construction of new facilities that contribute to the arts and culture.

Over the next five years, key volunteers will join the President’s Office of Development and Alumni in identifying and attracting financial support from individuals, corporations and foundations. Campaign projects and programs will act as magnets in this endeavor.

During the silent phase of the new Capital Campaign, the Institutional Development Staff recruited campaign leaders who, in turn, will recruit their peers as volunteer fundraisers. Extensive research went into developing effective strategies to identify potential donors for lead gifts and to develop prospect-cultivation strategies.

Revised policies and procedures have strengthened institutional fundraising administration and donor recognition programs.

Before the official launch of the fundraising campaign, the Development and Alumni Staff will have sought out active donors and cultivated new prospects. That particular endeavor will lead up to the “nucleus fund,” the first major milestone of the new five-year campaign.

The Office of the President has identified our alumni as a pillar in institutional development. Staff and resources have been reassigned to work on achieving permanent links connecting alumni with our student body, faculty and academic programs. The first edition of SOMOS magazine was well received by both alumni and students. Our desire to bond with our alumni and honor their professional successes was reinforced in the emotion-filled induction annual ceremony of selected alumni to the Distinguished Alumni Gallery.

In our steady march into the future, AGMUS joined other nonprofit organizations and the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico in hosting the 2009 Congreso del Tercer Sector, an educational exchange for nonprofit organizations and federal and local government agencies. Held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the congress drew more than 2,000 participants.

Finally, to recognize our Federal and State collaborators, AGMUS presented the 10th Ana G. Méndez Excellence in Education Award on April 22 in the halls of the U.S. Congress. This year the honorees were Representative Debbie Wasserman (R-FL) and Dr. Shirley McBay President, Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network, for their commitment to the education of Hispanics.

Our Collaborators A T & T Puerto Rico Abbott Pharmaceuticals PR, Ltd. AIREKO Construction AMGEN American Construction Co. Ana G. Méndez Memorial Fund Antonio Roig Ferré y María Dolores Roig Arq. Diana Luna Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital / Familia Escudero Avaya / Envision Technologies Aventis Pharmaceuticals BBDO / Puerto Rico BBS Developers, S.E. BBVA Bacardí Corporation Banco Popular de PR / Fundación Banco Popular Banco Santander de Puerto Rico Barclays Capital / Lehman Brothers Berlitz Languages Bermúdez, Longo & Díaz Massó, S.E. Cadierno Corporation Cancio, Nadal, Rivera & Díaz CIC Construction Group, S.E. Carolina Shopping Court Casiano Communications, Inc. Centennial de PR Centro de Imágenes del Noreste Cidra Excavation Coca-Cola Foundation / Coca-Cola PR Bottlers Constructora Santiago II Corp.

Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Ana G. Méndez CT Radiology Complex / MRI Institute Cué & López Contractors Del Valle Group Deloitte & Touche Doral Financial Corporation Dow, Lohnes, and Albertson Dr. Jesús Joel Pérez Dr. José Antonio Molina Dr. Juan M. González Lamela

EcoEléctrica Econo Rial El Comandante Operating Co. Empresas Cordero Badillo Empresas Sadurní Empresas VRM Ericsson Caribbean Estudios Técnicos, Inc. Fiddler, González & Rodríguez Fraternidad Phi Eta Mu, Corp.

Fundación Ángel Ramos Fundación Corazón Guerrero Fundación Educativa Sprint Fundación José A. Santana / Empresas Santana Fundación José Domingo Pérez Fundación José Jaime Pierluisi Fundación Plaza Las Américas GAR Housing Corp. / Res A.G. Management Corp.

Goya de PR Grupo Arana Grupo Stella Guillermo L. Martínez Camacho Hewlett Packard Hill Construction Corp.

Hilton International Company Hospital Hnos. Meléndez IHP Hospitality Group IPR Pharmaceuticals Eng. Adriel Longo Eng. Juan J. Bermúdez Eng. Juan J. Jiménez InterContinental San Juan Hotel JRC Engineering Services Jabiana Development Johnson & Johnson José E. De La Cruz Skerrett Law Office KCS Cleaning Service, Inc. Mario F. Gaztambide, Jr., Esq. Lema Developers Liberty Cablevision Lilly del Caribe

Los Prados Urbanos, Inc. MFPW J. Walter Thompson Marxuach & Longo Mary P. Dolciani (Halloran Foundation) Medical Card System (MCS) Medtronic Foundation Merck, Sharp & Dohme Merck, Sharp & Dohme - Carolina Mesirow Financial Microsoft Caribbean, Inc. Millipore Foundation Municipio Autónomo de Caguas National Science Foundation Olein Recovery Corp.

Omega Engineering S. E. Patheon / MOVA Pharmaceutical Peregrine Development Corp.

PIA of PR & the Caribbean, Inc. PRT / CLARO Portales de MADECO Procter & Gamble QB Construction S.E. Radiology Institute Imaging Center RicoH Scholastic, Inc. / Caribe Grolier Sociedad Española de Auxilio Mutuo SYSTEMA, Inc. Teléfonos Públicos de Puerto Rico Telepro Caribe, Inc. The Efrón Foundation, Inc. The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation Torres y Ribelles, Inc. Triple S-Management Corp.

Wal*Mart Puerto Rico, Inc. William Randolph Hearst Foundation Wyeth Laboratories Xerox Corp.

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Institute for Public Policy

A public forum to propose solutions to socio-economic problems Victoria Rodríguez Soto

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n the last decade, AGMUS has become the principal community for the discussion and dissemination of ideas, a public forum supporting analysis and examining alternatives to the principal problems facing the development and the competiveness of Puerto Rico.

The Institute for Public Policy (IPP) is at the community’s center stage. It promotes research in areas of public and private interest and stimulates discussion of issues of social and economic impact through public forums. The forums are recorded and published in Cuadernos de Política Pública (Public Policy Notebooks).

This year, the topics included the challenges and opportunities of the ongoing energy crisis in Puerto Rico with an emphasis on renewable energy sources.

Gerrit-Jan Schaeffer, director the Energy Division of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research in Belgium was the main speaker.

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Another forum tackled innovative strategies for the efficient management of water resources. For the first time, a well-known private corporation, International Business Machines (IBM), sponsored the event.

Principal speaker was Dr. Cameron Brooks, director of Solutions and Business Development, Big Green Innovations, an IBM division. “Strategic model for a new economy” was the subject of the most recent forum, which explored the impact of micro-enterprises on economies.

Moving into international affairs, AGMUS’ president signed an international accord of cooperation with the executive director of the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) of the Dominican Republic.

The IPP is the university system’s representative in the agreement to collaborate on matters of mutual interest to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Their agenda includes studies, analysis and recommendations on alternative technologies to dispose of solid waste, promoting renewable energy alternatives and fomenting micro-enterprises and business incubators.

Regionalization, envisioned as the new economic model for Puerto Rico, has taken root. Four economicdevelopment organizations, spearheaded by AGMUS, are comprised of private industry, the public sector, represented by municipalities banding together geographically, and academia. In its support of decentralization, the IPP, together with AGMUS Office of Economic Development and Commercialization, organized a forum on regionalization as a stimulus for

creating new businesses and innovation. Following the theme, the IPP joined Universidad del Este and the multi-sector, economic development organization INTENE (North-Eastern Technological Initiative) to sponsor a Municipal Summit.

SistemaTV, the university system’s educational television station, supports the IPP, broadcasting the forums and transmitting them live over the Internet.

The TV station also has expanded coverage of issues discussed in the forums. An investigative report on Puerto Rico’s solid waste problem, for instance, was produced last year. The magnitude of the island’s problem prompted the IPP to create a permanent environmental committee.

In a boost to the non-profit sector, the IPP continues to lobby for tax incentives for contributions to nonprofits. In addition, the institute is an advocate for privatizing security and maintenance services for public schools and a promoter of a decentralized structure to improve the quality of education. In the coming year, the IPP plans to support enterprises in eco-culture as an alternative to foment innovation and strengthen the local economy. An advisory board of distinguished citizens headed by attorney César Vázquez guides the institute.

The IPP continues to strengthen its image as the principal venue to discuss and propose solutions of fundamental matters that affect the agenda for the development of Puerto Rico.

Dr. Federico M. Matheu, Chancellor UMET; Javier Quintana, Ph.D., former Executive Director Solid Waste Authority; Nicolás Muñoz; Dr. José F. Méndez, President AGMUS; Prof. Nickolas J. Themelis, Director Earth Engineering Center, Columbia University; Victoria Rodríguez, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of IPP; Eng. Carl Soderberg, Director EPA; Dr. Carlos Padín, Dean School of Environmental Affairs UMET.

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Office of Economic Development and Commercialization

Invention, innovation and entrepreneurship drive our economic model Luis García Feliú

T

he Economic Development and Commercialization Office (EDCO) plays a leading role in the university of the 21st Century. Working within the framework of regional economic development organizations, which were first spearheaded by the AGMUS more than a decade ago, EDCO promotes business development, cultivating an environment of innovation, invention and entrepreneurship.

Called alianzas in Spanish, these regional alliances are multi-sector, comprised of private industry, government and nonprofits, including universities.

EDCO’s responsibility is to support and broaden the scope of the four alianzas designed to attract and retain industry, foment research and development and create wealth for the regions.

All told, nearly 50 municipalities participate in the alianzas organized by region. The four are: INTENOR (Spanish acronym for the Northern Technological Initiative), INTENE (North-Eastern Technological Initiative), INTECO (Eastern-Central Technological Initiative) and DISUR (Alliance for the Integrated Development of the South).

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In addition to supporting this regional economic development model, EDCO is responsible for the transfer of technology from science research that comes out of the university laboratories. A new product, for instance, would be moved from the research lab to one of the alliance’s business incubators. Within the alianzas, EDCO aims to create a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem through the creation of new business enterprises.

The pieces needed to promote AGMUS’ vision of economic prosperity for Puerto Rico are being put together by the alianzas. At the Intenor Science Park, for instance, EDCO oversees the development of 35,000 square feet of incubator space (which has the potential to double in space). The first tenants will be seven entrepreneurial companies selected under the UMET’s Eco Enterprise program. The science park, located in the northern coastal town of Barceloneta, is in the area of several pharmaceutical plants whose managers work with UT faculty at the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology to devise a curriculum for training employees and potential employees in areas essential to the industry.

During the 2010-2011 year, the International Design Center (IDC), another innovative project of the EDCO, will open at the science park. The IDC, equipped with a $1.2 million grant from the governmentowned Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), is a fabrication lab, which uses digital technology to challenge students to design a product,

and then fabricate it. The design center. affiliated with UT’s International School of Design, is based on the “fab labs” created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Neil Gershenfeld who first challenged his students “…to make (almost) anything” using digital tools. Fab labs have since been set up worldwide - from Norway, where herders designed and built radio antennae and electronic tags to track their sheep, to Ghana, where villagers fabricated solar-powered machinery to cook food. In Puerto Rico, the IDC will transcend the classroom, offering design and fabrication services to incubator clients, pharmaceuticals and other businesses - something like Fomento’s old Design Council.

Among the strategic projects developed during this year is an online entrepreneurial training program originated by a Puerto Rican enterprise called Foamship Systems. EDCO collaborated with Foamship Systems in bringing the guide to entrepreneurship online.

AGMUS’ distance learning experts developed the online modules, which is required “reading” for clients of the alianza’s business incubators. The university system has an equity stake in the company and is collaborating on the prospect of using online modules beyond startup companies.

In the area of health sciences, EDCO is managing the commercialization of fluorescent cellular markers discovered by UMET researchers Beatriz Zayas and Osvaldo Cox. Cellular markers are used in cancer research to detect damaged cells. The synthetic compound has been moved to one of the “virtual” business incubators to market the product. At this stage, the markers would be used in cancer research for diagnostic purposes.

In the works is a Professional Development Center (PDC) for advanced training of nurses and other healthcare professionals in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The PDC, to be located at Intenor Science Park, uses simulation technology to create hypothetical hospital situations.

Looking ahead, EDCO envisions Intenor’s science park and the other regional alliances to act as a magnet for new teaching and new technology. Puerto Rico’s quest for sustainable economic development and global competiveness relies on the success of the regional model.

Vice Presidents & Chancellors

Managing our system AGMUS is privileged to draw on a highly professional team of dedicated educators and administrators who form the management of our universities. The energy and efficiency of these men and women serve as a model for the entire organization to constantly improve students service.

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• Federico M. Matheu, Ph.D.

Chancellor UMET

• Alberto Maldonado Ruiz, Esq.

Chancellor UNE

• Dennis R. Alicea, Ph.D.

Chancellor UT

• Migdalia Torres, Ed. D.

Chancellor Distance Education

• Margarita Millán, Esq.

Vice President and General Manager Sistema TV – Ana G. Méndez University Channel

• Alfonso L. Dávila

Vice President of Financial Affairs

• Jesús A. Díaz

Vice President of Administrative Affairs

• José F. Méndez, Jr.

Acting Executive VP

• Victoria de Jesús, Ed. D.

Vice President of Human Resources

• Jorge Crespo, Ph.D.

Vice President of Planning and Academic Affairs

• Francisco J. Bartolomei

Vice President of Marketing and Student Affairs

• Luis J. Zayas Seijo

Vice President of National and International Affairs

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Executive Vice Presidency

AGMUS devises an integrated plan to become more global José F. Méndez, Jr.

T

he Executive Vice Presidency is committed to implement AGMUS’ plan to internationalize the universities. In the early 1990s, AGMUS embarked on a strategic initiative to go beyond training students to become competent professionals, researchers and scholars for the 21st century. AGMUS aimed to develop citizens of the world - global citizens with a tolerance for a diversity of cultures, languages and ideas.

Eight years ago, this global village initiative was originated when the AGMUS Board of Directors signed the Portugal Declaration in Lisbon in October 2002.

The official declaration holds that internationalization of higher education would stimulate the exchange of ideas and graduates would have learned not just a profession, but also develop tolerance skills.

Greater tolerance is equated with fewer conflicts, and, consequently greater security. “With greater security, we can obtain a better quality of life and more happiness for all the citizens of the world,” according to the Portugal Declaration.

Subsequently, the global program became part of the AGMUS 2015 strategic plan and, under the Executive Vice President, has progressed on a steady and thoughtful track. Decisive steps were taken two

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years ago to institutionalize the international program for students and teachers. One by one, each university created a post for vice chancellor of international affairs to provide structure and uniform procedures to international programs at each of the three institutions: Universidad del Turabo (UT), Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) and Universidad del Este (UNE).

Among the three, UNE has taken the leadership role.

The university has wrapped up a 16 to 18 month process to develop a comprehensive strategic plan under the auspices of the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Laboratory (ACE Lab). The aim is to advance collective thinking on internationalization and seeks to get everyone involved at each of the three universities.

ACE Lab is but one of the worldwide organizations on AGMUS’ dance card for the year. The university system has been in consultation about building the infrastructure to bring students from Latin America to AGMUS, which does well in sending its students and teachers abroad. Now AGMUS is looking to make international study a two-way street.

An advocate of the Fulbright Program, AGMUS hosts regular visits from distinguished scholars, who give lectures to students and teachers, and also give interviews on the AGMUS televisions station. This year UNE achieved an important milestone, awarded a Fulbright scholar-in-residence program grant to sponsor Christina Mourao Salgado, of Brazil. She is teaching Portuguese and working at UNE’s multi-

Alberto Maldonado Ruíz, Chancellor UNE; Dr. Nagwa M. Megahed, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and Fulbright Scholar-In-Residence and Visiting Professor of Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Southern Mississippi; Mrs. Anne Howard, Vice Chancellor of International, Federal and Corporate Affairs at UNE and Jhon Sanabria Rodríguez, Dean for Social and Human Sciences School at Universidad del Este.

language learning center to stimulate the study of foreign and critical languages. And, AGMUS boasts an impressive roster of visiting foreign dignitaries, such as the Dominican Ambassador to the U.S., Roberto B. Saladín, who gave a magisterial lecture at UT in May 2010.

A major achievement in cyberspace is the new International Affairs Office website: http://www. suagm.edu/international/, designed to promote efforts and inform the community about activities geared towards the goal.

AGMUS will also spread its wings to the Dominican Republic with plans to open a university center under UNE at the Cybernetic Park in that nation’s capital city.

The center, based on the concept of a Community College, will offer associate degrees in health, culinary arts and hotel management.

While the internationalization plans are high profile, the Executive Vice Presidency also oversees the thirteen (13) university centers on the island and three campuses in Florida.

Student enrollment at the university centers reached 14,236 students at the end of the 20092010 academic year, an increase of 5.3 percent over the prior year. Over the past five years, enrollment increased on average 5.7% yearly.

Dr. Zhang Xu, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean, School of Management and Deputy Director, Personnel Office, Dalian University of Technology, Peoples Republic of China and Fulbright Scholar-In-Residence, School of Business Administration, Benedictine University, Chicago, Illinois. Discoursed about “Doing business with China”, for Business Administration students at Universidad del Este.

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Vice Presidency of Planning and Academic Affairs

A system-wide focus on academic quality Jorge Crespo-Armáiz, Ph.D.

I

n advancing the level of academic excellence, the Vice Presidency for Planning and Academic Affairs exercises two major functions: positioning AGMUS as a path-breaking higher education institution, and conceptualizing the infrastructure to achieve that goal. In planning and developing academic programs, AGMUS leads the way in promoting both teaching and research, with an entrepreneurial spirit and aglobal perspective, playing an important role in fostering the social and economic development of Puerto Rico.

During 2009-2010, the Vice presidency of Academic Affairs developed and implemented systemwide policies to strengthen academics at the three universities and 13 university centers in Puerto Rico.

For the first time, Universidad Metropolitana (UMET), Universidad del Turabo (UT) and Universidad del Este (UNE) established a comprehensive model and a fiveyear calendar for evaluating program offerings – from the certificate to the doctorate levels. Starting in 20102011, and continuing through 2014-2015, this calendar

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sets a schedule for assessing some 160 programs. In addition to a formal evaluation, the five-year calendar calls for the institutions to assess the feasibility of their academic programs as well as their expected quality level.

In addition to the evaluation of existing academic offerings, a five-year plan of potential new programs, was prepared for each of the three universities, based on a revision and updating of the academic goals and projections included in AGMUS’ strategic guidelines.

These two academic planning instruments will be used by each institution’s office of assessment, with the support of the institutional planners, in order to scrutinize the programs and reinforce academic quality at the universities.

To promote institutional commitment, as well as its teaching quality, a new policy and procedure was put in place to evaluate and certify part-time professors.

AGMUS has experienced extraordinary growth in the past decade, particularly in non-traditional student segments and in its off-campus centers, which tend to hire more part-time resources. At this moment the three universities have between 380 and 400 regular, tenured faculty and more than 2,500 part-time

professors. The evaluation process, to be completed

by January 2011, is designed to improve the quality of our teaching staff as well as to enhance the learning experience of our growing student body From its start, and essential part of AGMUS’ mission has been to serve the needs of disadvantaged students; about 80 percent come from Puerto Rico’s public school system. These students represent the first priority of the academic affairs office. Tools and strategies have been designed to help them make it through that critical first year of the university experience, and then continue, all the way to graduation. Since the 1980s, the university system followed retention plans that emphasized improving student services and student social integration to the university. In 2005, retention efforts were moved to the vice presidency for planning and academic affairs, with a major shift in the retention strategy, emphasizing that the key element to improved retention is

academic performance and success. As result of this new approach, for three consecutive years, first-year retention rates throughout the university system have moved upward reaching 69.4 of the total freshmen cohorts in 2008, a 7.1 percent gain compared to the baseline year 2005.

Although these are impressive figures when compared to local and national benchmarks, the vice presidency is going beyond this first year experience to focus on second year, third year, and graduation rates, tracking for the first time students’ progress and persistence towards earning a degree. The implementation of state-of-the-art student tracking software was also accompliashed this year in order to support these assessment goals.

The area of academic advising is another critical component of the academic student retention model.

In this area the university system has updated the CAPP module (acronym for Curriculum Advising and

29

Program Planning), an important planning tool in evaluating academic progress. CAPP aids in selecting courses for future semesters and indicating the degree requirements to graduate. The web-based CAPP is updated to reflect courses completed, changes to a student’s major and progress towards meeting course requirements on the path towards a degree program.

The Vice Presidency of Planning and Academic Affairs also oversees research and compliance with agency regulations, laboratory standards and ethical concerns that should govern such research activities.

Installing a new web-based IRB (Institutional Review Board) Net application has facilitated compliance with regulatory matters, expediting the submittance of documents from faculty and students. Research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as in health allied fields (S T E M + H) is pivotal to the university system’s strategic Vision 2015. Pushing to upgrade research capabilities, the office inspected all of the university laboratories to

identify those teaching labs that can be improved to qualify as research labs.

Contributing to this STEM+H strategy, during the year, the Student Research Development Center (SRDC) stimulated undergraduate research, facilitating 79 student research internships in the U.S., Latin America and Europe. Closer to home, undergraduate research symposiums were held with the participation of hundreds of pre-college students as well as undergrads.

In supporting the medical community, and as part of AGMUS’ public function mission, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Ana G. Méndez Health Symposium for health professionals. Dr. Nizar Zein and other internationally renowned faculty of the Cleveland Clinic addressed 265 participants on issues related to hepatitis, HIV and control of infectious diseases. AGMUS also hosted a magisterial lecture by 2008 Nobel laureate, Harald zur Hausen, with the sponsorship of GlaxoSmithKline.

Capital improvements plan constitute the main annual investment for addressing key infrastructure needs in the academic, student and administrative areas of the university community.

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In the area of institutional planning, the vice presidency began the revision process of AGMUS’ five-year Strategic Guidelines for Development 20112015 with La Universidad en el Siglo XXI (21st Century University), a specialized forum attended by 165 university officials, deans and faculty, associates and academic board members of the three universities.

This kickoff activity was followed by a series of 14 workshops dealing with the revision of mission, vision and priorities. At the end, an analysis was made, using the SWOT strategic analysis method (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) in order to identify new strategic opportunities. The revision and final approval of the new strategic plans for 2011-2015 is expected to be finished by the end of the 2010-11 academic year The Vice Presidency is also entrusted with conceiving and designing the physical projects that are a pivotal to support the system’s academic development.

During this year, a $7.3 million health facility proposed for UNE took shape as a community health clinic as well as a teaching and research center. As a major priority,

new parking buildings are on the drawing board for the three institutions as a new pedestrian entrance to UMET’s Cupey campus, the expansion of the central office of information and telecommunications (OCIT), as well as other key institutional projects. A newly revised physical master plan was also developed for the main campus of Universidad Metropolitana in Cupey.

As part of its statutory responsibilities, the Office of the Vice President also coordinated the analysis and approval of a $21.2 million budget for the 2010-11 capital improvements plan, which constitutes the main annual investment for addressing key infrastructure needs in the academic, student and administrative areas of the university community.

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Vice Presidency of Marketing and Student Affairs

One-stop access connects to multiple student services Francisco J. Bartolomei

T

he Vice Presidency of Marketing and Student Affairs has evolved technologically with its constituency, developing innovative strategies to recruit young people to Ana G. Méndez University System (AGMUS) and provide them with high quality services. It is through an evolutionary process that the most advanced models and systems have been adopted, guaranteeing exceptional service to our students and the general public.

As part of its mission, the Vice Presidency launched Red Interactiva de Servicios, an interactive and integrated network of student services that replaces the former contact center. Located at Universidad

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Metropolitana (UMET), the physical structure looks as a high tech call center. The 50 workstations with computers are connected to a central “board” where the incoming and outgoing communications are logged.

Unified access and real-time telephony are provided through an 800-number for inbound calls.

The computer software integrates multiple channels of communication – email, web-chat, text and voice messages – to fulfill the necessities and meet the expectations of a new generation of students.

Through this single point of access, a variety of services are offered to ease the steps taken daily

in the university workplace by students, professors and associates.

For prospective students, the Red Interactiva de Servicios offers orientation services about academic programs and the different modalities of study offered in all of AGMUS institutions and academic units.

Admission applications can be filled out by phone and the caller directed to the appropriate area to help with the admissions process.

In addition to academics and financial issues, students calling the center can register problems and receive help in reaching at a solution; or the call may be channeled to an area that can resolve the problem.

Going where the students are, AGMUS is expecting to reach prospects through the social networking media, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube. The center will also

STUDENT ENROLLMENT - FIRST SEMESTER

36,616

37,954

39,075

40,976

42,129

34,302 30,797 27,262 24,497

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

Source: AGMUS Assistant Vice Presidency of Institutional Research - First Semester. January 20, 2010.

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university community and also, to the public. We are certain Administración de Empresas • Sistemas de Información Computadorizados that this interactive initiative • Gerencia • Mercadeo REQUISITOS: • Administración de Oficinas • 23 años de edad o más will continue to support AGMUS • Secretarial Administrativo • 3 años de experiencia de trabajo • Contabilidad • Experiencia previa con estudios • Gerencia en Tecnología de Oficinas in consolidating its privileged universitarios Ciencias Sociales • Trabajo Social position within the market of • Justicia Criminal • Psicología higher education institutions.

• Asuntos Públicos CLASES COMIENZAN EL 29 DE AGOSTO Ciencias Aliadas a la Salud For the first time, our student • Gerencia en Servicios de Salud recruitment campaign includes Sesión informativa public figures that are enrolled Todos los martes Gurabo • Cayey www.suagm.edu a las 6:00 p.m.

Yabucoa • Isabela • Ponce at our universities. Ronaldo Campos, for instance, radio and TV announcer, carries the message “Enroll, now” for UMET; singer Ana Isabel undertake telemarketing campaigns urging students to touts for Universidad del Este (UNE) and José Figueroa, enroll and facilitate the delivery of required documents journalist and TV announcer, publicizes Universidad for student enrollment and financial assistance. In del Turabo (UT). On each piece of promotion and addition, La Red will be able to measure what strategies advertisement appears the 800-number for the new get the best results and also to conduct opinion and Red Interactiva de Servicios. In addition, we are using satisfaction surveys. students at various campuses in publicity to promote The new interactive infrastructure in addittion, the AGMUS educational experience.

La Red will is to allow the Vice Presidency to expand Recruitment is getting an overhaul. Activities to its range of services, providing integrated services to attract students, from visits to high schools to open the Florida campuses and targeting segments of the houses at university sites have been successful. For student population for specialized campaigns. The instance, more than 75 percent of those students result will be to maximize and strengthen services to our Cupey • Bayamón Aguadilla • Jayuya

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*Sujeto a evaluación.

Carolina • Barceloneta • Cabo Rojo Utuado • Yauco • Santa Isabel

admitted in open houses registered this year.

Nonetheless, the job market and the students are changing. A training program is planned to upgrade the promoters who visit high schools and host secondary school students, to prepare them to become career advisors.

Today, many high school students graduate without having any notion of what they would like to pursue as a career. One of our main social responsibilities is to prepare students for the world outside the university. The Vice Presidency has developed a pilot TV program highlighting different opportunities for pursuing a career. The first in the series spotlights the JosĂŠ (Tony) A. Santana International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. The TV pilot emphasizes the service component of careers in tourism, including hotel management, events coordination, and culinary arts. Others to follow include engineering and communications.

The success of the summer semester – student enrollment doubled from the prior year – was due in part to a special project supporting summer students

to optimize the introduction of the year-round Pell grant.

The Vice Presidency continues to frame AGMUS as a leader in higher education in Puerto Rico and position the system as an institution of academic excellence committed to the social wellbeing of Puerto Rico. Our new technological infrastructure fulfills our commitment to service and the education of our citizens.

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Vice Presidency of National and International Affairs

Dual-language degree programs attract young hispanic adults Luis J. Zayas-Seijo Yvonne Cadiz, Director of Tampa Bay Campus; Luis Zayas, Vice President of National and International Affairs; Dr. José F. Méndez, President; Dr. Luis Burgos, Vice President of AGMUS operations in Florida; Digna Alvarez, Regional Director at Senator Bill Nelson’s Office; Victoria Rodríguez Soto, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director Institute for Public Policy; Tony Morejón, Hispanic American Liaison at Hillsborough County; José F. Méndez, Jr., Acting Executive Vice President and Santiago Corrada, Administrator at City of Tampa.

L

ast May, AGMUS inaugurated its third U.S. mainland campus on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida, a milestone in its mission to bring educational opportunities to U.S. Hispanics. The Tampa Bay campus opened in September with an offering of bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Close to $1.4 million was invested in the 12,000-square-foot building housing eight classrooms and a learning lab.

Since 2003, when Metro Orlando campus opened, the Florida branches have grown steadily. During the 2009-2010 academic year, Orlando and South Florida achieved a 11% increase in enrollment to 1,649 - 1,146 at Orlando and 503 at South Florida. Orlando graduated 203 students, compared to 151 in the prior

36

year; South Florida graduated 119 students compared with 37 a year ago. Tampa Bay rounds out AGMUS’ Florida university presence.

With its sights on the U.S. capital, the Vice Presidency for National and International Affairs is exploring potential campus locations in Maryland to serve Hispanics in the Washington D.C. metro area. A campus in the nation’s capital, or in its vicinity, is projected to attract 600 students in five years. Maryland has one of the fastest-growing Hispanic populations in the nation.

In keeping with AGMUS’ community focus, university executives have met with 38 community leaders seeking feedback on the needs of the Washington D.C. area.

The Puerto Rico university system – Universidad del Turabo (UT), Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) and Universidad del Este (UNE) – is the source of the accelerated bilingual degree-programs that are custom-made for working adults, eager to pursue a college education and an opportunity for a better life. The distinguishing factor on these U.S. campuses

is that courses are taught in two languages: half in Spanish and half in English, alternating languages on a weekly basis. An evaluation of the Florida students’ performance at the midpoint and end of their courses indicated that, under the dual language model, they were meeting both language and professional objectives.

The Discipline-Based Dual Language Immersion Model® was designed in collaboration with Denverbased Regis University. AGMUS first partnered with Regis in the mid 1990s to create the aptly named AHORA (NOW in English), an accelerated degreeprogram serving its Puerto Rico universities. To adapt the model to the Florida campuses, the designers added a bilingual twist.

The collaboration resulted in a joint subsidiary called AGMUS Ventures, which develops and promotes accelerated university-level bilingual programs. This year, using the dual language model, the first online pilots were developed in business: a master’s in business administration (MBA) from the Universidad del Turabo School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and a master’s of science in organizational leadership (MSOL) from Regis University. In addition, English and Spanish online courses were crafted to improve these language skills as needed. And, for the first time, an online language and academic skills

development lab, the e-Lab, was created. Students have online access through Blackboard to tutoring in English and Spanish, a voice interaction tool, software to strengthen language skills as well as tools to develop computer software skills.

Through AGMUS Ventures, the university partners are working on the first language immersion program in an online setting. Speaking and listening are incorporated throughout the curriculum. In the course design, tools are provided for voice chat in which students can record and post their contribution.

It’s designed to be flexible, allowing e-learners from several different time zones to log on at different times to take their classes and hear the postings of their professors.

On an international level, the Vice Presidency visited eight post-secondary institutions in Colombia, exploring opportunities to set up onsite, dual language programs, and student and teacher exchanges. A partnership to establish a bilingual program with Spain’s School of Industrial Organization was initiated last year.

Honor students at Metro Orlando Campus, during an activity to recognize their academic achievements.

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Vice Presidency of Administrative Affairs

AGMUS stands out as a safe and pleasant environment JesĂşs A. DĂ­az

T

he Vice Presidency for Administrative Affairs manages and maintains the physical facilities and environs of AGMUS to provide an attractive university setting that is safe, pleasant and conducive to learning. A priority of the office is maintaining uniformity of procedures and services related to the management of 1.6 million square feet of physical infrastructure valued at $243.7 million, more than 4.1 million square feet of green areas, purchases of equipment and supervision of contracts.

As part of its statutory responsibility, the Vice Presidency coordinates the administration of $30

38

million in physical plant maintenance and services, $27 million in indirect costs, $10 million in purchases, close to $3 million for security and $30 million in contracts for goods and services.

In addition, the office supervises four auxiliary enterprises comprising 12 bookstores, 5,000 parking spaces and 19 food concessions and printing services.

Net income generated by these businesses exceeded $1 million. We also negotiate and administer AGMUS’ insurance coverage.

Pivotal to the achievements of 2009-2010 are the teamwork and dedication of Central Administration associates and the Physical Plant and Operations Divisions. We rely on the enthusiastic and professional staff of UMET, UNE and UT. Due to this support, we completed 84 projects in physical infrastructure, 38 of which were construction projects and 46 of green areas. Total investment was $21.7 million.

To meet the demands of a rapidly growing student population at university centers, $300,000 was assigned to improve these centers, putting them on par with the main campuses. Areas of electrical connections were added in Wi-Fi zones and offices and common areas underwent improvements, including the installation of electric generators and cisterns.

As a result of institutional strategies in safety and occupational health, the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association (PRMA) presented AGMUS, with an Excellence in Safety Award, the first granted to a university. For the past five years, the university system won the PRMA Distinguished Achievement Award.

This year, we devised budget-calculating formulas for electricity, water, safety, cleaning and maintenance of air conditioners. We considered and incorporated many variables using data compiled over the last three years. These formulas will be validated by outside consultants.

At the close of 2009-2010, our fiscal contribution was $1.5 million. This amount includes the following: a savings of $174,00 in insurance; a savings of $825,000 in construction project management; a reduction of 1.5 million KWh in energy consumption amounting to $335,900 and a boost of $149,000 in – auxiliary enterprises income. We will add a new twist to

these businesses, evaluating selling strategies in the changing book market and integrating information systems to facilitate registering income and expenses.

Environmental conservation is a priority for many governments, communities and businesses. AGMUS has endeavored to establish a commitment to the environment that goes beyond academia. Over the past years, we have proposed and developed plans and alternatives that involve the system’s administrative community. A systems-leve com-mittee coordinates the different initiatives and projects, some of which are already up and running. Recycling efforts netted 56,576 pounds of paper/carton, 6,874 pounds of aluminum and plastic, and 60,029 pounds of vegetative material.

The university system is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

At the beginning of fiscal year 2010-2011, the Vice Presidency launched a process of benchmark and evaluation of AGMUS with stateside universities that had been recognized by the Association for Physical Plant Adminis-trators (APPA) for excellence in management of facilities.

The process aims to align the responsibilities of the Vice Presidency for Administrative Affairs and the Physical Plant and Operation Divisions with the actual growth and future development of the university system. Moreover, consultants have been contracted to facilitate the evaluation and incorporation of new processes, technology and performance metrics in maintenance, auxiliary enterprises, policy writing and organizational development.

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Vice Presidency of Human Resources

Productivity through harmony and enthusiasm in the workplace Victoria de Jesús, Ed.D.

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he Vice Presidency of Human Resources is dedicated to fulfilling the AGMUS mission of maintaining an harmonious, enthusiastic and motivated workplace. Seeking to reach the highest standards of productivity and administrative efficiency, employees are encouraged to put forth their best efforts. They are empowered through teamwork, and their improved performance is rewarded through compensation and career advancement.

Training is a priority. The Vice Presidency has established training programs at every level, developing and strengthening the core abilities that the associates need to do their jobs. The university’s Executives and Deans attend the Dean’s Managerial Academic, a series of 12 management-training sessions which cover essential areas ranging from strategic and financial planning to leadership and conflict resolution.

In addition, Associates receive regular doses of continuing education. Human Resources survey the associates during the year to determine the training that is most needed and develops sophisticated plans to meet those needs.

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Technology plays an important role in fulfilling our mission. Together with the Associate Vice President of Planning, we completed the first phase of a pilot project that implements an electronic performance evaluation system. Human Resources has also created several electronic systems that include a complaints record, a registry of training activities for each institution, and a suggestion box for the Office of Internal Audits on the AGMUS website. This year, our office streamlined the Digital Contract Unit’s operational processes for contracting and paying guest lecturers. The Vice Presidency continuously re-evaluates and restructures the 200 units in the university system to ensure their efficient operation and financial stability.

AGMUS is working to become a model institution in matters of health. Almost 550 of the 3,000 associates are currently participating in a pilot Wellness Project that uses a three-pronged program to provide each participant with a medical exam, (including lab tests), a nutritional evaluation, and an exercise program. Three Wellness Centers have been established at each of the universities: Universidad del Turabo (UT), Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) and Universidad del Este (UNE).

Our employees understand the relationship between health and productivity, but to change a

culture of bad dietary habits is a daunting challenge.

Triple-S, the largest health insurance company in Puerto Rico, has donated $100,000 to the School of Nutrition at the Universidad del Turabo to promote good eating habits among students and employees.

This grant also promotes our pilot Wellness Project, and has allowed our students to do internships at the Wellness Centers.

For its part, the Office of Human Resources has drafted a proposal for the Puerto Rico Department of Labor to recruit several of the employees who have been laid off by the Puerto Rican Government. As in the U.S., the economic downturn has hurt the public sector, causing thousands of employees to lose their jobs in Puerto Rico.

Among the organizational projects, this year we structured the Virtual University. The Vice Presidency is offering advice on how challenging times require highly productive associates. Quality Indicators prove that we have the best talent among our faculty and administrative staff. The organizational structures of the Regional Economic Development Alliances are associated with the university system. Human Resources also recruits personnel for the multi-sector alliances and provides consultation services.

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Vice Presidency of Financial Affairs

Smart strategies keep the university system strong Alfonso L. Dávila

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n these difficult and uncertain times, the Vice Presidency for Financial Affairs has pursued responsible and smart strategies to strengthen AGMUS’ finances. During 2009-2010, operational revenues increased and expenses were controlled in order to improve the institution’s financial condition.

Contributing to this accomplishment was the coordination achieved by the Financial Affairs Vice President with the VP for Human Resources and the VP for Administrative Affairs to keep close watch on the system’s operations. This is significant when considering that the two vice presidencies account for 80 percent of the institution’s budget; salaries and plant maintenance make up 80 percent of expenses.

In addition, a Permanent Financial Committee met monthly with AGMUS’ president to keep projected expenditures on target.

Striking a balance between providing the best university education to its 42,000 students and making AGMUS a cost-effective operation comes down to managing resources smartly. Technology has made it

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possible for the Vice President for Financial Affairs to know what is spent, down to the penny, on a daily basis.

In the past year, the financial affairs team has built awareness among the university system executive staff and key personnel about AGMUS’ need to maximize resources and lower costs.

During 2009-2010, operational revenues increased 14 percent over the previous year, due in part to an increase in tuition and registration fees as well as to growth in student enrollment during the year, particularly in the summer term, fueled by the introduction of the year-round Pell grant. External funding, mostly federal grants, were up over the prior year. Meanwhile, expenses rose a stable 8 percent, as a result of increased costs in fringe benefits and plant maintenance. To improve collections and accounts payable processes, a change in the supervising structure of the Vice Presidency was implemented. These two offices are now under the Controller’s Office.

Prudent management enabled excellent financial results at year-end. The investment portfolio grew $4.4 million in value over the prior year, totaling $41.3 million at year end. An Investment Committee composed of the main administrative areas; Finance, Human Resources and Administrative Affairs, and chaired by AGMUS’ President, oversees the performance of the endowment.

To continue to pursue the improvement of our financial condition, the Vice Presidency for Financial Affairs, is in the process of implementing a Cost and Financial Reporting System (datamart) to facilitate cost analysis of the academic programs and university projects and activities. This will provide valuable information to establish financial guides for the development of the institution. The outcome will maximize the allocation of resources when structuring new programs and projects.

The Vice Presidency for Financial Affairs also oversees the information technology (IT) division. This area is dedicated to serving the needs of students, faculty and administrators. Providing students with the latest technology has meant continuously upgrading equipment and quality of services. In keeping ahead, AGMUS is implementing a web portal known as “myCampus” to provide electronic services to students at UT, UMET and UNE. Both resources, technology and financial data analysis, administered by the capable staff of the Vice Presidency for Financial Affairs, will enable the achievement of SUAGM’s ambitious goals.

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Universidad Metropolitana

A leader in science and technology, sustainability and health sciences Federico M. Matheu, Ph.D., Chancellor

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niversidad Metropolitana (UMET) has carved a niche among universities in the San Juan metropolis, becoming the leading institution in undergraduate research in Puerto Rico. UMET offers programs that promote science and technology, undergraduate scientific research and sustainability.

The new School of Health Sciences, inaugurated in May 20, 2010, is the sixth school under the UMET banner, joining the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Communications, Business Administration, Education, Science & Technology and the Graduate School of Environmental Affairs (SEA).

SEA is one of the university’s great strengths, developing courses and projects in sustainable environmental practices. A group of 26 students, teachers, municipal planners, architects and engineers made an educational trip to Portland, Oregon, this year for lessons in strategies for sustainability, which covered land use planning, building healthy, climatefriendly transportation systems and making towns safe and healthy. Based on the Portland regional model, El Vocero, one of Puerto Rico’s three local Spanishlanguage dailies, published a 17-article series on sustainable development and its application to Puerto Rico. The newspaper also wrote an editorial in which it credited UMET’s initiative.

The Sustainable Development Studies Center was awarded the 2009 Environmental Quality Award by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Last year’s “bestseller” Hacia el desarrollo inteligente: 10 principios y 100 estrategias para Puerto Rico (Towards Smart Growth: 10 Principles and Strategies for Puerto Rico) continues to generate buzz. This year, the Architects and Landscape Architects Association worked together with the university to design a continuing education course in sustainable development. Universidad Metropolitana’s School of Environmental Affairs and SistemaTV collaborate on the prize-winning series Aventura Científica (Scientific Adventure) filmed on location.

UMET made academic history when graduating its first Doctor of Philosophy in Education this year. UMET is first in Puerto Rico to offer this degree – a Ph.D., in addition to a doctorate in education (Ed.D.). The goal is to develop researchers in education to stimulate

our public school system of education to do a better job of teaching and learning. The program boasts 36 graduate students. In addition, 160 students are doctoral candidates in education.

UMET administers three off-campus university centers from its well-manicured campus in Cupey, a breath of fresh air in the midst of urban sprawl. One learning center is smack in the middle of metropolitan Bayamón and two are located outside the metropolitan area in the towns of Aguadilla and Jayuya. The Bayamón university center houses the new School of Health Sciences, which offers three master’s degrees in nursing, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) in October 2009. The programs are in the areas of adult critical care, child critical care and case management.

At the school’s inauguration, a $43,000 SIM, a computer-driven mannequin that simulates health conditions, stole the show. UMET’s health sciences school at Bayamón also offers the island’s only program to prepare bilingual nurses. A primary reason is to fill a demand for bilingual nurses who can respond to instructions in English or Spanish. In the future, the school expects to expand diagnostic imaging capabilities.

Through its academic programs and economic outreach efforts, UMET promotes a culture of research and development in Puerto Rico. UMET is a participant in the northern technological initiative Intenor, an economic development organization comprising 14 municipalities, AGMUS and private industry firms. UMET is collaborating with Intenor and the Municipality of Barceloneta to establish an innovative research project at the Intenor Science Park in Barceloneta.

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UMET opened the Microsoft Mobile Development Laboratory, the result of an educational alliance with the software giant.

The science park is the site of the proposed research center, which has evolved from the Center for Research & Development and Industrial Support (CREDIS) to the Center for Research in Emerging and Advanced Technologies and Environmental Science (CREATES).

UMET has been working with Barceloneta’s mayor who donated the land and a $1.5 million award for a $13 million construction project submitted to the National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) for funding.

UMET’s reputation in developing undergraduate research skills in science and technology dates back to before 1995, the year the National Science Foundation selected UMET as a Model Institution of Excellence (MIE). Since then, the university has driven an institutional transformation in science, technology,

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mathematics and the biomedical fields, forming a new cadre of scientists in Puerto Rico. Evidence of success is measured in the number of graduates transferred to graduate school and pursuing their master’s and Ph.D’s at universities in the U.S. as well as Puerto Rico: 17 students have completed doctorates in chemistry, mathematics, molecular cellular biology, computer science, environmental science, and medicine. Over 20 are Ph.D. candidates.

In April, UMET opened the Microsoft Mobile Development Laboratory, the result of an educational alliance with the software giant. In the lab, students explore and develop new capabilities for mobile devices. A team of four Science and Technology School students bested competing universities to win an opportunity to represent Puerto Rico in the global competition sponsored by Microsoft for the 2010 Imagine Cup, the world cup of software, held in Warsaw, Poland. The winning application, entitled ”Together We Ride”, promotes ride sharing – not just to lower the environmental impact of carbon emissions from vehicles, but also to offer students an alternative means of transport and help save money. The application uses “smart” phones with GPS technology so students can alert one another when they need a ride; the app also creates a social community.

Embracing internationalization, UMET joined the Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano (CSUC)

in sponsoring a meeting of 19 chancellors from Central America and the Dominican Republic. The chancellors signed memos of understanding to work together in areas of environment, business administration and science & technology. The university’s Environmental Education Institute (INEDA, its Spanish acronym) offered three courses in Colombia and has 13 on its agenda. INEDA is exploring the feasibility of branching out to Panama.

Making news, the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Communications developed its first graduate program in psychology. And, the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education authorized new academic programs in the accelerated, adult AHORA [Spanish acronym for NOW] programs including two master’s degrees: an MBA with a specialty in management and leadership strategies; and a master’s in adult education.

Evolving with Puerto Rico, AGMUS is an advocate of promoting entrepreneurship. As part of the business school program, UMET students are assigned to write a business plan for an enterprise that they would establish once they graduate. For the third consecutive year, the UMET chapter of Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) won first place among CEO chapters in Puerto Rico and first place for Internet page; and placed second as an exhibitor.

During the summer, UMET student Kamil ArmaizNolla participated in the NASA-sponsored Student Airborne Research Program in California. The six-week program is one of NASA’s tools for training future scientists for engineering, scientific and technical missions.

We are also proud of our performance in the annual intercollegiate sports competition Las Justas. UMET athletes won the Inter-University Athletic League female championship and placed third in the male division (last year the guys took the top prize). Athletes in the male and female divisions won the judo and track contests; and the women’s team took the top prize in volleyball. Twenty-one universities participate in the league.

Our choir celebrated its 25th university on a tour of Spain bringing joy to audiences.

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Universidad del Este

Advancing global connections and community services Alberto Maldonado Ruiz, Esq., Chancellor

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n its sustained endeavor to strengthen its academic excellence, Universidad del Este (UNE) has been actively engaged in diverse strategies and initiatives for expanding academic services and pursuing partnerships and alliances globally and locally, not only with the public and private sectors but with the non profit segments as well. To expand its global perspective, the university has been instituting learning and service opportunities abroad for faculty and students, promoting cultural diversity, and strengthening ties with organizations and agencies of national and world wide reach. Community services are being formally integrated into the curriculum, as efforts to promote and share academic resources, services and facilities to the community and non profit organizations. Further accomplishments include attainment of specialized accreditations, and enhancement of infrastructure. Plans for establishing an UNE branch campus in the Dominican Republic is under way.

The Institution remains at the forefront of AGMUS’ internationalization campaign, acting as a model for preparing students for the global economy. UNE is the first of the three universities to complete an assessment of its progress toward internationalization and has formally incorporated internationalization efforts into its Strategic Plan as revised for 20102013. The latter has been accomplished under the auspices of the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Laboratory (ACE Lab). The aim is to develop a comprehensive strategy that integrates an international-cultural dimension into teaching, research and service functions of the Institution.

UNE also continues to expand its exchange agreements with universities in the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe and be a site for Fulbright scholars. In 2009-2010, three Fulbright visiting scholars representing Egypt, China and Canada delivered more than ten (10) distinguished conferences to hundreds of students, faculty and administrators. Their topics ranged from Educational Reform in the Middle East to Doing Business with China. Most recently, the School of Social and Human Sciences was awarded a Fulbright scholar-in-residence (SIR) grant to sponsor Cristina Mourao Salgado of Brazil. She has been instrumental in leading the world languages component as a collaborator of the Multi-Language Learning Center.

For the 2010-2011 year, the Fulbright SIR grant was renewed, a singular accomplishment.

To increase student opportunities for affordable international study, UNE became an affiliate member of the International Student Exchange Programs network (ISEP). Beginning January 2011, UNE will upgrade to a reciprocal member of ISEP, which will enable students to study at more than 200 institutions in 43 countries. UNE is promoting itself as a destination for international students, too. The university signed an agreement with the National Institute of Training

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(INACAP, Spanish acronym) and arranged exchange pacts for UNE students and faculty with six Chilean universities and two Brazilian universities. Moreover, as a result of a week-long series of federal workshops on international scholarships including the Fulbright, Boren and Gilman Programs, two of UNE’s José A. (Tony) Santana International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts students were awarded Gilman scholarships to study at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola School of Hospitality Management in Lima, Peru, one of the top hotel schools in the world. In addition, 170 UNE students participated in internships in Puerto Rico and abroad, including 27 in the Disney College Program and three at the Instituto de Biomédica y Parasitología in Spain.

UNE has recently completed the first phase of its Community Health Promotion Center, an initiative that will considerably benefit the residents in the adjacent communities. UNE CaRE, a $7.3 million investment, will be a teaching, out-patient facility offering clinics and research opportunities. Another priority project

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currently in the pipeline is a Sports Complex, a $7.5 million undertaking. A new Annex building has provided the School of Health Sciences with one sonography laboratory and one therapeutic nursing interventions laboratory that will help train students and professionals in health fields. Annex 1, at $6.5 million, also houses a Wellness Center with state-of the art equipment, a bookstore and eight classrooms.

To fulfill its goal of encouraging services and entrepreneurship, UNE also reaches out to high schools in the community. The Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Chapter received a $25,000 grant from the American Express Foundation to support arts design students from the Lucchetti Junior High School in San Juan in preparing their annual art exhibition.

Other SIFE activities included the coordination of events highlighting success stories of Puerto Rican entrepreneurs.

The School of Business Administration successfully attained its accreditation from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). UNE

is intent on obtaining specialized accreditations for its programs. This adds to the previously accomplished: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), American Culinary Federation (ACF), Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) and International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

UNE continues to expand its academic offerings at its five university centers, each located outside the San Juan metro area. At the Barceloneta Center, UNE has accomplished a sustained enrollment increase to 1,500 students. Located strategically in an industrial community, it is focusing on health sciences and criminal justice. The Centers located in Yauco, Santa Isabel, Cabo Rojo and Utuado have also been effectively providing the communities with higher education opportunities otherwise difficult to attain, and serving the tourism, education and business sectors with well prepared human resources.

Supporting the regional economic model, UNE has actively participated in INTENE, the technological initiative of the northeast region comprising of representatives of private industry, municipal governments, as well as Academia. UNE’s Chancellor, Alberto Maldonado Ruiz, has been serving on the Board of Directors for the past three years, first as secretary and currently as vice president

During the inauguration of the Jesús T. Piñero Collection, the design and plans to build the Jesús T. Piñero Library and Research Center were presented.

The JTP Library, in memory of the first Puerto Rican governor, appointed by President Harry Truman in 1946, will be dedicated to researching Puerto Rican social and cultural issues.

In a unique gesture of appreciation of their Alma Mater, three UNE alumni have been serving on a VIP Committee for raising funds for the Meditation and Spirituality Center. The VIP committee led the Name a Brick Campaign that raised funds as it permanently acknowledged contributors. Robin Rafael Rivera, class of 1978, recalled having met Ana G. Méndez, SUAGM’s founder, and credits her and the Puerto Rico Junior College (currently UNE) faculty with having contributed to his success as a professional and as a citizen, as well as for enriching his life.

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Universidad del Turabo

Combining academic excellence with community engagement Dennis R. Alicea, Ph.D., Chancellor

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niversidad del Turabo (UT) combines a tradition of academic excellence with communitybased programs of intense engagement. UT’s mission is to advance learning through excellence in teaching and to promote research, innovation and internationalization in its programs.

Nestled in the green mountains of Gurabo, UT projects an image of culture and humanistic studies as well as science and technology. The Josefina Camacho Nuez Museum and Center of Humanistic Studies, the new Puerto Rico Energy Center and the José Domingo Pérez School of Engineering are examples of the institution’s accomplishments.

In 2009-2010, UT graduated 2,216 students, and conferred 881 master’s degrees and 36 Ph.D’s.

Doctoral degrees are offered in education, business and entrepreneurship, psychology and environmental sciences.

This year the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) renewed the university’s accreditation for a bachelor’s in nutrition; and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) renewed the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing. UT also holds specialized accreditations by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), National League Of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology (CAA-ASHA).

The university strives to increase the number of fulltime faculty members with Ph.D’s and raised its percentage of Ph.D’s to 51 percent in 2009-2010 from 49 percent in the prior year.

The Puerto Rico Energy Center (PREC) – a research, technology development and teaching facility dedicated to alternative energy sources —was inaugurated at the Gurabo campus this year. PREC is the brainchild of the university and the regional economic development organization INTECO, (Spanish acronym for the Eastern- Central Technological Initiative). As a new millennium unfolded, AGMUS initiated the establishment of regional groupings of industry, government and academia as a model of economic development for Puerto Rico. Inteco, the first of the innovative multi-sector initiatives designed to move the island’s economy forward, includes the mayors of eight municipalities of the east central region on the board.

The UT university center at Barceloneta is in the process of obtaining approval for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in project management and a bachelor’s in materials management and control as well as logistics and manufacturing administration.

This year, UT developed new technical certificates in industrial welding and electrical and renewable energy technology.

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With a grant from the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, the International School of Design (ISD) is establishing a fabrication laboratory (fab lab) at the Barceloneta off-campus center. The university is also strengthening its Interdisciplinary Research Institute with federal funds.

The university inaugurated the third construction phase of the José Domingo Pérez School of Engineering, with the assistance of private donations from contractors and engineers committed to the education of our students. In the future, UT plans to begin construction of a School of Health Sciences on a property acquired in Gurabo; on the boards is completing the expansion of the Museum and Center of Humanistic Studies.

Scoring a coup, the Vice-Chancellor of Information Resources acquired the personal collection of 18,000 books and original manuscripts of the late writer and social critic José Luis González, best known for his controversial book on Puerto Rican culture entitled El País de cuatro pisos y otros ensayos (The FourStoreyed Country and Other Essays). In 2010-2011, the collection will be available to the university community and general public in the José Luis González Room.

The Information Resources Vice Presidency also created and implemented a digitalization unit to preserve documents and create archives of permanent research value.

The university starts the coordination of Puerto Rico’s representation at the 2010 international book fair Liber in Barcelona Sept. 29 – Oct. 1. Among the

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activities organized by UT were an exhibition of The Book in Puerto Rican Art and a dialogue between generations entitled Tradition and Continuity. All told, UT brought to the big book fair more than 30 activities and book presentations in which the essence of Puerto Rican art and literature was splendidly exhibited to the international visitors at the Fair.

We are proud of our students’ many achievements.

One graduate student in environmental sciences received a $20,000 Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Oceanographic Administration (NOAA); another master’s candidate in environmental sciences was accepted for Plan Biology in the Diversity Fellowship of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. A student in the business school did an internship at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. All told, internship opportunities rose 41% to 217 internships in Puerto Rico and abroad.

The Multidisciplinary Entrepreneurial Program for Innovation (MEPI), an enterprise program to spur innovation and entrepreneurial skills among science and engineering students, hosted a conference entitled Universidad: Motor de Innovación (The University: Driver of Innovation), Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.

Our international community receives support and services from the new Vice Chancellorship of

International Affairs, which will coordinate the implementation of the American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory during 20102011. The UT ACE international Lab will develop a strategic plan and establish guidelines to make internationalization an essential part of our curriculum.

A master’s degree focused on Latin America has been submitted to the state council for approval.

Student and faculty exchange agreements have been made with a dozen foreign institutions, from the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (FIPSE), Brazil; to the Universidad San Pablo and CEU in Madrid. Ten students are interning at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and links are being forged with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Universidad de Santander, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Peru and Sandi National Laboratories.

UT’s international community has increased its diversity. During the school year, 113 international students representing 15 nations enrolled in our programs. In addition, international professors teaching at UT total 40.

The concept of community service has been institutionalized throughout the university system; students are trained to participate in community development projects. Volunteerism is a part of the university experience. One School of Education student received the singular distinction of having his community service project written up in El Nuevo Día, the island’s largest daily newspaper. UT served as the venue for the Community Reinvestment Workshop

“From the University to Your Own Business” and the School of Business and Entrepreneurship sponsored its first conference for women leaders.

An active Career Service Center helps graduates obtain employment in their academic specialties.

The center has established effective relationships with local and national employers to keep abreast of employment needs and opportunities. Through the center, 782 students were employed and 1,433 students received technology training in 2009-2010. A study entitled Microenterprise: A Community Initiative for Socioeconomic Development was developed by the center.

Sports activities provide a balance to academics, culture and community. In Las Justas, the annual intercollegiate contest, UT set six new records for swimmers and its athletes, male and female divisions, scored as runners-up in the competition. The university soccer team represented Puerto Rico in the international finals of the II Copa Universia de Fútbol.

Eng. Adriel Longo, Mrs. Marimer Olazagasti from Jabiana Development, Dr. Dennis Alicea, Chancellor UT and Dr. José F. Méndez, AGMUS President.

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Distance Education Program

Virtual University “under construction�

Migdalia Torres, Ed.D., Chancellor

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GMUS, which pioneered distance learning with televised courses in 1985, moved ahead during the year with new online offerings, training for designers and professors of internet courses, a series of tutorials for students and faculty and an immersion module for distance learners. The nontraditional virtual university in the making is rooted in AGMUS’ traditional philosophy of inclusiveness of education and an appreciation for diverse cultures.

This year, the Distance Education Program, cornerstone of the proposed Ana G. Méndez Virtual University, introduced online courses for master’s programs in Agribusiness, English as a Second Language and Environmental Planning. Each of these graduate programs is connected to one of AGMUS’ mortar and brick institutions: the Agribusiness program comes from Universidad del Este (UNE), the English as a Second

Language is taken from Universidad del Turabo (UT) School of Education and the Environmental Planning program comes from Universidad Metropolitana (UMET). During this year, four academic courses of the Agribusiness program were designed; nine more courses in English as a Second Language and seven courses in Environmental Planning. The only master’s degree program in which all of the courses are offered online is the MBA from UT. When the Ana G. Méndez Virtual University receives its license and accreditation, it will become the venue for the online programs now offered through UT. The process of obtaining a license to operate the new university has been out of the ordinary. On February 16, 2010 consultants from inside and outside of Puerto Rico came to AGMUS facilities to guide the local licensing agency. For one thing, the Council on Higher

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Education has never licensed a new university whose academic offerings are completely online. Once the license is granted, the process of accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools officially begins.

Meanwhile, the Distance Education Program continues to expand its online portfolio, increasing the number of hybrid courses, which use more than one medium. Most of the hybrid courses use the online Blackboard platform plus a second medium, the AGMUS’ educational television station that transmits lessons over Sistema TV. Or, the website sedueradio.com is used to bring the televised portion of the courses to the Internet through video streaming.

The university purchased the applications and licenses

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to transmit courses over the Internet through the External University Education System (SEDUE is its Spanish acronym). SEDUE Radio has been instrumental in making hybrid courses accessible to AGMUS students. During the academic year, 443 students at UMET enrolled in the blended courses, which work as our transition to a total online offering.

Over two decades, AGMUS distance education experts have built an expertise in designing, producing and transmitting distance education courses. New to the 2009-2010 curriculum is a revised Humanities 102 to follow the revamped Humanities 101 transmitted this year. Courses of Puerto Rico and U.S. history are in the process of design and production.

AGMUS also certifies teachers in distance learning.

In the 2009-2010 certification program, 82 professors received training in instructional design of online courses and 33 received instruction in preparing courses for educational television.

In conjunction with the Department of Education of Puerto Rico, for the second consecutive year the Distance Learning Program specialists created a series of televised courses for public school teachers participating in the LOGOS Mathematics Project.

This year, a website dedicated to the series was also “constructed.� Enrollment of public school teachers in LOGOS totaled 265.

Another area of growth is continuing education, particularly certifications.

A certification in entrepreneurship has been offered online for a second time with funds from CitiGroup. (The first time, the economic development organization INTECO sponsored the program.) Students learn to write a business plan for their own startup. In all of the programs to be offered by the Distance Education Program, from certifications to graduate degrees, the mission is to promote a comprehensive education for a successful career in both the local and international communities.

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Sistema TV / Canal Universitario Ana G. MĂŠndez

Sistema TV uses multiple platforms to inform, educate and more Margarita T. MillĂĄn, Esq., Vice President and General Manager

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istemaTV, the trans-media moniker for the AGMUS educational television station, brings the viewing public a lively and entertaining package of news and information. Its mission is to use the medium and its multiple platforms to inform, educate and provide tools to make a positive difference in the lives of television viewers.

Since the university system broadcast its first televised courses in 1978, it has been a pioneer in educational television in Puerto Rico. AGMUS went on to establish WMTJ-TV Channel 40, the only educational institution in Puerto Rico with a non-commercial broadcast license, and became a member of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). Now, SistemaTV is spreading news of its programming on its own webpage linked to university system’s Internet site and can also be found on youth-oriented social networks such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Next year, the station expects to live-stream on the Internet, an evolution of its trans-media personality.

During the school year, Channel 40 boosted intercollegiate sports throughout Puerto Rico, setting a record 54 hours of sports-event coverage. This included the volleyball and basketball finals of the Inter-University Athletic League and live transmission of competitive events in Las Justas, the island’s annual intercollegiate sports contest. Leading up to the weeklong competition, Sistema TV produced a series of six hour-long programs highlighting the lives of university athletes and recognizing the role played by trainers, professors and athletic directors in the triumphs of the athletes.

Teamwork between the station and the three universities has earned AGMUS recognition. This year, the federal Environmental Protection Agency presented SistemaTV with an award for its series Aventura Científica (Scientific Adventure), filmed on location around Puerto Rico. The prize is a tribute to the collaboration of students and professors of Universidad Metropolitana’s School of Environmental Affairs and SistemaTV, which contracts television industry professionals to produce and direct the programs.

SistemaTV teamed up with Universidad del Este (UNE) to produce a new food series, Sí a la cocina (Yes to the kitchen). The half-hour shows are filmed in the demo kitchen of UNE’s José A. (Tony) Santana International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts of Universidad del Este and feature a pastry chef and a chef, who is also a nutritionist, both UNE professors, and news anchor. Partnering with Universidad del Turabo (UT), the station produced 16 programs in the ongoing arts and culture series Sí al Museo.

With Mi triunfo… mi empresa (My triumph, my business), launched this year, the station gives successful entrepreneurs an opportunity to tell their stories. Collaborators in the series are AGMUS employment centers and the business and entrepreneurship schools of UNE, UT and UMET. Among the outstanding locally produced specials was a captivating report entitled “Exploring the Evidence in the Middle East”, timed to coincide with Holy Week. News anchor Ariel Rivera Vázquez and photojournalist Antonio Puchols traveled to Egypt, Jordan and Israel to give a multi-cultural view of the region, its historical conflicts, myths and reality. The coverage culminated in a one-hour special, premiered on Good Friday and repeated on Easter Sunday.

Through mobile technology and the Internet, Vázquez provided viewers with daily capsules of his travels, starting with a report from London’s Heathrow Airport.

Broadcasts of the Public Policy Institute (PPI) forums on issues and ideas has helped carve the station a niche as the island’s leading proponent of public service programming. Following up on one PPI forum, the station produced a four-part special investigation into the solid waste crisis on the island which earned an Emmy nomination from the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). And, for the first time, it transmitted live the Governor’s Message on the budget and, afterwards, had experts provide analysis of the message.

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Projections 2010-2011 •

Complete the revision and approval of the Strategic Guidelines for Development (Strategic Plan) 2011 -2015 of AGMUS and its university institutions.

•

Continue to implement the strategic plan for student retention, with emphasis on the retention of second, third and fourth years (upper division), strengthening the administrative retention structure at the institutional level, academic advisory services and academic monitoring committees, among other strategies.

•

Implement the new systemic model for evaluating academic programs and the assessment schedules established by each university.

•

Continue the process for obtaining new specialized accreditations as an important indicator for raising the quality of our academic programs and schools.

•

Complete the preparation of the strategic plan for science, technology, engineering, mathematics and health sciences (STEM + H) in order to further strengthen the functions of teaching, research and service in these priority areas, with the focus on contributing to the economic development of Puerto Rico.

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•

Continue the development of priority projects and centers of excellence in research as part of the strategic plan STEM + H. Among them are the Puerto Rico Energy Center (PREC) at Universidad del Turabo, the Center for Research in Emerging and Advanced Technologies and Environmental Science (CREATES) at Intenor Science Park in Barceloneta, the collaborative project with the Arecibo Observatory, the Stanford Research Institute and the Metropolitan Institute for Research (MIR) of Universidad Metropolitana (UMET).

•

Revise and develop the necessary policies for the recruitment, evaluation, and development of teacher-researchers of the university system in order to support and enhance undergraduate and graduate research.

•

Begin the second phase of expansion of the Intenor Science Park in alliance with the Municipality of Barceloneta. Plans include the construction of new facilities to accommodate new academic offerings in the areas of Hospitality and Culinary Arts (Universidad del Este), Health and Design (Universidad del Turabo), and graduate programs, entrepreneurship, occupational safety and atmospheric sciences (UMET).

•

Strengthen the structures, processes and resources in the area of Continuing Education as an important segment in generating income not related to enrollment.

•

Further strengthen and expand AGMUS’ external and international markets, including exploring potential markets in Hispanic communities outside the State of Florida and developing a community college in the Dominican Republic.

•

Achieve license approval to start academic operations of the Ana G. Méndez Virtual University.

•

Complete the construction and inaugurate the second phase of expansion of the Museum and Center for Humanistic Studies at Universidad del Turabo, at a total cost of $6.3 million.

•

Inaugurate the facilities of UMET’s new Recreation and Wellness Center in Cupey at a cost of $3.2 million

•

Begin construction of a new multi-story parking building providing 710 parking spaces at UMET ($12.8 million).

•

Maintain AGMUS’ successful implementation of fiscal strengthening strategies in such areas as cash flow, debt control and reduction, increased revenues and control of operating expenses. To support these strategies we will complete the development and implementation of a new cost analysis model (contribution model), to serve as an additional tool in evaluating the financial performance of all our activities.

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Organizational Chart

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Distance Education Initiative Comerío Avenue 1600, Suite 1 Bayamón, PR 00961-6376 Phone: 787-288-1100 ext. 8320 Fax: 787-288-1141 E-mail: ca_mtorres@suagm.edu

General Information Ana G. Méndez University System PO Box 21345 San Juan, PR 00928-1345 Phone: 787-751-0178 Fax: 787-766-1706 E-mail: ac_jmendez@suagm.edu Website: www.suagm.edu The INSTITUTIONS Universidad Metropolitana PO Box 21150 San Juan, PR 00928-1150 Phone: 787-766-1717 Fax: 787-759-7663 E-mail: umet_fmatheu@suagm.edu Universidad del Este PO Box 2010 Carolina, PR 00984-2010 Phone: 787-257-7373 Fax: 787-752-0070 E-mail: ue_amaldonado@suagm.edu Universidad del Turabo PO Box 3030 Gurabo, PR 00778-3030 Phone: 787-743-7979 Fax: 787-744-5394 E-mail: dalicear@suagm.edu

Credits General Direction: Francisco Bartolomei Vice President of Marketing and Student Affairs

Sistema TV PO Box 21345 San Juan, PR 00928-1345 Phone: 787-766-2600 Fax: 787-250-8546 E-mail: mamillan@suagm.edu

Annual Report Coordination and Production:

Metro Orlando Campus 5601 South Semoran Blvd.

Terracota Business Center Suite 55 Orlando, FL 32822 Phone: 407-207-3363 Fax: 407-207-3373 E-mail: arcajar@suagm.edu

María Fernanda Calahorrano Revelo Director of Public Relations

South Florida Campus PO Box 27-8740 Miramar, FL 33027-8740 Phone: 954-885-5595 Fax: 954-885-5861 E-mail: snazario@suagm.edu Tampa Bay Campus 3655 West Waters Ave Tampa, FL 33614 Phone: 813.932.7500 E-mail: yvcadiz@suagm.edu

María A. Martínez Rodríguez Associate Vice President of Public Relations

Editorial: Lorelei Albanese Project Development: Alberto Soto Graphic Design: Arte Gráfico, Inc. José “Wewex” Collazo Photos: Edwin David Cordero Glenn S. López Haage AGMUS Archives Printing: Model Offset Printing

© 2010 Ana G. Méndez University System. All Rights reserved.

No part of this document may be copied, reproduced or transmited in any way, form or by any means, without the written permission of the Ana G. Méndez University System. This Annual Report is for the period of August 2009 to July 2010.

Ana G Méndez University System has university centers in Cayey, Naguabo, Isabela, Ponce, Yabucoa, Aguadilla, Bayamón, Jayuya, Cabo Rojo, Yauco, Utuado, Barceloneta, Santa Isabel, Comerío and three Campuses in Florida, USA.

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