PATHWAYS
TO THE FUTURE
Y O U R
T R A I L
FROM THE PRESIDENT
OUR MISSION
I am pleased to present “UNT Dallas: Pathways to the Future,” detailing the mission and vision being undertaken at the University of North Texas at Dallas. This publication showcases the fastest-growing state university in Texas and the only four-year public university in the City of Dallas. It is the result of a comprehensive and campus-wide effort to further develop a blueprint that emphasizes our clearly defined Robert Mong strategies and propels us to President | UNT Dallas achieve the challenging goals demanded of us by our courageous mission to deliver accessible and affordable higher education to urban students in southern Dallas and beyond.
UNT Dallas empowers students, transforms lives and strengthens communities.
As we launch into our second decade as an independent university, our goals outlined in this strategic plan are bold and achievable. They speak strongly to our commitment to growing UNT Dallas’ enrollment, our top-rated programs and developing new academic offerings, growing our physical campus, partnerships, research, experiential learning opportunities and fundraising; and most important, ensuring prosperous futures for our UNT Dallas students. Our top priorities remain student access and affordability. We understand that the state of Texas, and the City of Dallas, are undergoing dramatic demographic transformation, creating a new Texas. For Texans ages 17 and under, 70 percent are either Hispanic or African American, the highest percentage of blended diversity in America. Our campus reflects this with a student body that is 85% minority. Seventy-one percent of our students are firstgeneration, the first in their families to attend college. The majority of these students fall into the bottom 40% of income, and only 10% of that group in Texas earn a bachelor’s degree by the age of 25. We exist to change that. We know that a student’s ability to go to college is tied to how much their parents make. We also know that income earning power is dependent on a bachelor’s degree. Our strategic plans, which leverage bold thinking, an eagerness to work in collaboration with business, nonprofit and educational partners, will create pathways to social and economic mobility for urban Dallas students. Working together, we will achieve these pathways, and a bright future.
OUR VISION Through education and community connectedness, UNT Dallas aspires to be the pathway to socioeconomic mobility in its primary market.
OUR VALUES Diversity: We value our differences, experiences and backgrounds. People are individuals and a great asset to the group. Creativity: We teach, learn, research and support each other and the community in creative ways. We boldly find new ways to approach a problem or issue. We turn new and imaginative ideas into reality. Leadership and Integrity: We lead. We strive to consistently make the right decision for the right reason. Trailblazing: We establish new pathways for building and mentoring tomorrow’s leaders. We exemplify our commitment by helping firstgeneration students complete degrees, with job placements and overall success. Lifelong Learning: We are self-motivated to learn, and never stop learning. We know being open to new ideas and information gives us a better understanding of the world around us.
OUR GOALS Rooted In Community: Become the leading university in metro Dallas and the inner-ring suburbs. Growth: Increase enrollment, retention and completion rates with experiential learning, while developing critical thinking and marketable skills for every student. Commitment: Relentless pursuit of student success.
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PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE In the coming decade, UNT Dallas will have become what it set out to be when Texas State Senator Royce West first envisioned a university located in the heart of underserved southern Dallas: a magnet for thousands of local, urban students from modest backgrounds, but with boundless dreams and determined to create their own pathway to a prosperous future. Opportunity abounds at UNT Dallas because we are determined to make earning a bachelor’s degree both accessible and affordable. Dallas-Fort Worth consistently ranks among the top job markets in America, and companies relocate headquarters to the region it seems every day. These companies are demanding a smart, skilled and diverse workforce. We are educating and training this new workforce for a new Texas. Our Quality Enhancement Plan -- Career Readiness Education, or CRED -- is designed to be innovative and practical, with the goal of delivering experiential learning opportunities to 100% of our students, to prepare them to successfully leap into their careers after graduation. We do this without leaving our graduates steeped in student-loan debt. Maximizing low tuition costs,
scholarships, financial aid, and community and industry partnerships, our students are graduating, on average, with the lowest student debt of any public university in the state. We’ve put real-world thinking into everything we do. We continue to expand our academic offerings, with new degree programs such as Business Analytics and an Emergency Services Administration concentration in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences to aid our first responders in achieving a bachelor’s degree and reach new heights in their careers. And we continue to implement our master plan and grow our 264-acre, tree-lined campus with our new Student Center, The Hart Amphitheater and the coming-soon, 180-foot Ryan Tower that will serve as a beacon visible from downtown Dallas and for miles in all directions. Our innovative approaches are working to close the income inequality gap in higher education, and in doing so, we are creating renewed hope in southern Dallas while creating the next-generation workforce for Dallas, for Texas and for the country. The following pages lay out our carefully crafted strategic plan to create pathways to the future for our students of today and tomorrow. UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 3
GUIDING THEMES With UNT Dallas’ rapidly growing enrollment, educational offerings and physical campus comes the responsibility to plan our future strategically and responsibly. The UNT Dallas administration, along with its dedicated faculty and staff, established four guiding themes for the strategic plan to ensure the university consistently meets and exceeds its long-range goals. Those themes -- Learning and Discovery; Sustainable Growth; Finances and Resources; Quality Experiences for Lifetime Success; and People and Teamwork -house 26 committees, each charged with establishing specific processes and solutions that align with UNT Dallas’ noble mission and vision:
QUALITY EXPERIENCES FOR LIFETIME SUCCESS The Student Center ribbon-cutting ceremony, May 14, 2019 Institutional Competencies Committees: Comprised of four
subcommittees charged with defining undergraduate institutional learning outcomes; creating a rubric to assess the student’s ability to complete this competency/ILO; completing a curriculum map to determine where these ILOs are measured; and implementing university-wide remediation strategies to help struggling students as it relates to oral/written communication, ethical decision making, teamwork, and critical thinking/analytical skills.
Remediation and Developmental Courses Committee: Determine which courses are remediation and developmental, and work to reduce number of students in these courses.
Under-Resourced Students Committee: Provide specific needs
to serve under-resourced students in terms of advising, career readiness, financial literacy, and childcare services on campus.
Wages Committee: Determine how
best to measure the salaries of UNTD graduates compared to those from other, in-state institutions.
Experiential Learning Committee: Work toward goal that
by 2021, 100% of students will have an experiential learning opportunity; study satisfaction with experiential learning office and community partners; show appreciation to community partners.
QEP/CRED Committee:
Implement UNTD’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) called “Career Readiness Education (CRED)” for SACSCOC from 20182024. Present status to University community and make updates along the way to best realize the goals of the program.
PEOPLE AND TEAMWORK Culture Committee: Work
toward goal of UNTD becoming a “Best Place to Work” according to Gallup. Coordinate the work of sub committees including those focused on implementing 360 Evaluations, creating Career Paths, starting Manager Roundtables, writing clear Job Descriptions, hosting Networking Events, developing Service/ Recognition Programs, organizing Stay Interviews, and creating HR Newsletters.
Grant Writing Committee:
Implement Office of Sponsored Projects; create goals for grants administration that fit our status as a developing University.
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Student Administrative Support Committee: Coordinate staff “Heart
of a Leader” training; train incoming staff on customer service; survey students regarding customer service.
Engage Youth Committee: Become first choice for Dallas County Promise students; create pre-collegiate design for districts; continue Upward Bound and Trio. Assessment and Accountability Committee: Implement educational
assessment, administrative assessment, and student-service assessment. Ensure Institutional Effectiveness Committee is active.
GREAT Communications Committee: Build stronger brand
awareness; establish UNT Dallas and College of Law branded marks, and ensure brand compliance; build UNTD’s reputation through strategic, integrated storytelling; enhance digital presence. Traditions Committee: Create and establish student traditions such as UNTD Serves, Honor Cord and Ring Ceremony, New Student Convocation, Cub Camp, Freshman Leadership Retreat, Welcome Week, Trailblazer 360, Trailblazers Got Talent, Campus Awards and Spring Fling. Implement measures to assess the quality of the traditions. Implement a weekly spirit day to celebrate UNTD.
LEARNING AND DISCOVERY Priority Programs Committee:
Define and increase enrollment in nine priority programs that align with the needs of the Metroplex market. Thus far, logistics and supply chain management, clinical mental health counseling, public health, bilingual/ ESL education, biology, business analytics, and juris doctorate have been identified.
Benchmarking Committee:
Determine peer and aspirant institutions. Host seminars for campus community on the institution’s data dashboard to ensure the UNTD community is aware of data-driven benchmarking tools and able to utilize them in their everyday work.
Recruit and Retain Faculty Committee: Present opportunities
for the recruitment and retainment of quality faculty, and propose a faculty development program to grow with UNTD.
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, FINANCE, AND RESOURCES Data Committee: Determine needs of UNTD for and costs associated with a system-wide data warehouse. Rapid Response Committee:
Maintain list of community partnerships and ensure frequent communication with key stakeholders.
Philanthropic and Fundraising Committee: Plan first capital
campaign; implement flagship fundraiser at Statler Hotel; fundraise $15 million for naming UNTD Law Center; report on progress of fundraising $5 million by 2021.
Alumni Engagement Committee: Develop alumni engagement program; establish alumni database and communication to enhance affinity with campus and showcase alumni.
Downtown Space Advisory Committee: Determine how space
in UNT System building might be utilized when the College of Law moves into the remodeled municipal building.
Holistic Enrollment Committee: With the work of subcommittees, create and implement programs and processes to reach enrollment and completion goals. Also research and make decisions related to the implementation of intercollegiate athletics and an international education program for UNTD.
Under the Hood Committee:
Work to improve customer service, system relationships, and UNTD’s own competencies as it relates to student success initiatives like multisemester registration, calendaring, degree audit, automation, and business practices in general.
Tuition and Fees Benchmarking Committee: Present targets,
benchmarks and other findings of UNTD compared to peer and neighboring institutions annually to Cabinet and Holistic Enrollment Committee with goal to keep tuition and fees the lowest in North Texas.
Residence Life and Facilities Committee: Ensure a thriving
residence life program exists for UNTD students, and plan further residential facilities.
Fiscal Resources Committee:
Work toward having eight weeks of reserve monies, building to 12 weeks by 2021; maximize auxiliary revenue sources; present multiyear budget projections; advise the University Budget Advisory Committee on resources available; and host Q&A sessions for campus community.
UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 5
GROWING WITH PURPOSE
Fastest-Growing Public University in Texas
6,554
6,125
5,350
7,504
8,591
Fall 2030
Fall 2029
Fall 2028
Fall 2027
Fall 2026
Fall 2025
Fall 2024
Fall 2023
Fall 2022
Fall 2021
Fall 2020
Fall 2019
Fall 2018
Fall 2017
Fall 2016
Fall 2015
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859
PERSISTENCE AND RETENTION Enrolling students is just the beginning. We are focused on persistence and retention, areas that can be challenging when the majority of students are first-generation and lack predecessors in their families. We continue to hone tactics formulated by our Retention Committee, such as expanding student services and adding academic advisors and counselors, to continue to close the gap between our retention rate and the state average. Our persistence and retention rates have continued to rise. We reached 73% retention for Fall 2018 and seek 80% in 2019-20, with 87% as a long-term goal. Our persistence rate, averaging 80% over 2017 and 2018, means we are preparing students for success as they continue at UNT Dallas, or choose to continue their education at another institution.
GRADUATION 600
900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
808
Degrees Awarded 2015-2019
567
4,648
4,344
4,060
3,509
We will build on the momentum created by 51% enrollment growth over the previous three years -- growth that has made us the fastest-growing public university in the state -- by furthering existing community and educational partnerships and creating new ones, starting a study abroad program, examining intercollegiate athletics, retention initiatives and other innovative tactics to grow enrollment to 5,000 by Fall 2022 and, with 8% growth annually, more than 8,500 by 2030.
1,000 0
UNT Dallas is the only four-year public university in the City of Dallas, and we have worked hard to make it the most affordable in North Texas. Located in the historically underserved southern Dallas region, we possess a unique opportunity to organically grow pride and passion among the residents in our surrounding communities as Dallas’ hometown university.
475
2,000
2,488
3,000
3,030
4,000
3,757
5,000
5,000
6,000
5,725
7,000
7,013
8,000
8,029
9,000
Projected Enrollment Growth Through Fall 2030
ENROLLMENT
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Graduating our students, career-ready and free of crippling debt, is the third phase and our ultimate goal. In Spring 2019, we awarded more than 500 degrees, a UNT Dallas record for a single semester, as was the more than 850 degrees awarded during the entire 2018-19 academic year. With plans in place to increase enrollment and retention, as well to expand our degree programs, we will continue to award record numbers of degrees with the goal of surpassing 1,100 in 2019-20. UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 7
DIVERSITY IS IN OUR DNA: OUR STUDENTS At UNT Dallas, diversity is in our DNA. A tactical decision to hyper-focus recruiting efforts in our neighboring southern Dallas communities and the immediate suburbs has created a campus boasting the greatest enrollment of blended diversity in the state. Almost no other university in the country reflects its community like UNT Dallas. Our student body is 85% minority, including 48% Hispanic and 30% African American. We are proud to be designated as a Minority-Serving Institution and Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. One of the more unique aspects of our student body is 71% are first-generation students, the first in their families to attend college. This fact is one reason why multiple generations of family members attend our commencement ceremony and pack the 5,000-seat auditorium at the Inspiring Body of Christ Church. We also know our work to ensure a continuously diverse, welcoming and enriching campus environment is always an unwavering priority. We are heavily invested in increasing enrollment in all demographics, and particularly in the short-term, two under-represented demographics: males of all ethnicities, and African-American males.
STUDENTS BY ETHNICITY FALL 2018
African American 30% Hispanic 48% White 15%
Asian 2%
Other 5%
STUDENTS BY GENDER*
Female 67%
Male 33%
*Though we do not have data of our nonbinary students, we do recognize nonbinary gender diversity at UNT Dallas.
By remaining steadfast in recruiting local, urban students, and nurturing our current educational partnerships with the Dallas County Promise, Dallas County Community College District, Dallas ISD and others, and developing new partnerships and collaborations, plus the potential of adding an intercollegiate athletics program, UNT Dallas will remain a top campus statewide, and nationally, for blended diversity as we strive to exceed our enrollment goals.
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OUR ALL-STAR LINEUP OF ACADEMIC LEADERS
DIVERSITY IS IN OUR DNA: OUR FACULTY To stay true to our Trailblazers name, it is imperative that our faculty represents our student body and community. You will be hard-pressed to find a university that can boast a faculty as diverse – and talented – as ours.
Felecia Epps, JD
Lisa Hobson, PhD
Dean of the College of Law
Interim Dean of the School of Education
Constance Lacy, PhD
Orlando Pérez, PhD
Dean of the School of Human Services
Dean of the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Betty Sewart, PhD Provost
Ali Shaqlaih, PhD
Dean of the Graduate School
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We are proud to have an all-star lineup of women at the highest levels of our university, starting with Provost Betty Stewart. Four of our six deans are women – and three are African American women. Our provost and each of our deans, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or religion, earned their position through accumulating impeccable credentials:
Karen Shumway, PhD Dean of the School of Business
• Betty Stewart, PhD Provost PhD from Carnegie-Mellon University; a science lab at Midwestern State University is named in her honor. • Felecia Epps, JD Dean of the College of Law Awarded the Naval Achievement Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal while serving 10 years on active duty. • Lisa Hobson, PhD Interim Dean of the School of Education Holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin; more than 25 years of experience in K-12 and higher education. • Constance Lacy, PhD Dean of the School of Human Services A University of North Texas graduate, she holds a master’s and Phd degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington • Orlando Pérez, PhD Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences Associate Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. • Ali Shaqlaih, PhD Dean of the Graduate School Holds two master’s degrees and a PhD from the University of Oklahoma.
• Karen Shumway, PhD Dean of the School of Business Holds degrees from Northwestern, Villanova and the University of Illinois, Chicago. A faculty that is 27% African American and 10% Hispanic is admirable, but there is work to be done. Thorough national searches, such as the one that landed new Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dr. Orlando Pérez, from Pennsylvania, will ensure that we are always striving for a highly multicultural faculty.
FACULTY BY ETHNICITY
White 51%
African American 27%
FACULTY BY GENDER*
Female 55%
Male 45%
Hispanic 10%
Asian 5%
Other 7%
*Though we do not have data of our nonbinary faculty, we do recognize nonbinary gender diversity at UNT Dallas.
Michael L. Williams, the former State of Texas education commissioner, was named UNT Dallas’ first Distinguished Leader-In-Residence in August 2016, charged with leading innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.
UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 11
PATHWAYS TO ACADEMIC GROWTH AND SUCCESS As UNT Dallas grows enrollment and its physical campus, we have strategic plans in place to both expand our number of degree programs, and grow our seven priority programs, with an eye on identifying our next priority programs. Many UNT Dallas graduates stay in North Texas filling high-need, local jobs in teaching, law enforcement, health care and business. Others are continuing on at UNT Dallas in pursuit of a graduate degree, of which seven are now offered. Starting Fall 2019, UNT Dallas added Business Analytics, expanding the School of Business to seven degree programs. A Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree with a concentration in Emergency Services Administration in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, provides first responders with an affordable and flexible pathway to take their careers to the next level. Our growing School of Education added an eighth major, Languages Other than English (LOTE). Our Search, Education, Research Community, Hope (SERCH) program connects students with real-world problem-solving in our communities; and projects like our Mobile Market in conjunction with Toyota and DART, immerse our students in the pressing dilemma of food deserts; still other students are taking on mental health initiatives with STRONG, seeking to end the stigma of mental illness and educate in suicide prevention. Our Criminal Justice department’s annual fall fair day is one of the largest of its kind in North Texas, attracting more than 1,000 Dallas-area high school students to campus to visit with 75 local, state, federal and private criminal justice agencies. Priority programs such as Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) serves as a pipeline for the Dallas ISD. The School of Education’s Emerging Teacher Institute has established unique partnerships to create teaching pathways with two Dallas ISD high schools and Mountain View College, and the Emerging Teacher Academy with El Centro College. Other priority programs include juris doctorate as the UNT Dallas College of Law seeks full accreditation from the American Bar Association; Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Public Health and Biology. 12 | UNT Dallas Strategic Plan
COMMUNITY ACCESSIBILITY QUALITY OPPORTUNITY DIVERSITY AFFORDABILITY CAREER-READY SOCIAL MOBILITY
Olivé Kinga
A 2019 political science major who completed an internship with the U.S. State Department in Dallas, Kinga is pursuing her master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at International University in Geneva, Switzerland. UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 13
PATHWAYS TO INNOVATION AND COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS
FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS
UNT Dallas is a mission-driven university. Located in southern Dallas, we are uniquely positioned to make monumental impacts on historically neglected or underserved communities in areas such as education, health care, public safety, social mobility and economic development. To achieve needed change, we must be able to fund landmark projects that attract both high-quality faculty and ambitious students. Examples include: $301,894 grant from Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to combat mental-health issues; $1.1 million Wipro project established in the School of Education; $2.6 million and $1.1 million, respectively, from the U.S. Department of Education to fund two Upward Bound programs, and a McNair Project; an additional $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education for bilingual education; and two grants totaling $205,000 for the School of Human Services for mental health and first-aid training. By creating the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) in September 2018, we laid the foundation to ensure that our faculty and staff are fully equipped to submit grant proposals that fit our status as a developing university. “The creation of the Office of Sponsored Projects in 2018 was a forward-thinking endeavor to provide the highest quality support and resources for faculty and staff in acquiring grants that will further the university’s mission.” – Alicia Brossette
UNT DALLAS FOUNDATION BEST PLACE TO WORK Scholarships are the lifeblood of our mission. They allow us to keep our promise to students that they will leave UNT Dallas with minimal student debt. Dr. Monica Williams, Vice President for University Advancement and President of the UNT Dallas Foundation, has already topped our long-term target of raising $5 million after starting from scratch in 2016. With the 12-member UNT Dallas Foundation Board meeting quarterly, we are establishing a presence in the donor community, and raising the bar on fundraising efforts to create a pathway to socioeconomic mobility for our students. All proceeds to the UNT Dallas Foundation go to fund student scholarships. We have begun wide circulation of the “Why Invest in UNT Dallas” presentation to high-net worth individuals, corporations and foundations. Annual fundraising events are being planned for UNT Dallas and the UNT Dallas College of Law.
Happy employees are productive employees. At mission-driven UNT Dallas, it is critical that faculty and staff are engaged and motivated to perform at their best every single day to ensure the success of our students. With this in mind, we have initiated multiple employee recognition programs, including the UNT Dallas Outstanding Trailblazer award, and formed the Culture Committee, as part of the strategic planning committee, to focus on areas such as career development, 360 evaluations, employee feedback and much more. It is critical that UNT Dallas hire personnel who are dedicated to fulfilling our unique mission. To ensure UNT Dallas retains top personnel, it is imperative to invest heavily in mid-level and high-level training, including increasing participation in state and national developmental opportunities.
Executive Director of Sponsored Projects
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UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 15
UNT DALLAS COLLEGE OF LAW: ONE OF A KIND
CARUTH POLICE INSTITUTE
The UNT Dallas College of Law is breaking barriers. As the only public law school in the City of Dallas, the doors are open for a much broader range of students to pursue their dreams -- and to do so at an affordable price.
UNT Dallas is committed to improving public safety in our communities, and a major resource in promoting relations between the Dallas Police Department (DPD) and community members has been the creation of and our 11-year partnership with the Caruth Police Institute (CPI).
And now, UNT Dallas law students have the luxury of studying in one of Dallas’ great historical buildings. The former Dallas City Hall, transformed inside and out to its original 1914 glory by a $71 million renovation project, became the College of Law’s official home in Fall 2019. As the College of Law works to achieve full accreditation by June 2020 under the leadership of Dean Felecia Epps -- provisional accreditation was earned in 2017 -- a record number of applications are being received each semester, including a total of 892 for Fall 2019. The creation of the Dean’s Accreditation Task Force in April 2019 is working on key areas such as bar passage, law school culture, admissions and faculty development. Our affordability and commitment to making a law degree accessible to urban Dallas students are reflected in our diversity -- 54% of the College of Law’s students are minority, and 56% are women. Our students’ median age is 27 with students ranging in age from 19 to 62.
Housed on the UNT Dallas campus, CPI was created to maintain an outstanding training program for DPD officers at all stages of their careers, and to become a recognized leader in applied research on public safety and policing. Currently, CPI and the Meadows Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) are exploring options to address mental illness issues involving children, veterans and adults in the criminal justice system.
From 2018 to 2019, the College of Law increased overall enrollment by 14%, increased diversity by 11% and female enrollment by 6%. Like UNT Dallas’ main campus, the College of Law is blazing new trails.
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UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 17
TRACKING OUR TRAILBLAZING ALUMNI When does an emerging university know it has arrived? When its alums begin to blaze uncharted trails. Four, in particular, have set the course for others to follow. Jaime Resendez, our May, 2018 commencement speaker, attended the University of Texas Law School and was elected to the Dallas City Council in May 2019. Brandon Allen and Cindy Thaung are the first UNT Dallas graduates to go to medical school; and Alejandra Villanueva is the first to be accepted to an Ivy League graduate school at Columbia University. UNT Dallas is committed to increasing alumni tracking to better promote the university and its core mission, to open networking opportunities and to encourage a lifetime relationship between alumni and their alma mater.
JAIME RESENDEZ: A UNT DALLAS SUCCESS STORY Jaime Resendez grew up in southern Dallas. A combat veteran, he attended a Dallas County community college and then UNT Dallas. After graduating from UT School of Law, he won a seat on the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees, leading to bigger political goals.
Jaime Resendez
UNT Dallas graduate elected to Dallas City Council
Q: How did UNT Dallas help to shape your life goals? A: My first time being around people with graduate and law school ambitions was at UNT Dallas. It was at UNT Dallas that I first became interested in attending law school. Since then, I have earned a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, and was elected to serve my community in Southeast Dallas on the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees and, most recently, the Dallas City Council. Q: If UNT Dallas did not exist, what would your options have been to earn a degree, and what would you tell high school students in southern Dallas about UNT Dallas?
Alejandra Villanueva
First UNT Dallas grad to attend an Ivy League grad school
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FASTESTGROWING With 51% enrollment increase since 2016, UNT Dallas earned the distinction as the fastest-growing public university in Texas.
Q: How did you discover UNT Dallas, and why did you choose to enroll? A: I discovered UNT Dallas at a college fair while attending Eastfield Community College. I decided to enroll because it’s close to my neighborhood, Pleasant Grove, in southern Dallas.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING...
A: Students who live in southern Dallas and might not believe college is accessible to them need to know that UNT Dallas is right in our backyard! UNT Dallas is the place to be if you want to be surrounded by incredible people with similar backgrounds in an exciting, challenging educational environment!
1
#
In Texas
for lowest student debt upon graduation among public universities, and No. 3 in the nation.
EVOLVING CAMPUSES A significant financial commitment of $134 million funded the building of the 131,000-square-foot Student Center on the UNT Dallas campus, and the top-to-bottom renovation of historic Old City Hall, which now serves as the UNT Dallas Law Center.
850 + Record number of graduates in 2018-19, up from 475 just four years ago
HISPANIC AND MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTION UNT Dallas boasts the largest blended diversity percentage in the state with 85% of our students being minorities. Hispanics make up 48% of the student body and African Americans make up 30%. Also, the UNT Dallas College of Law ranks among the most diverse law schools in the nation.
ON THE HORIZON Our 264-acre, tree-lined campus in southern Dallas is rife for growth, and we have already made stunning progress in transforming UNT Dallas into a traditional walking college campus. In 2017, we opened Wisdom Hall, our first residence hall, housing 116 students each year. In Spring 2019 came the 131,000-square-foot Student Center. Looking ahead, we are making plans for a science building and more. The 2019-20 academic year will see more additions to the campus that will provide our students with the full college experience: Hart Amphitheater: Situated adjacent to the Student Center, this outdoor venue will feature musical and theatrical performances, as well as provide for a restful hangout for students to enjoy a sandwich, visit with classmates during a study break, or serve as an outdoor study hall. Ryan Tower: A 180-foot tower will rise near the Student Center. Visible from downtown Dallas and for miles in each direction, the tower is sure to become an iconic symbol of UNT Dallas’ presence in and importance to southern Dallas. Runyon Creek Trail: Students will enjoy walking or taking a jog on this trail which will connect our campus with greater Dallas.
MOST AFFORDABLE No four-year university in Dallas-Fort Worth offers lower tuition and fees.
UNT Dallas Strategic Plan | 19
UNT DALLAS PRESIDENT’S CABINET Robert Mong President
Dr. Betty Stewart Provost, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Jim Main CFO, Executive Vice President of Administration
Stephanie Holley Vice President for Student Access and Success
Dr. Monica Williams Vice President for University Advancement
Tim Willette Chief Compliance Officer
Dr. Jamaica Chapple Dean of Students
Michael Williams Distinguished Leader in Residence
Angie Castillo Executive Assistant to the President
7300 University Hills Blvd. | Dallas, Texas 75421 | (972) 780-3642 | UNTDallas.edu
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