SRU Overview

AN OVERVIEW Slippery Rock University: 1

Slippery Rock University, founded in 1889, is the region’s premier public residential university. The University is shaped by its normal school heritage and characterized by its commitment to intellectual development, leadership and civic responsibility. SRU provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that will help them succeed in their lives, professional careers and be engaged citizens.

HISTORY Slippery Rock University opened its doors March 26, 1889 as Slippery Rock State Normal School. The citizens of the borough of Slippery Rock founded the school.

Its first president was James E. Morrow and the enrollment for the first session was 168 students. Limited to a singular mission in teacher education, SRSNS over the years fulfilled its mandate well, graduating thousands of students to staff the public schools in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation.

In 1926, the institution was purchased by the Commonwealth, renamed Slippery Rock State Teachers College, became a four-year teachers college, and continued the tradition of teacher training. While the curricular preparations were in elementary education and in a number of secondary education subjects, the Pennsylvania Department of Education assigned the institution an academic focus in health and physical education. And it was in that concentration that the institution soon achieved a national reputation for excellence.

Slippery Rock State College was established in 1960 and for the first time, could award undergraduate and graduate degrees in the liberal arts and in the professions. Expanded curricular offerings and an increased number of degree programs created an appreciable rise in enrollment. It was granted university status in 1983.

22

SRU TODAY Today, Slippery Rock University is a comprehensive university offering a broad array of undergraduate and select graduate programs to more than 8,852 students.

The University has built its historic reputation for excellence in physical education into a range of health and wellness programs, including exercise science and a doctorate in physical therapy.

to 81.5 percent in 2010, and the sixyear graduation rate improved from 49 percent in 2001-02 (1996 cohort) to 60.6 percent in 2009-10 (2004 cohort.)

A member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the University is a recognized leader in evidence-based planning and decision-making. It strives to provide its students a superior learning environment and the tools to compete in an increasingly complex world.

The University has committed significant dollars to improve the physical and intellectual learning environment. Since 2000, SRU has invested more than $250 million in new construction and renovation projects. Eighty-four percent of SRU academic programs eligible for professional accreditation are now accredited, and 92 percent of the full-time tenure or tenure track instructional faculty have earned a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. Zero classes at SRU are taught by teaching assistants.

Sixty-two percent of the classes have fewer than 30 students, and 80 percent of all classes have fewer than 40 students.

Since 2000-01, SRU’s admission and retention profiles have strengthened considerably, paralleling its strengthened academic profile.

The University achieved its highest total enrollment of 8,852 in fall 2010, nearly a 22 percent increase from its 2000-01 enrollment of 6,952. During this same period (2000 to 2010), the average SAT score for an entering freshman rose from 945 to 1018, and the average GPA increased from 2.99 to 3.39.

In 2001, only five percent of SRU’s entering class graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In 2009, 13 percent graduated from the top 10 percent.

Nearly 80 percent of our first-year students report that SRU is their first choice among their college choices.

This increase in selectivity has arguably led to improvements in student persistence. The first to second year retention rate has improved from 70 percent in 2000

SRU recognizes that increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of its students, faculty and staff is essential to creating an exceptional learning environment. In 2004, less than 8 percent of the entering class claimed minority status. In 2010, more than 9 percent had self-identified as minorities or multi-racial. During this same period, the number of minority faculty increased from 10 percent in 2000 to 19 percent in 2010.

FAST FACTS FAST FACTS

■ Enrollment total (all students); 8,852 (fall 2010) ■ R atio of students to faculty: 20:1 ■ Number of faculty: 381 fulltime, 61 part-time ■ Percent of fulltime tenure or tenure track instructional faculty who have an earned Ph.D. or other terminal degree: 92 percent ■ Degrees conferred (2010-11): 1,379 (1,145 undergraduate, 234 graduate) ■ 2009-10 fall admission data (freshmen)

Applicants: 5,929

Admits: 4,002

Enrollees: 1.575 ■ Ethnic and racial minority and multiracial students made up 9.3 percent of the entering fall 2010 class ■ Average SAT for entering freshmen is 1018; average high school GPA is 3.39 ■ Retention rate: 81.5 percent (freshman to sophomore) ■ Six-year graduation rate: 60.6 percent ■ Full time undergraduate tuition $5,804(PA), $8,706 (out-of-state) ■ Room and board Residential Suites (avg.) $8,454 ■ Mandatory fees $1,862 (PA), $1,980 (out-of-state) ■ Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 33.4 percent ■ Percent of undergraduates receiving state grants: 34.4 percent ■ Percent of first-year students that live on campus: 95 percent ■ Percent of undergraduates that live on campus: 36 percent

33

MISSION MISSION

Since Slippery Rock University was founded in 1889, it has engaged in the three fundamental functions that are associated with educational institutions, namely, to pursue truth and advance the boundaries of knowledge, to prepare students for an array of careers, and to foster responsible citizenship. The mission of the University as approved by the Slippery Rock University Council of Trustees is:

The fundamental mission of Slippery Rock University is to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate academic instruction. Complementary missions are to conduct scholarly research, to promote professional performance, and to address the educationally related economic, health, environmental, social, cultural and recreational needs of the region served by the University. In accomplishing these missions, Slippery Rock University primarily focuses its efforts on the academic areas of the arts and sciences, teacher education, environmental sciences and studies, health and human services, computer and information sciences, and business and communication.

The perspectives of Slippery Rock University are contemporary and futuristic, national and international. The University provides experiences and opportunities for students to demonstrate leadership and to develop confidence and self-reliance; it promotes their intellectual, social and physical development; and it accomplishes this in an open, caring, nurturing and friendly environment.

The individual and collective excellence for which Slippery Rock University stands will continue to be measured by the quality of its graduates and their successes in serving society.

CAMPUS AND THE COMMUNITY Slippery Rock University is located in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania and is the western-most institution of the 14-campus Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Increasing, it is being called upon to meet the educational, cultural, social and economic needs of the region.

The 660-acre main campus is less than an hour north of Pittsburgh, one hour south of Erie, and 45 minutes east of Youngstown, Ohio. Two major interstate highways, I-79 and I-80, intersect within seven miles of the University, conveniently linking it to the entire Commonwealth and its contiguous regions.

The campus is situated in the borough of Slippery Rock in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

The borough has a population of approximately 3,000 and encompasses a total area of 1.7 square miles. It is a generally safe and friendly community flanked by rolling farmlands, forests and sparkling glacial lakes. On campus, historic and modern buildings blend a sense of tradition with the latest technologies.

In addition to the academic programs on the main campus, the University provides programming in several other locations. Students interested in marine sciences have the opportunity to participate in summer school sessions at Wallops Island Marine Science Center in Virginia and to utilize the instructional facilities at nearby Lake Arthur and the Jennings Environmental Education Center. The University also operates the McKeever Environmental Learning Center in Sandy Lake, Penn., the Center for Lifelong and Community Learning in Slippery Rock, and manages the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.

The University’s extensive and expanding international studies program, which has been ranked 35th nationally by the Institute for International Education for the number of students who participate in learning abroad programs, offers educational opportunities for students in 21 countries. In addition, SRU offers extensive service learning and volunteer opportunities in the community.

The campus is characterized by a culture of caring, a commitment to excellence and strong relationships between and among students, faculty and the administration. For three consecutive years, The Chronicle of Higher Education has named SRU as “One of the Best Colleges to Work At.” The University has a positive relationship with Slippery Rock Borough and Slippery Rock Township. Members of the campus community are active participants in social, cultural and civic organizations.

The University’s physical plant is valued at $887 million.

4

For more than a decade, Slippery Rock University has embraced this simple but compelling vision: Slippery Rock University will excel as a caring community of lifelong learners connecting with the world.

We will fulfill this vision in the coming years by our commitment to position Slippery Rock University as the premier residential public university in the region. We believe our students’ educational and personal growth is best served through a sustained immersion in the intellectual community made possible by capable, committed faculty and staff members in the living laboratory of our campus. Our pedagogical approach relies on personal engagement with students as residents of our community.

The focus of our pedagogy goes beyond just earning a diploma. Our focus is on developing people capable of making positive differences in the lives of others. We will develop people who understand the problems of our global society and have confidence in their skills and values to address those problems throughout their life. To this end, we have identified five global imperatives around which to shape our strategic plan to address the educational needs for every student. These imperatives are: • Adapting to global population dynamics, • Advancing our preeminence in the use of science and technology, • Understanding and embracing the contributions of other cultures, • Protecting our commitment to social mobility and the achievement of social justice, and • Responding to environmental stewardship and intelligent resource utilization.

To achieve our pedagogical focus in this residential laboratory, we expect our employees to be models of the values and civic responsibilities to which we wish our students to aspire. Everyone is a potential teacher. Our faculty members will be exemplary teachers first and foremost, fully credentialed, and committed to continuing professional development in their areas of academic responsibility. Our student life and support service employees will be actively engaged in helping our students become better citizens and develop their leadership talents.

Our facilities and grounds staff members will demonstrate innovative stewardship of our resources and respect for our environment. Our administration will be the campus’ servant-leaders for continuous improvement of our University goals and providing the support necessary to achieve our vision.

VISION

VISION

We believe that this “community of learners” is best maintained with an enrollment of approximately 8,500-9,000 for the near term (~2012). This target allows us to have sufficient critical mass to offer a rich variety of substantive academic programs and student support without losing a level of caring service and instruction. This target provides a budgeting model that is sustainable to weather projected demographic and state funding challenges forecast for the foreseeable future without adding undue financial burden on our students and their families.

Consequently, we will focus our primary recruitment on traditional-age undergraduates who seek a residential learning-community and who have the academic portfolio to excel in our competitive environment.

We understand that for our community to be a meaningful learning experience within this vision, it must be representative of the diversity of our world. This means that we will affirmatively seek to attract and support students from across a wide-spectrum of life experiences and provide support for their academic, social and economic needs.

We understand that we have a responsibility to be transparent to our constituents in our claims of quality and value. We will demonstrate accountability and stewardship by publicly posting understandable and comparable measures of educational outcomes, costs and the results of our educational practices. We will demonstrate the credibility of our programs by achieving accreditation for all programs where accreditation is available. We will demonstrate our dedication to the teaching profession by employing 90 percent of our faculty members as full time.

We will demonstrate the commitment of our faculty members to their disciplines by employing at least 90 percent who have earned terminal degrees in their disciplines.

Finally, in our role as a public university we must provide for the betterment of the Commonwealth by creating new knowledge, generating economic growth and elevating the cultural experiences of our citizens. Most noble of all is our public responsibility to produce competent, civil and caring citizens who will make their communities and our world a better place for all people to live and work.

5

CORE VALUES CORE VALUES

Core values form the foundation on which we perform our work and conduct ourselves. They shape the University culture and define the character of our learning community As a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Slippery Rock University endorses and fully supports our system’s core values, and is dedicated to: ■ Stimulating intellectual growth by promoting teaching and learning through creativity and scholarship; ■ Developing and energizing the personal commitment of students, faculty and staff for contributive citizenship, global awareness, and social responsibility; ■ Promoting diversity as a key element in the intellectual and interpersonal development of members of the University and extended communities; ■ Applying the knowledge and experience gathered within the University to enhance the social and economic well-being of the Commonwealth; ■ Practicing effective stewardship of public funds, private contributions, and tuition revenues in pursuing the System’s public mission; and ■ Advocating for the unique role of public higher education in contributing to the life of the Commonwealth and responding to its needs.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN 2025 AND BEYOND The University’s strategic thinking and long-term planning is influenced by the significant global trends facing the next generation of educated citizens. Our purpose is to provide as best as possible an in-depth understanding of the issues this generation will be asked to address. By focusing on the educational needs of the future, 2025 and beyond, our hope is that our students will have the skills and the leadership talent to make a difference in the quality of life on our planet throughout their lifetimes.

We have organized our work into two sets of strategies. The first set identifies those global trends that we believe define the direction we should follow for our students to have the education that fulfills our vision.

The second set identifies those trends that the University must address to assure its continued viability as a healthy, dynamic organization capable of serving our vision.

SET ONE/GLOBAL TRENDS 1 Changing population dynamics 2. Our nation’s fate depends on maintaining our world leadership in science and technology 3. The need to understand other cultures 4. Increasing challenges to higher education’s commitment to social mobility 5. The world is reaching a point of diminishing returns regarding resource utilization

SET TWO/BUSINESS TRENDS 1. Pennsylvania’s college-age population will continue to grow for a few more years and then decline through a period of approximately eight years before rebounding 2. The World of the academic is constantly changing and will place a premium on those institutions that are responsive to the needs of quality faculty 3. Competition for state appropriations will increase and private dollars will become more essential

66

ACADEMICS Slippery Rock University enjoys the reputation of being a high quality, coeducational, comprehensive university that is student learning centered. Our 8,852 students are enrolled in more than 60 programs of study in four colleges (Business, Information and Social Sciences; Education; Health, Environment and Science; and Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts) and Graduate Studies.

The University has a primary commitment to teaching and a mission to provide an interactive undergraduate education along with select high quality graduate programs.

Slippery Rock can best be described as a traditional college-aged population, with the majority of students coming to the University from public and parochial high schools. Admission is offered to students on a rolling basis. The average admitted student has completed college preparatory course work, has a GPA of 3.30 or better with 42 percent graduating from the top 25 percent of his or her class, and has an average SAT score (critical reading and math) of 1018 or an ACT score of 20.2.

SRU offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Business

Administration, Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Arts, Master of Education, Master of Science, and Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees as well as numerous majors, minors and program tracks within the academic disciplines.

The University also offers special affiliation programs that lead to professional degrees at an accelerated pace. Students may enroll in one of several baccalaureate degree programs that precede SRU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, including the 3+3 (three years of undergraduate work and three years of professional/graduate study) accelerated options in biology, exercise science, Public health, theraputic recreation and safety programs. New affiliation programs include a 3+4 track with the Lake Erie College of Medicine in Erie,

Pennsylvania, for a Doctor of Osteopathy and 2+3 and 3+3 options for a Doctor of Pharmacy with the same institution. A 3+3 affiliation program for students pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree is available with the Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri. A dual-degree program in engineering is offered with Pennsylvania State University, Youngstown State University and the University of West Virginia. The program involves three years of pre-engineering course work at Slippery Rock and two years of engineering study at one of the partner institutions.

Students in this 3+2 program are awarded a BA in Physics from SRU and a BS in Engineering from WVU, YSU or PSU. Internships and co-curricular experiences are recommended in most academic disciplines. Students in teacher education programs are required to take a semester of student teaching in their senior year.

Student teaching experiences occur in many of the surrounding school districts.

The University also offers student teaching experiences overseas and in high growth job markets throughout the United States.

An Honors Program provides unique opportunities for curious, enthusiastic, high caliber students to learn and grow in and out of the classroom, to promote leadership skills while working toward the development of the individual, and to promote the advancement of the University and the community.

The University operates on a two-semester (fall, spring) system. The summer term is divided into two 5-week sessions, a threeweek session, and a seven-week evening session. A minimum of 120 semester hours and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 are required for graduation. Higher grade and academic standards may apply for certain programs.

Through a continuing education program, the University offers credit and noncredit courses and workshops at on- and off-campus sites, including the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.

Interested students may participate in the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program on campus.

Completion of the ROTC program may result in a student’s commissioning as an officer in the U.S. Army or National Guard upon graduation.

The University’s studentto-faculty ratio (20:1) enables the institution to provide rich opportunities for outstanding education programs and excellent advising by committed faculty. And, because 80 percent of all classes have fewer than 40 students, faculty members have time to mentor students and provide the personal attention that has become a hallmark of a Slippery Rock University education. The depth of experience and outstanding level of dedication of our faculty is perhaps the most distinctive asset of Slippery Rock University.

7

27-member Senate. It is the primary student governing body. The SRUSGA owns and operates the University Bookstore and Child Care Center; promotes spirit and unity; encourages student participation in University activities; helps fund recognized student organizations and SRU athletics; and serves as the advocate for student interests and concerns. SRUSGA is responsible for allocating more than $1.6 million in student fees annually.

STUDENT LIFE Community building and student leadership development are hallmarks of a Slippery Rock University experience. The University is recognized for several first-year initiatives including: • The FYRST program, which offers students a close-knit peer group and a mentoring relationship with an experienced professor or staff member; • Its residential living-learning communities that allow students who share similar academic, career or personal interests to live together; and • Programs that are intentionally designed to help students develop communitybuilding skills while finding their own individual strengths.

The Division of Student Life has adopted the principles of Learning Reconsidered as the foundation for its work. “Learning Reconsidered defines learning as a comprehensive, holistic, transformative activity that integrates academic learning and student development – processes that have often been considered separate, and even independent of each other.”

“In Greater Expectations, the Association of American Colleges and Universities posits three key learning outcomes that are fundamental to the development of intentional, life long learners in the 21st. century. These require that: • Students should become empowered through the development of many intellectual and practical skills; • Students must take responsibility for their own learning and their participation in the civic processes of our democracy; and • Students must become informed about conditions that affect their lives in the U.S. and as citizens of many wider communities.”

Student Life partners with Academic

8

Affairs and other areas of the University to provide unique opportunities for students to achieve these goals through a myriad of learning processes – “action, contemplation, reflection and emotional engagement as well as information acquisition.”

The test of effectiveness then, in part, for our Student Life programs is the degree to which each contributes to the learning outcomes it provides for students. These core-learning outcomes include: • Engaged citizenship; community service, social justice • Career planning • Ethical approaches to business, relationships, problem solving and conflict • Practical leadership • Emotional intelligence •C ritical thinking; evaluating sources of information • Informed decision making • Working in teams and groups; conflict resolution • Cultural competency and crosscultural understanding • Civility and tolerance To achieve these outcomes, Student Life provides opportunities for students to organize, lead and participate in more than 150 social, honorary and specialinterest clubs.

The SRU Student Government Association, Inc. is an independent corporation funded through a student general service fee. The SRUSGA is comprised of an elected six member executive board and a

The University Program Board (UPB), comprised entirely of students, is the major sponsor of student activity events. UPB offers activities featuring local, national and international entertainers in areas such as performing arts, concerts, films, lectures and travel. UPB is responsible for all aspects of the program including budgeting, scheduling, marketing, sales and event management. Students involved in UPB annually manage funds in excess of $350,000.

Slippery Rock University encourages all students to explore and develop their skills, abilities and practices of leadership in order to enhance their educational experience. The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) helps students achieve this goal through a variety of programs, activities and services. A signature program within the CSIL is the Compass Leadership Program.

Compass Leadership offers programs designed to appeal to a wide range of interests and experiences.

Students may choose to attend parts of the program, or follow a recommended sequence of workshops in order to receive certification as completing basic, intermediate or advanced leadership competencies. Participation in Compass Leadership workshops is recorded and posted on the student’s Co-curricular Experiences Transcript.

At SRU, students are active on all major University committees and have a voting seat on the Council of Trustees, one of the University’s governing boards.

Utilizing a Learning Reconsidered approach, Student Life helps to ensure the University delivers on its promise to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that make a positive difference in their lives.

ACCREDITATION

ACCREDITATION

Slippery Rock University is a Carnegie Masters-L, four-year, public, coeducational university. The University has earned full institutional accreditation through the Middle State Commission on Higher Learning and discipline specific accreditation by the following: • A merican Physical Therapy Association: Physical Therapy • National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission: Nursing • Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education: Exercise Science

• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education: Athletic Training • National Recreation and Park Association: Park and Resource Management, Resort Management / Tourism, Therapeutic Recreation

• Institute for Safety and Health Management: Safety and Health

SPORTS AND RECREATION

• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education: College of Education

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs: Community Counseling, School of Counseling, and Student Personnel

The Intercollegiate Athletic Department provides excellent opportunities and facilities to support a competitive intercollegiate experience at the NCAA Division II level. SRU fields 17 athletic teams, 7 for men, and 10 for women. It is the only University in the PASSHE system to be fully Title IX compliant.

• Commission on Sport Management: Sport Management

The intercollegiate athletic program at SRU has demonstrated excellence both on the field and in the classroom. The University consistently places in the top half in competition for the Dixon Trophy, emblematic of the most successful overall athletic program in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. During 2010-11, 172 student-athletes were named recipients of PSAC “Scholar-Athlete” honors. Seventy student-athletes received Academic Achievement Awards from the Division II Athletic Directors Association and 12 were named All Americas.

• National Science Teachers Association: Science Education

TM

The University’s comprehensive Aebersold Student Recreation Center, funded by student fees, provides students with an abundant array of recreational, intramural and fitness experiences. A new intramural complex with multiple ball fields, play courts, and facilities provides outdoor recreational opportunities for students. SRU consistently is a leader among PASSHE institutions in the number of students participating in recreation and intramural activities.

• A merican Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: Spanish, French Education • National Association for the Education of Young Children: Early Childhood Education • A ssociation for Childhood Education International: Elementary Education • National Council for Teachers of English: English Education • National Council for the Social Sciences: Social Studies Education • Council for Exceptional Children: Special Education

• National Council for Teachers of Mathematics: Math Education • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology: computer Science, Information Systems • Council on Social Work Education: Social Work

• National Association of Schools of Art and Design: Art, Fine Arts • National Association of Schools of Dance: Dance

• National Association of Schools of Music: Music Instrumental, Music Performance, and Music Therapy • National Association of Schools of Theatre: Theatre

• Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care: Health Services • National Association for the Education of Young Children: Child Care Center • International Association of Counseling Services: Counseling Services

9

SATISFACTION

STUDENT SATISFACTION Results from the 2010 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) show that Slippery Rock University students consistently rate their experience at SRU higher than do students attending peer institutions.

The survey is designed to obtain, on an annual basis, information from scores of colleges and universities nationwide about student participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development.

To focus discussions about the importance of student engagement and guide institutional improvement efforts, NSSE created five clusters or “benchmarks” of effective education practice: 1. Level of academic challenge 2. Active and collaborative learning 3. Student-faculty interaction 4. Enriching educational experiences, and 5. Supportive campus environment The benchmark report compares the performance of Slippery Rock University with our selected peers, selected Carnegie peers and all NSSE institutions.

Freshman SRU students recorded mean scores that were higher than their respective peer institutions (PASSHE and Carnegie Class) on ALL five categories and also exceeded the national average of all participating NSSE institutions in ALL five categories – level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experience and supportive campus environment.

Seniors at SRU recorded mean scores that were higher than their peer institutions (PASSHE and Carnegie Class) and all NSSE institutions in four of five categories (active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experience and supportive campus environment).

ALUMNI SATISFACTION Results from the 2006-07 State System of Higher Education Alumni Survey show that 98 percent of SRU alumni would recommend SRU to others; 91 percent were satisfied with the institution’s intellectual life; 93 percent were satisfied with the physical facilities; 91 percent were satisfied with the course curriculum; 94 percent were satisfied with the University’s reputation; and 97 percent felt the University was concerned for them as an individual.

FINANCIALS • Slippery Rock University’s FY10-11 combined budget for all operations was $156,054,619 • Slippery Rock University Foundation assets as of March 31, 2011 total $153,990,499 At Slippery Rock, the strategic plan drives the University budget. Annually, budget allocations are based on two primary processes: (1) Project-based funding to meet specific initiatives that support the strategic plan; and (2) funding-by-rounds, where recurring budgets are evaluated to assure consistency and focus on strategic directions.

The budgeting process is driven by these basic principles: • Student comes first. Educating students is always the highest priority.

• Academic programs are a higher priority than nonacademic programs.

• Consultation with faculty, students, and administration on matters of the strategic plan and budget decisions are an inherent integral part of the shared governance of the University.

• Cuts and/or increases are not made “across-the-board.” Doing so violates the purpose of the strategic plan and is a formula for mediocrity.

• The University cannot be all things to all people. The budget reinforces the strategic priorities of the University to preserve the overall quality of the institution.

The University is an excellent steward of its resources. SRU received an unqualified opinion and no material weakness comments as it pertains to internal controls during the last audit. The credit-worthiness ratio was .0687 as of June 30, 2010. This ratio indicates the institution is continuing to maintain a positive credit worthiness position.

Consumers Digest has named Slippery Rock as the fifth “best value” public university in America based on its quality plus affordability.

10

SUSTAINABILITY CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY SRU’s history with self-sustainability can be traced to its early days when students helped out by farming the land, handling dairy and beef production around the original school, and even mined coal used to heat the buildings. The tradition continues today through a variety of programs, activities and services.

The University’s Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems and Research is the University’s premier demonstration program for reducing energy consumption, improving recycling efforts and creating and improving sustainability systems. The facility for the Center is a living laboratory for innovative demonstrations of wind and solar energy systems as well as many other environmental applications.

SRU also administers the McKeever Environmental Learning Center at Sandy Lake, which provides programs to assist citizens in becoming better stewards of the earth’s resources. And, SRU is the home to the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education, a centralized informationclearing house for increasing access to environmental education through service, education and research.

Nearly every academic building has an energy control system in place. Heating and air conditioning are centrally controlled via computers linked to outside temperature probes that allow shut down or temperature set back when a building is not in use – overnight and on weekends.

The University utilizes a campus wide program to employ “sleep mode” on 2,000 University-owned computers as a way of reducing electrical consumption, and

nearly all locker rooms, residence hall showers and public restrooms employ restricted flow showerheads and/or faucets to save water.

The University has saved $16.5 million through sustainable development and energy conservation over the past five years and expets to save at least $5.6 million through energy conservation over the next 15 years.

SRU standards call for all cleaning supplies, such as glass and window cleaner, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners and generalpurpose cleaners purchased by the University to carry the “Green Seal” of approval as a way of helping the environment. The University also considers the use of post-consumer content of paper in purchases for on-campus use.

University policy requires LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for new building construction and adherence to LEED guidelines for all building renovations on campus. The SRI Foundation’s $110 million Residential Suites are LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The University has a robust recycling program. In total, the University annually recycles more than 299.31 tons of material that would have been sent to landfills.

Pre-consumer food scraps are taken from campus dining halls and combined with leaves collected on campus and from the local community to make compost at the Macoskey Center. The compost is then used for campus beautification projects.

The greening movement is taking hold in University Dining. A number of allnatural options have been introduced, including T&B Naturally Café, the first venue nationally on a college campus to offer organic beverages and snacks. The dining halls and grills now offer produce from 25 sustainable local growers.

SRU, which pioneered greening education when it launched a masters program in sustainable systems in 1990, uses biodegradable green ware cups made from corn resin and Eco-Clam Shells for takeout dining.

Since May 2010 all bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates wear commencement regalia made from 100 percent post-

consumer recycled plastic bottles. Each gown keeps an average of 23 plastic bottles from winding up in a landfill.

Student-led sustainability initiatives include: • The Green Bike Initiative. This program rescues and refurbishes bicycles for use by students. The bikes are painted green and can be checked out for free from the ARC to use for transportation rather than driving.

• A “Green Fund” which is administered by a campus wide group charged with allocating funds for “green” projects. Since its inception in 2008 more than $157,000 has been allocated for a variety of diverse “green” initiatives including: trash and recycling containers; electrical meters, a campus clean up campaign; expansion of the Green Bike program; support for educational programs, a wind-powered, lake-aeration system and the purchase of a recycling baler among others.

The University raised the bar for sustainability expectations when it joined the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment network of signatory schools in 2009. Representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, network members pledge to address global warming, commit to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions, and accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education in an effort to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.

11

CHANGE

CATALYST FOR CHANGE Slippery Rock University plays a critical role regionally as an engine for economic development and growth in the Commonwealth, and elevating the cultural and social experiences of its citizens.

Historically, universities were often viewed as being apart from, rather than a part of, the corporate community. This relationship has shifted over the years. In the 80s it was allowed, in the 90s encouraged and today it is expected. Indeed, as Richard Rosan of the Urban Land Institute said, “Few institutions have more to offer in propelling economic development on a national and local basis than our nation’s colleges and universities. As leading institutions in their communities, they are powerful drivers, technology centers, employers, developers and investors.”

Slippery Rock impacts the regional economy and the Commonwealth as a whole in a variety of ways. As a business enterprise, SRU helps create jobs; supports Pennsylvania companies by purchasing supplies, services and materials; and brings new money into the economy through out-of state dollars. The University provides a skilled workforce to Pennsylvania employers and prepares graduates that support and create business opportunities. SRU also provides services to help businesses develop and prosper.

12 12

As a business enterprise…

• SRU is the 9th largest employer in Butler County, providing 876 jobs directly and creating a total employment impact in the county of an additional 1,165 jobs. The combined payroll of SRU employees who live in Butler County was $91.5 million in FY 2008-9.

• SRU and its alumni contribute approximately $334.4 million each year to the regional economy – the equivalent of 9,020 average-wage jobs.

• More than 311,000 local and non-local visitors come to the University each year.

The off-campus expenditures of non-local visitors for lodging, food and other personal expenses annually create an estimated $13.8 million in added regional income.

• Higher-student earnings and associated increases in labor and non-labor income expand the tax base in Pennsylvania by about $54.1 million each year.

• SRU spends an estimated $54.8 million (36 percent of its total budget) in Butler County, including the expenditures of its faculty and staff and the University’s purchases for supplies and services.

• The accumulated contributions of former SRU students in the region, including noncompleters, amount to approximately $220.0 million in added income annually. This represents the sum of higher earnings to SRU students, the increased output of businesses and associated multiplier effects as monies ripple through the economy.

• State and local government will receive an annual rate of return of 5.5 percent on their investments in SRU. • SRU returns $18.60 to the people of Pennsylvania for every $1 of state and local government support received.

Preparing a skilled workforce…

• SRU activities encourage new business, assist existing business and create long-term economic growth. The University enhances worker skills and provides trained workers to local business and industry.

• SRU’s undergraduate research program provides students with faculty-mentored research opportunities in fields related to their careers. Students work with state-ofthe-art equipment that expands their skill sets and employability.

• SRU supports a robust internship program.

Most academic majors provide for internship opportunities that help students refine their skills and knowledge in actual work situations, provide valuable human resources to business and industry, and which often result in permanent employment with the company.

• Through the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership Development, the

Institute for Community ServiceLearning and Nonprofit Leadership, and academic based outreach programs, SRU students experience thousands of hours annually in hands-on learning.

• The average bachelor degree holder will earn approximately $24,900 in additional undiscounted income each year relative to a high school graduate.

• Student enjoy a 14.3 percent rate of return on their educational investment, recovering all costs (including forgone wages) in 10.7 years.

• Education is statistically correlated with improved lifestyle behaviors, including reduced incidences of absenteeism, improved health, lower probability of committing crime, and fewer welfare and unemployment claims.

• SRU is a “brain-gain” for Pennsylvania.

The percent of students who settle in Pennsylvania (93%) is greater than the percent of students who come from Pennsylvania (90%). This holds true for Butler County as well. The percent of SRU students who settle in the county (16.4%) is greater than the percent of students who come from Butler County (14.5%).

• S RU, in collaboration with the Butler County Development Corporation and the SRU Foundation, is building a business Innovation Center that will offer a variety of support services to entrepreneurs seeking to start a business. The Center will provide office space, access to University facilities and faculty and student assistance. The School of Business received a PASSHE sponsored grant in the amount of $90,246.50 to conduct planning and feasibility work for the Center and was successful in hiring three faculty members with entrepreneurship experience. One faculty member will be responsible for curriculum development of a minor in entrepreneurship.

• S RU’s College of Business, Information and Social Sciences provides students and faculty as consultants on projects ranging from financial planning, to marketing, to public relations to strategic planning for small businesses.

•T he Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Education and Research assists communities and individual business in formulating effective energy and sustainability strategies.

• SRU provides leadership expertise to local

GOVERNANCE Slippery Rock University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. A 20-member Board of Governors leads PASSHE. The Board establishes broad educational, fiscal and personnel policy, and oversees the efficient management of PASSHE. Among other tasks, the Board appoints the chancellor and university presidents, approves new academic programs, sets tuition and coordinates and approves the annual PASSHE operating budget.

A 12-member Council of Trustees governs the University. Its members are nominated and appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate serving a term of six (6) years, and until their successors are appointed and qualified. At least two (2) members of the group are to be alumni of the institution and one (1) member is to be a full-time undergraduate student.

The president serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the University and reports to the Chancellor and the Council of Trustees.

The president’s Cabinet considers and makes recommendations on matters of policy, planning, budget and programmatic priorities of the University and advises the president on other matters as appropriate.

The Cabinet includes: the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Finance and Administration, the Vice President for Student Life, the Vice President for Advancement, the Executive Director for Public Relations, and the Executive Assistant to the President.

Business assistance…

• The Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Woods, managed by SRU, is the nation’s largest collaborative learning campus with 11 educational partners.

The RLA provides workforce skills and training to adult learners through its unique partnerships with business, industry and educational providers. Last year 46,322 participants received training and 304,928 person-hours of training were delivered. Since its inception in 2004, the RLA has provided 1,529,542 people hours of professional development training to regional business. Westinghouse cited the RLA as one of eight reasons why it retained its world headquarters in Pennsylvania rather than moving out-of state.

and regional economic and business organizations including the Butler County Development Corporation, the Slippery Rock Downtown Development Authority, the Slippery Rock Business Association and the Butler Chamber of Commerce. Staff, faculty and staff routinely volunteer as members of local non-profit boards and associations.

•A s the premiere undergraduate public residential university in the region, SRU is a selling benefit for community and economic development agencies seeking to attract new businesses to the area. The University provides a pool of skilled graduates and available part-time employees.

The University’s library, recreational facilities, performing arts and sports programs enrich the educational, cultural and social life in the community.

13 13

ROCK SOLID • Slippery Rock University was one of only 85 four-year colleges and universities nationally to be recognized as a 2011 Great Place to Work by The Chronicle of Higher Education. This marks the third consecutive year the University has earned this designation.

• The Princeton Review cited Slippery Rock University as one of the 218 best colleges and universities in the Northeast.

•T he Daily Beast/Newsweek named Slippery Rock University as one of the nation’s Top 50 Safest Campuses. This is the second consecutive year SRU has been recognized.

•U .S. News and World Report named Slippery Rock University “One of the 100 Best Colleges in the North.”

•G .I. Jobs Magazine honored Slippery Rock University as “A Military Friendly School,” in their 2011 publication. This is the second consecutive year SRU has been selected.

•W orldWideLearn, an Internet educational site, identified Slippery Rock University as “One of the Top (No. 2) 20 Rural Colleges and Universities.

• S lippery Rock University was identified by the Princeton Review as “One of the top 286 Green Colleges” in the nation.

• S tudent Horizons, Inc. designated Slippery Rock University as a “College of Distinction,” for its exemplary commitment to supporting engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.

•T he National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited

14

The Slippery Rock University Student Government Association Preschool and Child Care Center - one of only three such accreditations in Butler County.

• Slippery Rock University received a $313,176 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration to expand its student-led “I Can Do It, You Can Do It” mentoring program for youth with disabilities. SRU’s program is a national model.

• Eva Tsuquiashi-Daddesio, dean of the College of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, was awarded a Minority Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Minority Achiever’s reception sponsored

by Minority Opinion/Talk Magazine.

• Steven Hawk, professor of music, was nominated for two Grammy awards in the jazz category. Hawk was nominated in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group category for his work on the album “A New Promise,” featuring Sheryl Bailey with the Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra, and in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble category for his work on “Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy – 21st Century Swing Band,” on which he is a featured soloist and lead trumpeter.

• Patricia Hladio, director of financial aid, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. The award honors her leadership with the organization and commitment to helping students obtain financial aid.

• Slippery Rock University was elected a founding member of the Presidents’ Alliance, a 70-member organization working to improve student learning on U.S. campuses.

• T he National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment selected Slippery Rock University’s accountability Web site as a featured site. The Association noted that SRU’s site “is an example of an institution taking multiple types and forms of information and locating them all in a single place in clear and understandable language.”

• The Institute of International Education ranked Slippery Rock University 10th nationally among masters-degree granting institutions for the number of students participating in short-term study abroad programs.

• Michael Ignelzi, associate professor and graduate coordinator of counseling and development, was presented a Diamond Honoree award from the American College Personnel Association. The award recognizes leadership and scholarship.

• The Slippery Rock University Student Counseling Center was accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services Inc., an Alexandria, Va.-based accrediting organization.

• The Slippery Rock University field hockey team led the nation with a collective grade point average of 3.55 for fall semester, earning the 2010 Gladiator by SGI/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II National Academic Team Award.

• The men’s Ice Hockey Club won the College Hockey Mid-America championship for the second consecutive year.

• SRU PR staff nabbed national Higher Education Marketing awards for a poster titled “Want to Change the World?” promoting a Slippery Rock University political science degree, and the University’s viewbook, designed to attract potential students to campus.

• InSpire Magazine named Charles Curry, vice president for finance and administration, one of 2010’s “Top 40 Inspirers”.

successes Alumni Achievements

• The Rocket, SRU’s weekly student newspaper, won seven awards in the annual Society for Collegiate Journalists competition, including first place in the IW-4 News Series category and in the editorial cartoons category. The newspaper took second place in the “Overall Excellence – Print” category.

•P am Arnhold, assistant professor of physical education, received the “Friends in Education Award” from the Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4. The award recognizes Arnhold’s leadership in preparing students for careers in adapted physical education and involvement with SRU’s adapted aquatics program.

• S RU student math teams captured a Meritorious Award, two Honorable Mentions and a Successful Participant honor at the annual Mathematical Contest in Modeling. SRU competed against teams from Canada, China, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom among others.

•T he Corporation for National and Community Service named Slippery Rock University to its 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which salutes the nation’s institutions of higher education that support volunteerism, service-learning and civic engagement.

• SRU’s Exercise is Medicine initiative won the inaugural “Exercise is Medicine Active U Challenge” sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine.

•A nita Mio Nelson, a 1976 recreation graduate, was named vice president of business affairs for Dark Horse Comics, the nation’s third largest comic book publisher.

• U.S. Air Force Col. Kevin Jacobsen, a 1980 political science graduate, was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the Air Force Office of Special Investigation at Joint Base Andrews-NAF, Maryland.

• Laurel Anders, a 1995 graduate, was appointed director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Bureau of Boating and Access. She oversees the administration of boating regulations and directs boating safety education, water rescue and boating access programs. Pennsylvania has more than 350,000 registered boats.

• Ken Wilcox, a 1989 graduate, was awarded the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Founders Award for his leadership, educational advocacy and diversity promotion.

The non-profit organization provides scholarships and advocacy to students attending historically black colleges and universities.

• Rebecca Cranford, a 1994 graduate, was named a Rising Star of Safety by the National Safety Council, which provides health and safety training resources to companies. Cranford is the environment, health and safety manager at Alcoa in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Michael Korpiel, a 1982 allied health graduate, was named chief operating officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

• J osh Young, a 2004 Slippery Rock University graduate and the University’s youngest Council of Trustees chair in history, was named one of 30 Pennsylvania Rising Stars under the age of 30 by Politics Pa.

• Jon Radke, a sport management graduate, was named director of operations for Major League Soccer and will now be based in New York City.

Student Successes • The American Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania honored Erik Bergh, a criminal justice major, and Maria Pezzuti, an elementary education major, as “Heroes” for their work as lifeguards.

The two were part of team credited with saving the life of a 6-year-old boy.

• Brandon Fusco, SRU senior offensive center, was selected as the 2010 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year.

The Minnesota Vikings drafted Fusco.

• A ndrea Vasil, a physical education graduate student, received the APAC Masters Student of the Year Award in Adapted Physical Activity.

• Natalee Bufalini, a physical education major, received the Outstanding Major of the Year award by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

• Christine Lundblad, a chemistry major, was accepted into the doctor of philosophy program in inorganic chemistry at the University of Oxford.

• Seven Slippery Rock University safety management majors received $15,600 in scholarship aid from the American Society of Safety Engineers Foundation, making SRU the top university in the nation both in number of students honored and total dollars awarded.

• W hitney Hendershot, a criminology and criminal justice May graduate, won the 2011 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships national championship in the high jump.

15

rock solid education

A member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

www.SRU.edu

#5157 6-11

16

Slippery Rock University provides an environment that respects, encourages and promotes the talents and contributions of all. Slippery Rock University values a community with a shared sense of purpose, where people demonstrate mutual respect and appreciation. Slippery Rock University values diversity that honors and includes all persons regardless of age, creed, disability, ethnic heritage, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status in academic and extracurricular endeavor, in the working environment and in the daily life of the University community.

Respect for Individuals in the Community

1 Morrow Way Slippery Rock, PA 16057