UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ

AS/SCP/1336

 

COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND BUDGET

RESOLUTION ON ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

 

TO:      THE ACADEMIC SENATE, SANTA CRUZ DIVISION

 

PREAMBLE: One of the greatest challenges of the present campus planning process is to increase graduate enrollments. Increasing our graduate student population through enhanced enrollment of excellent graduate students will provide a number of benefits to UCSC. Such an increase will enhance our stature as a major research university and make it easier to attract absolutely first class faculty. Additional graduate degrees will meet an important long-term need of the State of California. As faculty members, we also recognize the many significant ways in which strong graduate programs enhance the quality of the educational experience for undergraduates. However,

the fraction of graduate students within UCSC's current student population is approximately 9%, the lowest such ratio within the UC system. Given the long lead-time to establish new graduate and professional programs, it is clear that we cannot improve this ratio instantaneously. Indeed, the present trajectory of growth in our undergraduate population suggests that we will need to adjust our ratio of graduate to undergraduate students even while campus growth slows or ceases in the future. Consequently, our campus planning process must include the discipline to plan for our long-term future while simultaneously meeting the needs of our existing students.

 

To this end, we move the following resolution:

 

WHEREAS: UCSC's current student population contains the lowest percentage of graduate students among the UC campuses;

WHEREAS: Thriving graduate and professional programs enhance the stature of a research university and add significantly to the intellectual environment for all members of the academic community;

WHEREAS: UCSC's long-term planning process is occurring at a time of rapid undergraduate enrollment growth, so that our total student population will soon level off at a total on-campus enrollment of 15,000 students;

AND WHEREAS: Developing, implementing, and growing graduate programs will necessarily extend beyond the time that our enrollments level off;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

 

THAT UCSC commit itself to growth in graduate and professional programs, both existing and new, with the goal of attaining a student population containing at least 15% graduate students; and

THAT the UCSC Senate and Administration jointly develop a plan aimed both at establishing this student population and guiding the annual targets.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND BUDGET

George Blumenthal, ex officio
Ben Friedlander

Alison Galloway, ex officio

Susan Gillman

Brent Haddad

Paul Koch

Jennie McDade

Graeme Smith

Lynn Westerkamp

Bob Meister, Chair

This resolution has also been endorsed by:

GRADUATE COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 7, 2002