External Recognition

There is a developing consensus among external evaluators on Millersville's quality. In both 1998 and 1999 U.S. News & World Report named Millersville University the fourth best public regional university in the northeast United States. In 1998 Kiplinger's Personal Finance named Millersville the 87th best public university in the entire country, of approximately 600 institutions evaluated. The Office of the Chancellor has recognized that Millersville's overall score on all 24 performance indicators ranks first among the 14 universities.

Individual academic programs at the University are also widely recognized for their excellence. Approximately 20 of our academic programs have received specialized accreditations.

Private Support

Our successful capital campaign is tangible evidence of the high regard alumni, businesses, and organizations have for Millersville. People tend to invest in successful enterprises, and they have invested millions of dollars in Millersville University in the past five years. Millersville's first-ever capital campaign, ending in 1998, exceeded its $13 million private-dollar goal by $3.5 million. Over a third of the $16.5 million raised was from alumni, which is further evidence of their substantial satisfaction with and appreciation of the value of the education they received here. Over half the private dollars raised were from businesses, organizations, and other friends, clearly demonstrating that employers are impressed with the qualities and capacities of Millersville graduates. As the Lancaster Intelligencer-Journal editorialized, "The campaign not only says a lot about the university but also about its graduates. . . and the businesses, foundations, and organizations that hold the school in high esteem and contributed the lion's share of funds." The Lancaster New Era added, "It says a lot about the quality of a public institution when Pennsylvanians are willing to add their private money to the taxes they pay in annual support of university programs."

Receipt of Prestigious Grants

Foundations and agencies also tend to invest in successful institutions, and Millersville has received numerous grants from such organizations. In 1998-1999 Millersville received $3.5 million in grants from sources such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Bell Atlantic Foundation.

A Superior Student Body

Millersville attracts some of the academically best-prepared students in Pennsylvania, and we are sufficiently popular among prospective students so that in 1997 we admitted only 59% of our freshman applicants, the second smallest percentage in the State System and far below the System average of 71%. Our Fall 1998 freshmen SAT scores averaged 1056, highest in the System and well above the System average of 988. This average was also far above those of our main competitors: 1047 at Shippensburg, 1038 at West Chester, 1017 at Bloomsburg, and 994 at Kutztown. The percent of our entering 1996-97 freshmen in the top 20% of their high school classes (the most recent year for which we have comparative data) was 36%, again second highest in the System and far above the System average of 25%. It was also above the average of Millersville's regional peers: 30% at Shippensburg, 28% at West Chester, 26% at Bloomsburg, and 12% at Kutztown. Millersville's ability to attract top students is powerful evidence of the high esteem in which the public holds the University and its perception of the quality of a Millersville education.

Outstanding Retention and Graduation Rates

Millersville University continually retains and graduates most of the freshmen who begin here. Our six-year graduation rate was 67% for freshmen entering in 1989, 65% for those entering in 1990, 69% for those entering in 1991, and 65% for those entering in 1992-first, second, or third highest in the System and well above System averages of 53% to 55%. Our four-year retention/graduation rate was 72% for freshmen entering in 1991, 68% for those entering in 1992, 69% for those entering in 1993, and 68% for those entering in 1994-highest in the System all four years. Our two-year retention rate was 84% for students entering in 1994, 82% for those entering in 1995, 80% for those entering in 1996, and 83% for those entering in 1997-highest or second highest in the System all four years. Our six-year graduation rates for students of color and women are the highest in the System.

Millersville's extremely strong retention and graduation rates are powerful evidence of the quality of our academic programs, faculty, and support services. The strengths and successes of our retention efforts may be credited to the widespread assumption of responsibility for student retention across the university, especially alumni, faculty, and administrators of color who work tirelessly and creatively on behalf of our students.

Student Satisfaction

In a Spring 1998 national survey of college students, Millersville students were significantly more satisfied with their university than students nationally. Seventy-seven percent said they were satisfied with the overall college experience, compared to 71% of students nationally. Thirty-seven percent said that, if they could make their college choice over, they would "definitely" enroll at Millersville, compared to 27% of students nationally.

In a December 1996 telephone survey of State System students, 86% of Millersville students said that, if they could start college over, they would still attend Millersville, compared to 81% of other State System students. A third of Millersville students characterized Millersville's overall quality as excellent, compared to 25% of other State System students.

In a Summer 1998 national survey of entering freshmen, 59% of Millersville freshmen said they chose Millersville because of its academic reputation, far above the national average of 47% and the 52% so indicating a decade earlier.

Alumni Success

Millersville's 98% employment rate of 1996-1997 graduates was the third highest in the State System, evidence that we are fulfilling our mission to "prepare students to engage in productive and contributive lives as professionals." It is also evidence of the esteem in which employers hold Millersville University.

Prudent Management

Millersville's four-year budgetary flexibility ratio, an indicator of the extent to which the University is able to develop and fund its programmatic needs and priority initiatives through E&G revenue, is highest in the System. This is a strong indicator of our success in controlling personnel and other fixed costs. Our high maintenance/replacement and maintenance/budget ratios demonstrate our commitment to providing a quality teaching/learning environment.