Millersville University's stated vision is to become "recognized as a model comprehensive, regional, learning-focused university." What sets Millersville apart from its peers and competitors is its success in achieving this vision. There are many indicators of our overall exemplary quality.

• 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 us the 87th best public university in the entire country, of approximately 600 institutions evaluated. The Chancellor of the State System has commented (Appendix 2-7),

  One of the most important measures of effectiveness is how well a university performs with regard to the twenty-four recently adopted performance indicators... Millersville University's overall score on all measures ranks first among the 14 universities... I have been impressed over the years with the leadership of Millersville University of Pennsylvania. The institution has shown a long-term commitment to providing quality academic programs, addressing social equity concerns, and embodying a spirit of continuous improvement. Students and alumni are generally successful and well satisfied with the education they receive at Millersville University.

  Individual academic programs at the University are also widely recognized for their excellence. Several of our programs have received specialized accreditations (see Chapter 3). At the 1997-1998 International Technology Education Association Conference, our Technology Education program was recognized as one of four outstanding programs.

• Private support. 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 (see Chapter 11). Over a third of the $16.5 million raised was from alumni, which is tangible 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 esteemed 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 so popular among prospective students 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 far above the System average of 988. This average was also far above the averages 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 outstanding 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. 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 far 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. These figures are all convincing evidence of the quality of our academic programs, faculty, and support services.
• Student satisfaction. In Spring 1998, 627 Millersville sophomores were included in a national survey of college students sponsored by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. The 292 Millersville students who responded 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 Summer 1998, 924 Millersville freshmen participated in a national survey of entering freshmen sponsored by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at UCLA. Fifty-nine percent said they chose Millersville because of its academic reputation, far above the national average of 47% and the 52% so indicating a decade earlier.

  In a December 1996 telephone survey of State System students, in which 400 Millersville students participated, 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 the survey described earlier of members of the Strategic Planning and Resource Council, the Faculty Senate, and the Alumni Association Board of Directors, respondents were asked, "What one thing most makes Millersville University distinctive?" The most frequent responses reaffirm the distinctive strengths cited above. Respondents also cited our attractive, well-maintained campus; strong, supportive leadership and management; active, dedicated alumni; and a strong sense of self derived from a long and admirable history.