DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., June 13, 2012
DeVry University released today its Academic Annual Report, an overview of its academic initiatives and progress for the 2010-2011 academic year. Highlighting student enrollment and demographics, as well as ongoing and new opportunities for improvement, the report provides a transparent overview of the university’s academic quality measures. The 2010-2011 report provides an update to the opportunities for improvement that were identified in the 2009-2010 report. In total the report outlines 12 updates and 10 new plans. It also outlines how DeVry University provides accessible options for a diverse population and helps ensure that student financial investments are met with a quality education.
“For more than 80 years, we have been committed to making college accessible to those who want to pursue higher education,” said David J. Pauldine, president of DeVry University. "We have increased our levels of support services and provide dedicated staff members to assist typically underrepresented populations such as active military and veterans, transfer students and international students.”
Each academic investment by DeVry University supports one of five main tenets of academic quality: learning methodologies, student learning outcomes, faculty development, student persistence and graduation, and student career progression.
Because improving persistence rates is a top priority, DeVry University continues to increase investments in early retention efforts to help ensure students do not leave school before they complete their first year. The launch of “Student Central” (a system-wide service for students to help improve retention) was completed at all locations in 2011. Furthermore, the university piloted several programs including a more welcoming new-student orientation experience and “ASPIRE,” a new student-centric service that is similar to an employee assistance plan.
“Because we educate students who are more likely to come from lower-income households and to be the first in their families to attend college, our students are more likely to borrow money and less likely to have experience paying off debt,” Pauldine said. “We take very seriously our responsibility to track our students’ borrowing and to build financial literacy into our curriculum to ensure that they have the information and tools they need to repay their loans.”
In 2010-2011, DeVry University funded 16 scholarship and grant programs, totaling more than $25 million in annual awards benefitting more than 10,000 students. Approximately 13 percent of degree-seeking students are active-duty military members or military veterans and DeVry University provides special tuition rates for service members and their families. Since the university recognizes the financial responsibility many students take on to pursue their education, the Financial Literacy Department has integrated a full financial-literacy component into the Critical Thinking course and hosts an annual fair to educate borrowers about the importance of budgeting and loan payments. DeVry University is committed to spending $4 million annually to maintain and assess the Financial Literacy program.
Beyond financial and career services, the university continuously works to strengthen its faculty.
“Our students’ success depends in part on the curriculum and learning methods we employ, but it depends even more on the strength of our faculty,” said Dr. Donna Loraine, provost and vice president of academic affairs. "We take great pride in hiring faculty members who hold outstanding educational credentials and are both excellent teachers and accomplished practitioners in their fields.”
The 2010-2011 report also provides an update on opportunities for improvement that were identified in the 2009-2010 report, including, among others:
- Improving tracking of transfer students after matriculation
- Building Financial-Literacy curriculum
- Tracking effectiveness of Foundations coursework and raising admission standards for specific degree programs
Commitment to academic quality, investments in classroom technology, student retention and financial literacy are some of the areas DeVry University continues to improve and grow. By recognizing areas of strength and opportunities to provide additional support, the university aims to optimize a return-on-investment for every student. At a time when segments of the private sector are being challenged, the Academic Annual Report provides transparency and helps build faith in the higher education industry.
To read the full 2010-2011 DeVry University Academic Annual Report, visit: https://newsroom.devry.edu
