Business Activity Impact Report

LEADING THE WAY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

With an enrollment of more than 33,000 students and a flourishing research enterprise, UT Arlington is a major contributor to the intellectual and economic advancement of the growing North Texas region. The University continues to rise in stature by pushing the boundaries of knowledge, transforming the lives of students, and serving the needs of the community.

Researchers are at the forefront of discovery, working to solve the world’s most serious challenges and turning ideas into life-enhancing products and systems that drive the economy. They battle cancerous tumors using painless imaging techniques and repair damaged blood vessels with targeted drugs. They devise novel methods of producing clean energy and apply nanotechnology to revolutionize the electronics industry. These cutting-edge explorations have helped total research expenditures more than triple in the past 10 years to a record $66 million. Invention disclosures, patents filed, and patents issued also have risen dramatically in the last decade.

Through nationally recognized academic programs and imaginative approaches to delivering compelling subject matter, UT Arlington produces the lifelong learners and critical thinkers our region, state, and nation demand. The number of tenure-system faculty members has increased by 22 percent in the last decade, leading to significant growth in research and scholarly achievement.

These dedicated professors impart knowledge to students pursuing 80 bachelor’s degrees, 71 master’s degrees, and 30 doctoral degrees in 12 colleges and schools. The University continues to lead the way in distance education. More than 20,000 students are enrolled in at least one online class, and about 9,300—almost 30 percent of the student population—have fully online schedules.

A record 58 percent enrollment increase over the past 10 years has created a larger pool of well-educated employees for the knowledge-based industries in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and all of Texas. As UT Arlington’s enrollment has skyrocketed, so has student quality. Nearly 27 percent of first-time, full-time freshmen in fall 2011 ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class, and 70 percent were in the top quarter.

The University’s diverse and talented students represent 116 countries, although most hail from the North Texas region. U.S. News & World Report consistently recognizes UT Arlington as one of the nation’s top universities for ethnic diversity. The University is a minority-majority campus, with Hispanics (19 percent), African Americans (15 percent), and Asians (10 percent) representing the largest minority groups.

Imparting Knowledge, Improving Lives

Whether providing an unparalleled education for students or addressing important societal challenges, UT Arlington is in the business of enhancing the quality of life in North Texas and beyond.

The UT Arlington Research Institute is a global leader in the research and development of advanced technology to help society by providing unique, affordable solutions to complex problems. A major source of research expenditures, the institute bridges the gap between academic research and product development.

The Nanotechnology Research and Education Center is the preeminent university-based nanotechnology research, development, and teaching facility in North Texas. Open to scientists within and outside the University, the center is a valuable resource that promotes collaboration across disciplines and between academia and industry.

The UT Arlington Fort Worth Center offers 13 graduate degree programs that enable working professionals to advance their careers. The center provides innovative and affordable higher education with the flexibility and vision to capitalize on global opportunities that address today’s economic development needs.

University College is a one-stop center for academic advising, tutoring, and counseling to foster student success and boost retention and graduation rates. Student retention rates continue to show marked improvement, with 74 percent of freshmen from the fall 2010 semester returning for their sophomore year, up from about 61 percent five years ago.