The University of Louisville’s 2019-2022 Strategic Plan defines success in many ways. First unveiled to the university community in September 2019, the plan outlines institutional goals based on the university’s vision of becoming a great place to learn, to work and in which to invest. According to quantitative and qualitative data presented in the recently released Strategic Plan Year Two Update, UofL is making great strides in meeting, and in some respects exceeding, its institutional goals.
The update, which is posted on the UofL Strategic Plan webpage, highlights achievements in redefining student success, becoming a research and innovation powerhouse, and serving as a premier metropolitan university.
In the classroom, UofL’s students continue to prove their caliber. The UofL undergraduate graduation rate increased from 43% to 61.6% in the last 15 years, culminating in a record class in 2021. UofL generated more Fulbright scholars than all Kentucky public higher education institutions combined, and its student-athletes achieved a 91% graduation rate, matching the Cardinals’ best mark in the Graduation Success Rate report developed 17 years ago by the NCAA.
Fiscal year 2021 brought the university a record $201.5 million to support groundbreaking research — an increase of more than $30 million over the previous record set a year earlier. The research supported work to address some of the biggest global problems of our time, including climate change and battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
UofL remains undeterred by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. University operations, academics and community life commit to safety protocols and flexible delivery of services to ensure the ongoing health of faculty, staff and students. Further, UofL’s online learning programs experienced a 40% growth, and its law and dental faculty received an international award for creating a novel online teaching method.
Diversity, equity and inclusion remain critical to the university’s success. For the eighth year, UofL has been named a recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
UofL Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzales attributes these and the many other highlights from the Strategic Plan Year Two Update to the ongoing work of UofL’s many campus constituencies.
“We are 7,000+ employees strong – each offering their personal and professional gifts to a vital ecosystem that creates thriving futures for our students, our community and our society,” said Gonzalez in her recent Strategic Plan Update message to UofL faculty and staff. “The gratitude I feel for all who commit their time and talent to our university’s success cannot be overstated.”
Now in its third year of the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, UofL focuses on reaching institutional goals and reporting results to the community by November 2022. In the meantime, efforts are underway to develop the university’s next Strategic Plan, which will set goals for 2022 to 2025.
“Looking ahead, I am excited about a strong finish to the current Strategic Plan,” said Gonzalez. “Our Cardinal Community is laying the groundwork for sustainable success.”
