Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Under each KPI, you will see the strategic goal(s) it supports.
Strategic Goal 1: UCA will support and empower students to succeed, operating from the understanding that a holistic definition of success encompasses many interconnected dimensions of development. [SG1]

Strategic Goal 2: UCA students will have the capabilities to thrive after graduation in whatever avenue suits their path to success. [SG2]

Strategic Goal 3: UCA will position itself to address grand challenges while maintaining the stability of the university, the sustainability of quality programming, and equity of access and success for all stakeholders. [SG3]

Retention Rate (1 Year)

A full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduate student retained at the one-year mark.  “Pell grant recipients” is defined as students receiving a Pell grant the first fall term at UCA. (KPI supports SG1.)

Goal: a rolling five-year average for all students of 76% by 2025, recognizing that some years will be outliers.

Graduation Rate (150% completion time)

A full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduate student graduating within 150% of completion time.  “Pell grant recipients” is defined as students receiving a Pell grant the first fall term at UCA. (KPI supports SG1.)


Goal: a rolling five-year average for all students of 48% by 2025, recognizing that some years will be outliers.

Time to Degree (in Years)

Students receiving a bachelor’s degree who entered UCA as a full-time, first-time undergraduates. This metric provides a measure of student persistence/progression. “Pell grant recipients” is defined as students receiving the grant prior to any point in time before the degree was awarded. (KPI supports SG1.)


Goal: a rolling five-year average for all students of 4.4 years by 2025, recognizing that some years will be outliers.

Full-time employment or Graduate School within 6 months of graduation

Students who graduated from UCA with a bachelor’s degrees and who have obtained full-time employment or enrolled in a graduate school within 6 months of graduation comprise this metric.  This information is obtained from graduate outcomes surveys and graduate school data obtained by the Office of Institutional Research.  The knowledge rate* refers to outcomes known (i.e. employment, self-employment, seeking graduate school enrollment) by graduation class. For this KPI, “Pell grant recipients” is defined as students receiving the grant at any time before the degree was awarded. (KPI supports SG1 and SG2.)

Minority Percentage

The percentage of the population specified. (KPI supports SG1.)

Average Student Loan Debt (Bachelor’s)

Average student loan debt, not including parent loans, incurred prior to graduation by a student who entered the institution as a first-time undergraduate. (KPI supports SG1 and SG2.)

Engaged Alumni

The Alumni Engagement Score is calculated based on membership in the UCA Alumni Association, event attendance, and giving to the University, with “bonus points” awarded for factors that aren’t available to everyone such as license plate participation or serving on a board/committee. This score is updated on a quarterly basis, and annual goals are set for percentage engaged and average score. The score displayed is the score as of June 30 of each year listed. (KPI supports SG2.)

Satisfaction Rate

Survey responses from graduates, bachelor’s degree or graduate degrees, on their last survey completed, indicating that the respondent is somewhat satisfied or very satisfied with their UCA experience. The response rate refers to known satisfaction by graduation class. (KPI supports SG2.)

Arkansas Public HS Going Rate

The information provided is from an Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) report that shows how many Arkansas public high school graduates go to college.  This report also shows UCA’s share of the public 4-year market share and the all-institutions market share. (KPI supports SG3.)

Enrollment

The enrollment shown is for new first-time students and total graduate enrollment for the fall term. (KPI supports SG3.)

Student Semester Credit Hour (SSCH) Production

SSCH production is shown by level (undergraduate and graduate).  A percentage of online SSCH by each level is shown. (KPI supports SG3.)

Cash on Hand

Cash on hand is the estimated number of days we can sustain our operations by using our available cash. The minimum cash on hand the institution should have is 3 months or 90 days. The institution has a working goal of maintaining 180 days. (KPI supports SG3.)

Moody’s Bond Rating

Obligations rated A2 are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. A stable outlook indicates a low likelihood of a rating change over the medium term. More information about the different ratings can be found here. External constituents use our Moody’s rating for lending purposes and as a measure of the university’s financial stability. (KPI supports SG3.)

Budget Reserves

Budget reserve funds are used for one-time expenses during the budget year. The institution has a working goal of maintaining reserves at 3% of the total operating budget. (KPI supports SG3.)