Planning for the 21st Century
Strengths as Perceived by Exempt Staff:

Item	% Major Strength
The UC Foundation	61.8%
Reasonable Tuition and Fees	53.9%
UTC's Size	45.6%
UTC's Location	38.8%
University Honors Program	36.0%
Emphasis on Teaching	35.0%
General Academic Quality	31.1%
Excellent Faculty and Staff	29.1%
UTC's Private Heritage	23.5%
Individual Attention Given to Students	23.0%
UTC's Affiliation with the University of Tennessee	17.8%
Support from the Chattanooga Community	12.6%
Alignment of Values, Mission, Goals, and Programs	11.7%
Outreach to the Community	8.8%
UTC's Focus on its Metropolitan Mission	7.0%
Application of Technology	6.0%
Research Efforts of Faculty	5.0%
Sense of Community Among Students, Faculty, and Staff	5.0%
UTC's Athletics Program	5.0%
Employee Salaries and Benefits	2.0%

Item	% Major Obstacle
Inadequate State Funding	67.0%
Low Salaries	61.0%
Unmet Technology Needs	59.8%
Low Morale Among Faculty and Staff	52.5%
Bureaucratic Processes and Procedures	49.0%
Inadequate Physical Facilities	42.9%
Limited Library Resources	41.4%
Budgeting Does Not Reflect Priorities	40.4%
Dissension Among Divisions of the University	34.7%
Dissension Among Faculty, Staff, and Administrators	32.7%
Lack of Effective Leadership	20.6%
Too Much Emphasis on Athletics	20.2%
"Second-Rate" Reputation in Community	18.4%
Poorly Prepared Students	18.2%
Lack of Campus Autonomy	18.2%
Unclear Mission and Goals	17.5%
Low Standards for Students	11.2%
Failure to Respond to Community Needs	9.1%
Unclear Expectations for Faculty Research and Service	6.5%

Priority	Is Now	Should Be
Retaining Excellent Faculty and Staff	2.46	3.90
Teaching Excellence	2.97	3.87
Technology	2.64	3.85
Retention of Students	2.74	3.82
Visionary Leadership	2.56	3.82
Treating Students with Respect	2.82	3.81
Improved Salaries and Benefits for Faculty and Staff	1.98	3.78
Providing Electronic Access to Information	2.80	3.77
Continuous Improvement of Programs and Services	2.83	3.71
Improvement of Physical Facilities	2.39	3.71
Strategic Planning	2.55	3.62
Academic Advisement	2.58	3.61
Maintaining a Clean and Attractive Campus	2.57	3.61
Library Resources	2.37	3.56
Development Efforts (Fund Raising)	3.27	3.54
Recruiting Academically Talented Students	3.01	3.53
General Education	3.46	3.49
Professional Development for Faculty and Staff	2.29	3.49
Undergraduate Professional Programs	2.93	3.40
Staff Involvement in Decision-Making	2.14	3.35
Gender Equity	2.48	3.34
Undergraduate Programs in Arts and Sciences	2.71	3.32
Service/Outreach to the Community	2.66	3.28
Graduate Programs	2.92	3.27
Providing Access for Non-Traditional (Older) Students	2.71	3.27
Small Classes	2.63	3.27
Ethnic Diversity	3.04	3.24
Providing Access for First-Generation College Students	2.65	3.24
Student Housing Facilities	3.21	3.19
Development of New Academic Programs	2.80	3.14
Faculty Involvement in Decision-Making	2.88	3.05
Enrollment Growth	3.27	3.02
Support for the Arts	2.47	3.02
Faculty Research	2.62	2.78
International Education	2.23	2.72
Intercollegiate Athletics	3.09	2.46

News Releases:
A Community Surveyed: Hamilton County Residents Give UTC High Marks
UTC Faculty and Staff Surveyed: State Funding, Salaries Listed as Chief Concerns
UTC Students Surveyed: Students Satisfied with Quality of Institution

Last updated: April 30, 1998.
Comments to: UTC Webdude