Since its beginning in 1957, UNLV's mission has been to fulfill Southern Nevada's need for advanced education. From the beginning, we worked to expand opportunities for Nevada's students and to develop a well-prepared workforce, thoughtful leaders, and engaged citizens. UNLV has always been an ambitious university with a longstanding mission to serve its growing and dynamic region.
In the 1960s, we began to offer four-year degrees. In the 1970s, we expanded to master's degrees and some Ph.D. programs. In the 1980s and early 1990s, UNLV began to emerge in another role: as an urban research university — one that supports regional economic development and contributes to a healthy, culturally enriched, and globally aware community.
During the 2000s, this mission was articulated more fully. In 2007, the campus produced its "Focus 50 to 100" strategic plan, and in 2010 added a statement of "Core Themes." We began tracking benchmarks toward achieving our ambitious goals in education, research, and community service.
From 2008-12, budget cuts challenged this vision, but UNLV preserved a solid foundation through targeted cuts. As the region recovered from the Great Recession, we are once again moving forward with a formalized effort to reflect on our mission and achieve our ambitions.
The formal strategic thinking exercise that we called the Path to Tier One was a part of the university's evolution, but one that we believe will also transform UNLV and become a pivotal moment for our city, state, and region. In order to develop a more robust and comprehensive plan, Path to Tier One was reformed and became the Top Tier Initiative.
In December 2018, UNLV was designated a Carnegie R1 institution, an important milestone on our journey. However, our plans go beyond research and include scholarship and creative activity; student achievement at all levels; socio-economic development; philanthropy and alumni engagement; social justice, equity, and inclusion; academic health; community partnerships; and infrastructure and shared governance.
Our strategic plans have been our frameworks and guide as we continue our forward trajectory with Top Tier from 2015 – 2022, and Top Tier 2.0 beginning in 2022.
Top Tier: Our Strategic Path
The UNLV Top Tier Initiative began as an extension of the institution's vision of being a top American research university, as designated by the Carnegie Foundation, as a Very High Research Activity (R1) University. Our strategic plans have focused our efforts.
The best way to envision the difference is that becoming a R1 University is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition of becoming a fully-functioning, Top Tier University. Top Tier means:
- a superb student educational experience;
- faculty members engaged in high-quality research, scholarship, and creative activity, whether or not that research, scholarship, or creative activity leads to increases in research expenditures or the graduation of more PhD students;
- an academic health center that has fully integrated health science units, including an accredited medical school, as well as faculty members whose research overlaps with the health science division;
- a clearer gateway to facilitate community partnerships with UNLV; and
- a significantly better functioning infrastructure that provides meaningful opportunities for shared governance.
During 2014-2015, a comprehensive, data-driven plan was developed that further defined the vision, assessed the current environment, identified needs and the associated costs, and then set forth strategies and tactics for addressing those needs. Through the work of campus and community constituents, the university formally assessed and strategically analyzed what it would take to become a Top Tier Institution. The organizational structure, policies, culture, leadership, and staffing were examined. The process resulted in agreed-upon and transparent goals for moving forward.
The planning process led to amending the mission as the vision, mission, goals, and strategies were defined. The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) approved the mission and Top Tier strategic plan in March 2016. The Top Tier Vision read, "By 2025, UNLV will be recognized as a top tier public university in research, education, and community impact." The mission states, "UNLV's diverse faculty, students, staff, and alumni promote community well-being and individual achievement through education, research, scholarship, creative activities, and clinical services. We stimulate economic development and diversification, foster a climate of innovation, promote health, and enrich the cultural vitality of the communities that we serve."
In addition to the foundational goal of Infrastructure and Shared Governance, there were four core themes/pathway goal areas:
- Student Achievement
- Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
- Academic Health Center
- Community Partnerships
Continual Review
Since implementation in 2015, Top Tier has been continually reviewed to help monitor and assess progress. While the Top Tier plan identified aspirational ideas, there was room for improvement with the organization and measurement of the plan.
A critical review of the Top Tier plan was conducted during 2017-18. This review resulted in the creation of objectives within each goal area. In addition, the objectives had aligned metrics and annual projected metric goals established to help inform and monitor our progress.
During the 2018-19 academic year, key metrics were identified that placed extra emphasis on retention, graduation rates, research expenditures, doctoral degrees, non-faculty researchers, and community impact. These metrics, as well as several others, were displayed publicly and correlated with strategic plan objectives, creating transparency and accountability across campus.
The Next Evolution of our Strategic Plan (2020-2030)
During fall 2020, President Whitfield began his time as UNLV's 11th president and engaged campus and community constituents in listening exercises so that they could provide their feedback about UNLV. This, along with recommendations from his cabinet, Top Tier Executive Committee, Faculty Senate, and committees across campus, helped guide our path as we expanded upon the current strategic plan. This resulted in Top Tier 2.0.
As President Whitfield stated, "Top Tier 2.0 is the next evolution of the UNLV strategic plan. It is a forward-looking roadmap that our university will continue to refine and follow over the next decade. It builds on our progress and recognizes our opportunities as we continue on our path to becoming a top public research university that improves the lives of our diverse students and transforms our communities through education and engagement."
Top Tier 2.0 is based in the original Top Tier plan, with expansion for Socio-Economic Development; Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion; and Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement. In addition, the plan expands Student Achievement to carve out graduate and professional student success and include career development and progression. Top Tier 2.0 is a forward-looking roadmap that our university will continue to refine and follow over the next decade. It builds on our progress, recognizes our opportunities, and has wide-reaching benefits.
The university vision and mission were revised and approved in March 2022 by the NSHE Board of Regents. The vision reads, "Improving the lives of our diverse students and transforming our communities through education and engagement." The mission states,
"As a minority-serving institution rich with diversity and committed to equity, UNLV:
- provides access to world class educational experiences that are responsive to the needs of our students and stakeholders;
- engages in groundbreaking research, scholarship, professional, and creative activities that have impact and cross boundaries; and
- offers high value, cutting-edge interdisciplinary physical and mental health care to support our community.
We create value for the individuals and communities we serve by fostering a climate of innovation, stimulating economic diversification and workforce development, promoting social justice and inclusion of all voices, and enriching cultural vitality."
In addition, values were developed as part of the strategic plan. Values help communicate the university's identity and mission to stakeholders and inform practice and decision making.
- Access and Equity: To foster a sense of belonging by valuing transparency and fairness, while honoring and embracing diverse voices, skills, experiences, and abilities.
- Excellence and Integrity: To hold ourselves to the highest standards in all that we do to cultivate a world class educational experience and workforce.
- Compassion and Inclusion: To extend respect and understanding to our students and colleagues, allowing everyone to fully engage in all aspects of the university.
- Collaboration and Stewardship: To responsibly share and use UNLV's human, financial, physical, and education resources including our people's knowledge and ideas.
Top Tier 2.0 is focused around core areas:
- Student Achievement;
- Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity;
- Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion;
- Socio-Economic Development;
- Academic Health Center; and
- Community Partnerships.
These core areas are all made possible through our foundational core areas of Infrastructure and Shared Governance and Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement. As a university, we recognize that we must continue to develop our infrastructure and ensure shared governance practices are at the heart of what we do; in addition, we must strategically deepen the culture of philanthropy and alumni connection since this area is key to our financial stability.
Our Continued Path Forward
The planning processes have resulted in strategic plans that guide the university as we continue forward. Top Tier and Top Tier 2.0 have been ongoing plans that clearly guide our efforts through 2030.
University leadership continually engages in reflective and analytic processes to review and assess goals, objectives, actions, and metrics in order to align with our Top Tier mission. Some of this journey is within UNLV's control, but some of it depends on the resources and investments that the community, state, and private partners are willing to make.
With the will and hard work of our faculty, staff, and students and investment from our public and private partners, UNLV achieved a monumental component of the Top Tier Initiative through designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1: Very High Research Activity. Being a Carnegie R1 university elevates our efforts to further support our outstanding faculty and students, recruit new members to our university, and power even more research, economic development, and creative activities. In addition, UNLV was designated a Carnegie Community Engaged University in 2020. While we are immensely proud of these achievements, we still have much work to do as this is not our final destination. Our Top Tier efforts include continual actions focused on student success, community impact, academic health, and further work to help maintain these designations.
Through the continued work of every person in our institution, and the support of our community, we will realize several benefits:
- Top Tier 2.0 will help us recruit and retain high-achieving students, high-impact faculty, and high-performing staff.
- We will be more competitive in obtaining research grants.
- We will graduate students with broad, multipurpose expertise that meet industry and workforce needs.
- We will attract new business to strengthen the state's economy.
- We will improve our campus culture and our overall function.
- We will serve our community’s needs.
Our Top Tier 2.0 vision, mission, and values guide our path, and through our continued, collaborative efforts, we will continue to advance.
Timeline
The timeline below identifies how we have emerged over time.
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Top Tier 2.0
- Top Tier 2.0 officially approved as the strategic plan for UNLV.
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Top Tier
- COVID-19
- UNLV retains its designation as a "Very High Research (R1) University"
- Campus guidance issued regarding Top Tier and COVID (Our Path Forward in the Time of Crisis)
- Plans begin for the next strategic plan
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Top Tier
- Academic units align strategic plans
- Key metrics progress reports disseminated at the department level
- UNLV receives Carnegie classification for Community Engagement
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Top Tier
- Executive Committee formed to provide oversight
- Key metrics identified
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Top Tier
- Critical review of the overall Top Tier plan
- Development of objectives and metrics; annual metric goals set
- UNLV moves up in Carnegie designation
- UNLV is now classified as a "Very High Research (R1) University"
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Top Tier
- Top Tier officially approved as the strategic plan for UNLV
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Path to Tier One Formal Strategic Thinking Process Begins
- Campus planning committees announced
- Path to Tier One Strategic thinking model
- Path to Tier One white paper
- 2014-15 vision
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Initial Research and Internal Analysis; Public Presentation and Discussion of Tier One Concept
- UNLV compared to Western public universities with a Carnegie Research University (Very High) designation.
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National Great Recession Forces Cuts and Challenges Vision
During this period, the university:
- Lost 144.5 full-time faculty lines (mostly through attrition)
- Eliminated through reorganization 10 academic departments and more than 30 degree programs
- Reduced class sections by more than 1,000 per semester and experienced a corresponding enrollment decline of approximately 5%
- Experienced a drop in external research funding from approximately $75 million per year at its peak to approximately $30 million per year, in part due to dramatic cuts in funding nationwide as well as UNLV's loss in faculty
Despite these setbacks, UNLV preserved a solid foundation and emerged with a more formalized effort to reflect on its mission.
UNLV adopted an addendum to the Focus 50 to 100 that identified specific measures to track our progress in three areas:
- Instruction
- Research
- Infrastructure
Regents approve updates to Campus Physical Master Plan.
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UNLV Focus 50 to 100 Strategic Plan
- Focus 50 to 100 strategic plan, a plan from UNLV's 50th anniversary for the next 50 years.
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UNLV Seeks Higher Carnegie Designation
- President Carol Harter sets direction to achieve Carnegie classification of "Research University (High Research Activity)."
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UNLV Adds Doctoral Degrees
- UNLV receives a Carnegie "Doctoral/Research University-Intensive" designation, thanks to its offering of a wide range of baccalaureate and master's programs and awarding at least 10 doctoral degrees per year across three or more disciplines or at least 20 degrees per year overall.
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UNLV Moves Up In Carnegie Designation
- UNLV is now classified as a "Comprehensive Master's-granting University," offering 40 or more master's degree annually in three or more disciplines.
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UNLV Receives Its First Carnegie Designation
- UNLV is classified as a "Comprehensive I" institution. Schools in this category offer baccalaureate programs and, with few exceptions, offer graduate education through master's degrees.