A new state report shows that UNT offers the most affordable public research university education in Texas, which is great validation of our value. Don’t confuse “affordable” with “cheap” — we’re concerned about value along with quality. This focus is at the heart of our pledge to grow as a major public research university offering the best undergraduate educational experience in Texas.

And the state’s talented students are taking notice. Our fall 2011 student body includes the most academically talented and largest freshman class as well as the largest enrollment of doctoral students in UNT history.

To help our students excel, we’ve redoubled our commitment to providing a superior education, and we’re investing in people, programs and resources to make that happen. We’re advancing in the three A’s — academics, the arts and athletics — to strengthen our quality and performance. And we’re just as focused on improving in the three E’s — efficiency, effectiveness and engagement — which ultimately is about being a strong service-oriented institution.

We’re focused on doing everything at the highest level, from teaching to research to customer service. Helping our students succeed is central to everything we do, whether it’s in the classroom or in the financial aid office.

This commitment to our students is key to the cornerstone goals of the new strategic plan, a working document that will guide our decisions every day. We will tie our budget to the plan by funding initiatives that help us make progress toward our goals. We’ll measure our success. And we will hold ourselves accountable. In turn, our students are committed to excellence and to the highest goals of the university.

Our plan will help us maintain the balance between high quality and affordability. This is especially important to us because we’re here to help students earn a competitive education that will put them on the path to success.

Sincerely,

V. Lane Rawlins
President
president@unt.edu