1. The University of Utah was invited to join the Association of American Universities.
This year, after an evaluation of its qualities, including the strength and impact of its research, its distinction in graduate education programs and its excellence in undergraduate education, the U of U was invited to join the AAU.
This prestigious membership is a significant milestone, both for the university and for the state. The U is the first Utah university to be selected as a member of the AAU and is just one of three institutions — the others being Dartmouth College and the University of California, Santa Cruz — to receive invitations since 2012.
2. The U is committed to making higher education accessible for all students.
This year, the U also announced a new scholarship that will start in fall 2020. The For Utah Scholarship creates a fully-funded path to a University of Utah degree. The initiative covers four years of tuition and fees for Pell Grant-eligible Utah residents.
3. The impact our research universities have on the state is extensive.
The state’s public research universities, including both the University of Utah and Utah State University, garnered 95% of all $937 million in outside funds for research and grants at Utah’s public colleges and universities in 2019. A record $547 million came from the U alone, which provides significant benefits to not only the higher education community, the state and to society, but specifically to the economy.
4. The Utah College Advising Corps has its roots at the U.
The Utah College Advising Corps is a college access program founded on the idea that all high school students deserve equal opportunities to enter institutions of higher education. Established in August 2007 by a generous grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, UCAC encourages Utah high school students to participate in the various higher education opportunities available to them through the state’s eight colleges and universities and throughout the nation. UCAC’s ultimate goal is to increase the number of underserved students that enroll in college.
In 2018, the USHE Board of Regents declared the Utah College Advising Corps as a statewide initiative. Contingent on legislative funding, every high school in Utah will have a full-time, permanent college access advisor by the 2021-22 school year. To date, the program has expanded into 34 Utah high schools.
5. The U enrolled nearly 33,000 students in 2019.
In addition to enrolling nearly 33,000 students in 2019, the U awarded students with more than 8,600 awards during the 2017-18 academic year. The top 10 awards by area of study in 2017-18 by the U were in:
- Business, management, marketing & related support services
- Health professions & related programs
- Social sciences
- Engineering
- Computer & information sciences & support services
- Psychology
- Visual & performing arts
- Communication, journalism, & related programs
- Parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies
- Public administration & social service professions
