CREATE 2020 Fund Proposal for National Competitiveness Utilizing Differential Tuition Prepared for LAEP Student Body 15 September 2014

CREATE 2020 Fund Background

Purpose: Position students in LAEP to compete effectively with peers from leading programs nationally by elevating excellence in design education. Dilemma: LAEP is an expensive program to operate, with a small student body and inadequate budget to provide the top quality experience desired by students. LAEP offers the 3rd lowest tuition of all accredited BLA degrees. The MLA is similarly ranked. With only modest increases in funding we can offer a top-ranked degree that carries the benefits of programs costing 2-5x as much. Strategy: Close the gap between LAEP students and peers in the best programs nationally while maintaining an exceptionally low degree cost. Invest in strategic areas of need outlined in the “CREATE 2020 Fund”, a financial pool created by differential tuition, directly benefitting students. Goal: Elevate national ranking of LAEP’s students and programs to the Top 10 by the year 2020. Governing Principles:

1. Spirit of entrepreneurism and competitiveness thru funding focused on employability. 2. Rapid response to emerging trends in the profession. 3. Decision-making authority resides with joint student and faculty committee.

Operation:

• Tuition only charged to matriculated and graduate students. • Steering Committee of faculty and students will coordinate funding proposals. • Annual voting by students on proposals to advance competitiveness. • Discretionary pool for ideas that emerge during the year. • On-going pool for long-term investments.

Steps of Study Steps to Date: Proposed to Dean of College of Agriculture: 2010 Student Input Gathering in Exit Interviews: 2012-14 Proposal Development: Spring 2014 Approval by LAEP Faculty: May 2014 Dean of CAAS Review: May 2014 Approval by alumni Advancement Board: June 2014 Approval by Student ASLA: June 2014 Approval by Dean/Provost: July 2014 Revised Proposal Presented to President: August 2014 Next Steps: Proposal Presented to Students: September 2014 Submit Final Proposal for USU approvals: October 2014 Implement Phase 1: Fall 2015

CREATE 2020 Fund Areas of Competitive Disadvantage

Competing with the best peers requires exceptional quality along with market differentiation. A study of the advantages that leading design schools offer revealed numerous gaps between LAEP and its competitors. The primary areas of disadvantage were found to be: Careers:

• Recruitment programs • Career placement in leading firms • Job fairs

Recognition: • Student competition awards • National rankings • Marketing presence • Event hosting

Access: • Immersion within the professional world & proximity to urban centers • Scholars-/practitioner-in-residence • World-class speakers • Supportive relationships with firms

Technology • Renewal/testing of leading technologies • Technical staff support • Simulation/testing facilities

Emerging Innovations • Model making facilities • Modern, creative learning environments • Faculty development allocations • Periodicals/Design libraries

Leading Schools studied:

LAEP Peer Programs Ball State Univ. Texas A&M Univ. Cal Poly – Pomona Texas Tech Clemson Univ. Univ. of Florida Cornell Univ. Univ. of Georgia Iowa State Univ. Univ. of Illinois Louisiana State Univ. Univ. of Maryland Ohio State Univ. Univ. of Oregon Pennsylvania State Univ. Univ. of Washington Rutgers Univ. Virginia Tech Additional Top-ranked Programs Kansas State Univ. Purdue Univ. Harvard Univ. Univ. of Pennsylvania Cal Poly – SLO

CREATE 2020 Fund Feedback from Students

Exit Interviews with BLA and MLA students since 2012 have asked those graduating if they would support establishing differential tuition in LAEP. They responded to the following:

1. Purpose: making LAEP students competitive at the highest levels 2. Differential tuition would be applied to both BLA and MLA students 3. Proposed amount of $500/semester 4. Only matriculated students would pay 5. Phased implementation 6. Transparent process of proposals and approvals 7. Student and faculty led decision-making structure 8. A portion of the funds retained for ongoing/long-term areas of need 9. Funds left unencumbered for spring semester to support emerging needs

Responses to the proposal elicited the following: • 93%+ voiced support for the proposal. • Students suggested that financial support be raised for students facing economic

hardships. • Concern was voiced that students shouldn’t solely control the resulting funds.

Student leaders in LAEP have subsequently reviewed the CREATE 2020 Fund proposal and voted unanimously in support of its adoption (see attached Student ASLA Officers’ letter). National Precedents

LA Programs w/ Differential Tuition: Arizona State Univ. Univ. Arkansas Boston Architectural College Univ. of Georgia Iowa State Univ. Univ. of Idaho North Dakota State Univ. Univ. of Illinois Pennsylvania State Univ. Univ. of Nevada – Las Vegas Texas A&M Univ. Univ. of Oregon Univ. of Arizona USU Precedents

Programs w/ Differential Tuition: Huntsman School of Business Caine College of the Arts Masters of Natural Resources Program Aviation Technology Program Communicative Disorders & Deaf Education Other Utah Precedents

Univ. of Utah College of Architecture + Planning students have paid differential tuition since 2001.

• $152.90/cr hr (Masters of Architecture; $5,299/sem, resident)

CREATE 2020 FundStudents in LAEP will benefit from differential tuition through investments in career preparation areas that can not be metthrough classes. These extracurricular areas are focused upon student employability. Their purpose is to situate the program among the top design and planning programs by the year 2020. The resulting Fund returns students' tuition through direct and indirect benefits. The "CREATE" acronym reflects 6 priority areas described by LAEP students, faculty and practitioners since 2008, and identified in the study of leading peer programs. Each priority area offers flexible interpretation, while reflecting significant needs.

Careers    :  Job  placement,  internship  support,  professional  preparation.Recognition  :  Attaining  awareness  by  peers,  decision-­‐makers,  stakeholders,  community  members.

Entrepeneurship  :  Leadership  development  and  business  training.Access  :  Connections  with  leading  minds  in  the  profession  and  influential  landscapes  across  the  globe.

Technology  :  Assuring  continual  integration  of  cutting-­‐edge  tools  and  software.Emerging  Innovations  :  Bringing  the  latest  advances  in  sustainable  design,  construction  and  devices  to  campus.

Sample  Annual  Fund  Investments  :The  following  is  a  sample  of  how  CREATE  Funds  could  be  utilized.    Actual  investments  and  percentage  breakdowns  would  be  determined  by  theOversight  Committee  through  its  review  of  student  and  faculty  proposals.

Careers 20% $18,960 Careers $3,500 Internship  Coordinator  supportRecognition 10% $9,480 $2,500 Jobs  database  development  &  maintenance

Entrepeneurship 5% $4,740 $1,500 Portfolio  workshopAccess 20% $18,960 $1,500 Licensure  preparation  support

Technology 30% $28,440 $4,500 Speakers:  National  panel  on  interviewingEmerging  Innovations 15% $14,220 $5,460 Jobs  fair

100% $94,801Recognition $1,500 Competition  submittals

$2,500 Competition  travel  for  finalists$9,760 ASLA  officer  travel  to  annual  national  ASLA  meeting$1,500 ASLA  officer  travel  to  LABash  national  student  meeting$700 ASLA  officer  travel  to  state  chapter  meetings

$2,500 Online  development  of  professional  CEU  courses$500 Marketing  and  advertising

Entrepeneurship $1,000 Speakers:  Business  startup  &  marketing$1,000 Speakers:  Contracts  &  practice  insurance$2,740 Community  Design  Teams  operations

Access $4,000 Fall  Speaker  Series  (2  nat'l;  2  reg.)$4,000 Spring  Speaker  Series  (2  nat'l;  2  reg.)$6,000 Practitioner-­‐in-­‐Residence$2,000 Professional  Mentor  Program$2,960 Design  Futures  Symposium  (nat'l  broadcast)

Technology $3,500 Graphic  production:  MarkerBot  3d  printer$1,500 Speakers:  Rhino  Workshop$1,500 Speakers:  Blender  and  Creating  Fly  Thru's$2,000 Rooftop  garden  stormwater  monitoring$18,500 Immersive  visualization  studio$3,440 Long-­‐term  Purchase  Pool

Emerging  Innovations $8,220 Learning  lab:  Greenwall  panels$2,500 Learning  lab:  LED  lighting  comparative  lab  &  testing$3,500 Bioswale  workshop

CREATE 2020 Fund: Cost Analysis

Year  1: Year  2: Year  3: Year  4:

Impacts  by  Degree 2015-­‐16 2016-­‐17 2017-­‐18 2018-­‐19

$/Cr $39 $49 $59 $59*BLA  -­‐  Avrg  Added  Tuition/Sem $480 $603 $726BLA  -­‐  %  Tuition  Increase 3.9% 1.0% 1.0%BLA  -­‐  Tot.  Funds  Created $44,132 $55,448 $66,764$/Cr $39 $49 $59MLA  -­‐  Avrg  Added  Tuition/Sem $515 $647 $779MLA  -­‐  %  Tuition  Increase 4.2% 1.1% 1.1%MLA    Tot.  Funds  Created $18,533 $23,285 $28,037Annual  Funds* $62,665 $78,733 $94,801

Year  Graduating Year  2: Year  3: Year  4:

Impacts  by  Graduation  Yr 2016 2017 2018 2019

$/Cr $39 $49 $59 $59*BLA  -­‐  Total  Degree  Tuition $25,555 $26,857 $27,347BLA  -­‐  Total  Added  Tuition $819 $2,121 $2,611$/Cr $39 $49 $59MLA  -­‐  Total  Degree  Tuition   $25,672 $27,426 $28,557MLA  -­‐  Total  Added  Tuition $936 $2,690 $3,821

LAEP  Credits  Assessed  Differential  Tuition  by  SemesterCr  Hr/Sem Fall1 Spr1 Fall2 Spr2 Fall3 Spr3 Total  Cr Avrg  Cr/Yr Avrg  Cr/SemBLA 15 13 12 9 49 24.5 12.3MLA 13 16 12 14 14 10 79 39.5 13.2

*  Differential  tuition  will  increase  at  the  same  percentage  as  Tier  1  tuition  beginning  2018-­‐19.

Notes:Calculations  assume  64  total  students  (18  MLA  +  46  BLA).Total  tuition  by  degree  based  upon  fixed  '13/14  tuition  rates  (BLA:  $24,736;  MLA:  $21,402).

CREATE 2020 Fund LAEP Revenue Stream Additions

Additional revenue to support students and their programs has been aggressively sought from numerous sources since 2008. Substantial gains have been made in the diversity and amount of funds garnered to support student education. Those dollars are lessening the demands on students personally, while elevating the quality of education each is receiving. Examples include: Private Support:

• $350,000+ raised from alumni gifts in LAEP’s 75th Anniversary Campaign. Included were LAEP’s first-ever planned gift agreements, creating long-range program support.

• 500% increase in privately funded scholarships since 2008 ($15,000 in awards for ’14 vs. $3,000 in ‘08).

• $75,000 raised by our alumni Advancement Board to fund capital projects for teaching. • LAEP faculty members personally fund both a BLA and an MLA scholarship ($1,000/ea),

the first in the College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences. Industry Support:

• Regional landscape architects annually volunteer 200+ hr/yr in Student Mentor Program. • Utah Chapter of ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) invested $25,000 to

create an annual scholarship in 2012. • Practitioners annually donate $15,000+ of billable hours in support of LAEP studios,

lectures, and project planning. • $20,000 of sponsorship was raised for the 75th Anniversary Celebration.

Institutional Support:

• College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences has underwritten classroom remodels in LAEP, as well as providing needed student advising personnel.

• USU Facilities has supported LAEP through cost-matches on various projects. • LAEP has invested Operating funds to remodel studio teaching environments, replace

hardware and software, and underwrite visits by distinguished speakers. Student-generated Revenue:

• Community Design Teams, a service-learning outreach program, now generates a basic Operating Budget for our Student Chapter of ASLA.

• Student leaders have sought and secured USU/SA grants, as well as community grants (e.g., Wal-Mart) to underwrite classroom projects.

Program-generated Revenue:

• RCDE course development has enabled funding of a local practitioner to teach graphic communication.

• LAEP was chosen to host the 2016 Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture conference (estimated host revenue: $16,000).

• Grantsmanship among LAEP faculty has risen annually, providing overhead annually. External funds raised have risen from $40,000 in 2008, to an average of $194,000 ($10.2M submitted since 2008).

CREATE 2020 Fund Responses to R401 Questions 4.2. Differential Tuition: Differential tuition schedules for undergraduate and graduate programs may be authorized by the Board on a case-by-case basis. In addition to initially approving differential tuition rates for academic programs, differential tuition increases beyond the regular institutional tuition increase proposal should be approved by the Board. The increased revenues from the differential tuition rate charges shall be used by the institution to benefit the impacted program and to help support related campus services. Institutions requesting differential tuition schedules should consult with students in the program and consider the following: 4.2.1. Student and market demand for the program; Landscape architecture is a profession that requires licensure in all 50 states. Graduation from an accredited BLA or MLA program is virtually mandatory for obtaining licensure. The U.S. Dept. of Labor found 26,000+ employees in the profession nationally, with ~16,000 being licensed landscape architects. Some 70% of those are employed in the private sector. A 14% growth rate has been projected by the Federal Government for the profession for the 10-year period ending in 2022 (vs. 10% for the overall labor force). The National Endowment for the Arts, in assessing job reported through its “Artist Employment Projections Through 2018”, listed landscape architecture as having the 3rd highest growth rate (20%). Based upon a national survey of intent to hire, 40% of professional firms intended to add one or more employees in 2013. 4.2.2. Impact of differential tuition rates on student access and retention; During exit interviews conducted with BLA and MLA students since 2012, 93% of students indicated that they supported the proposal to implement differential tuition in their program. Responses were broadly enthusiastic when the direct student benefits were described, along with an outline of the structure of implementation, allocation and oversight. The proposed increases would only impact students who had applied to and been matriculated into the upper division of the BLA, or who had been accepted into the MLA. Increases in overall degree costs would not appreciably change the affordability of the program compared to peer programs in the Intermountain West or nationally. On the contrary, the substantial direct benefits to students will mean their degrees provide them with an enormous array of advantages that they currently lack as they compete against graduate from better funded schools. Consequently, students will be more satisfied with the program, and be more readily recruited, as their call for improvements and competitive advantages in the program are backed with finances to make those desires achievable. 4.2.3. Tuition rates of comparable programs at other institutions; LAEP conducts regular BLA tuition surveys of all peers programs (i.e., those offering comparable accredited degrees). Our 2009 survey revealed that USU ranked as the 6th lowest tuition nationally. Today, USU offers both the 3rd lowest Resident and Non-Resident tuition out of the 46 peer programs in the U.S. Assuming fixed tuition rates at peer schools, the proposed tuition change would make USU the 7th lowest BLA tuition by 2017, and the 2nd lowest in the region.

4.2.4. Potential earnings capacity of program graduates; and According to the 2013 independent survey of graduating BLA and MLA students in the U.S., starting salaries averaged $41,800 and $44,100, respectively. Those figures represent increases of 19.4% and 16.1% over a decade. Based upon the 2010-11 annual survey of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the average salary for a landscape architect was $78,600. For 2014, estimated median salaries for landscape architects in the U.S. range from $64,180 (Bureau of Labor Statistics) to $81,300 (Salary.com), with 90th percentile earnings at ~$104,000. 4.2.5. Societal importance of the program. Utah State University offers the 13th oldest program of its kind in North America. With over 1400 alumni, the program has produced some of America’s most award-winning practitioners. It is the oldest and most influential program in the Intermountain West, yet its graduates practice across the U.S. as well as internationally. The profession and its licensure statues are based upon the critical role it provides for the public’s health, safety and welfare. These expectations are governed through strict national licensure standards. The core principles for licensure are the “3 E’s”: education, examination and experience. It is the responsibility of programs accredited under the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) to meet the prior principle through rigorous graduate and undergraduate professional degrees. LAEP was fully reaccredited in 2011, making it one of the 26 programs with both accredited BLA and MLA degrees. Only USU and Arizona State University offer both degrees within the Intermountain West.

Tutition  Comparison  Data  for  Landscape  Architecture  Programs2013  -­‐-­‐  Bachelors  Degrees

Ordered  by  Increasing  In-­‐State  Total  Degree  Cost

SCHOOL RANKINGREGIONAL  PROGRAMS

Sample  DIFF.    TUIT. ACCREDITATION DEGREE

YEARS  TO  COMPLETE OLD  -­‐  2009  In  State

IN-­‐STATE  TUITION  2013

%  CHANGE  -­‐                  2009  to  2013

IN-­‐STATE  TUIT.  -­‐  DEGREE  2013

IN-­‐STATE  TUIT.  -­‐  w/  Full  Diff.  Tuition  -­‐  

DEGREEOLD  -­‐  2009  Out  of  

stateOUT-­‐OF-­‐STATE  TUITION  2013

%  CHANGE  -­‐                  2009  to  2013

OUT-­‐OF-­‐STATE  TUIT.  -­‐  DEGREE  2013

OUT-­‐OF-­‐STATE  TUIT.  -­‐  w/  Full  Diff.  Tuition  

-­‐  DEGREEFlorida  International  Univ. 1 yes BLA 5 $4,580 $6,540 43% $22,900 $22,900 $16,980 $18,939 12% $94,695 $94,695California  State  Polytechnic  Univ.,  Pomona 2 in  review yes BSLA 4 $4,551 $6,118 34% $24,472 $24,472 $14,049 $17,278 23% $69,112 $69,112West  Virginia  Univ. 3 yes BSLA 4 $5,304 $6,456 22% $25,824 $25,824 $16,402 $19,632 20% $78,528 $78,528Univ.  of  Idaho 4 yes ***Program  closed BSLA 4 $4,932 $6,524 32% $26,096 $26,096 $15,012 $19,600 31% $78,400 $78,400Univ.  of  Nevada,  Las  Vegas 5 yes yes BLA 4 $4,527 $6,570 45% $26,280 $26,280 $16,867 $20,480 21% $81,920 $81,920Mississippi  State  Univ. 6 yes BLA 4 $5,151 $6,722 30% $26,888 $26,888 $13,021 $16,960 30% $67,840 $67,840North  Carolina  A&T  State  Univ. 7 yes BSLA 5 $3,696 $5,422 47% $27,110 $27,110 $13,138 $16,503 26% $82,515 $82,515Utah  State  Univ. 8 yes BLA 4 $4,828 $6,184 28% $24,736 $27,347 $13,802 $17,888 30% $71,552 $74,163Iowa  State  Univ. 9 yes yes BLA 4 $6,651 $7,726 16% $30,904 $30,904 $17,871 $20,278 13% $81,112 $81,112Univ.  of  Florida 10 yes BLA 5 $4,373 $6,263 43% $31,315 $31,315 $23,744 $28,541 20% $142,705 $142,705Univ.  of  Nebraska 11 yes BLA 4 $6,857 $8,068 18% $32,272 $32,272 $17,897 $20,968 17% $83,872 $83,872SUNY-­‐ESF 12 yes BLA 5 $6,170 $6,995 13% $34,975 $34,975 $14,070 $16,445 17% $82,225 $82,225North  Dakota  State  Univ. 13 yes yes BLA 5 $6,455 $7,233 12% $36,165 $36,165 $15,554 $17,478 12% $87,390 $87,390Univ.  of  Maryland 14 yes BLA 4 $8,053 $9,162 14% $36,648 $36,648 $23,990 $28,348 18% $113,392 $113,392Oklahoma  State  Univ. 15 yes BLA 5 $6,887 $7,441 8% $37,205 $37,205 $17,241 $20,026 16% $100,130 $100,130Univ.  of  Arkansas 16 yes yes BLA 5 $6,459 $7,818 21% $39,090 $39,090 $15,337 $19,074 24% $95,370 $95,370Louisiana  State  Univ. 17 yes BLA 5 $5,233 $7,873 50% $39,365 $39,365 $14,383 $25,790 79% $128,950 $128,950Purdue  Univ. 18 yes BSLA 4 $8,638 $9,992 16% $39,968 $39,968 $25,118 $28,794 15% $115,176 $115,176Arizona  State  Univ. 19 yes yes BSLA 4 $6,846 $10,002 46% $40,008 $40,008 $19,630 $23,654 20% $94,616 $94,616Ohio  State  Univ. 20 yes BSLA 4 $8,706 $10,037 15% $40,148 $40,148 $22,278 $25,757 16% $103,028 $103,028North  Carolina  State  Univ. 21 yes BLA 5 $5,474 $8,206 50% $41,030 $41,030 $17,959 $21,661 21% $108,305 $108,305Univ.  of  Wisconsin,  Madison 22 yes BSLA 4 $8,310 $10,403 25% $41,612 $41,612 $23,059 $26,653 16% $106,612 $106,612Texas  A&M  Univ. 23 yes yes BLA 5 $8,176 $8,506 4% $42,530 $42,530 $22,606 $25,126 11% $125,630 $125,630Univ.  of  Rhode  Island 24 yes BLA 4 $9,528 $10,878 14% $43,512 $43,512 $26,026 $26,444 2% $105,776 $105,776Texas  Tech  Univ. 25 yes BLA 5 $7,485 $8,942 19% $44,710 $44,710 $15,795 $19,562 24% $97,810 $97,810California  Polytechnic  State  Univ.,  SLO 26 yes BLA 5 $5,826 $8,997 54% $44,985 $44,985 $15,996 $20,157 26% $100,785 $100,785Ball  State  Univ. 27 yes BLA 5 $7,228 $9,250 28% $46,250 $46,250 $19,796 $23,660 20% $118,300 $118,300Colorado  State  Univ. 28 yes BSLA 5 $6,318 $9,313 47% $46,565 $46,565 $22,240 $25,166 13% $125,830 $125,830Univ.  of  Connecticut 29 yes BSLA 4 $9,886 $12,022 22% $48,088 $48,088 $25,486 $30,970 22% $123,880 $123,880Univ.  of  Oregon 30 yes BLA 5 $7,428 $9,763 31% $48,815 $48,815 $23,718 $29,788 26% $148,940 $148,940Washington  State  Univ. 31 yes BLA 4 $8,489 $12,545 48% $50,180 $50,180 $19,565 $25,889 32% $103,556 $103,556Univ.  of  Kentucky 32 yes BLA 5 $8,123 $10,110 24% $50,550 $50,550 $16,678 $21,192 27% $105,960 $105,960Univ.  of  Georgia 33 yes yes BLA 5 $7,624 $10,262 35% $51,310 $51,310 $25,740 $28,472 11% $142,360 $142,360Univ.  of  Massachusetts 34 yes BSLA 4 $11,917 $13,258 11% $53,032 $53,032 $23,415 $27,974 19% $111,896 $111,896Rutgers 35 yes BSLA 4 $11,886 $13,499 14% $53,996 $53,996 $22,518 $27,523 22% $110,092 $110,092Virginia  Polytechnic  Institute  &  State  Univ. 36 yes BLA 5 $8,198 $10,930 33% $54,650 $54,650 $20,825 $25,320 22% $126,600 $126,600Univ.  of  California,  Davis 37 yes BSLA 4 $9,402 $13,896 48% $55,584 $55,584 $20,021 $36,774 84% $147,096 $147,096Temple  Univ. 38 yes BSLA 4 $11,764 $14,340 22% $57,360 $57,360 $21,044 $24,710 17% $98,840 $98,840Michigan  State  Univ. 39 yes BLA 4.5 $11,434 $12,863 12% $57,884 $57,884 $27,832 $33,750 21% $151,875 $151,875Univ.  of  Illinois 40 yes yes BLA 4 $12,660 $15,258 21% $61,032 $61,032 $26,802 $29,640 11% $118,560 $118,560Univ.  of  Washington 41 yes BLA 5 $7,692 $12,383 61% $61,915 $61,915 $24,367 $29,938 23% $149,690 $149,690Boston  Architectural  College 42 yes yes BLA 5 $11,468 $13,196 15% $65,980 $65,980 $11,468 $13,196 15% $65,980 $65,980Clemson  Univ. 43 yes BLA 5 $11,478 $13,382 17% $66,910 $66,910 $25,388 $30,816 21% $154,080 $154,080Pennsylvania  State  Univ. 44 yes yes BLA 5 $14,416 $16,992 18% $84,960 $84,960 $25,946 $29,566 14% $147,830 $147,830Philadelphia  Univ. 45 yes BLA 4 $27,498 $32,990 20% $131,960 $131,960 $27,498 $32,990 20% $131,960 $131,960Cornell  Univ. 46 yes BSLA 4 $37,954 $45,359 20% $181,436 $181,436 $37,954 $45,359 20% $181,436 $181,436

AVERAGES 4.49 $8,838 $11,015 28% $48,461 $48,518 $20,351 $24,668 22% $110,048 $110,105

Notes:Tuition  data  for  graduate  tuition  are  not  nationally  collected  by  independent  sources.    Proportional  comparisons  between  schools'  undergraduate  tuition  are  useful  for  general  comparison  only.    Actual  graduate  tuition  should  be  obtained  from  each  school.Tuition  data  for  2009  were  derived  from  Chronicle  of  Higher  Education  online  database  for  college  and  university  tuition.Tuition  data  for  2013  were  derived  from  2014  US  News  and  World  Report  online  figures  for  colleges  and  universities.Figures  in  BOLD  reflect  highest  amount  in  its  category.Figures  in  RED  derived  from  institution's  web  pgAccreditation  data  were  derived  from  ASLA.org  and  its  listing  of  schools  and/or  program's  web  pgs.Only  tuition  rates  in  RED  reflect  Differential  Tuition  as  part  of  a  school's  total  tuition  rate.

Copyright  ©  Dept.  of  Landscape  Architecture  and  Environmental  Planning,  Utah  State  University,  2014.

5 August 2014 Re: Create 2020 Fund Proposal Dear Sean, On behalf of the alumni Advancement Board, this is to offer our wholehearted support for the Create 2020 Fund proposal. This is going to sound like nostalgic reflection, but in the late seventies and early eighties our program was a top five program in the country. With strong leadership and the dedication of our current faculty we are ascending once again and everyone is excited about this "great program tucked away in Cache Valley, Utah". We are excited about this department and its ability to prepare students for the tremendous challenges that face our planet. For Utah State to be a top five-ranked program requires resources and the commitment of the faculty to prepare our graduates to be leaders in the most demanding roles worldwide. It also requires commitment and sacrifice from the students. Our Board provides substantial funds annually to help support meaningful improvements such as renovation of the graduate studio and building the jury room. These improvements along with the dedication and addition of new faculty have given us the boost to get to the next level. The Advancement Board has studied the proposed adjustments to student tuition in light of this 75th year of our existence. We are excited about this department and its ability to prepare students for the tremendous challenges that face our planet. For Utah State to be a top five-ranked program requires resources and the commitment of the faculty to prepare our graduates to be leaders in the most demanding roles worldwide. We believe that the students should also shoulder some of the burden, primarily from their effort to study and practice design and planning, but also from their tuition support. We remain one of the most affordable undergraduate and graduate programs in the country, even with the proposed changes. We realize that we are in a "customer conscious" era where there is great emphasis on how the customer is being served. Other findings would suggest that students are also motivated by the challenge and the sacrifice that they and their families make. We must be transparent in our desire to move the program forward, to become the best in the country. This administration, the alumni, the faculty and the students ‘are all’ in for excellence. This is truly a commutative relationship; the responsibilities and the benefits flow both ways! Very Truly,

Todd Johnson, FASLA (BLA, ’76) Linda Snyder (BLA, ’81) Board Co-chair, Development Committee Co-chair, LAEP Advancement Board LAEP Advancement Board

Larry Harmsen (BLA, ’83) Development Committee Co-chair, LAEP Advancement Board

 11  August  2014  

 To  Whom  It  May  Concern:  

 As  the  executive  officers  of  the  student  chapter  of  the  American  Society  of  Landscape  Architects  at  Utah  State  University,  we  represent  the  voice  of  the  students  within  the  Department  of  Landscape  Architecture  and  Environmental  Planning  (LAEP).   As  such,  Dr.  Sean  Michael  recently  met  with  our  committee  to  discuss  the  CREATE  2020  proposal,  which  would  introduce  differential  tuition  to  the  LAEP  Department.   Upon  our  review  of  the  proposal  and  a  discussion  amongst  ourselves,  we  motion  to  implement  this  proposal.  

 The  introduction  of  differential  tuition  to  the  landscape  architecture  program  will  be  crucial  to  the  future  success  of  the  department  and  the  students  it  educates.   Additional  funding  will  sponsor  much  needed  facility  improvements,  course  additions,  guest  lecturers  and  workshops,  and  as  a  whole  help  students  achieve  a  more  competitive  placement  in  the  professional  job  market  following  graduation.  

 In  supporting  CREATE  2020,  our  committee  also  advises  the  following  structure  to  be  added  in  order  to  ensure  the  wise  expenditure  of  differential  funds:  

 •   Hold  a  department  meeting  annually  to  allow  educate  students  on  differential  tuition  and  

allow  them  to  contribute  all  ideas  they  may  have  which  could  be  funded  by  differential  tuition.  

•   Create  a  committee  of  students  and  faculty,  including  the  ASLA  officers  and  one  representative  from  each  class,  to  evaluate  all  student  input  and  create  a  budget  proposal.  

•   Send  the  budget  proposal  back  to  the  student  body  for  vote.   Offer  different  options  which  the  students  may  choose  between.   This  allows  certain  items  to  pass  where  others  might  need  further  discussion.  

•   Final  ratification  of  the  budget  made  by  the  department  head  and  any  other  required  executives.  

•   The  committee  oversees  that  the  budget  is  met.    It  is  our  hope  that  CREATE  2020  will  create  more  opportunities  for  students  to  better  their  education  in  landscape  architecture  and  be  better  prepared  for  the  rapidly  changing  market  which  they  will  face  upon  graduation.  

 Sincerely,  

 Samuel  Taylor,  President  Scott  Harris,  Vice  President  Cara  Glabau,  Secretary  Sarah  Gunnell,  Treasurer