Roudebush Hall
Roudebush Hall, home of Miami's administrative offices

Annual Address 2014

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David C. Hodge
September 3, 2014

Oxford Campus

The Oxford campus occupies a space much different than the Regionals in the landscape of higher education. First, it is national and international in scope. That starts with the recruitment of our student body. In the class of 2018 more than 42% of our students come from outside Ohio including more than 7% from outside the U.S. The enrollment of these students has a significant economic impact on the state of Ohio while adding greatly to the energy and mindset of the University. We strongly encourage students to study abroad and in so many other ways to be directly involved in international businesses and organizations. And while we hope that many of our students will remain in Ohio, we also encourage our graduates to accept higher level responsibilities and opportunities that often take them elsewhere. If they do leave, I hope the bonds they have created with Ohio will lead them to look for opportunities here or to create opportunities for their organizations here as they progress through their careers.

Second, the Oxford campus is a residential campus. Our students work and live in a concentrated locale. This greatly increases the direct connections of students to the university and all the wonderful opportunities that come with those connections, but it also embodies a greatly expanded responsibility for the well-being of our students.

Third, it is highly selective and highly regarded nationally. The average student ACT score is roughly at the 90th percentile, with similarly high expectations for high school performance and co-curricular activities. We seek academically ambitious students who stand out in their attitude as well as in performance. We are highly visible on the national stage where our profile and performance affect the way that prospective students and employers view us.

Fourth, because of the additional costs associated with a fully functioning residential university, and the high expectations that come with being such a highly regarded university, the Oxford campus is more costly. Because of below-average state support and only a modest endowment, we have above-average tuition and fees. Even so, the amount of resources we have to spend per student is lower than the average of our peer groups. In other words, in order to be a nationally recognized university, we must perform at a higher level with fewer resources – and we do!

Given these characteristics that define the Oxford campus context, what are some of the significant opportunities and challenges that come with this profile? In other words, what do we need to do in Oxford to be “best-in-class” and true to our mission?

Certainly the fact that Miami-Oxford is a residential university is one of our most defining elements. I firmly believe that our ability to use this attribute effectively is key to our future success and our value proposition. How can a residential experience lead to superior academic and student life outcomes? Let’s consider each in turn.


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