UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

FY 2006-2008

 

Goal I. The University will support a learning environment that stimulates a high quality, personalized educational experience for students.

Objective A. Evaluate/revise/develop academic programs to ensure that students have all the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, appreciation of cultural and world issues, and habits to successfully: (1) obtain advance degrees; (2) perform in chosen careers; (3) respond to job and career changes; (4) provide service to their local communities and the state.

Strategy 1: Address the General Education Program to assure it is focused and challenging in order to meet theexpectations for an educated citizen.

• Determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, appreciation of cultural and world issues, and habits that should be met by the General Education program.
• Determine courses/activities considering those expectations.
• Implement revised program.
• Assess general education to make sure the expectations are being met.

Strategy 2: Modify/enhance/develop/discontinue academic programs based upon meeting expectations of employers, graduate schools and emerging career options:

• Determine present, emerging, and future employment opportunities for college graduates in both the public and private sectors;
• Determine student/graduate performance in meeting expected program outcomes that specify knowledge, skills, abilities, and habits for career success.
• Determine whether current academic program mix addresses societal needs and emerging career growth.
• Assess student/employer satisfaction and make adjustments as needed.

Strategy 3: Require student participation in learning experiences to include:

• Undergraduate and graduate research/ scholarly activity;
• Civic engagement;
• Practica/internships;
• Leadership activities; and/or
• International educational and cultural experiences.
• Integrate the aforementioned experiences into the curriculum and academic advising.
• Establish electronic co-curricular transcript.
• Conduct learning experience analysis and assess impact.

 

Objective B. Strengthen and Promote a High Quality First Year Experience to facilitate integration of new students into the academic and social life of ESU.

Strategy 1: Explore the needs of various categories of first year students (e.g., first time freshmen, transfer students, and non-traditional students) and assure exposure to coursework meets those needs.

• Determine existing departmental courses which address first year student issues.
• Develop for-credit courses, dealing with college transition issues, for the various categories of first year students (SAC).
• Developing a for-credit course at the departmental level for students entering with a declared degree in lieu of the SAC course.
• Establish appropriate First Year Experience required for all students.
• Assess effectiveness of FYE and make appropriate changes.

Strategy 2: Develop a shared experience for all first year students (e.g., a book to be shared in multiple classes or an introductory colloquium).

• Develop a pilot project.
• Assess benefits of pilot project.
• Expand to student body as appropriate.

Strategy 3. Identify and address at risk characteristics of students.

• Implementa College Student Inventory Program as a predictor of success rates.
• Develop an early warning system.
• Examine retention rates by disaggregating student population (i.e., age, ethnicity, gender, low income).
• Offer summer experiences for at risk students.
• Develop intervention programs.
• Assess effectiveness of intervention programs and summer experiences.

 

Objective C. Establish an atmosphere that supports innovation in student learning, service, and research/ scholarship.

Strategy 1: Increase support for scholarship of teaching which strengthens undergraduate and graduate learning, service, and research/scholarly activity.

a) Increase interdisciplinary team teaching.

• Create cohorts of students and learning communities.
• Support the implementation of new teaching strategies.
• Assess effectiveness, e.g., NSSE, senior surveys, retention, course evaluations, etc.

 

Goal II. The University will foster an academic climate that supports a diverse and globally aware university community.

Objective A. Improve recruitment strategies focusing ondiverse populations that are underrepresented or underserved.

Strategy 1: Enhance/develop outreach programs that support academic programs for PK-12 students from underrepresented populations.

Strategy 2: Expand on-and off-campus educational programs for diverse populations.

Objective B. Increase student exposure to diversity and global communities.

Strategy 1: Increase the number of cultural events that support students from diverse backgrounds and bring cultural awareness to the campus community.

Strategy 2: Increase travel abroad opportunities for students.

Objective C. Increase diversity of staff and faculty.

Strategy 1: Improve search and screen processes to ensure broad pool of applicants.

Strategy 2: Develop support network.

Objective D. Increase the number of international students.

Strategy 1: Examine best practices of International Education programs at other institutions

Strategy 2: Develop and implement an international program plan

Strategy 3: Increase efforts in Paraguay, South Korea, France, China, Finland and other countries as appropriate.

Strategy 4: Explore additional agreements, e.g. India

Goal III. The University will progress toward an environment which encourages greater social and cultural engagement.

Objective A. Strengthen and promote high quality student engagement opportunities.

Strategy 1: Enhance communication channels and existing relationships among the campus community, the Emporia community, and the student population

Strategy 2: Develop a central information clearinghouse for student opportunities in the community.

Strategy 3: Develop a collaborative partnership with the University community and Emporia community to create opportunities that enhance quality of student life.

Strategy 4: Initiate and expand outreach through alumni association, e.g. Parents Club, START, Alumni Chapters.

Goal IV. The University will support its learning and living environment with high quality infrastructure.

Objective A. Continually update classrooms, laboratories, and other institutional facilities toprovide a state of the art learning environment.

Strategy 1. Advocate for financing to support capital improvements and deferred maintenance components of the University Master Plan.

Strategy 2. Sustain up-to-date facilities that support student learning.

Strategy 3. Renovate/ update University residence halls.

Strategy 4. Adopt a plan for update to the Memorial Union

Strategy 5. Work with ESU Foundation relative to acquiring property adjacent to the campus.

Objective B. Provide educational equipment/technology and other resources tosustain a high qualitylearning environment and promote a seamless integration for all delivery methods.

Strategy 1. Improve efficiency in equipment acquisition and equipment expenditures.

Strategy 2: Target earmarked tuition funds to high performing or critical need programs.

Strategy 3: Provide support services for seamless integration.

Objective C. Implement Enterprise Resource Planning Software.

Strategy 1. Increase efficiency in the gathering of student/ program information for purposes of making decisions about academic programs.

Strategy 2. Improve interfaces that help faculty and staff acquire and assess data to make decisions.

Goal V. The University will support its learning and living environment with high quality students, faculty and staff.

Objective A. Achieve equity with peer mean for faculty and staff salaries.

Strategy 1: Advocate for salary increases with Legislature and Board of Regents.

Strategy 2: Use salary comparison data to achieve equity (i.e., CUPA, Peer)

Objective B. Assess and improve student recruiting efforts for the future.

Strategy 1: Monitor the adequacy of financing allocated torecruiting and scholarship efforts.  

Strategy 2: Improve scholarship and financial aid support opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students.

Strategy 3: Develop enrollment management plan based on Kansas demographics, NEARR program, out of state partnerships with community colleges in Texas and California, Metro Center, KCKCC, BEST, and online.

Objective C. Support professional development for faculty and staff.

Strategy 1: Increase support services provided by TCS.

Strategy 2: Develop programming cycle for department chair training.

Strategy 3: Establish programming for directors.

Strategy 4: Implement training protocols for administrative support personnel.

Strategy 5: Provide opportunities for attendance at professional meetings.

Objective D. Support additional staffing to sustain University operations in critical needs areas.

Strategy 1: Evaluate and reassign staffing as appropriate.

Result of completing the goals of this plan:

 The University will be recognized as a premier student-centered University that provides high quality, state-of-the-art academic programs and experiential opportunities preparing graduates for successful professional careers in the dynamic environment of the information age and knowledge economy.

 

Last Updated March 19, 2007