Strategic Plan, 2003-04 -- Strategic Planning

STRATEGIC PLAN

2003-04

Effective Planning and Resource Utilization

Goal 1: VSU informs and supports the need for change, processes, and programs through integrated, continuous strategic planning.

Action Steps

6/30/2004 Completion

Priority

Cost

Implementation

BOR Goal

1. Seek the most efficient, effective and technologically sound business and service best practices and regularly compare ourselves to national peers. (BOR Goal 7)

Yes

High

Low

A. Identify sources of information for best practices.

B. Define the areas of sound business and service.

C. Define, develop, and assess benchmarks/peer institutions.

D. Determine peers on the basis of enrollment, programs, and constituency.

E. Examine data to determine strengths and weaknesses as it relates to the perceptions of students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

F. Assessment and implementation of suggested changes will be integrated into the planning process.

2. Provide and maintain superior facilities, funded by innovative mechanisms, that increase the speed with which they are usable. (BOR Goal 8)

Yes

High

Low

A. Develop specific criteria for justification or need for additional facilities.

B. Incorporate submission criteria, forms, etc. into the Strategic Budget Planning Process and web-based system.

C. Revise Master Plan with broad campus input.

D. Communicate progress and results of Master Plan to the campus community using multiple media.

May/August 2004

High

Low

3. Increase, diversify and strategically allocate resources (i.e. funds) based on the strategic plan. (BOR Goal 10). Note: the definition of the core values, principles, and mission statement that will guide the strategic planning process may require further elaboration, clarification, or the development of specific action steps with regard to resource allocation.

On-going

High

Low

A. Collaborate with the Budget Advisory Council and the Institutional Planning Committee to articulate to the University community the policies and procedures that will govern how resources will be allocated.

Yes

High

Low

B. Identify the current policies, procedures, and decision-making processes used throughout the University to allocate resources. Assess the effectiveness of those decision-making processes and identify those practices that are effective as well as areas that need strengthening and/or change.

Yes

High

Low

C. Ensure that all stakeholders have opportunities for input into the process.

D. Extend the existing electronic strategic budgeting tool with additional functionality for managers for detailed budget and project management.

July 1 FY 2004

High

Low

4. Develop a usable four-sentence or less mission statement that summarizes the spirit of the strategic plan.

Yes

High

Low

5. Define core values and principles to guide us as we implement the strategic plan.

Yes/Ongoing

High

Low

A. Identify core values and principles.

B. Develop and implement an accountability process that integrates VSU’s core principles and values and is used to guide the process of strategic planning.

C. Identify the defined interval(s) when core values and principles will be re-evaluated.

6. Develop an on-going shared vision of VSU

On-going

High

A. Identify the Core Values woven into day-to-day life by addressing the questions: What do we believe in? How do we want to act? Why does this institution exist? What is our picture of this institution’s future?

a. Examine the mental model faculty, staff, administrators have of themselves, each other, and of the institution.

High

$6,000

b. Hold a series of retreats and open forums of groups composed of faculty administrators, staff, and students pertinent to building a shared vision of VSU

c. Send faculty, administrators, and staff to conferences and retreats pertinent to building a shared vision of VSU.

Can send members of the University community to scheduled retreats and conferences

High

$15,000 per year for four fac/3 conf.

d. Encourage on-going reflections and free expression of the personal visions held by faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and students.

e. Encourage the willingness and openness to a diversity of ideas.

f. In cooperation with the Faculty Senate, examine process of evaluating and utilizing evaluations of faculty, staff, and administration.

High

B. Facilitate a sense of commitment to and connectedness among faculty, staff, administrators, students to a larger vision that transcends and unifies individual visions.

a. Utilize such existing programs as, but not limited to, HUB Learning Cooperative and Partners for Campus Excellence

On-going

b. Encourage additional programs in cooperation with SGA, COSA, and the Faculty Senate

Medium

C. Study the possibility of geographically mixing the offices of faculty from different departments as well as their classroom assignments.

Feasibility report

a. Study this arrangement at other institutions

Successful Outreach

Goal 2: VSU actively identifies, cultivates, and encourages private support through the enhancement of alumni, community, and corporate outreach.

Action Steps

6/30/2004 Completion

Priority

Cost

Implementation

BOR Goal

1. Increase total external funding in 2005 to $7M, and increase each succeeding year an additional $1M over previous year until a funding level of $10M to $12M is reached (estimated time – 5-6 years).

Inc. staff, supplies, etc.

3,5

2. Deans, Directors and Department Heads convey to faculty the importance of research grant writing at VSU and support attendance at grant writing workshops.

6/30/2004

Critical

Minimal

Benchmarks: follow up national survey completed by the Society of Research Administrators International to develop reasonable benchmarks for proposal production, activity levels and funding levels.

None anticipated

3. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan for fundraising (including arts, athletics, alumni, colleges, etc.) that is aligned with the overall Strategic Plan for the University.

6/30/2004

High

Minimal

4. Analyze endorsements and corporate sponsorships.

High

Low

5. Continue alumni identification/communication. Enhance Homecoming and other activities to encourage return to campus and continued involvement with VSU.

Ongoing (see narrative and VSU Alumni Assoc. strategic plan dated 3/03)

High

Low

6. Evaluate current financial situation, scholarships, gifts-in kind and matching funds; determine existing deficiencies, take corrective actions. Determine additional funds and prioritize to initiate capital campaign drive

High

High ($200,000)

A. Consider possibility (research potential risks, pros and cons) of developing an account ‘line’ for research under the auspices of the VSU Foundation OR to develop and inaugurate a VSU Research Institute. This change could provide for much greater efficiency in management and also stop some of the money “bleed” at the end of each fiscal year within the University accounting system.

6/30/2003

>$5,000

3,5

B. Existing resources to support compliance activities are insufficient within the Office of Grants and Contracts. To show VSU’s commitment to compliance a .5 FTE Compliance Coordinator is requested. This half time position should be funded at a level that will support a professional in the compliance field, perhaps a retired faculty or administrator with knowledge of the varied requirements within the federal and state governmental agencies.

>$35,000

3,5

C. A change in name from Grants and Contracts to RESEARCH AND SPONSORED PROGRAMS. This change more adequately addresses the activities of the office, particularly to the external community.

No cost other than the cost of stationery, etc. ($300)

3,5

Excellence in Student Learning and Retention

Goal 3: VSU encourages continuous enhancement of curricula and research opportunities, resulting in highly informed graduates and increased student retention and graduation rates.

Action Steps

6/30/2004 Completion

Priority

Cost

Implementation

BOR Goal

1. Improve continuously the quality of curricula, research activities and international opportunities. (BOR Goal 3)

A. Improve the quality of teaching and learning

On-going

High

$150,000/yr

a) Develop a Center For Creative Teaching and Learning

b) Initiate discussion focusing on the Scholarship of Teaching

c) Examine the recommendations of Ernest Boyer’s “Scholarship Reconsidered.

Study the feasibility of using tracks for teaching, research/scholarship, and service.

d) Evaluate faculty work load as it affects research, teaching, service, and learning.

e) Send faculty and administrators to major conferences on collegiate teaching.

On-going

High

$15,000/yr for four people/3 conf

f) Create a student award recognizing outstanding teaching.

g) Develop a brown bag program for teaching methods.

h) Utilize the campus listserv, “Soapbox,” as a means of exchanging ideas regarding teaching and learning

i) In cooperation with the Faculty Senate, evaluate the role of teaching in the hiring, promotion, tenure, and post-tenure process for faculty.

j) Re-examine the process by which students evaluate faculty

k) Develop a learning culture in which students understand that mastering a skill, or a body of knowledge, or life skills is time-consuming, hard work, and that they should be prepared to do whatever it takes to learn.

On-going

High

l) Create a tutoring center to help students learn how to study and learn

On-going

High

$500,000

m) Develop programs to assist students to learn how to learn

B. Improve Research Activities

On-going

High

$250,000

a) Provide additional funding through Faculty Development office for research, conference presentations, and release time

b) Support interdisciplinary collaboration in research.

Ongoing

High

c) Encourage and support professional conferences at VSU

On-going

$25,000

2. Develop graduates who are intellectually and ethically informed individuals with defined skills and knowledge, capable of leadership, creative endeavors, and contributing citizenship in an interconnected world. (BOR Goal 1)

A. Encourage academic structures that promote interdisciplinary learning, learning communities, and highlight the interconnectedness of knowledge.

a. Resurrect “Week of Seminars” Program

On-going

Medium

$5,000

b. Reform the perspective courses to their originally intended interdisciplinary /team-taught character.

c. Examine the possibility of mixing department offices reorganizing the academic structure to better encourage faculty cooperation and understanding across the disciplines.

On-going

Medium

B. Integrate ethical studies and diversity more fully into the core curriculum and general studies in introducing “wholeness education” and “character education” approach

a. “Wholeness education” is to be understood as fostering an intellectual biological, emotional, socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and spiritual being.

b. “Character Education” is to be understood as the preparation of the broadly informed, flexible, adaptable person endowed with knowledge, skills, social values, and attitude to live rightly as well as to earn a living. It should encourage and assist students to develop the basic values needed for learning and living: self-discipline, self-confidence, self-worth, honesty, integrity, perseverance, responsibility, pursuit of excellence, emotional courage, humility and compassion for others.

C. Work with the community leaders and campus community to develop new and greater opportunities for internships and cooperative programs with businesses, government, within the campus community, and community service organizations.

a. Support and encourage such existing programs as SIFE

b. Create internships for students to work with faculty, plant operations, and other aspects of campus operations.

c. Support and encourage the expansion of existing department internships

D. Set goals for the percentage of graduates (and the number of students in department) involved in service learning and other forms of civic engagement.

a. Study how other institutions have addressed the issue of service learning and civic engagement.

E. Set target pass rates for professional licensure tests, including PRAXIS, Nursing, etc.

5. Increase academic productivity through improved recruitment, increased retention, accelerated graduation, expanded credit generation, augmented continuing education opportunities, and current technology. (BOR Goal 4)

a) Expand the use of freshman experience programs, sophomore experience programs, learning communities, and other programs designed to increase student retention.

b) Develop a best-practices information base so that information about successful retention practices and programs can be shared.

6. Develop a culture of academic and personal integrity for staff, faculty, students, and administrators.

On-going

High

1,5

A. Study literature and contact other institutions regarding codes of conduct for students, staff, faculty, and administrators.

B. Review existing policies and procedures for reporting and acting on unethical behavior.

C. Create a university-wide code of conduct for students, faculty, staff, and administration.

D. Develop an enforcement mechanism that is not necessarily punitive.

7. Encourage more collaboration with two-year institutions and develop programs to bring academia and business closer together.

On-going

High

2,9

A. Have admissions prepare a status report on opportunities that are available and are on-going both within VSU and the two-year institutions that will facilitate the transferring of students to VSU

B. Collaboration with two-year institutions will include revision of curricula and the refinement of course objectives

C. Recommend that an ICAPP liaison officer make presentations to VSU faculty and staff describing his or her responsibilities and available assistance.

D. Work with constituents outside academia to improve their understanding of what a professor’s job entails.

a. Produce a documentary CD on “the life of a professor at VSU”

High

Medium

$40,000

b. Use the CD for recruitment purposes

c. Make the CD available for viewing by the business community

8. Develop a specific understanding of what is meant by “advising.”

Report by 6/30

High

A. Identify the core meaning and basics of advising by addressing the questions:

B. Investigate feasibility of utilizing staff for advising and intervention purposes?

a. Use the Partners for Campus Excellence program.

9. Because effective student advising is so critical to student success, we must continuously work to improve student advising.

A. Implement Advising Task Force recommendations.

B. Incorporate two-hour block of instruction on advising for all new freshmen as part of the Fall 2003 Student Affairs Freshmen Orientation Program.

C. Establish a university-wide committee to evaluate departmental advising programs and practices and to recommend improvement.

D. Develop a program or initiative to reward successful academic advising.

E. Evaluate advising programs at comparable universities and compare to programs in place at VSU.

F. Investigate the implementation of the Banner degree audit or comparable program.

10. Implement recommendations of evaluation of Orientation.

Report by 6/30

High

11. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Freshman Year Experience (FYE) Program.

Report by 6/30

High

A. Evaluate the feasibility of expanding FYE to encompass declared majors.

B. Evaluate characteristics of FYE students and their success rates, and choice of major.

12. Ensure faculty staffing is adequate to meet student course demand.

3,5

A. Develop and implement a plan for recruiting and hiring faculty at least one year in advance of projected needs and areas.

B. Concentrate on quality within all programs by ensuring that comprehensive program review is fully implemented and follow through with actions based on these reviews.

C. Develop plans to reward and retain successful faculty members.

D. Place greater professional importance on the first-year core courses; Assess importance of first-year core academic instructional performance relative to student retention. Decide what kind of professor is wanted to teach the core courses.

13. Build upon the Partners for Campus Excellence to create a student-friendly service environment.

On-going

High

A. Develop and strengthen orientation programs for new faculty and staff.

B. Develop “student-centered” training programs for current faculty and staff.

C. Develop cross-training programs for staff and faculty at all levels.

D. Survey students, faculty, and staff regarding current services, problems, and ways to improve services

14. Provide social and educational programs and services that provide opportunities for student development. Continue and improve support of student organizations and Greek Life.

High

$60,000

A. Develop a comprehensive student leadership program designed to provide students with valuable life skills and enhance their campus life while they serve the university community.

B. Actively request and receive student input and involvement in the development of programs, activities and facilities.

C. Create a student orientation program for new first time students to welcome them to campus prior to the start of semester classes.

D. Collect and utilize data concerning the nature, needs and interests of the student populations to be served.

a. Create a survey of incoming first year students to indicate their expectations both for a college experience and of themselves.

Prepared by 6/30

High

$50,000

b. Create a survey of students after completing their first year to ascertain their experiences and attitudes towards themselves, each other, and all aspects of the facilities, services, operations and personnel of VSU.

Prepared by 6/30

High

$50,000

E. Conduct a feasibility study as it pertains to possible house for Greek organizations.

F. Develop programs and activities to enhance weekend activities in the residence halls and campus-wide.

a. Develop cooperative entertainment programs with Wild Adventures

b. Develop cooperative entertainment programs with the Valdosta Chamber of Commerce.

15. Strengthen the international dimension of students' educational experience.

116 VSU students participated in study abroad in 2002-03. Although this was a decrease of 4 students from the previous year, viewed in the overall international context this is still very respectable. A very bright element was that 21 of our students participated in semester or year-long exchanges abroad, compared to 19 the previous year and 13 the year before that. VSU is well below its official goal of sending 3.5% of its students abroad by 2007. In 2002-03, 116 VSU students participated in study abroad, a decrease of 4 students from the previous year. It can be assumed that the general economic recession and the international tensions associated with the Iraq crisis contributed significantly to this decline. A bright element in the overall disappointing figure was that 21 VSU students participated in semester or year-long exchanges brroad, compared to 19 the previous year and 13 the year before that. Longer term study abroad experiences are the hardest to recruit for and the most valuable kind of international experience. Fall 2002 there were 246 students from 44 countries; Spring 2003 there were 229 students from 47 countries. There are several reasons for the decline: New US federal regulations governing visa issuance made it much more difficult for students to complete the process and receive visas than in the past. Also, the political climate made many foreign students and their families fearful of coming to the US. 37 VSU faculty and staff participated in overseas programs;
more than 40 additional faculty members participated in
organized international programs on campus, including
lecture series, arts activities, international film series,
community friend linkages with international students, etc.
Of the 37 who went abroad to 19 countries; 13 were teaching in
programs of a month or longer, 5 were conducting
international/comparative research, 7 were engaged in
program development, 5 presented at international
conferences, and 3 were consulting to assist in
curriculum development in other countries. 16
faculty and staff from universities and agencies in
other countries came to VSU in 2002-03. Of these,
four were here for at least a semester as teachers
and collaborators in curriculum development and research;
eight were here working in program development on
cooperative projects with VSU; the remainder were here
as guest lecturers or consultants on specific projects.
VSU continued to lead the system-wide European Council, a
collaborative venture of more than 20 USG institutions,
and sent over 220 USG students and 40 faculty on
European Council summer programs. VSU spearheaded
the development of two new Council summer programs in
Germany and Spain. VSU faculty led a national initiative
to design and deliver professional training programs for
higher education faculty in Belize, coordinating two training
sessions (in February and May) that involved faculty
members from all higher education institutions in Belize.
VSU launched new initiatives in collaboration with
institutions in Russia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.