GOALS AND STRATEGIES

I. To ensure the preeminence of learning, we will:

  • Establish an environment where learning and the creation of knowledge are central to everything we do.
  • Integrate teaching, scholarly and creative activities, and the exchange of ideas.
  • Assess student learning collegially and continually use the evidence to improve programs.
  • Recruit and retain a highly-qualified and diverse staff and faculty.
  • Develop and maintain attractive, accessible, and functional facilities that support learning.
  • Integrate advances in information technologies into learning environments.
  • Develop a strong library which provides rapid access to global information and serves as a nexus for learning.

II. To provide high quality programs that meet the evolving needs of our students, community and region, we will:

  • Integrate knowledge with the development of values, professional ethics, and the teamwork, leadership and citizenship skills necessary for students to make meaningful contributions to society.
  • Develop a coherent and integrated general education program.
  • Provide experiences in and out of the classroom that attend to issues of culture, ethnicity and gender and promote a global perspective.
  • Offer continuing education programs that provide retraining and meet professional certification and other community needs.
  • Provide opportunities to learn from external communities through internships, cooperative education and other field activities.
  • Provide opportunities for students to participate in a competitive intercollegiate athletics program.
  • Provide opportunities for recreation and enhanced physical well-being.

III. To enhance scholarly and creative activity, we will:

  • Support faculty research and grant activity that leads to the generation, integration and dissemination of knowledge.
  • Encourage departments to reconsider the nature and kinds of scholarship within the discipline and to create a culture conducive to scholarly and creative activity.
  • Encourage departments to implement a plan and personnel document supportive of scholarly and creative activities consistent with collegial governance and the university’s mission and goals.
  • Cultivate student and staff involvement in faculty scholarly and creative activity.
  • Provide students, faculty and staff access to and training in the use of advanced technologies supportive of research, scholarly, and creative activity.

IV. To make collaboration integral to our activities, we will:

  • Create opportunities in and out of the classroom for collaborative activities for students, faculty and staff.
  • Leverage our membership within the largest university system in the United States to advance the university’s mission.
  • Encourage, recognize, and reward interdisciplinary and cross-unit collaboration.
  • Promote collaborative and innovative exchanges with other educational institutions at all levels to maximize the efficient use of resources and enhance opportunities for all learners.

V. To create an environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed, we will:

  • Develop an innovative outreach and simplified admissions system that enhances recruitment of qualified students.
  • Ensure that students of varying age, ethnicity, culture, academic experience and economic circumstances are well served.
  • Facilitate a timely graduation through class availability and effective retention, advisement, career counseling and mentoring.
  • Provide an affordable education without sacrificing quality.
  • Provide an accessible, attractive and safe environment and a welcoming campus climate.

VI. To expand connections and partnerships with our region, we will:

  • Develop mutually beneficial working partnerships with public and private sectors within our region.
  • Serve as a regional center for intellectual, cultural, athletic and life-long learning activities.
  • Develop community-centered programs and activities, consistent with our mission and goals that serve the needs of our external communities.
  • Involve alumni as valued participants in the on-going life.