VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Goals for 1998-99 Academic Year Aligned With
Institutional Strategic Goals

 

Department Mission Statement

The mission of the Office of Academic Affairs is to assume primary responsibility for the University academic program, the four academic colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Education and Applied Science), the Newton Gresham Library, and various support offices. That responsibility includes a commitment to achieve excellence in instruction, research, and public service by securing a highly qualified and motivated faculty and support staff; maintaining high academic and professional standards for faculty, students, and staff; admitting and retaining qualified and motivated students; and providing essential physical facilities, library, and other resources for the attainment of the University's goals.

To receive input in the development of additional goals for academic affairs for the 1998 year, members of the vice president's chief policy-recommending body (the Academic Policy Council) were asked to solicit from their constituencies what they thought the most important issues facing academic affairs were. The issues each submitted were merged into a composite list which was then presented to the Academic Policy Council. Each member was asked to select and rank the five most important issues facing the Division of Academic Affairs. A tabulation of these rankings revealed a high degree of agreement on the five most important issues for the coming year. One of these (student retention) continues from last year's list (1997 goal #2). All these ranked priorities fit within the institutional priorities. Other priorities identified by the Academic Policy Council are addressed as additional strategic goals.

 
1. Integrate computer technology into all administrative and instructional processes of the university.

A. Begin integrating computer technology into the instructional processes of the University including on-campus instruction, distance instruction, library modernization, infrastructure, and faculty development. (1) Wire all classrooms for network connections

(2) Create two fully functional distance instruction classrooms

(3) Provide a program of faculty development in computer and distance instruction

(4) Begin equipping classrooms with computer-based projection equipment

(5) Begin wiring residence halls

(6) Establish a production facility to assist in development of materials for mediated courses

(7) Develop twenty electronically-enhanced courses for local, distance, or Internet delivery

(8) Establish, equip, and staff The Center for Innovative Learning

(9) Increase funding for the computer center and library

 B. Establish a strong presence at The University Center and begin to establish electronic offerings at other locations. (1) Offer 15% of the courses at The University Center using distance instruction

(2) Develop the necessary hardware links to make RESNET operational

(3) Explore with associated school districts the desired offerings for RESNET and prepare to begin offerings

(4) Work within the NET Network to collaboratively deliver offerings in the Northeast Texas area

(5) Offer the University's first Internet course

 

 2. Create initiatives to increase student recruitment and retention. A. Begin to address the issues of graduate student recruitment. (1) Study the issue of graduate student stipends and bring forward recommendations for addressing the issue in the short and long term

(2) Cooperate with the office of university development to enhance fund raising activities in each college

(3) Develop graduate student recruitment programs for each of the newly developed doctoral programs

 B. Develop offerings at The University Center and provide support. (1) Offer four additional degree programs

(2) Establish a full-time university "academic concierge" at The University Center

 C. (Last year's goal #2) Provide appropriate input to help implement the following initiatives approved in the report of the President's Task Force on Student Retention. (1) Develop a user-friendly general information sheet and simplify forms and instructions received by students and parents

(2) Move university offices offering front-end services to more convenient locations on campus

(3) Institute a freshman first-year study skills and "survival" course

(4) Revise the Provisional Admissions Policy

(5) Combine or integrate more closely the Learning Assistance Center, Student Counseling Services, a future Student Academic Advising Center, and a proposed Writing Center into an Academic Enrichment Center

 D. Increase the population of minority faculty.

 

 3. Enhance external revenue sources available to the University.

-- Enhance faculty research productivity.

 

4. Enhance partnerships with the University's external communities.

A. Expand the international awareness and activity of the students and faculty.

B. Enhance service to the state of Texas criminal justice system through training and development programs.

C. Enhance service to the state of Texas business community through the Business and Economic Development Center.

 

 5. Continue integrating the University's strategic planning and assessment processes with the institutional budgeting processes. -- Continued development and regularization of the University's strategic planning process and its integration with the institutional budgeting process. (1) Reconstitute the University's strategic planning committee

(2) Redesign the University's strategic planning processes and budget process so that the associated time lines provide for appropriate recursive cycles

(3) Sequence the planning and budgeting processes so that planning feeds budgeting

(4) Strengthen information exchange processes between faculty, departments, colleges, divisions, and institutional levels

(5) Integrate the state strategic planning process into the institutional planning process

(6) Complete a major revision of the University's strategic plan

(7) Put in place a process for the annual update of the strategic plan

(8) Begin a thoughtful analysis of the University's existing mission statement with an eye to revising it in the 1999 year

Other ongoing priorities

A. Enhance student performance on EXCET scores.

B. Increase minority graduates.

C. Maintain faculty/student ratio of not more than 22-1.