Strategic Plan July, 2013
Strategic Plan Mission provides a common gateway to first-year and transfer students by promoting undergraduate student success and helping students build a firm academic foundation, make sound decisions, and develop both intellectually and personally. Vision aspires to be recognized as a results-driven unit that fosters student success through high-quality teaching, and advising, and as a regional resource for student success practices. Core Values The faculty and staff value Excellence in teaching, student learning, service, and scholarly activities High quality professionalism Student-centered approaches as a foundation for growth and success Promotion of exploration, curiosity, and self-discovery Diversity of backgrounds and experiences in the development of a community of learners Collaboration to improve student success initiatives through outreach to constituents. Strategic Goals and Action Steps Strategic Intent: It is the intent of to be recognized regionally as a relevant leader in student success, with specific focus on the transition from high school into the first year of college, from the first year of college to immersion in a selected academic program, and from immersion in an academic program to graduation. We intend to strengthen our position through best practices in teaching and service. Strategic Goal 1: Support first-year and transfer students as they transition to the university a. Enhance the comprehensive advising model grounded in collaboration between academic advisors and retention advisors. b. Enhance the use of the College Student Inventory (CSI). c. Develop a Transfer Student Support Program. d. Enhance the Summer Bridge Program. e. Develop comprehensive assessment plan to better support First Year, Transfer and Non-traditional Students. f. Implement and refine the Exploratory Studies program to assist deciding students determine a major. Strategic Plan 2
Strategic Goal 2: Promote undergraduate student learning, persistence, and success to meet University s retention and graduation rate goals a. Enhance academic support services. b. Expand and streamline the probation/re-admit program. c. Implement the Early Alert program into all undergraduate courses. d. Create and implement a UC 109 experimental course for transfer students. e. Expand the peer mentoring program for at-risk students. f. Implement e-portfolios within to enhance collaboration between advisors and faculty to benefit students. g. Implement advising strategies to support student learning, persistence and success. h. Enhance remediation programs. Strategic Goal 3: Increase collaboration between programs within the University College as well as with partners internal and external to South Dakota State University a. Increase seamless partnerships between advising and academics b. Increase coordination between the FYAC/Early Alert program and the Probation/Re-admit program c. Increase collaboration between the Early Alert program and Tutoring/SI program to provide support to at-risk students. d. Develop partnerships with other SDSU programs e. Create collaborative networks with external partners Strategic Goal 4: Become engaged scholars through systematic inquiry of effective practices in teaching, learning, and student success a. Maintain current and relevant knowledge of discipline-specific practices b. Develop innovative teaching, advising, and service strategies based on best practices c. Conduct program evaluations on UC programs Strategic Goal 5: Secure human and financial resources in order to meet Operating Goals a. Decentralized Budget Implementation b. Develop and execute fundraising plan c. Develop and execute a strategy to obtain grants to support the college d. Develop and execute a plan for funding a Student Success Endowment Strategic Plan 3
Strategic Goals and Performance Indicators Strategic Goal 1: Support first-year and transfer students as they transition to the university RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Enhance use of CSI 2050 students 2500 students Academic Advising Center (Coordinator) All first-time, full-time on-campus students Develop a Transfer Student Support Program 735 800 First Year Advising Center (Director) Data obtained from Transfer Student Recruiter Enhance the Summer Bridge Program 25 75 Admissions Develop a comprehensive assessment plan to improve curriculum for First year, Transfer and Non-traditional Students. Develop an Exploratory Studies program to assist deciding students on determining a major N/A Fully executed assessment 50 All students have declared a major by the end of their first full year of college (Advisors and Faculty) Assemble a team of faculty, University Assessment Coordinator and faculty outside the college. Depending upon enrollment numbers who haven t declared a major Strategic Plan 4
Strategic Goal 2: Promote undergraduate student learning, persistence, and success to meet University s retention and graduation rate goals RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Increase academic support services for Tutoring and SI 24,800 visits 30,000 visits Tutoring/SI Coordinator D,F, W Committee to identify areas of need Expand and streamline the probation/re-admit program 85 students 300 Re-Admitted from Suspension 600 Probation students Academic Affairs (Asst. Vice President) Program will increase University Retention rate to 80%. Baseline represents the pilot program. Implement the Early Alert program into all undergraduate courses Create and implement a UC 109 experimental course for transfer students Expand the peer mentoring program 1,700 students 4,500 students First Year Advising Center (Director) 75 students 300 students (Faculty) 20 50 (Student Success Coordinator) Starfish Strategic Plan 5
Implement e-portfolios within 700 900 (Advisors and Faculty) Baseline used in one academic course. Target is for three courses and two programs. Implement appreciative advising strategies to support student learning, persistence and success 5 trained appreciative advisors 35 trained appreciative advisors Appreciative Advising Team Appreciative Advising Institute at the University of South Carolina. The target number represents academic and major advisors. Enhance the remediation program TBD TBD Academic Assessment (Director) Strategic Plan 6
Strategic Goal 3: Increase collaboration between programs within the as well as with partners internal and external to South Dakota State University RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Develop a seamless experience between advising and curriculum 1 program Develop a relationship with every academic college (Advisor/Instructor co-coordinators) Staff Increase coordination between the FYAC/Early Alert program and the Probation/Re-admit program. 85 students 325 students FYAC (Director) Probation/Re-admit (Coordinator) Staff Starfish Increase collaboration between Early Alert program and Tutoring/SI program to provide support to at-risk students Develop partnerships with other SDSU programs. 50 students Increase retention rate to 80% or better FYAC (Director) Tutoring/SI (Coordinator) 3 8 Staff Starfish, English, Honors, Biology, Sociology, Engineering Create collaborative networks with external partners 1 5 Strategic Plan 7
Strategic Goal 4: Become engaged scholars through systematic inquiry of effective practices in teaching, learning, and student success RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Maintain current and relevant knowledge of discipline-specific practices. 80% 100% Baseline reflects percent of staff who attended professional development. Develop innovative teaching, advising, and service strategies based on best practices. 80% 100% Baseline reflects percent of staff who implemented innovative strategies. Develop best practices on programs. 3 8 (Program Coordinators) Develop programs and present findings at state and national conferences in the areas of advising, tutoring and student success initiatives. Strategic Plan 8
Strategic Goal 5: Secure human and financial resources in order to meet Operating Goals # 1-4 RESPONSIBLE OFFICE Decentralized Budget Implementation Incremental budget structure Decentralized Budget Hybrid Develop and execute a University College fundraising plan Develop and execute a strategy to obtain grants to support the college Develop and execute a plan for funding a Student Success Endowment Draft $100,000 2 funded grants 4 funded grants (Grant coordinator) 0 plans $1,000,000 Academic Affairs Office (Provost) Dependent on assignment of a development director for college. The target will increase support in the area of Academic Success and support to tutoring and Supplemental Instruction. Strategic Plan 9