SSU’s Strategic Planning Efforts

SSU’s Strategic Planning Efforts A Time for Reflection Fall, 2009 M. Crow, SSU IRP

Our plan evolved over time… • Brown/Silver initiative (2000) • Gates/Scott revision (2007) • Yarbrough/Wyatt modification (2008) NOW: Time for a thorough review!

Plan contains a “vision” for the future… • Savannah State University will become the institution of choice in our region, where students maximize their potential in a nurturing environment that embraces social and intellectual diversity. The University will create an efficient, student-centered culture, responsive to the needs of its stakeholders, supportive of ideals and ethical verities, and loyal to its splendid

Contains new mission statement 1 Savannah State University, the oldest public historically black university in the State of Georgia, develops productive members of a global society through high quality instruction, scholarship, research, service and community involvement. The University fosters engaged learning and personal growth in a student-centered environment that celebrates the African American legacy while nurturing a diverse student body. Savannah State University offers graduate and undergraduate studies including nationally accredited programs in the liberal arts, the sciences and the professions. 1. Subject to final approval from the BOR.

To support an explicit new theme… • Under leadership of President Yarbrough • A value-added experience • To infuse all aspects of curriculum & operations

Contains five long term planning goals… • Maximize comparative advantage • Expand institutional capacity using TQM, etc • Advise & mentor to recruit & retain students • Enhance public image & communication • Foster continuous professional development Towards which we have been planning for some time.

Each goal fleshed out with short-term planning objectives… • Across departments & units • Across curriculum & majors • Diverse stakeholders involved • Specific “champions” identified • Linked to USG system goals & objectives

(1) Comparative advantage: 7 objectives • Expand/strengthen centers of excellence • Co-curricular activities for targeted groups • Internship programs in each major • Entrepreneurial training in each major • Active learning & teamwork in courses • Expand study abroad opportunities • Community involvement component in majors

(2) Institutional capacity building: 8 objectives • Core curriculum learning outcome effectiveness • External partnerships with organizations • Program scheduling adjustments • Program demand forecasting • Facility realignment/development • Adjust staff social processes for technology • On-line budgeting & accounting software • Revise core curriculum pedagogy

(3) Recruitment & Retention-7 objectives • Track student goal achievement • Organize lower division University College • Profile student types to recruit for SSU • Put 20% of core curriculum on-line annually • Induce student use of e-mail • Expand minority student participation • Allocate achievement scholar awards by discipline

(4) Image & communication—8 objectives • Use distinctive university logo • Communicate more using WHCJ-FM radio • Publicize campus research & intellectual activity • Develop community advisory groups for majors • Assign media liaison for each college & program • Enable institution-wide scheduling software • Develop campus speaker’s bureau • Publish successful student bios to web site

(5) Professional development—7 objectives • Build toward all instructors w/ Doctorates • Monitor faculty engagement in campus affairs • Senior faculty to mentor junior faculty • Veteran administrators mentor novice admin. • Clerical staff obtain MOUS certification • Department staff X-trained • Schedule training to support strategic objectives

Plan details on-line: • http://irp.savannahstate.edu/IRP/Strat-Plan-Docs/SSU_StrategicPlan.pdf

Planning is connected to SACS “standard 2.5” • The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that • (1) incorporate a systematic review of institutional mission, goals, and outcomes; • (2) result in continuing improvement in institutional quality; and • (3) demonstrate the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission. (Institutional Effectiveness)

also connected to SACS “standard 3.3.1” The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in each of the following areas: (Institutional Effectiveness) • 3.3.1.1 educational programs, to include student learning outcomes • 3.3.1.2 administrative support services • 3.3.1.3 educational support services • 3.3.1.4 research within its educational mission, if appropriate • 3.3.1.5 community/public service within its educational mission, if appropriate

Most importantly, planning helps.. • Develop our learning environment • Improve our curriculum • Enhance our learning strategies • Maximize our support services • Integrate operations with community

Campus involvement needed to… • Evaluate outcome & utility of planning • Judge relative importance of goals to SSU’s future • Advise whether to halt, continue, or revise goals • Judge value & success of specific objectives • Advise whether to halt, continue, or revise objectives • Itemize outcomes of planning to date • Collect evidence suggesting future directions • Tie org unit & curriculum plans to campus plans

To that end, two immediate actions • A web survey about planning out to staff by end of month. (Please respond!) Info collected to inform next round of planning. • Department chairs/heads asked to return unit-level plans and outcomes (on-line or on-paper; template provided) by deadline.

In conclusion, four thoughts: • Teaching does not create learning; learners do. Teachers create learning environments. (paraphrase, John Holt, 1985) • The work of teaching is constructing a laboratory for learning: broad and varied to challenge a range of interests and abilities.” (paraphrase, Bill Ayers, 1993) • A college must promote a deep orientation to learning and discourage a surface one or it actively undermines its very rationale for being. (paraphrase, John Tagg, 2003) • When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; when you cannot, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind. (paraphrase, Lord Kelvin) Help us create a more effective learning environment—by planning.

Food for thought & ideas… • Bill Ayers (1993), To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher • John Tagg (2003), The Learning Paradigm College • John Holt (1989), Learning All The Time • Erik Margolis (2001), The Hidden Curriculum in Higher Education • Ira Shor, ed. (1987), Freire for the Classroom: A Sourcebook for Liberatory Teaching • Frank Sweet (2005), Legal History of the Color Line: The Notion of Invisible Blackness

SSU’s Strategic Planning Efforts