Aspire to Greatness: MSU Strategic Plan

Vision, Mission Statement and Core Values

Vision

We ASPIRE to be the best public regional university in the South.

Mission Statement

As a community of lifelong learners, we will:

• Educate students for success in a global environment;

• Engage in scholarship;

• Promote diversity of people and ideas;

• Foster innovation, collaboration and creative thinking; and

• Serve our communities to improve the quality of life.

Core Values

We strive to exemplify these core values in all that we do:

• PEOPLE come first and are treated with dignity and respect;

• LIFELONG LEARNING, SCHOLARSHIP and SERVICE;

• DIVERSITY and INCLUSION of people and thought;

• EXCELLENCE, HONESTY, INTEGRITY and TRUST.

Goal 1: Academic Excellence

We will advance teaching excellence and innovation in the delivery of high-quality academic programs enriched by scholarship and service.

Objective 1: Build and retain an outstanding, diverse faculty empowered to reach their potential as teacher-scholars.

Key Strategies:

• Design an institutional process for identifying and hiring excellent faculty members who can advance the University’s mission.

• Develop a faculty mentoring program.

• Develop a needs assessment instrument to identify areas for professional development.

Objective 2: Offer high-quality programs with course delivery methods that meet diverse student needs.

Key Strategies:

• Implement a required training certification program for online teaching.

• Develop an institutional strategy to define optimal course delivery methods and mix.

• Identify undergraduate and graduate programs appropriate for 100 percent online delivery or for offering on regional campuses.

• Create and implement residential learning communities and campus-wide programming through a collaboration of Academic Affairs and Student Success.

• Identify graduate assistant and internship opportunities in Student Success including Intercollegiate Athletics.

• Train and support faculty and staff to meet the needs of diverse students.

• Develop programs to meet the needs of gifted and talented high school students.

Objective 3: Develop and enhance relevant, high-quality academic programs in fields to meet regional and global workforce needs.

Key Strategies:

• Develop a systematic way to identify where students are employed after graduation to obtain feedback that will inform program validity and improvement.

• Use the Academic Program Needs Assessment model effectively to guide resource reallocation decisions.

• Conduct environmental scans annually to inform program strategic planning.

• Evaluate opportunities to infuse career planning, job search and readiness into program curriculum using institutional resources.

• Expand and enhance experiential program to prepare students for workforce by effectively using on- and off-campus resources.

Objective 4: Communicate and assess learning outcomes for students that promote academic success and career preparedness.

Key Strategies:

• Review program outcomes to ensure students are career ready using employer feedback and industry trends.

• Create and assess learning outcomes for student life programming.

Objective 5: Enhance the visibility and profile of the University.

Key Strategies:

• Develop an annual strategic media marketing plan that focuses on graduate outcomes, academic quality and athletic accomplishments.

• Explore strategies to dedicate resources to increase academic program promotion.

• Undertake market research to inform enrollment and marketing strategies.

• Identify marketing strategies to effectively communicate the quality of the academic experience at MSU.

Objective 6: Focus the University community on the value of teaching, scholarship and service in achieving academic excellence.

Key Strategies:

• Improve systematic recognition of excellence in teaching, scholarship and service institution-wide.

• Improve support for faculty and students in research and creative productions.

• Define expectations for faculty excellence in scholarship, teaching and service that inform faculty evaluations, tenure and promotion.

• Explore the process of external reviews for tenure and promotion.

• Explore alternative/additional instruments for the evaluation of teaching effectiveness.

• Promote the integration of scholarship, teaching and service.

Academic Excellence: Key Performance Measures

• Percentage of faculty engaged in scholarship or creative productions

• Percentage of students who successfully complete a subsequent course in the same discipline after taking one developmental course (math, English)

• Percentage of MSU students scoring in top 25 percent nationally on New Teacher Excellence exam

• Results from the NSSE Engagement Indicator of Academic Challenge, which includes higher-order learning, reflective and integrative learning, learning strategies and quantitative reasoning

• Results from the NSSE Engagement Indicator of Experiences with Faculty, which includes student-faculty interaction and effective teaching practices

Goal 2: Student Success

We will provide experiences that enrich academic, co-curricular and career goals.

Objective 1: Enhance and promote our safe and healthy campus community.

• Develop a systematic way to identify where students are employed after graduation to obtain feedback that will inform program validity and improvement.
• Use the Academic Program Needs Assessment model effectively to guide resource reallocation decisions.
• Conduct environmental scans annually to inform program strategic planning.
• Evaluate opportunities to infuse career planning, job search and readiness into program curriculum using institutional resources.
• Expand and enhance experiential program to prepare students for workforce by effectively using on- and off-campus resources

Key Strategies:

• Maintain and enhance current student programs and activities to ensure that they promote healthy lifestyles.
• Conduct an annual systematic review and communication of emergency, health and safety information.
• Increase police officer visibility and campus community connections.
• Educate, train and support faculty and staff with regard to identifying and reporting students who are of concern or in crisis in a timely and appropriate manner.

Objective 2: Promote global awareness and inclusion.

Key Strategies:

• Collaboratively develop and implement co-curricular and residential campus-side programs and activities that enhance global awareness and promote inclusion.

Objective 3: Create and sustain a culture that supports and respects a diverse student population in their intellectual growth and completion of a degree.

Key Strategies:

• Adopt institution-wide standards for respecting, developing and sustaining a culture of inclusion.

• Enhance current and build new partnerships and collaborations between various campus entities in order to provide efficient, wraparound support.

• Develop and implement an online reporting and feedback system to identify and resolve campus access issues for students with disabilities.

• Review and implement the Internationalizing the Campus Strategic Plan to enhance current programs to support international students and scholars.

Objective 4: Strengthen student programming and wellness activities.

Key Strategies:

• Increase the number and variety of recreational opportunities for students that enhance their educational and personal experiences.

• Develop and schedule programming on critical campus safety and wellness topics.

• Utilize an internal advisory board to create, implement and support new student co-curricular programming opportunities.

Objective 5: Improve residential housing options and experiences.

Key Strategies:

• Identify and implement standards of excellence for housing staff and facilities.

• Enhance housing staff training and student staff compensation.

• Create and implement a clear and focused replacement plan for furnishings and equipment.

• Assess and address student satisfaction with the campus residential experience.

Objective 6: Strengthen the collaboration between Academic Affairs and Student Success.

Key Strategies:

• Establish an internal advisory board to create, implement and support new student co-curricular programming opportunities.

• Institutionally support collaborative programming built on proven models and/or examples.

• Identify strategies to support students staying/working on campus.

Objective 7: Produce knowledgeable graduates prepared for the workforce, advanced careers and professional education.

Key Strategies:

• Update student hiring practices and ensure that work study/graduate assistant/internship opportunities provide students with real-world experiences in situations that develop soft skills.

• Create and implement learning outcomes for student workers.

Objective 8: Assist students as they transition from postsecondary education into the workforce or graduate education.

Key Strategies:

• Develop a formalized college- and discipline-based career/graduate school mentoring program for students.

• Explore and systematically implement opportunities to incorporate transition activities/experiences into academic programs.

• Explore tools and strategies to connect students to programs/careers.

Objective 9: Enhance the awareness and support of MSU Athletics.

Key Strategies:

• Develop new promotional programs to encourage participation in athletic events.

• Host pre-game activities for alumni and friends in appropriate locations.

• Conduct targeted fundraising appeals for athletics.

Student Success: Key Performance Measures

• Results from the NSSE Engagement Indicator of Learning with Peers, which includes collaborative learning and discussions with diverse others

• Number of total degrees awarded

• Number of bachelor’s degrees

• Number of master’s degrees

• Number of doctoral degrees

• Number of STEM+H degrees

• Number of credits to degree

• Student satisfaction with residential experience, student life programming and services, co-curricular academic activities, etc.

Goal 3: Productive Partnerships

We will develop and sustain partnerships to benefit the people and communities within the MSU service region, Appalachia and beyond.

Objective 1: Strengthen and expand long-term and sustainable partnerships with business, government, education, health care and nonprofit organizations.

Key Strategies:

• Strengthen the coordination of all MSU outreach activities to better prioritize and align resources to support a defined and realistic set of operational goals and objectives.
• Review and expand advisory board for Center for Regional Engagement with membership from business, education, health care, government and nonprofits.

Objective 2: Promote and support regional economic development and job creation.

Key Strategies:

• Build capacity for developing and delivering entrepreneurship programming across campus.
• Expand existing entrepreneurship education programs in K-12 system.
• Collaborate and partner with Workforce Investment Boards on economic development, job creation and internships.

Objective 3: Connect regional partnerships to on-campus research and educational strengths.

Key Strategies:

• Effectively engage and educate the academic community in supporting regional outreach.
• Create and reinforce formal collaborative structures within MSU designed to meet critical needs in region.

Objective 4: Develop rigorous, systematic evaluations of outreach activities.

Key Strategies:

• Establish goals and measures of impact for outreach activities.

Objective 5: Promote and support outreach activities that demonstrate a positive impact on the MSU service region.

Key Strategies:

• Develop and distribute an annual report/publication communicating the impact of outreach activities to the public.

• Identify groups/methods to effectively communicate quality and impact of outreach activities.

• Promote and host targeted fundraising, pride raising and networking events.

Productive Partnerships: Key Performance Measures

• Number of P-12 students served by MSU outreach programs

• Percentage of SCH online

• Number of businesses participating in the career fair

• Number of student-hours contributed annually in regional engagement activities

• Number of services provided to the community

Goal 4: Improved Infrastructure

We will develop and retain a diverse workforce and acquire and steward capital and fiscal resources.

Objective 1: Engage faculty and staff in quality professional development experiences that address identified institutional and individual needs.

Key Strategies:

• Develop annual plans for unit/role specific training on the University’s ERP system and other technology resources.

• Continue training opportunities to support the effective use of the new online performance management system.

• Deliver a diverse selection of professional development opportunities during annual professional development days.

• Maintain a comprehensive suite of online module-based professional development tools.

• Develop competency-based career paths for appropriate job categories.

Objective 2: Attract and retain a talented and diverse faculty and staff workforce.

Key Strategies:

• Implement the market-based employee compensation plan for all positions.

• Streamline employee recruitment and hiring process/shorten time to offer.

• Implement strategies to support reaching the goals identified in the University’s Affirmative Action Plan.

• Conduct annual comparison of employee benefits to market peers and use results to recommend adjustments in benefit programs.

• Enhance onboarding program for new employees.

Objective 3: Create and sustain a culture of wellness as the foundation for success.

Key Strategies:

• Enhance wellness program to include result-oriented participation incentives.

• Conduct an annual comprehensive health fair event that engages employees.

• Implement program to provide employees’ access to a wellness coach.

• Provide opportunities for employees to participate in tobacco cessation programs.

• Enhance and expand employees’ access to wellness education.

• Provide biometric screening services on campus through the campus health clinic.

Objective 4: Maintain a competitive compensation model.

Key Strategies:

• Implement phase 2 of the employee compensation plan.

• Implement phase 3 of the employee compensation plan.

• Implement annual adjustments to the employee compensation scale based on market shifts.

• Facilitate annual review and updates to all staff job descriptions.

Objective 5: Improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

Key Strategies:

• Implement an enterprise document management system that integrates with the University’s ERP system.

• Implement the new Information Technology Governance Structure.

• Transition purchasing approvals to a cost-based approval system.

• Implement shared services for common functions across the institution.

• Develop improvements in University travel processes.

• Implement cross-training and responsibility sharing to improve customer/student services during peak time.

Objective 6: Provide and maintain a campus that meets the growing needs of a diverse student body.

Key Strategies:

• Develop and follow a multi-year implementation budget plan and timeline for highest priority projects identified in the Campus Master Plan.

• Continue implementation of the 10-year Housing Master Plan.

• Implement strategies identified in the University Technology Plan.

• Invest in highest priority projects identified in the deferred maintenance plan.

• Invest in highest priority initiative identified by the ADA task force.

• Continue support of sustainability efforts.

Objective 7: Provide technology that supports innovation, enhances productivity and makes information easily accessible to faculty, staff and students.

Key Strategies:

• Re-engineer the University’s external web site.

• Implement upgrade and provide training on Business Objects reporting solution.

• Implement enhancements and expand the University’s Portal – MyMoreheadState.

• Complete the upgrade to the campus technology infrastructure.

• Implement and provide training on the University’s enterprise document management system.

Objective 8: Enhance the quality of life for faculty, staff, students and community members through effective budgetary planning.

Key Strategies:

• Develop and manage a balanced operating budget that supports the highest priorities of the institution’s strategic plan and Campus Master Plan.

• Maintain an effective tuition and fee schedule that balances revenue with affordability and generates resources necessary to support institutional budgetary needs.

• Monitor and analyze budget expenditure and revenue trends to anticipate and plan for financial opportunities and threats.

Objective 9: Safeguard our financial future through effective stewardship of resources.

Key Strategies:

• Complete timely and accurate financial reports and analysis necessary to effectively monitor fiscal performance and compliance.

• Facilitate a comprehensive annual audit of financial operations by an external audit firm.

• Plan and implement an annual internal audit plan to identify areas of risk, verify compliance with internal and external policies, and identify areas for improvement in efficiency and effectiveness.

Objective 10: Manage institutional risk.

Key Strategies:

• Create and implement training sessions to assist employees with identifying others in crisis and responding appropriately in emergency situations.

• Develop an institutional risk management plan with priority initiatives and timelines for completion.

• Effectively communicate and coordinate risk management activities.

• Maintain a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan.

• Conduct periodic tabletop exercises to test and improve EOP processes.

Objective 11: Enhance campus life by providing quality goods and services in a manner that is cost-effective and customer-oriented.

Key Strategies:

• Improve customer satisfaction with the University’s auxiliary service units.

• Increase net revenue generated by auxiliary service units.

Improved Infrastructure: Key Performance Measures

• Median faculty salary as percentage of CUPA median

• Median staff salary as percent of market median

• Results from the NSSE Campus environment theme, which includes quality of interactions and supportive environment

• Number of diverse faculty and staff

• Number of diverse faculty and staff retained

• Total external research and development funding

• Participation in professional development for faculty/staff

• Operating dollars invested annually in capital renewal and maintenance

Goal 5: Resource Enhancement

We will raise, manage and steward private support and resources.

Objective 1: Cultivate and educate alumni and friends.

Key Strategies:

• Host engagement and cultivation events.

• Place educational ads in Statement and other media.

• Conduct electronic, direct mail and phone cultivation.

Objective 2: Generate and sustain new private giving and other support to MSU.

Key Strategies:

• Increase applications for corporate and foundation funding.

• Annually solicit every alumnus.

• Continue the Much More Opportunity Campaign.

• Upgrade current annual donors.

Objective 3: Strengthen our culture of support from faculty, staff and students.

Key Strategies:

• Continue the Campus Giving Campaign.

• Enhance the student component of the Campus Giving Campaign.

• Incorporate retirees into the Campus Giving Campaign.

Objective 4: Increase support to the entire MSU community through the use of private resources.

Key Strategies:

• Assure private funding is being spent in a timely and appropriate manner.

Objective 5: Safeguard our financial future through strategic investments and the effective management of private resources.

Key Strategies:

• Work with MSU Foundation Board to sustain the new funding model.

• Ensure the MSU Foundation Financial Management and Investment Policy is being followed.

• Ensure MSU Foundation Board membership has highly qualified financial experts.

Resource Enhancement: Key Performance Measures

• Total endowment amount

• Percentage of alumni who contribute to the University annually

• Private support from the MSU Foundation Inc. transferred to support MSU operating needs

• Percent of employees participating in the Campus Giving Campaign

Goal 6: Enrollment, Retention and Graduation Rate Gains

We will recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student body.

Objective 1: Strengthen efforts to recruit, educate, retain and graduate a diverse body of undergraduate students in four years.

Key Strategies:

• Clearly distinguish MSU undergraduate program experiences from competitors through coordinated internal/external messages/communications according to a strategic media relations and advertising campaign.

• Develop online, hybrid and flexible high-demand undergraduate programs to serve the diverse needs of current and prospective students.

• Revise and update the Strategic Undergraduate Enrollment Management Plan based upon identified areas of growth.

• Develop an Accelerated Degree Completion Plan with student incentives.

• Expand, promote and document the undergraduate research/creative production experiences and mentorships.

• Review scholarship opportunities and/or tuition discounting strategies to encourage retention and timely completion of degrees.

Objective 2: Strengthen the capacity of graduate and professional programs to recruit, educate and graduate a diverse body of graduate students.

Key Strategies:

• Clearly distinguish MSU graduate program experiences from competitors through coordinated internal/external messages/communications according to a strategic media relations and advertising campaign.

• Revise and update the Strategic Graduate Enrollment Management Plan based upon identified areas of growth.

• Develop online, hybrid and flexible high demand graduate programs to serve the diverse needs of current and prospective students.

• Examine the feasibility of competitive graduate tuition rates and setting differential program tuition rates based upon discipline.

• Explore competitive graduate assistant stipend and tuition remission program.

• Explore strategies to support completion of graduate degree programs.

Objective 3: Strengthen and integrate support services for a diverse student body.

Key Strategies:

• Provide one-stop student services on all campuses and online delivery.

• Review staffing/structure for regional campuses.

• Provide IT infrastructure to address campus needs.

• Develop a continuous improvement plan for college student services centers.

• Develop an organization and processes for continuing education.

• Identify and align all student support services/resources across campus.

Objective 4: Provide a student-centered environment that actively engages students in and out of the classroom.

Key Strategies:

• Strengthen efforts to meet needs of residential and non-residential students.

• Increase awareness and early participation in academic and non-academic student organizations.

• Expand opportunities for students to participate in peer-mentoring activities.

• Encourage faculty to expand opportunities for students to participate early in research, learning communities and service learning.

• Increase freshmen and sophomore student participation in international and national experiences.

• Explore scholarship or student employee models that encourage better engagement of students with faculty and staff.

Objective 5: Focus the University community on the need to support retention efforts.

Key Strategies:

• Improve recognition of faculty, staff and students participating in activities that engage students in and out of the classroom

• Evaluate the impact of General Education on student adjustment and explore options to improve.

• Identify needs of first-year students and address through first-year experiences.

• Explore strategies to recognize and reward units/programs who increase student retention.

• Develop appropriate guidelines and support structure to meet customer service standards in all units.

• Improve communication between advisor, faculty, parent/guardian and support staff with a focus on being more student-centered.

Objective 6: Close the gaps between identified groups and the majority of undergraduate students.

Key Strategies:

• Identify and address risk factors for each of the gap groups.

• Explore strategies to integrate or cross-train financial aid staff with student service centers staff.

• Enhance programs that support preparation at the high school level.

• Identify students in gap groups, and develop specific strategies to support them.

Objective 7: Strengthen efforts to recruit, retain and graduate transfer students.

Key Strategies:

• Develop online, hybrid and flexible high-demand programs to serve the diverse needs of current and prospective transfer students.

• Implement dual-enrollment program with all KCTCS schools that includes dual advising.

• Update and manage articulation agreements and curriculum maps to facilitate transfer of KCTCS students.

• Explore creative tuition models to attract transfer students.

• Review program courses/requirements to determine if there are roadblocks for transfer students that can be removed.

Enrollment, Retention and Graduation Rate Gains: Key Performance Measures

Enrollment Growth:

• Number of undergraduate students enrolled
• Number of graduate students enrolled
• Number of international students enrolled
• Number of undergraduate underrepresented minority students enrolled
• Number of graduate underrepresented minority students enrolled
• Number of KCTCS transfer students enrolled (first-time transfer and number of students transferring credit in an academic year)
• Number of underrepresented minority KCTCS transfer students enrolled
• Total number of transfer students enrolled (number of first-time transfers in an academic year)

Retention:

• GRS Cohort: Retention rate of FTFR students cohort group
• GRS Cohort: Retention rate of FTFR students admitted with developmental needs
• GRS Cohort: Retention rate of FTFR students in low income group
• GRS Cohort: Retention rate of underrepresented FTFR students
• GRS Cohort: Retention from 2nd to 3rd year (include URM)
• GRS Cohort: Retention from 3rd to 4th year (include URM)
• Net direct cost
• Average ACT score of incoming freshmen

Graduation Rates:

• 4, 5 and 6-year graduation rate of bachelor’s degree seeking students
• Graduation rate for associate degree-seeking students
• Bachelor’s graduation rate gap - low income
• Bachelor’s graduation rate gap - underprepared
• Bachelor’s graduation rate gap - underrepresented minority