2009 – 2014 Strategic Plan Report Card

Summer, 2011

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE

STRATEGIC PLAN

Goal 1:

Serving 21st-century Maine

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for serving the needs and aspirations of 21-st century Maine were begun, including:

1

6.1

6.1

Engage in ongoing discussions with key stakeholders about the State’s and

regions expectations for public higher education and workforce needs.

Identify a strategic, signature role for USM in service of the creative

economy.

Assess the appropriateness and efficacy of degree programs to better align

USM with the needs if the State of Maine. 6.1

Establish Community Partnerships where appropriate. 6.1

Promote community/program interactions as a critical part of the University’s

work.

6.1

6.1 Promote community/program interactions as part of the university’s work in

central and southern Maine and beyond.

6.1

Bring more local and regional business, community and political leaders to

the university for interactions with students, faculty and staff about

workforce trends and public affairs.

Continue to refine the vision for the university articulated in The Southern

Maine Imperative I and II. 6.1

Specific strategies associated with each strategic goal have been highlighted. The Task Teams have

identified the stage of each strategy and objective. For a detailed list of each goal and associated objectives,

action items and strategies, please visit www.usm.maine.edu/strategic. Throughout this report you will find a

colored key for each objective.

Completed in Progress Not started Altered

Goal 2:

Make Student Success a Core Priority

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for making student success a core priority:

aison Programs

2

6.2

6.2

Increase persistence and progress to degree of both first-time freshman

and transfer students to levels comparable to USM peer institutions

extending that effort to retention and graduate students.

Develop a university-wide success initiative, led by Academic Affairs.

Set student success benchmarks for each USM academic program. 6.2

Develop indicators for student success that are appropriate to each program at

USM. 6.2

Set targets for increased retention and progress to degree for all undergraduate

and graduate programs.

6.2

6.2 Expand the Library Liaison Program and information literacy initiatives to foster

students’ abilities in information access and effectiveness.

6.2 Invest academic resources strategically in support of student success.

Continue enactment of the new core curriculum. 6.2

Conduct ongoing assessment of USM’s general education efforts to assure their

quality and effectiveness. 6.2

Celebrate engaged teaching and learning as USM’s signature approach to

undergraduate and graduate education. 6.2

Focus sustained university-wide attention on the scholarship of teaching and

learning and its importance to liberal education.

6.2

Goal 2:

Make Student Success a Core Priority

STATUS

s

2

6.2

6.2

Use NSSE and FSSE benchmarks to improve student experience in the

classroom and during co-curricular experiences

Hold university wide forums on NSSE and FSSE results and student engagement

Support faculty who incorporate engaged learning experiences and opportunities

in their courses and professional development enhancing pedagogy 6.2

Cultivate and publicize opportunities for engaged education 6.2

Create and maintain a comprehensive online catalog of engaged education

opportunities 6.2

6.2

Highlight examples of engaged education at USM and its relationship to student

success in marketing campaign

6.2 Develop a section on USM’s website on engaged education.

Make engaged education and student success major themes of university’s

marketing campaigns. 6.2

Incorporate into student advising information about engaged education

opportunities and benefits to students’ academic careers and professional

futures.

6.2

Create and maintain partnerships and linkages to engaged learning opportunities

in all graduate programs.

6.2

Schedule classes at times and places best suited to students

6.2 Increase Rate of Student Progress to degree.

6.2

Goal 2:

Make Student Success a Core Priority

STATUS

2

6.2

6.2

Implement recommendations of the Provost’s Committee on Schedule

Development and Curriculum Management.

Promote the development of cost-effective online teaching, degree programs and

academic support services.

Develop new opportunities for online teaching and learning, and new online

degree programs. 6.2

Allot sufficient funding for IT services and support including ITMS and CTEL as

needed.

6.2

Charge an existing USM unit with meeting the needs of USM students who work

during the day with programs and services that are accessible and cost effective

6.2

6.2 Ensure the availability of appropriate and effective student academic

support services.

6.2 Develop one-stop Student Success Centers to improve the delivery of student

academic support services.

Consolidate student advising services into single-location Student Success

Centers on each campus. 6.2

Further develop cost-effective online student academic support services. 6.2

Goal 3:

Provide Distinctive Graduate and Professional Training

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for providing the graduate and professional training critical to the needs of 21st century Maine including;

1

6.3

6.3

Recognize and promote the complex range of graduate programs at USM

Develop a marketing strategy for USM’s graduate programs targeted to

professional areas with potential candidates for graduate study

Refine administrative and support services to ensure that they are accessible to

graduate students 6.3

Engage graduate students and faculty in university life by supporting activities

and programs promoting USM’s graduate programs and graduate faculty 6.3

Survey regularly USM’s graduate students to assess their perceptions of their

programs and support services

6.3

6.3 Develop new graduate and professional programs that address emerging

needs in the State of Maine

Goal 4:

Support Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for supporting faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity in service of the public good including:

1

6.4

6.4

Recognize and honor faculty scholarship, research, and creative endeavors

through more effective support

Work with University advancement to cultivate giving sources that fund faculty

scholarship, research and creative endeavors.

Develop a university plan for cost-effective research infrastructure

development, implementation and evaluation.

6.4

Enhance the Library’s collection of primary materials and research

resources

6.4

Increase communication about faculty research scholarship and creative

activity for audiences both internal and external to USM. 6.4

6.4 Feature faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity in university marketing

campaigns and materials.

6.4 Highlight prominently faculty activity in these areas on the university website.

Create vetted lists of experts that USM’s Office of Public Affairs may put forward

to the press in response to news events or inquiries from the media.

6.4

Goal 5:

Ensure the University’s Fiscal Sustainability

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for serving the needs and aspirations of 21-st century Maine were begun, including:

5

6.5

6.5

Build a sustainable university by focusing USM’s resources on those

programs and activities most critical to its mission.

Assess the degree to which programs, centers, institutes, initiatives, and other

activities serve USM’s mission giving priority to those that enhance the university.

Charge the Provost and Deans with evaluating each program for centrality to the

university’s mission, articulating programmatic direct and indirect costs.

6.5

Charge the Vice Presidents with developing and publicizing appropriate business

plans for their respective areas.

6.5

Require business plans for all new university efforts. 6.5

6.5 Charge the Provost with assessing the departmental review process and updating

the procedures or improving the process if necessary.

6.5 Provide appropriate professional development for department chairs.

Develop new programs that respond to existing or emerging Maine and

nationwide workforce needs. 6.5

Maintain a balanced budget that allocates resources transparently in

support of USM’s mission.

6.5

Sustain an institutional culture in which data inform decision making. 6.5

Goal 5:

Ensure the University’s Fiscal Sustainability

STATUS

5

1

6.5

6.5

Establish an Office of Institutional Research, with a director and support staff.

Set up a data warehouse by the Office of Institutional Research to inform the

USM’s academic and administration, student services and financial management.

Require appropriate data for all proposals. 6.5

Refashion the university’s structure and size in ways that make academic

sense and increase cost effectiveness. 6.5

Conduct realistic, data-informed comprehensive planning for all reorganization

proposals. 6.5

6.5 Maintain ongoing dialogue with students, faculty and staff about the university’s

fiscal condition and decision making.

6.5 Stabilize enrollment of first-time, full-time students and expand enrollment

of non-traditional students.

Increase Institutional Advancement capacity to raise funds for USM’s strategic

priorities in student support, programs and facilities. 6.5

Rebuild Institutional Advancement organization to increase funding capacity. 6.5

Establish priorities, based on results of the 2009 staffing audit and benchmarking

of peer institutions. 6.5

Goal 5:

Ensure the University’s Fiscal Sustainability

STATUS

5

6.5

6.5

Hire new staff and/or expand skills to build high-performing team of fundraising

professionals.

Institute best practices of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Clarify roles and responsibilities of USM Foundation and USM for all non-annual

fund needs. 6.5

Improve data management and technology to support fundraising initiatives. 6.5

Focus on improving integrity of advancement data and reporting. 6.5

6.5 Plan for and implement new Sunguard Advance donor database platform.

6.5 Maximize use of available technologies to increase reach, connection,

communication and support from alumni and friends of USM.

Create a culture of philanthropy throughout the USM community and effectively

engage internal and external constituencies. 6.5

Reinstitute the Development Council with a clear mission for all fundraising at

USM. 6.5

Engage all external advisory boards, the USM Foundation Board, the University

Council and Development Council in support of USM initiatives. 6.5

Goal 5:

Ensure the University’s Fiscal Sustainability

STATUS

1

6.5

6.5

Increase communication and recognition of all USM fundraising priorities and

advancement efforts.

Focus on cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of both major and potential

donors.

Define a formal process for managing the identification, qualification, cultivation

and solicitation of key donors. 6.5

Utilize prospect research, data management, effective communication and other

best practices to shepherd prospects to become USM donors. 6.5

Evaluate all programs to measure progress and identify opportunities for

improvement. 6.5

6.5 Re-institute planned giving programs to increase utilization of these vehicles for

giving to USM.

6.5 Build an alumni relations program that promotes lifelong connections between

alumni and USM

Create lifecycle profiles for different alumni segments based on time from

graduation 6.5

Develop alumni programs that are valuable and mutually beneficial across each

of these segments.

6.5

Develop communications plans utilizing new technology and a variety of media to

increase outreach to USM alumni. 6.5

Goal 5:

Ensure the University’s Fiscal Sustainability

STATUS

5

6.5

1

6.5

Reevaluate all current alumni events, programs and support structures and focus

efforts for greatest benefit and gain.

Prepare for and initiate next major comprehensive capital campaign to support

USM priorities for facilities and programming.

Plan for and conduct feasibility studies to determine external capacity to support

internally-driven initiatives. 6.5

1

Clarify roles and responsibilities of the USM Foundation and the university in

fundraising for comprehensive capital campaigns.

6.5

1

Develop comprehensive planning and communication strategies to support

campaign. 6.5

1

Goal 6:

Further the University’s Commitment to Diversity

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives to further the university’s commitment to diversity were begun, including:

6

6.6

6.6

Further USM’s commitment to diversity through marketing, recruitment;

student, faculty and staff services; and innovative strategies to celebrate

the intellectual, social, and cultural value of a diverse academic community.

Provide all USM students with a high quality education.

Support the active examination and exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives

throughout the university. 6.6

Respect, encourage and foster cultural and ethnic differences that lead to a

dynamic, sustainable academic community. 6.6

Investigate and implement strategies that create and sustain innovative

intercultural practices, structures, policies and practices. 6.6

6.6 Recruit and retain a diverse faculty, staff and student body.

6.6

Encourage interdisciplinary approaches in teaching, scholarship, research, and

creative endeavors, with incentives for cross-campus collaborations that draw on

faculty in a variety of disciplines.

Goal 7:

Strengthening Community

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives to strengthen community on and across USM’s three campuses were begun, including:

7

6.7

6.7

Adapt a more news oriented approach to content provided on the USM

website.

Implement a content-management system for the USM website and train faculty

and/or staff in its use.

Expand web site coverage of faculty, staff and student accomplishments. 6.7

Improve and expand the USM online calendar of events. 6.7

Create a virtual community commons within the USM website. 6.7

6.7 Provide additional IT support for developing and maintaining the virtual commons.

6.7 Move the provision of student, faculty and staff support services to the virtual

commons.

Provide student, faculty and staff on all campuses with a full range of

support services at centralized service locations that are welcome and

useful places.

6.7

Consolidate and centralize student, faculty and staff support services. 6.7

Enhance the electronic availability of student, faculty and staff support services

through expanded use of the internet. 6.7

Goal 8:

Deploy USM’s Physical Plant in Support of the University’s Mission

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for deploying USM’s physical plant in support of the University’s mission were begun, including:

8

6.8

6.8

Complete a comprehensive master plan of the university’s campuses and

facilities.

Charge the Executive Director of Facilities with developing a comprehensive

utilities master plan for USM.

Collaborate with the USM Space and Classroom Improvement Committees to

identify instructional and support areas requiring improvements and prioritize their

rehabilitation.

6.8

Contain energy expenditures across the university. 6.8

Conduct a campus energy conservation assessment. 6.8

6.8 Develop unit-specific plans for containing and reducing energy consumption.

6.8 Improve facilities’ energy efficiency.

Develop practical plans to retro-fit, sell, remove, or replace structures to achieve

greater energy efficiency.

Reduce the university’s carbon footprint.

Evaluate recommendations of the President’s Council on Carbon Neutrality for

possible implementation.

6.8

6.8

6.8

Goal 8:

Deploy USM’s Physical Plant in Support of the University’s Mission

STATUS Many of the strategies, action items and objectives for deploying USM’s physical plant in support of the University’s mission were begun, including:

8

6.8

6.8

Charge the Executive Director of Facilities with developing methods of operation

that reduce the university’s carbon footprint.

Expand the use of Internet based videoconferencing for participants in meetings

at different campuses or outside the university.