Plan for Institutional Actions

PLAN FOR STRATEGIC ACTIONS -TO TAKE CHARGE OF OUR FUTURE

During the Implementation Phase, the campus community will implement the Plan for Strategic Actions to Take Charge of Our Future - Plan for Academic Actions and Plan for Support Area Actions.

The Board approved Plan for Strategic Actions to Take Charge of Our Future was finalized considering the collective of the feedback from the campus community.

An Institution of Opportunity: YSU inspires individuals, enhances futures, and enriches lives.

ACADEMIC AREA ACTIONS

(Click each to expand)

• STUDENT FUTURES & LIFELONG LEARNING

  STUDENT FUTURES & LIFELONG LEARNING...create environments that empower students to acquire intellectual and social capital to realize individual aspirations.

  We will:

  • Adopt a student-centered approach to all University operations and policies that values and includes all students.
  • Ensure curricula, systems, policies and practices increase academic persistence and steady progress to graduation.
  • Adopt a coordinated approach to admissions, matriculation, persistence, completion and the career success of our students.
  • Develop an approach to the admission and matriculation process that advances the retention and completion strategy

• ACADEMIC DISTINCTION AND DISCOVERY OF KNOWLEDGE

  ACADEMIC DISTINCTION AND DISCOVERY OF KNOWLEDGE…fosters the development of a community that will grow intellectually, socially, and ethically in which individuals put knowledge into practice.

  We will:

  • Implement a continuous, purposeful strategy to improve teaching, learning and national research distinction.
  • Adopt university-wide learning outcomes throughout the curriculum.
  • Develop internships, service, experiential and applied learning projects with local businesses and organizations that provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in scholarly activity.
  • Implement continuous and regular assessment of student learning outcomes and best teaching practices to ensure the fair and equitable success of all students.
  • Improve student, faculty, and staff access to advanced technologies, equipment, and facilities.

• COLLECTIVE IMPACT WITH THE REGION

  COLLECTIVE IMPACT WITH THE REGION…create deliberate, mutually-beneficial, educational, civic, industry, and philanthropic partnerships that achieve equitable and innovative regional development.

  We will:

  • Listen to the needs of the community and address these needs collaboratively.
  • Actively collaborate with community partner organizations which share in our mission.
  • Develop activities that demonstrate impact and purpose in accordance with the university’s mission.
  • Communicate the impact and value of community engagement activities.
  • Align community engagement activities with institutional learning outcomes.
  • Ensure that current and future partnerships are inclusive, equitable, and grounded in accessible systems, practices, and goals.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS 2020 AND BEYOND

(Click each Goal to expand to see the Strategies)

• GOAL: : IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES THAT ADDRESS STUDENT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE STUDENT LIFE CYCLE TO INCREASE PERSISTENCE, COMPLETION AND POSTGRADUATE SUCCESS

  Strategy: Ensure all students benefit from holistic, relational, developmental, and integrated academic advising

  Strategy: Develop and deploy comprehensive, integrated and proactive student intervention strategies

  Strategy: Enhance student experiences through implementation of specific initiatives designed to actively engage them in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities

  Strategy: Improve support and resources for students facing non-academic challenges

  Strategy: Focus on post-graduation planning across the student life cycle to reinforce the value of completion

• GOAL: DEVELOP A RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT STRATEGY THAT ALIGNS WITH A COMPLETION STRATEGY

  Strategy: Develop an integrated and comprehensive market and brand communication strategy to distinguish the value of the YSU degree

  Strategy: Develop an enrollment cultivation strategy linked to the value proposition of earning a YSU degree for each program of study

  Strategy: Expand and enhance outreach and engagement with students prior to enrollment

  Strategy: Develop innovative approaches to increase enrollment and completion of under-represented students

  Strategy: Develop and enhance partnerships and collaboration agreements with international universities

• GOAL: CREATE FRAMEWORKS TO OPTIMIZE STUDENT AND POSTGRADUATE SUCCESS

  Strategy: Institute specific initiatives to help guide student success objectives and strategies: create the working group to implement the strategy

  Strategy: Establish consultation and timely reporting expectations to inform the campus community about institutional progress related to student success

  Strategy: Create timely reports and dashboards related to student progress

  Strategy: Create a structure of feedback to assess the impact and influence of student success objectives and strategies

• GOAL: BRING INNOVATIVE, STUDENT-CENTERED TEACHING TO SCALE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND INCREASE RETENTION 

  Strategy: Update University policies and guidelines, including promotion and tenure documents, to reflect the importance of faculty engagement in innovative teaching strategies

  Strategy: Define expectations and provide training opportunities for faculty to learn and apply best pedagogical practices

  Strategy: Enhance the quality and capacity of technological support that promotes learning. Provide faculty and students with the support and infrastructure needed to excel in technology-based learning

  Strategy: Coordinate with the Institute for Teaching and Learning to develop tools for the improvement, evaluation and assessment of teaching and learning

  Strategy: Implement a faculty development and mentoring plan

• GOAL: DEVELOP A CULTURE OF ASSESSMENT THAT ENSURES THE QUALITY OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM MAJORS, MINORS, AND OTHER CREDENTIALS 

  Strategy: Complete program effectiveness and enhancement review including rubrics for recommendations regarding actionable outcomes

  Strategy: Develop a mechanism to continually identify, assess, and implement new academic programs, badges, credentials, certifications or coursework integration

• GOAL: ESTABLISH UNIVERSAL LEARNING OUTCOMES TO ENHANCE THE VALUE OF A YSU DEGREE 

  Strategy: Develop a plan to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the university, including in purchasing, hiring, and in the curriculum

  Strategy: Revise General Education Requirements to reflect the learning outcomes approved by Academic Senate

• GOAL: CONDUCT AND SUPPORT RESEARCH THAT PROVIDES RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY THAT ADDS VALUE TO AREA CITIZENS AND REGIONAL PARTNERS. 

  Strategy: Identify areas of research, service, and scholarship, in alignment with the Mahoning Valley Innovation and Commercialization Consortium, that focus on teaching and life-long learning and mutually beneficial community engagement

  Strategy: Establish definitions and evaluation criteria for the designation and continuance of university centers and institutes. Inventory, document, and periodically evaluate all campus Centers, Institutes for outcomes, impact, and continued relevance

  Strategy: Update University policies and guidelines, including promotion and tenure documents, to reflect the importance of the scholarship of teaching, life-long learning and community-based research

• GOAL: YSU WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A COMMUNITY-ENGAGED CAMPUS BY THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION IN EDUCATION; HEALTH; PROSPERITY AND EQUITY; AND ARTS AND CULTURE. 

  Strategy: Aggressively pursue and secure regional, state, national, and foundation funding in support of university and community priorities

  Strategy: Inventory and communicate all community engagement activities

  Strategy: Develop a framework to optimize, coordinate, and manage community engagement

  Strategy: Establish community engagement and experiential learning as key components of the YSU educational experience through an enhanced new student experience, and enhanced coordination of community and business engagement initiatives

  Strategy: Update University policies and guidelines for tenure, advancement, and promotion across departments and divisions to reflect the importance of community engagement initiatives and activities

  Strategy: Broadly incorporate community engagement and experiential learning into curriculum