Strategic Plan July, 2013
A Strategic Vision for the Mission The South Dakota State University advances post-baccalaureate education to meet the economic, technological and societal needs of South Dakota, the region, the nation and the world through ensuring academic rigor, graduate education advocacy and support of university processes. Vision The provides the campus community with modern, efficient administrative processes as well as information about and advocacy for graduate education. Core Values The recognizes and supports: The inherent value of human diversity. The necessity of academic rigor and student scholarship. Pursuit of knowledge and improved understanding for the betterment of local and global communities. Advancing community development through local and global perspectives. Transparency and integrity of academic and administrative processes. Strategic Goals with Action Steps Goal 1: Reach an optimal and sustainable graduate enrollment. a. Increase Masters and PhD enrollments and graduate rates. b. Offer four scalable, sustainable online degree-granting graduate programs. c. Increase the number of inter-disciplinary programs. d. Increase the number of collaborative programs with external partners and universities. e. Grow the under-represented graduate student body. Goal 2: Improve program quality. a. Review of recruitment and matriculation practices to ensure these practices are student-centered. b. Incorporate best management practices into institutional program review. c. Strengthen graduate recruitment capacity and efforts. d. Expand student recognition. Strategic Plan 2
Goal 3: Improve faculty & student participation in graduate education governance. a. Review and improve policies and practices. b. Establish a campus-wide Task Force to review Graduate Council structure to ensure efficiency and transparency. c. Establish a Faculty Chair of Graduate Council and Graduate Dean Advisory Committee. d. Establish and cultivate a Graduate student association. Goal 4: Improve service to constituents. a. Improve and automate internal processes to improve speed and accuracy of applicant, student and program data. b. Develop collaborations South Dakota s to advance graduate education in the state. c. Improve service to both on- and off-campus students using seminars, webinars and videos. d. Increase faculty information sessions. Goal 5: Grow endowments and foster donor development. a. Distribute $20K annually in graduate student professional development funds. b. Identify and cultivate donors to the. c. Name the Graduate Dean and the. Strategic Plan 3
Performance Indicators Goal 1: Reach an optimal and sustainable graduate enrollment. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BASELINE 2018 TARGET RESPONSIBLE OFFICE (INDIVIDUAL) Masters and PhD enrollments 1308 students 1708 students Graduate Dean, Masters and PhD graduates 356 students 392 students Graduate Dean, Professional enrollments 409 students 416 students Graduate Dean, College of Pharmacy Dean, College of Nursing Dean Professional graduates 80 students 88 students Graduate Dean, College of Pharmacy Dean, College of Nursing Dean DEFINITION/SOURCE Each program will increase to 105% of the historic maximum enrollment previously achieved between 2007-2012. Ensure a graduation rate of 26% of relevant student body. Ensure the planned expansions of PharmD and Doctor of Nursing Practice. Ensure the planned expansions of PharmD and Doctor of Nursing Practice. Admission and enrollment projection processes for Fall semesters Implemented by Fall 2014. Graduate Dean, By Fall 2014, establish a process by which programs & college deans will predict enrollments and admissions for fall, spring, and summer admissions and graduations for use in prediction and planning of graduate program enrollments. Strategic Plan 4
Inter-disciplinary programs 4 programs 8 programs Graduate Dean, Collaborative programs with external partners and universities Under-represented student body 5 programs 8 programs Graduate Dean, 115 students 140 students Graduate Dean, Office of Academic Affairs, Diversity Office STEM graduates 223 260 Graduate Dean, Ensure the implementation of Ph.D. programs in Agriculture Biosystems & Mechanical Engineering; Civil Engineering (with SD Mines and Technology); Sustainability and a masters program of Public Health. Ensure the implementation of Ph.D. programs in Civil Engineering (with SDMT); Biochemistry (partnership with healthcare providers) and masters program of Public Health. Increase by 3% of underrepresented students (4 students annually) by development of outreach programs and promotion of select graduate programs. A stated goal is consistent with planned enrollment and program growth with current rate of retention and graduation. Scalable, online graduate programs 4 Graduate Dean Office of Academic Affairs By 2018, offer 4 online graduate programs using emerging technologies and platforms allowing for substantial scale of enrollments. All programs will implement practices to ensure quality of instruction. Strategic Plan 5
Goal 2: Improve program quality. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BASELINE 2018 TARGET Graduate program review Attend regional recruitment/graduate fairs Current Academic Quality Institutional Program Review Handbook April 2013 Handbook Retention & enrollment reports provided to programs for internal evaluation and reflection and other improvements to IPR process. RESPONSIBLE OFFICE (INDIVIDUAL) Graduate Dean, Office of Academic Affairs DEFINITION/SOURCE Include enrollment reports prepared from Fall semester extract database, guidelines for preparing items for program improvement which include response to external reviewers, use of best management practices, response to data on placement and preparedness of program graduates for the workplace. 4 fairs annually Attend no fewer than 4 regional graduate fairs to promote graduate programs. Host graduate /recruitment fairs 2 fairs annually Host an SDSU graduate fair in Fall & Spring. Recruitment resources Improved student recruitment resources and processes Expand student scholarly recognition One Graduate School Sponsored Award (JF Nelson) Provide a database for prospective students, build website describing university resources and recruitment strategies. 4 awards Establish no fewer than 4 more student awards to recognize graduate student scholarship [including pedagogy]. Strategic Plan 6
Goal 3: Improve faculty & student participation in graduate education governance. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BASELINE 2018 TARGET Review of policies and practices Document for review is 2012-13 Graduate Catalog Updated Graduate Catalog RESPONSIBLE OFFICE (INDIVIDUAL) Graduate Council DEFINITION/SOURCE Policies and practices under review and forthcoming recommendations will be action items recorded in the Graduate Council minutes. Campus-wide Task Force to review of Graduate Council structure, composition, and duties Faculty chair of Graduate Council Completed by April 2014. Implement by Fall 2013 Graduate Council Graduate Council A campus-wide Task Force review graduate council structure, composition, and duties. The goal will be to identify areas of inequity and inefficiencies with the goal of overall improvement of faculty oversight and transparency. Findings will be presented to the Dean, and Graduate Council. Establish policies and procedures for a faculty member to serve as chair of Graduate Council. Advisory Committee Graduate student association Initially formed/approved AY 2013. Implemented by Fall 2014. Implemented by Fall 2015. Graduate Council Graduate Programs Office of Academic Affairs Graduate Council graduate students Establish a / Graduate Dean Advisory Council to be composed of (but not limited to): representatives of Graduate Council, students, program officials, department heads. Graduate student organization was approved as a student organization during AY13. The will assist with establishing social events, professional development activities, and improved communication channels between the students and the university/ faculty. Strategic Plan 7
Goal 4: Improve service to constituents. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BASELINE 2018 TARGET Collection of applicant information Application review system Collection of student matriculation information Application data collected online is typed into Colleague by hand Paper-based system Automated upload into student information system with automated quality control Implemented a bi-directional paperless application review process. RESPONSIBLE OFFICE (INDIVIDUAL) Information Technology Information Technology Departments forms 5 web-forms Information Technology DEFINITION/SOURCE Data collected using on the online application will be automatically uploaded into Colleague and/or ImageNow. Application documents collected as images and stored in digital format then delivered to faculty for review via a document manager (ImageNow). Decisions of acceptance/denial will be returned to the and ISA (if applicable) via the same system with additional ability to submit departmentgenerated documents for inclusion in applicant s package. Write, test and place into a production a web-based forms for quicker and more accurate the matriculation processes of enrolled graduate students. Service to off-campus students Online instructions/ video for all matriculation processes Information Technology Improved public website with detailed, current instructions as well as online videos describing all student application and matriculation processes. Strategic Plan 8
Student information sessions 3 session types annually Faculty information sessions None 3 session types annually South Dakota Graduate Schools Implement collaborations with South Dakota Graduate Deans Session type to include thesis/dissertation formatting & deposition processes, introduction to, graduate school information to SDSU undergraduates. Expand information to faculty regarding good practices for graduate faculty representative, graduate advising, and changes in the, strategies and resources for graduate recruiting. Through collaborations with South Dakota graduate deans implement SD graduate education website, process for distribution of all SD graduate education promotional materials, and improved advocacy for graduate education within the state. Strategic Plan 9
Goal 5: Grow endowments and foster donor development. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS BASELINE 2018 TARGET SDSU Foundation representative Graduate Student Professional Development Fund Ongoing project identification and development with representative. Established and funded RESPONSIBLE OFFICE (INDIVIDUAL) SDSU Foundation SDSU Foundation Name the Achieved SDSU Foundation Name the Graduate Dean Achieved SDSU Foundation DEFINITION/SOURCE By Summer of 2014 the Dean, Graduate School will meet twice monthly with Foundation representative for project identification, development and execution. By 2018, $20,000 available annually for distribution. By 2018, establish endowment balance for selling of name; precise amount will be subject to university policy. By 2018, establish Endowment balance for selling of Graduate Dean name; precise amount will be subject to university policy. Strategic Plan 10