Former Strategic Plans
Prior to adopting ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ¼Ç State College’s current strategic plan: Empowering Students, Inspiring Growth, Strengthening Communities, CSC used a strategic planning framework that consisted of a Master Academic Plan (MAP), the facilities Campus Master Plan, and elements from a comprehensive campaign carried out by the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ¼Ç State Foundation. Together, those plans supported student success, strengthened institutional excellence, and continued to help the college meet regional needs.
The 2019-23 MAP built upon its predecessor, the 2014-18 MAP. The 2019-23 MAP priorities were developed to be aspirational and flexible. The priorities were simplified as People, Purpose, and Place. The priorities within People included recruitment and retention initiatives, community and campus engagement, and fulfilling mission critical work to impact student success. The priorities within Purpose included student learning and growth, support services, wellness initiatives, and faculty dedicating themselves to pedagogy and improving student learning. Finally, the priorities within Place further defined ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ¼Ç State College as a leader of higher education in northwest Nebraska. Those priorities included community engagement and providing students and employees social infrastructure, as well as developing third places and preparing our students to become future citizens and leaders.
The 2014-18 MAP reaffirmed the Essential Studies Program (ESP) philosophy and the Graduate Studies Program purpose and deliberately advanced selected 2011-14 Intentional Initiatives. The purpose of 2014-18 MAP also included efforts to differentiate CSC, reduce the possibility of drifting from one initiative to another, improve communication through shared understanding, advance alignment of campus-wide resources, and incorporate a practical and flexible plan that responds to emerging opportunities and challenges.
The 2014-18 MAP made noteworthy progress on achieving the purposes. The development and implementation of the MAP leveraged the preparation for the 2017 HLC Comprehensive Evaluation that CSC began in the Summer 2013. The fruits of this are illustrated in the HLC Peer Review Team report: “ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ¼Ç has good reason to be proud of its success in meeting the difficult task of making what is often thought of as a sterile planning a thing of the past and in its ability to make a plan implementation a responsibility that is enthusiastically embraced by all on campus.”
The 2014-18 MAP consisted of six priorities: 1) implement and improve the Essential Studies Program (ESP), 2) define, develop, and promote co-curricular experiences that foster student engagement, 3) create and implement a strategic vision for teaching and learning technologies (TLT) – the Library Learning Commons (LLC) and Teaching and Learning Center, 4) evaluate campus-wide processes for recruitment, retention, and advising as well as recommend a plan, 5) study, create, and implement a strategic vision for the Graduate Studies Program, and 6) evaluate campus-wide processes for faculty and staff recruitment and retention as well as recommend a plan. Each of the priorities underpin the advancement of a community of learners, orchestration of learner-centered environments through high-impact practices (writing across the curriculum; internships; study abroad/away) and commitment to a learning organization; the value of a student-centered approach is significantly reduced unless students, faculty, and staff are learning together.
The 2014-18 MAP made significant strides in the alignment of efforts. This is illustrated in an intentional planning that relates to the day-to-day activities with faculty and staff goals.
During summer 2016, preparation for the 2017 Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Comprehensive Evaluation, CSC identified recruitment and retention as areas to improve. While Priority 4 of the MAP focuses on recruitment and retention, the challenges in these areas have accelerated. Beginning in July 2017 Academic Affairs and Student Affairs/Services collaborated to develop a Strategic Enrollment Management Plan (SEMP). A SEMP Committee was created during the fall 2017 semester that ultimately resulted in four core components and sub-committees: Recruitment, Onboarding (first-year students), Retention, and Completion. The efforts of the subcommittees seek to achieve MAP 1, 2, 4, and 5. The vast majority of projects within MAP 3 have been achieved.
The 2018-2023 SEMP serves as an avenue to focus our efforts, build upon the 2014-18 MAP collaborative achievements, and improve the recruitment and retention efforts to another level in a rapidly changing higher education environment. SEMP will be woven into the 2019-23 MAP along with Presidential Outreach efforts.
The Next Horizon Campaign and 2012-2022 Campus Facilities Plan support the 2019-2023 MAP. The 2022-2032 Campus Facilities Plan initiated planning in early 2020. To align with Vision 2011, the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ¼Ç State Foundation began its first ever multi-year, multi-million-dollar campaign. The Vision 2011 campaign established a goal of raising $11 million for building projects, program support and scholarships. By 2011 the campaign surpassed $17 million in support to CSC.
The Next Horizon Campaign began in 2015 with a $35-$40 million goal. Major initiatives include supporting the Sports Complex and Math Science capital projects and growing the endowment by $10-$15 million.