LU Strategic Plan for 2012-13

October 1, 2012

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1:  STUDENTS

To offer undergraduate and selected graduate educational experiences of excellence, both curricular and co-curricular, which engage students with faculty and staff to meet their diverse needs.  (Recruitment, retention, financial support, distance education, curriculum, academic excellence, student engagement, communication, and student life)

Strategic Initiative 1:  Increase enrollment of on-campus students by a minimum of 2% per year while maintaining or increasing quality standards for entrance such as SAT, ACT, GPA and class rank.

Baseline enrollments:		Baseline student credit hours:
Fall 2009 = 9718		Fall 2009 = 90158
Fall 2010 = 9908		Fall 2010 = 90984
Fall 2011 = 9725		Fall 2011 = 87165

Strategic Initiative 2:  Increase enrollment in distance education, as measured by student credit hours, by a minimum of 3% per year.

Baseline student credit hours:

• Center for Distance Education - FY11=13309, FY12=14691 (10.4% increase);
• Academic Partnerships - FY11=23044, FY12=26739 (16.0% increase);
• Total SCH - FY11=36353, FY12=41430 (14.0% increase)

Strategic Initiative 3:  Increase pool of qualified Mirabeau Scholarship applicants to a minimum of 40% outside of Jefferson, Hardin and Orange Counties.

Baseline pool of applicants:

• 2010/11 - 74 applicants, 25 outside area (33.8%);
• 2011/12 - 70 applicants, 22 outside area (31.4%);
• 2012/13 - 73 applicants, 26 outside area (35.6%)

Strategic Initiative 4:  Develop a Retention Plan to coordinate and assess all LU retention programs and set retention goals by June 2013. 

Strategic Initiative 5:  Increase 6-year baccalaureate graduation rate by a minimum of 2 percentage points a year. 

Baseline six-year baccalaureate graduation rates:

• 2009/10 = 29.1%
• 2010/11 = 27.9%
• 2011/12 = 29.9%

Strategic Initiative 6:  Use the established governance body to guide the structure, assessment, and continuous improvement of core curriculum/general education.

Target dates:

• To measure the current core: Administer and analyze results of NSSE and ETS Proficiency Profile in Spring 2013
• To establish new core curriculum (target dates): Process for selecting courses for inclusion in new core curriculum completed, call goes out to departments, and faculty development sessions scheduled (September 2012); Applications for existing courses due to CCGC (November 2012); Applications for new courses due to CCGC (December 2012); Selection of courses recommended for new core curriculum completed (May 2013); New core curriculum plan due to Provost for review (June 2013)

Strategic Initiative 7:  Increase the use of active and collaborative learning strategies in targeted freshman classes by at least 5% by September 1, 2013. 

Baseline data: Results from a survey given in Spring 2012 showed that the average on the index measuring active and collaborative learning was 26.71. The index is composed of 10 items addressing individual and group active and collaborative learning activities.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2:  FACULTY AND STAFF

To attract, develop, and reward a staff and faculty of teacher-scholars committed to the mission and values of Lamar University. (Salaries, benefits, research, service, staffing, professional development)

NO CURRENT INITIATIVES

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3:  DIVERSITY

To promote a rich and varied campus culture through diversification of programs, services, and people. (Curriculum, co-curriculum, staffing, cultural issues)

Strategic Initiative 1:  The Division of Student Engagement, under the auspices of the Office of Student Activities and Community Services, will establish a multicultural student advisory council with a mission statement by the end of Fall 2012.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 4:  SUSTAINABILITY  

To promote sustainability in all aspects of university life.

Strategic Initiative 1:  Follow Leadershp in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles in renovation and construction projects wherever feasible.

Strategic Initiative 2:  Appoint a .25 FTE Sustainability Director from among current full-time faculty, with a small budget, to oversee sustainability education and efforts on campus (such as establishing a sustainability website and other measures to increase awareness on campus, assisting in establishing recycling efforts, participating in community awareness activities, and assisting faculty/staff/students in seeking external grants).

Strategic Initiative 3:  Establish a recharging station on campus.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 5:  COLLEGIAL ENVIRONMENT  

To provide an environment which is collegial and which enhances the personal and professional development of students, faculty, and staff. (Physical plant, space utilization, strategic planning, technology, operational assessment)

Strategic Initiative 1:  University programs show an increase in implementing improvements based on assessment and the number of active action plans ("closing the loop") by 5% in the 2012-13 year.

Baseline: For 2011-12, programs which show evidence of implementing improvements, as indicated by the number of active action plans, was 252 as of April 2012. Of the 252 action plans, 142 are new action plans proposed at the end of 2010-11 and are currently in the planning stage; 45 are new plans currently in progress; 62 are active action plans from the prior year that are still in process.

Strategic Initiative 2:  Develop and implement a plan to assess and improve quality of customer service provide by LU administrative staff to students and the public by May 31, 2013. 

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 6:  PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT  

To build strong relationships with stakeholders through leadership in economic development, outreach, and public engagement with the region, the state, and the nation. (Economic development, outreach/community service).

Strategic Initiative 1:  Expand and report initiatives that enhance the university's outreach and community service in economic development by May 31, 2013. 

Strategic Initiative 2:  Expand and report initiatives that enhance the university's outreach and community service in cultural and artistic activities by May 31, 2013.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 7:  RESOURCES

To expand, enhance, and broaden Lamar University's financial resources in order to enhance programs and services.

Strategic Initiative 1:  Increase the number of proposals submitted and the amount of funding received for the university by 3%.

Baseline data: For FY 2011, 124 proposals were submitted. For FY 2012, to date 140 have been submitted. In FY 2011, funding totaling $5,533,256 was received.

Strategic Initiative 2:  In an effort to improve the processes for reconciling contributions through a more effective interface of Finance and Advancement software, the reconciliation task force will meet again in October 2012 to determine the most effective process for Finance to conduct a test on the September 2012 gifts. Once the initial test is completed, the monthly files for October 2012 forward will be moved into the secure site by Advancement. Once the gift reconciliation process is tested and finalized, the task force will work on the yearly reconciliation process for pledges and on the monthly reconciliation of transactions generated through payroll deduction. The entire process will be in place and operational by May 31, 2013.

Strategic Initiative 3:  A campus master planning process is underway, utilizing a committee that comprises the same personnel as the Long Range Planning Committee. Work, study, and learning environment improvements are fundamental to the process (e.g., one aspect of the plan has identified needs for upgrades in certain classrooms and laboratories), which will conclude with approval of the campus master plan by the TSUS Board of Regents. That is expected by November, 2012. Concurrently, two renovation projects are underway that will improve the learning environments for students and the work environment for staff employees. (1) The new student advising center in the Carl Parker building is designed to improve retention by providing an improved, centralized approach to advising lower division students. This project is scheduled to be completed in late November 2012. (2) The renovation of the former Brooks-Shivers dormitory into an administration building will provide the necessary work environment, co-locating a variety of staff organizations, to drive efficiency, enhance productivity and work satisfaction. This project is scheduled for completion in February, 2014.

Strategic Initiative 4:  Develop and implement a procedure for allocating resources to priority items in the Strategic Plan by Sept. 1, 2013.