Original 2006-2011 Strategic Plan: Defining Our Future

The years since 2006 brought with them dramatic changes that created the need to re-examine our Strategic Plan. These included: census data showing a steady decline in the number of high school graduates over the next 10 years; a national pattern of declining appropriations for public higher education institutions; new expectations for maintaining a high level of graduate programs and faculty; a university presidential transition; heightened global economic uncertainty; and a state mandate that separated FSU and Pierpont. These changes made imperative an assessment of the 2006-2011 Strategic Plan to determine progress and trajectory toward achieving the university’s strategic goals.

A planning process began in 2005-2006 to create a Strategic Plan for Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College, which were at that time combined institutions. The 2006-2011 Strategic Plan was intended to be more than just words on paper. It was intended to be a “living and breathing” guide to move FSU and Pierpont into the future.

A Strategic Planning Revision Committee, chaired by Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business, presented a 2010 Strategic Plan Draft Update to FSU faculty and staff in May 2010. In the fall of 2010, there was an intense but brief conversation regarding that draft plan. The 2010-2012 Strategic Plan Update: Redefining Our Future is now finalized and is available on the Strategic Planning web site by clicking here.

The information that follows is the original 2006-2011 Strategic Plan.

Defining Our Future

The overall purpose of the Strategic Plan is to make progress on the seven goals below.   The complete Strategic Plan is available in printable form (57-page pdf document).

STRATEGIC GOALS AND ACTION STEPS, 2006-2011

Goal 1.  Empower faculty and students to achieve high levels of teaching and learning.

1. Support teaching and learning as the central focus of the institution.
2. Maximize facilities (virtual and physical) for effective teaching and learning.
3. Support learning through a fully outcomes-based curriculum.
4. Integrate the development of the following liberal education abilities across the college experience:  communication, critical analysis, problem solving, decision making, social interaction, global perspective, effective citizenship, and aesthetic engagement.

Goal 2.  Cultivate and strengthen the educational, economic, and cultural well-being of our region.

1. Improve accessibility and increase communication.
2. Foster quality community partnerships.
3. Support economic growth.
4. Expand community outreach activities.
5. Enhance and capitalize upon the intellectual and cultural environment of the region.

Goal 3.  Expand and promote community education.

1. Establish a central contact for community education and outreach programs.
2. Identify new offerings to meet community needs and interests.
3. Support community education providers.
4. Increase participation in community education throughout our service region.
5. Institute a regular rotation of community education offerings.

Goal 4.  Develop select graduate programs with a focus on regional needs.

1. Increase investment in graduate education.
2. Ensure meaningful graduate educational experiences.
3. Implement best practices in graduate support services.
4. Improve services to working adult graduate students.
5. Expand graduate education opportunities.

Goal 5.  Create a student life environment that enhances participation in campus events.

1. Implement a comprehensive communication plan to publicize campus events.
2. Expand and diversify student authority and responsibility for programming and delivery of co-curricular events.
3. Develop expectations and incentives for student, faculty, and staff participation in co-curricular events.

Goal 6.  Provide a comprehensive, integrated approach to the First Year Experience  that encourages student success.

1. Communicate academic and co-curricular expectations in every contact with first-year students
2. Improve the availability of student services.
3. Align efforts of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs in support of first-year students.
4. Create a campus environment that fosters student development during the first year.
5. Implement these action steps via a first-year team.

Goal 7.  Develop, retain, and recruit high-quality people who contribute to a satisfying and productive work environment.

1. Determine the level of professional satisfaction, and identify and address significant concerns.
2. Increase the sense of community and shared mission among employees.
3. Develop policies that enable job flexibility.
4. Expand opportunities for professional development and training.
5. Increase productivity through effective use of technology.