CAS_Strategic_Action_Blueprint

April 15, 2020 Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to present this progress report on the strategic initiatives undertaken by the faculty, staff, and students of the College of Arts and Sciences. The College accounts for nearly one-third of all faculty and students at Northern across three Departments housing some of the largest and fastest growing programs on campus spanning the Humanities, Languages, Mathematics, Sciences, and Social Sciences. The College provides the bulk of general education, freshmen seminar, and high school dual credit offerings, as well as major contributions in research, external grants, outreach, and community engagement. The College began developing a framework for strategic planning and implementation in fall 2017 aligned with the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ LEAP initiative. Those preliminary efforts resulted in a document titled Investing for the Future: Strategic Priorities in the College of Arts and Sciences . That document, submitted to the President and Provost in January 2018, contained several staffing, curricular, and professional development proposals framed around the imperative of making targeted investments in initiatives with the potential for significant growth. As those initial proposals proceeded during 2018, the College shifted toward a more deliberative and formal process for long-term planning and implementation based on the model of Strategic Action, which is better suited to meet the opportunities and challenges over the coming decade marked by significant demographic change, shifting demands in the workforce, and an evolving financial model for higher education. After soliciting feedback from multiple stakeholders during spring 2019, the College adopted a new mission, vision, and values statement and structure for strategic planning and implementation in September 2019, concurrent with the University’s adoption of the Strategic Action model and a new mission, vision, and values statement. The College’s two-year Blueprint for Strategic Action, titled This is Not a Strategic Plan: Because this College Gets Stuff Done , spans and unites four Pillars of Distinction – Teaching, Research, Engagement, and Administration – supported by specific pedagogical, curricular, staffing, professional development, and administrative initiatives. This progress report outlines that blueprint; including summary graphic illustrating the College’s new Mission, Vision, and Values; Structure; and Pillars and Initiatives; a progress chart showing specific initiatives with preliminary start dates and responsibilities; and a timeline. This Blueprint for Strategic Action is a dynamic project and will be assessed on a regular basis to reflect changing opportunities and circumstances. This progress report provides an overview of those efforts. The faculty, staff, and students of the College have accomplished a great deal over the last year and helped set a new direction for the University amid challenging times. Thank you for all your hard work and determination to strive toward continuous improvement aligned with our mission, vision, and values. Sincerely, Joshua Hagen Alyssa Kiesow Dean Associate Dean and Chair