1 A Strategic Plan An Action Plan College of Arts and Sciences, Northern State University Prepared by the Faculty and Staff Two-Year Blueprint for Strategic Plan September 2023 – September 2025
2 Introduction The College of Arts and Sciences (College) is the largest academic unit at Northern State University, accounting for nearly one-third of all faculty and students. The College is composed of three Departments housing some of the largest and fastest growing programs on campus spanning the Humanities, Languages, Mathematics, Sciences, and Social Sciences, as well as providing the bulk of general education, freshmen seminar, and high school dual credit offerings. The College also houses the NACEP accredited Rising Scholars concurrent enrollment program, and makes major contributions in research, external grants, outreach, and community engagement. In 2018, the College shifted toward a more deliberative and formal process for long-term planning and implementation based on the model of “Strategic Doing,” 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 from September 2019 to September 2021, a process the college has adopted to date. The College’s blueprint for this action plan spans and unites four Pillars of Distinction – Teaching, Research and Scholarship, Engagement, and Administration and Assessment – supported by specific pedagogical, curricular, staffing, professional development, and administrative initiatives. This document outlines that blueprint; including Mission, Vision, and Values; Structure; and Pillars and Initiatives with students as the focus. This document provides a general blueprint that will be assessed on a regular basis to reflect changing opportunities and circumstances. As a College, we reconvened to discuss and adapt the current action items, creating a new list of action items to implement during September 2023 to September 2025 and continue to move the College strategically forward into the future. Mission To provide students with challenging educational experiences grounded in the liberal arts and natural sciences that develop the capacity to make an impact as critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators, and creators. Vision To become a community of teacher-scholars dedicated to quality student-centered education, scholarship, and service that fosters professional, personal, and civic success. Values Integrity, Excellence, Community, Leadership
3 Structure Reporting to the Dean, the Core Team serves as a coordinating body for innovative, cross-cutting, interdisciplinary initiatives applicable across the College. The Core Team supervises thematic Teams with a similar charge focused on Teaching, Research and Scholarship, and Engagement. The Departments are responsible for strategic planning and implementation within their designated disciplines and interdisciplinary initiatives. Core Committee Goal: To cultivate a culture of collaboration, improvement, and reflection. Members: Alyssa Kiesow (Co-Chair), Ginny Lewis (Co-Chair), Rhonda Carda, Jessica Ness, George Nora, Jodie Ramsay, Steven Usitalo, Lysbeth Benkert, John Long, Stacy Trentham, Peter Ramey, Kennedy Gravelle (student representative), and Jaeden Shaving (student representative). Teaching Subcommittee Goal: To promote practical solutions to common teaching problems. Members: Stacy Trentham (Chair), Kristi Brownfield, Liz Sills, and Art Marmorstein Research Subcommittee Goal: To support and stimulate scholarship. Members: Ginny Lewis (Chair), Kristen Brown, Eric Pulis, and Chris Near Outreach Subcommittee Goal: To improve outreach for/to College faculty and students, the larger Northern campus, and various external constituencies. Members: Peter Ramey (Chair), Rhonda Carda, Jon Schaff, Guangwei Ding, Susan Citrak, and Jessica Ness Departments English, Communication, and Global Languages History and Social Sciences Science and Mathematics Pillars and Initiatives Teaching Initiatives • Identify faculty specialties (e.g. tech, HyFlex, online, etc.) to aid with faculty mentoring, and actively explore strategies for disseminating this information. Begin Fall 2023: Chairs, Departments, Teaching Subcommittee, CETL • Advocate for training and compensation for quality peer review evaluation of CAS faculty. Begin Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs, Departments, Teaching Subcommittee, CAS Faculty • Engage in regular evaluation of teaching needs of CAS faculty to be utilized in CAS and/or CETL. Begin Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs, Departments, Teaching Subcommittee, CETL
4 • Invite CETL to provide direction to faculty on incorporating AI into classroom experiences and curricula. Begin Fall 2023: Chairs, Core Committee, Teaching Subcommittee, CAS Faculty • Create a localized collection (possibly in D2L) of open access materials particularly for general education courses. Explore options to minimize or eliminate textbook costs to freshman students with the goal/motto of “no book costs in your first year.” Begin Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs, Departments, Teaching Subcommittee, CETL Research and Scholarship Initiatives • Establish an informal collaboration space to promote connections and idea-sharing among faculty, in- and outside of CAS. o Create a mechanism for informal collaborative gatherings via Zoom that take place on a monthly basis, with rotating hosts and themes for discussion. Begin Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs, Departments, Research Subcommittee • Explore opportunities for bringing professional meetings to NSU’s campus. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Core Committee, Research Subcommittee, Departments, Advisors • Gain insight into how grants are overseen and opportunities advertised across campus. Continue Fall 2023: Core Committee, Research Subcommittee, Departments, CAS Faculty • Increase the visibility of faculty and student research through social media, new CAS “Year in Review” press releases, and other sources. o Increase visibility of research outcomes by sending out a monthly email inviting faculty to share their results with the college secretary for display on the digital monitors in Tech Center and the Jewett Science building. Continue Fall 2023: Chairs, Research Subcommittee, Departments, CAS Faculty • Support opportunities to increase research productivity, such as the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Professional Development Award. Continue to allow two $250 awards each academic year. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs Outreach Initiatives • Discern the current mission of the outreach subcommittee. Begin Spring 2024: Dean, Core Committee, Outreach Subcommittee • Work closely with the two Academic Advisors with the College as well as Faculty Mentors in the departments to identify potential students who might benefit from Research and Scholarship opportunities. Begin Spring 2024: Core Committee, Outreach Subcommittee, Chairs, Departments, Advisors, Faculty • Implement College of Arts and Sciences faculty, staff and student social, e.g., ice cream social during “I Hate Winter” festivities. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Outreach Subcommittee, Chairs, Departments, Advisors
5 Administration and Assessment Initiatives • Look into an IEA grant to Japan to grow opportunities between countries. Begin Summer 2023: Dean, Chairs, Study Abroad • Consider agreements to streamline movement of students from undergraduate to graduate school. Begin Fall 2023: Dean, Chairs, Departments • Build study abroad scholarship to support student travel outside of South Dakota. Begin Fall 2023: Dean • Support recruitment and marketing efforts related to awareness of CAS and its degrees. Committees will report efforts throughout each academic year. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Associate Dean, Chairs, Departments • Continue to provide informal opportunities for faculty and staff to communicate, e.g., bimonthly coffee chats and semimonthly emails. Continue Fall 2023: Dean • Supervise strategic planning efforts in alignment with the College and university mission, vision, and values, including regular reporting to the College and other constituencies. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Core Committee • Review staffing across the College to ensure alignment with curricular development. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Associate Dean, Chairs, Departments • Support College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Faculty Award. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Associate Dean, Chairs • Strengthen alumni and donor relationships in partnership with the university Foundation. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Associate Dean, Chairs • Continue annual, general education, and program-level curricula development and assessment efforts, using/refining College process where necessary. Continue Fall 2023: Dean, Associate Dean, Chairs, Departments
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