Strategic Planning Committee Minutes, September 20, 2002

Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
September 20, 2002

MEMBERS PRESENT: Bruce Morton, Greg Johnson, Jon Wraith, Mark Sheehan, Betsy Centa, Jaynee Groseth, Mary Noll, Bill Brown.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Kay Chafey, ASMSU representative.

OTHERS PRESENT: Ben Sharp.

The meeting convened at 3:00 PM, with Bruce Morton as Chair.

The Capacity for Growth statement will be delivered to the Provost September 23. The SWOT analysis will go to him on October 1.

It was suggested the main headings under Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats be prioritized and that the bullets under each heading also be prioritized. It was also suggested that a few of the very highest priorities, regardless of heading, be listed separately.

There is agreement that the undergraduate program is the highest priority. Areas of excellence and MSU's location work together to promote the university.

MSU's knowledge capital is it's most important resource.

The lack of strategic focus is a weakness.

Are there innovative ways to provide additional sabbaticals without additional money? The institution needs to make a commitment to providing sabbaticals but not base the availability upon current funding.

Using a funding model based upon growth is a threat. It was suggested a bullet be included under "unstable funding policy" (Threats) making it clear that a threat is MSU increasing enrollment substantially in order to receive additional state funding. This could also be a weakness - yielding to the temptation that additional recruitment will provide more funding.

It was suggested that the paragraphs in the document be somewhat general and that the bullets be specific.

Providing funding for necessary academic course sections is of strategic importance, if retention is to be increased. Additionally, money for extra sections is needed to assure a quality experience, since undergraduate education will be an area of excellence.

A recommendation of the Recruitment and Retention Task Force is to provide central advising to students as a bridge between orientation and faculty advising. This would provide a place where there is someone familiar with all the academic issues on campus. It would support but not replace faculty advising, which is an important component of the advising process. In addition, advising supports a "sense of community".

Fundraising is an opportunity, but so is stewardship of available resources, whatever they may be. Faculty should be educated to be ambassadors for the university in their private lives. A bullet, "build a successful development culture at MSU" is appropriate as a statement of opportunity.

It was suggested the following addition be made under the discussion of economic development partnerships: ".health-related sciences and professions, entrepreneurship, a broad array of technical fields."

A point should be made that the non-system nature of the MSU campuses needs to be addressed.

The Extension Service and the Agricultural Experiment Station are university outlets already, but how, specifically, might they carry out MSU's strategic planning concepts off-campus?

It was noted the UM has twice as many Native American students as MSU. This might be a function of location.

There appeared to be agreement that, ideally, MSU should step away from academic remediation of students in general but increase it for specified groups.

Bruce will e-mail a draft of the SWOT analysis, based on today's comments, to the listserv early next week. Committee members should prioritize bullets under headings and e-mail it to the listserv. An executive summary for the analysis will be prepared.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 PM