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Post Info TOPIC: Draft Strategic Plan 1/3/05 (In Parts)
Reporter

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Draft Strategic Plan 1/3/05 (In Parts)
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This was dated 1/3/05.


Part A


------------------------------


The University of Southern Mississippi


 Draft


Strategic Plan 


2005-2007


 Table of Contents


 



 


I.            Overview of the Planning Process…………………………………3


 


II.           Highlights of the History of Southern Miss………………………4


 


III.    The Environment……………………………………………………6


 


IV.     Core Values and Beliefs……………………………………………10


 


V.           Mission and Vision…………………………………………………11


 


VI.     2005-2007 Goals and Rationale………………………...………….12


 


VII.  2005 Tactics and Target Outcomes……………………………….13


 



I.  Overview of the Planning Process


 
The 1999 Strategic Plan outlined specific initiatives on which the university would focus for a five year period.  As that planning cycle was coming to a close, the President and Provost appointed a University Planning Council (UPC) comprised of faculty from each of the five colleges to develop planning recommendations for the Executive Cabinet.  At that time, the UPC was lead by the Assistant Provost.  Later, responsibility for strategic planning was shifted to the Assistant to the President for Accreditation, Planning, and Articulation.

 


The purposes of strategic planning are to:



  • define the principle focus of the university

·        prioritize and direct activities and resources

  • chart a course for the ensuring that Southern Miss succeeds

  • guide college and unit level planning and assessment activities.

 


The Assistant Provost began the planning process in Fall 2003 by conducting a series of focus groups with faculty and staff.  The purpose of the focus groups was to obtain input regarding issues facing the Southern Miss and possible strategies for addressing those issues.  The University Planning Council then considered this information and spent considerable time discussing the mission, vision, and the environment.


 


In June 2004, this information was translated into tentative priorities and discussed with the department chairs and the President’s Community Advisory Council, a group of 50 community leaders from South Mississippi.  A planning session with the Executive Cabinet was held in Fall 2004 to consider all input and formulate the strategic plan.  The strategic goals were distributed to the Colleges for discussion with faculty and posted on the university’s web page for the purpose of obtaining feedback about the goals and to get suggestions for additional tactics to achieve them.


 


Once finalized, the document will be submitted to the IHL Board for final consideration.


 


The following definitions may be helpful in reviewing this document:


 


1.      Mission - statement that identifies the central purpose of Southern Miss.


2.      Vision – describes what Southern Miss strives to be in light of its traditions, present condition, and future challenges.


3.      Goals – broad directions to guide the university over the next three year period


4.      Tactics – specific, measurable actions that will be taken to achieve the goals.  The tactics have a one year focus, with outcomes assessed periodically throughout the year and revisited at year end.


 


  


II.  Highlights of the History of Southern Miss


 


In the early twentieth century, Mississippi faced formidable challenges. Mississippians, eighty percent of whom lived in the countryside and too many of whom worked as tenants and sharecroppers, were poorly educated and mired in poverty. T. P. Scott, a rural school principal, described the typical teenager as having been “reared in


. . . ignorance, inured to hard . . . labor, and hemmed in by provincialism in its narrowest form.”


 


Public school officials, including Scott, J. N. Powers, and Joe Cook, however, envisioned a brighter future for Mississippi’s children. They believed that when all children, particularly rural ones, gained access to well-trained teachers they would learn to engage the modern world productively, and rural communities would be enriched by the presence of an educated citizenry.


 


For three years, Scott, Powers, and Cook labored to create a normal college that would provide the state with a sufficient number of qualified public school teachers. In March 1910, their effort came to fruition, when Governor Edmund F. Noel signed an act authorizing the establishment of the Mississippi Normal College.


 


W. H. Smith, the president of Mississippi Normal College who oversaw its construction, succinctly described his vision for the new institution. The college, he said, was designed to solve “the everyday problems of life among the great common people of Mississippi.” T. P. Scott, who became the inaugural vice president of the college and the progenitor of its early academic program, envisioned that the college would become a “finishing school for the masses.” It would fulfill his vision by training teachers to offer “a common-sense, practical and efficient preparation for the duties and responsibilities” that young Mississippians encountered in the world.


 


For nearly thirty years after the first class of 200 students entered the normal college in 1912, the institution remained focused on reforming Mississippi communities through the preparation of expert teachers. During the 1930s and increasingly in the two succeeding decades, the state underwent a number of changes that led the college to alter its purpose. Mississippi’s economy began to evolve from an agricultural one to an industrial and commercial economy, and South Mississippi felt the effects of industrialization and urbanization more than did other areas of the state.


 


As south Mississippi developed, the local demand for more varied higher education opportunities increased. In 1938, the school then known as State Teachers College began offering pre-professional courses of study in medicine and law. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, undergraduate degree-granting programs in fields other than education increased exponentially. In 1947, the university began awarding graduate degrees.


 


In 1962, recognizing that the only college serving the southern portion of Mississippi had, in fact, evolved into something other than a teacher’s college, the state legislature renamed the institution “The University of Southern Mississippi.”


 


Twelve years later, when Aubrey K. Lucas assumed the presidency of Southern Miss, he provided the university a new vision befitting its new name. The university would pursue distinction. It would do so by redefining its proper purpose. While the traditional emphasis on teaching would remain relevant, the university would actively seek to enhance its national and international reputation by encouraging faculty to pursue their wide-ranging research interests.


 


In May 2002, Shelby F. Thames was appointed President.  His vision of a world class university emphasizing academic excellence, research, service, and economic development guides the university as we approach the centennial of our founding.  The faculty remains committed to outfitting ordinary Mississippians with an academic and practical preparation for living enriched lives. That is our legacy. But we also envision a future in which the university, through the varied research agendas of its faculty, will be a dynamic incubator for intellectual, economic, social, and cultural change in the southern region and around the world.


 



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Part B

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III.  The Environment

 


The present environment is influenced by our location in south Mississippi and by the long course of our development within the state system of Institutions of Higher Learning. Our challenges and opportunities are directly related to those environmental forces.


 


In relative terms, Mississippi is a poor state that struggles to support higher education due to limited revenues. Recent budgetary trends and changing attitudes toward higher education lead public universities nationwide to expect that they will receive ever-decreasing support from the states. At Southern Miss, we expect declining support from the State of Mississippi’s limited coffers.


 


As the third public institution of higher learning founded in the state, the University of Southern Mississippi has traditionally lacked access to the political power and influence enjoyed by other state institutions. Likewise, because of historic conditions, the university has lacked the academic prestige of other institutions in the state.


 


Yet, at the same time, Southern Miss is the only comprehensive university in the state’s most populous and most economically and culturally diverse region. We have a responsibility to strive to increase our budget, services, research enterprise, and academic programs to serve that population. We also have a responsibility to understand our successes and to communicate them broadly.


 


General Characteristics

 



  • The University of Southern Mississippi is the state’s only dual-campus, comprehensive institution. It is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive and a Class 1 Southern Regional Education Board institution.

  • Southern Miss is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges.

  • The historic campus is located in Hattiesburg and a newer campus is located in Long Beach. Other teaching and research centers in Mississippi are located at Meridian, Stennis Space Center, Kessler Air Force Base, Tupelo, and Jackson County.

  • Reflective of the university’s long-standing commitment to globalization, international teaching and research centers are located in France, Spain, Mexico, and England, and the university sponsors a variety of notable study abroad and exchange programs.

  • Online degree programs and individual courses offered online extend the reach of the university.

  • Enrollment in the Fall 2004 semester was 16,385. 

Undergraduate Education

 


Providing students with a quality undergraduate education with a foundation in the arts and sciences is a primary responsibility of the university. Our ability to enhance student learning and to inculcate within them a desire for life-long learning requires that we recruit and retain students capable of succeeding. Currently, the university fails to attract the number of academically talented students that it should; and it does not retain sufficient students. Competition for qualified students in the state and in the nation will intensify over the next two decades as record numbers of high school graduates look to universities for further education. The university must determine how it will create an academic atmosphere that promotes the education of students and that attracts capable and talented students while also serving other students.


 



  • The student body of the university is composed primarily of residents of Mississippi, particularly south Mississippi. In 2004, students came from 48 states and 70 foreign countries.

  • Although the undergraduate student body includes a substantial number of well-prepared students, the vast majority of our students graduated from high schools with modest college preparatory programs, and many of those students are first-generation college students.

  • Approximately 60 percent of students transfer to the university from another university, college, or community college.

  • Nearly one-half of all Mississippi community college students who transfer to a Mississippi institution of higher learning transfer to Southern Miss.

  • Southern Miss has the largest percentage of African-American students of any predominately white institution in the state.

  • The Ayers desegregation decision requires that we provide adequate support to under-prepared students.

Graduate Education and Research


 


The quality and quantity of graduate students influences the success of the university at achieving objectives related to enrollment, funded research, service, and reputation. Attracting and retaining highly qualified graduate students has always been a challenge, so too, has the ability of Southern Miss to retain a broad variety of graduate programs been difficult within the system of higher education in Mississippi. The forces that present challenges to graduate education at Southern Miss will not abate in the coming decade. Yet, despite our challenges, the research enterprise at the university continues to grow. Since 1998, funded research has increased from $20 million a year to $69 million. The university must develop a plan to further enhance graduate education and the research enterprise despite extraordinary competition.


 



  • Approximately 2,500 graduate students pursue degrees at Southern Miss.

  • Of that number more than one-half received a previous degree from a Mississippi institution of higher learning; nearly 50 percent of graduate students obtained one or more of their previous degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi.

  • The university awarded nearly 120 doctoral degrees in the academic year 2003-2004

  • Since 1998, the percentage of African-American students enrolled in graduate programs has increased from 15 percent to 22 percent of the total   

Faculty and Staff

 


A well-qualified faculty devoted to facilitating learning through teaching, research, and service to the community is the backbone of the university. Likewise, a competent staff contributes significantly to the university’s ability to meet its objectives, including educational objectives.  The university must address the retention of faculty and staff in part by working to increase salaries and also by providing meaningful opportunities for faculty and staff development.


 



  • Five hundred and fifty eight faculty hold tenure or tenure-eligible positions at the university. Another one hundred twenty one well-trained and highly qualified individuals serve as instructors or visiting instructors.

  • While the number of faculty has remained relatively steady over the past years, faculty salaries challenge the ability of the university to retain junior faculty.

  • The university, with a ratio of staff to students of 1:8, has the smallest number of staff per student of any institution in the state of Mississippi

  • The hardworking staff at the university is not generally paid competitive salaries and remain at the university largely because of the pleasant work environment and access to free classes 

Technology

 


Over the past five years, the University has invested heavily in technology infrastructure. Because the resources used to sustain that investment have been new monies but represent reallocations from academic and student affairs, the cost has seemed especially high. Such technology, however, makes it possible to globalize the educational process, to perform administrative operations more efficiently, to better prepare students for entry into a technology- and information-based economy, and to respond to publicly-funded and for-profit competitors in the field of higher education. The cost of technology upgrades has been high but necessary. We must ensure that the benefits to faculty, staff, and students are obvious and that they result in greater efficiency and economy in our operations. We must also ensure that students and faculty benefit from increased access to technology.


 



  • Wireless Internet access is available across the campus.


  • Student and human resources are maintained in an up-to-date electronic environment.

  • Computer laboratories are located across campus and are heavily used by students and faculty.

  • SMART classrooms are being built into new buildings and retrofitted across campus.  

External Forces Affecting Southern Miss

 


·        Revenues from the state are declining, requiring Southern Miss to rely on tuition, grants, philanthropy, and other external sources of funds.


·        The volatile investment market has contributed to declining philanthropic support.


·        Mississippi’s struggling economy demands that Southern Miss take a lead in economic development for the region.  


·        Community colleges create opportunities for educational partnerships but also are our competitors for students.


·        Employers are interested in education for marketplace, yet students should be versed in arts and sciences for life-long learning


·        Students are seeking nontraditional course formats and schedules.


·        Graduates are highly mobile, creating a challenge to establish loyal alumni among students who have attended multiple universities and colleges



 



__________________
Pert C

Date:
Permalink Closed

IV.  Core Values and Beliefs

 


q       Education provides opportunities to improve the quality of intellectual, social, economic, and personal well-being. These opportunities should be available to all who are willing and able to meet our standards for excellence.


q       Our success in educating graduates can be determined in part by the degree to which our students become well-read, articulate, and creative and critical thinkers; it can in part be measured by their display of specialized knowledge and abilities suitable to the pursuit of an occupation and life in our complex, ever-changing world.


q       We cherish innovation in the development and application of basic research findings, the creation of meaningful learning experiences, the scope of services provided by students and the broader community that we sustain, and the continuing evolution of degree programs that are responsive to the demands of employers and the labor market.


q       We embrace our special responsibility to provide Mississippi with well-trained, public school teachers.


q       Education encourages and develops ideals that have made our democratic society work: civic responsibility, integrity, ethical behavior, and tolerance. In the workplace, the classroom, and the community, we promote understanding of individual and cultural difference, equal opportunity, and equitable rewards. We do not discriminate.


q       Academic freedom and shared governance are long-established and living principles at the university. With academic issues, we cherish the free exchange of ideas, diversity of thought, joint decision-making, and individuals’ assumption of responsibility for their actions.


q       We make efficient and effective use of our resources, for we are accountable not only to ourselves but to the Board of Trustees and the taxpayers of Mississippi.  



V.  Mission and Vision

 


 

Mission


 


The University of Southern Mississippi, the state’s only dual campus institution, is a comprehensive doctoral/research extensive university committed to uncompromising quality in teaching, service, research, economic development, and creative activity.  This institutional focus enhances quality of life and stimulates economic development.  Distinguished by its student-oriented, nurturing campus environments, on its residential and non-residential sites, the University affords its students abundant opportunities for community engagement, leadership, and personal growth beyond the traditional classroom.  Students at The University of Southern Mississippi benefit from a broadly based education that features innovative academic programs.  These include premier programs in polymer science and engineering, marine sciences, teacher preparation, economic development, forensic science, nursing, health, and the visual and performing arts.  The reputation of The University of Southern Mississippi rests upon the exceptional quality of its faculty, the competency and dedication of its staff, and the achievements of its diverse students.  


 

Vision


 


The University of Southern Mississippi will be a premier, comprehensive, dual-campus University that creates and applies knowledge to improve quality of life.  World class programs in polymer science and engineering, forensic science, the arts, marine science, nursing and health, teacher preparation, and economic development will complement the established excellence in undergraduate education and graduate programs.  The campus community will challenge the norms, forecast the future, and create a dynamic culture that continually evolves to assure preparedness for future possibilities.



VI.     2005-2007 Goals and Rationale 


Goal #1: Increase enrollment to 20,000 students.


Rationale – Increasing enrollment with quality students increases tuition revenues,
the potential for additional research activity and dollars, prestige, alumni presence,
and political leverage.



Goal #2: Grow external research funding to $100 million.


Rationale – Resources received through external contracts and grants can
be used to fund equipment and maintenance, graduate assistants, professional
development, and award programs.



Goal #3: Foster social and economic development activities in the region.


Rationale – Mississippi is a state with economic challenges. Southern Miss, through
the varied research agendas of its faculty, is well positioned to be a leader in
intellectual, economic, social, and cultural change to benefit Mississippi and beyond.



Goal #4: Continually evaluate and improve student learning.


Rationale – Higher education faces economic and political pressures for accountability.
As such, it is critical to assess gaps between what is being taught and what is being
learned to strive for continuous improvement.



Goal #5: Use resources efficiently.


Rationale – Recent budgetary trends and changing attitudes toward higher education
lead public universities nationwide to expect ever-decreasing support from the states
coffers. It is critical to use resources wisely to fund program growth and faculty and staff raises.



__________________
Part D

Date:
Permalink Closed

 


VII.  2005 Tactics and Target Outcomes


 


Goal #1:  Increase enrollment to 20,000 students


 


Rationale – Increasing enrollment with quality students increases tuition revenues, the potential for additional research activity and dollars, prestige, alumni presence, and political leverage.


 







Tactics



Target Outcomes for 2005




·        Recruit 4 year students


·        Intensify transfer students recruitment


·        Intensify graduate student recruitment


·        Develop and implement retention plans



Duplicated enrollment = 17,685


 


Arts and Letters = 300


Business = 100


Education and Psychology = 300


Health = 300


Science and Technology = 300


 


 


 


 


Goal #2:  Grow external research funding to $100 million.


 


Rationale – Resources received through external contracts and grants can be used to fund equipment and maintenance, graduate assistants, professional development, and award programs.


 







Tactics



Target Outcomes for 2005




·        Recruit and retain quality faculty


·        Increase proposal submissions


·        Enhance the research infrastructure


·        Actively pursue interdepartmental and inter-institutional collaboration


 



1.      University:  $80 million


2.      College specific outcomes:


a.       Arts and Letters  $1 million


b.      Business  $1 million


c.       Education $ 4 million


d.      Health  $20 million


e.       Science and Technology $50 million


3.      Increase submitted proposals by 15% over FYE 04


 


 


 


Goal #3:  Foster social and economic development activities in the region.


 


Rationale – Mississippi is a state with economic challenges.  Southern Miss, through the varied research agendas of its faculty, is well positioned to be a leader in intellectual, economic, social, and cultural change to benefit Mississippi and beyond.


 







Tactics



Target Outcomes for 2005




·        Partner with area agencies and institutions on projects that benefit the health and well-being of the community.


·        Collaborate with agencies and private enterprises on economic development


·        Investigate opportunities for unit-specific social and economic development


·        Estimate and monitor the economic impact of partnerships


 



1.   Research Foundation  $40 million


 


2.   Select and implement a methodology for estimating and monitoring the economic impact of partnerships


 


 


Goal #4:  Continually evaluate and improve student learning.


 


Rationale – Higher education faces economic and political pressures for accountability.  As such, it is critical to assess gaps between what is being taught and what is being learned to strive for continuous improvement.


 







Tactics



Target Outcomes for 2005




·        Maintain SACS accreditation


·        Maintain existing program accreditations


·        Seek new program accreditations, when appropriate



1.  Implement Quality Enhancement Plan.


2.  Post abstracts of program reviews for all accredited programs since 2002.


3.  Conduct 2 program reviews for non-accredited programs.


3.  Record and submit assessment data for all administrative units and all academic programs


 


Goal #5:  Use resources efficiently.


 


Rationale - Recent budgetary trends and changing attitudes toward higher education lead public universities nationwide to expect ever-decreasing support from the states coffers.   It is critical to use resources wisely to fund program growth and faculty and staff raises.


 







Tactics



Target Outcomes for 2005




·        Reorganize administrative functions when efficiency will result


·        Consciously minimize administrative costs


·        Outsource services when appropriate


·        Centralize financial resources


·        Integrate the budget and planning processes


·        Evaluate weak programs and improve or eliminate them


·        Standardize computer procurement and technology


 



1.  $ 3 mill in reallocations to fund raises


2.  Redesign the budget process to align resources with the strategic agenda



__________________
New Age Planning Models

Date:
Permalink Closed


quote:




Originally posted by: Part D
"  Goal #1:  Increase enrollment to 20,000 students;   Goal #2:  Grow external research funding to $100 million;  Goal #3:  Foster social and economic development activities in the region.   Goal #4:  Continually evaluate and improve student learning.   Goal #5:  Use resources efficiently.  


Strategic Goals for IHL, dated 8/5/2004:



  • The University of Southern Mississippi's primary responsibility is to foster student learning through teaching and research.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will be distinguished by the achievements of its faculty and students in an environment that supports research and creative efforts.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi commits itself to supporting scholarship, linking theory with practice, and becoming a national role model in the integration of collegiate research, teaching, public service programs, and community partnerships.

  • The University of southern Mississippi will be known as a national center for economic development research and education.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will developm strategic alliances to promote economic development activities throughout Mississippi.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will serve the educational needs of a diverse group of talented, highly motivated students from all parts of Mississippi, the nation and abroad.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will be known for its nationally and internationally prominent faculty excelling in research, teaching, and service, as well as, its talented and experienced staff providing outstanding support for academic programs and student development.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will promote a sense of community and provide a collegiate experience rich in academics, tradition, activities, and experiences that inspire loyalty.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi intends to grow and add new facilities through a well-planned process which provides the functional, technologically sophisticated facilities required to fulfill its mission.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will have comprehensive public and private financial support programs and modern financial resources to achieve its goals.

  • The University of Southern Mississippi will contribute to the health and well-being of individuals, families, organizations and communities through continued innovation in applied research, community partnerships, and experiential learning, particularly in its nursing and applied health science programs.

So, are these goals "identical, similar, or completely different" as I asked on a different thread?  Clearly the document that I am looking at is different from the one that Reporter is posting here.  Maybe I am a dinosaur but I thought organizations had a strategic plan to which there would be additions and modifications as circumstances changed but not entire document replacements in a less than six-month period.


 



__________________
Just because you're paranoid . . .

Date:
Permalink Closed

"Computer laboratories are located across campus and are heavily used by students and faculty."

Because they're afraid to use their own . . .

__________________
Emma

Date:
Permalink Closed

So, are these goals "identical, similar, or completely different" as I asked on a different thread?  Clearly the document that I am looking at is different from the one that Reporter is posting here.  Maybe I am a dinosaur but I thought organizations had a strategic plan to which there would be additions and modifications as circumstances changed but not entire document replacements in a less than six-month period.


This puzzles me as well. I might be confused about the timing of it all. A 5 year plan - begun in 1999 would take us to 2004, but something isn't making sense.



__________________
New Age Planning Models

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"This puzzles me as well. I might be confused about the timing of it all. A 5 year plan - begun in 1999 would take us to 2004, but something isn't making sense."
The document that I have was submitted to the IHL in late summer, 2004 and it is a 5-year strategic plan for fiscal years 2006-2010.  So, now we're talking about three versions? 

__________________
Invictus

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"This puzzles me as well. I might be confused about the timing of it all. A 5 year plan - begun in 1999 would take us to 2004, but something isn't making sense."


Isn't it obvious that USM's biggest problem right now is that it doesn't have a plan? It has several pieces of paper with the word "plan" in the title, but that's not what those pieces of paper really are. If USM had a bona fide strategic plan right now (1) there would probably be no SACS probation & (2) everybody on campus would know about it.

As much as college & university presidents love to use strategic plans as PR pieces, it utterly amazes me that SFT doesn't have one on a 50-foot billboard alongside Highway 49. No, I take that back. It doesn't amaze me, because SFT isn't really a university president. He's a chemist.

__________________
Emma

Date:
Permalink Closed

Well said, Invictus.  Anybody in the world can run around and act important. But without a foundation (which up until this point I guess is just USM tradition - the good and bad of it) it's worthless. Without a strategic plan - A true strategic plan that has been engaged and represents the actions behind the words on the paper, wihtout that, it's smoke and mirrors. It's pathetic to think that SFT has deluded himself (and others) for this many years by thinking that using the words "economic development" paves the way for uneducated analysis. SACS remains unimpressed, and so do we. And, who in the world really believes Exline when she quickly assures us not to worry about SACS accrediatation and that everything will be okay.

__________________
ram

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Reporter
"  This was dated 1/3/05. "

Reporter,


Did you receive this in a format that will allow you to examine the underlying document attributes?  It occurs to me that if this document has been evolving over time, that would be reflected in the attributes.  If, on the other hand, it was concocted after questions arose about the strategic plan as originally posted on the web site, that too would be reflected in the document attributes.



__________________
Invictus

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Pert C
"VI.     2005-2007 Goals and Rationale 
Goal #1: Increase enrollment to 20,000 students.
Rationale – Increasing enrollment with quality students increases tuition revenues,the potential for additional research activity and dollars, prestige, alumni presence,and political leverage."


Just my , but this rationale is sick. If USM wants to set an enrollment goal, because there is a desperate need for more Mississippians to receive postsecondary education, that's one thing. But increasing enrollment to generate tuition revenues, increase grant monies & political leverage, prestige, etc. etc. is placing the cart squarely in front of the horse.

Perhaps more than anything else, this goal illustrates exactly how unimaginative the Thames administration actually is.

OTOH, I'm sure this goal plays well with certain alumni factions who have massive inferiority complexes because they didn't attend Ole Miss to begin with.



__________________
New Age Planning Models

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
" Reporter, Did you receive this in a format that will allow you to examine the underlying document attributes?  It occurs to me that if this document has been evolving over time, that would be reflected in the attributes.  If, on the other hand, it was concocted after questions arose about the strategic plan as originally posted on the web site, that too would be reflected in the document attributes."

Are "attributes" like what we used to call "red-lines"? 


 



__________________
Tinctoris

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"
Reporter,
Did you receive this in a format that will allow you to examine the underlying document attributes?"


Apparently--

Created: Saturday, January 01, 2005 3:19:00 PM
Revision number: 4
Total editing time: 82 Minutes



__________________
ram

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: New Age Planning Models
" Are "attributes" like what we used to call "red-lines"?   "
My ignorance is unlimited.  I don't know much about "attributes" and absolutely nothing about "red-lines."  I believe that the congnoscenti can go "into" Word or Wordperfect documents and determine when they were created, how many times they have been edited, and other technical information "underlying" the final product. I am hoping that someone received the draft of this strategic plan in some form that can be analyzed to determine something about its history.  I suspect that it has just been thrown together without the collective efforts that are implied by all of the committee work and focus groups that are referred to. Does anybody know or can anybody tell?

__________________
REporter

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
" Reporter, Did you receive this in a format that will allow you to examine the underlying document attributes?  It occurs to me that if this document has been evolving over time, that would be reflected in the attributes.  If, on the other hand, it was concocted after questions arose about the strategic plan as originally posted on the web site, that too would be reflected in the document attributes."

The faculty received this draft plan (as I posted it) today as Word Document attached to an email from Dr. Exline.  The cover email explains the date on each page as 1/3/05 (which didn't copy for some reason) and that it was being sent because of questions at the December meeting she had with Faculty Senate.  


 


The first few paragraphs of the Plan explains how it was generated.  (In my opinion the faculty input was minimal.)  The email asked faculty to provide feedback and additions on education issues that may (will?) be added.  I assume Faculty Senate, Academic Council and Graduate Council will respond.  Faculty don't have to report until Thursday.  FS meets on Friday, Jan. 14, but it already has a lot of issues for that meeting.  


 


 



__________________
Tinctoris

Date:
RE: RE: RE: RE: Draft Strategic Plan 1/3/05 (In Pa
Permalink Closed

quote:
Does anybody know or can anybody tell?"


My previous post indicates what is reported on the properties page of the draft.

__________________
NAPM

Date:
RE: RE: RE: RE: Draft Strategic Plan 1/3/05 (In Parts)
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"My ignorance is unlimited.  I don't know much about "attributes" and absolutely nothing about "red-lines."  I believe that the congnoscenti can go "into" Word or Wordperfect documents and determine when they were created, how many times they have been edited, and other technical information "underlying" the final product. I am hoping that someone received the draft of this strategic plan in some form that can be analyzed to determine something about its history.  I suspect that it has just been thrown together without the collective efforts that are implied by all of the committee work and focus groups that are referred to. Does anybody know or can anybody tell?"
Just put me out to pasture...and forget you ever heard about red-lines.

__________________
Reporter

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Tinctoris
" Apparently-- Created: Saturday, January 01, 2005 3:19:00 PM Revision number: 4 Total editing time: 82 Minutes "
Yes, Tinctoris, these are the properties listed on the Word Document.  Is that what ram wanted? 


__________________
Walter

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Mark it 8, Dude.

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ram

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Yes, thanks. (Sorry for the delay.  I've been away from the computer.)


I don't know if there is any significance.  It just seems like a pretty brief life for such an important document.  Given the gravity of the situation, I'd have thought there would have been emergency committee meetings, brainstorming sessions, etc. -- even over the holidays. I really would have expected an earlier creation date and multiple revisions.


My guess is that just one or two people created this document in a single sitting (apparently on New Years Day. What commitment!)  and incorporated references to earlier events such as the 1999 Strategic Plan, 2003 "focus groups", the 2004 meetings of the President's Community Advisory Council ... as if those events were all part of a comprehensive, developing  plan that brings us to this stage.  To the extent that there is any plan, it is just the plan of one man that has been channeled through various councils, committees and focus groups to give the appearance of participation and input.


 



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Reporter

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quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"Yes, thanks. (Sorry for the delay.  I've been away from the computer.) I don't know if there is any significance.  It just seems like a pretty brief life for such an important document.  Given the gravity of the situation, I'd have thought there would have been emergency committee meetings, brainstorming sessions, etc. -- even over the holidays. I really would have expected an earlier creation date and multiple revisions. My guess is that just one or two people created this document in a single sitting (apparently on New Years Day. What commitment!)  and incorporated references to earlier events such as the 1999 Strategic Plan, 2003 "focus groups", the 2004 meetings of the President's Community Advisory Council ... as if those events were all part of a comprehensive, developing  plan that brings us to this stage.  To the extent that there is any plan, it is just the plan of one man that has been channeled through various councils, committees and focus groups to give the appearance of participation and input.  "

Yes, ram, I agree.  I hope readers remember that the "goals" were in existence much earlier.  In fact the goals were discussed at the Faculty Senate meeting in December.  Senators said they didn't realize that those goals were "the strategic plan".  I'm beginning to think that it was the plan and maybe even sent to SACS.  If so, SACS must have really been confused and then knew USM didn't understand what was required.  We will soon see.



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stinky cheese man

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just as a point of information--this report was circulated by my department chair late this night.

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Jameela Lares

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We received a copy of the five draft goals from Dean Pood late last semester, with requests for comments either directly to the Dean or via our chair.  I'm sorry that I no longer seem to have the text of my reply back to department, though it wasn't the most eloquent.


Despite what was surely a tsunami of comment, the goals don't seem to have changed.  Besides being wrong-headed (er, isn't EDUCATION and not money supposed to be the PRIME goal of a university? SACS will ask), the goals are also unworkable.  You don't raise funds by raising enrollment, especially when the likely new enrollees are going to be labor-intensive.


It's frightening when those in charge don't know what they don't know.


NO QUARTER.


Jameela



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BOGUS IT Director

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At the Best Online Gratuitous University in the South, our administrators are savvy enough to reset the date & time on their PCs before working on documents of this nature.

(From what we hear, it's amazing that anybody at USM has a PC with a CMOS battery capable of holding the current time & date )

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UpIHL Battles

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In the committee minutes prior to the November IHL board meeting, there was an exchange noted between Shelby and (I think) board member Amy Whitten regarding accreditation and maybe the beefing up of learning outcomes.  I don't remember the specifics now and don't feel like looking it up but the thought that just crossed my mind is that if Shelby had a conversation with board member(s) in October or November specifically about accreditation issues and did not raise the issue of USM being in trouble, then did he cross the line between simply not disclosing information and being calculatingly deceitful?  Kinda like the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion?  If the IHL received a strategic plan from USM just five months ago shouldn't its members be concerned that the University is spending so much time trying to create another one now?

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Advocate

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Originally posted by: Invictus
" Just my , but this rationale is sick. If USM wants to set an enrollment goal, because there is a desperate need for more Mississippians to receive postsecondary education, that's one thing. But increasing enrollment to generate tuition revenues, increase grant monies & political leverage, prestige, etc. etc. is placing the cart squarely in front of the horse. Perhaps more than anything else, this goal illustrates exactly how unimaginative the Thames administration actually is. OTOH, I'm sure this goal plays well with certain alumni factions who have massive inferiority complexes because they didn't attend Ole Miss to begin with. "

Invictus,


I agree that this rationale is sick.  I guess I'm just a naive babe in the woods because I honestly believed that the #1 goal of a university was to provide the best possible education to its students with the funds available.  That would include keeping and hiring the best educators possible and creating a positive learning environment.  To put increased enrollment first is putting the cart before the horse.  How can you expect to attract new students to a substandard university?  Especially quality students? 


It has to start with the quality of education -- it just has to be first for anything else to fall into place, whether that is increased enrollment, grants, "economic development" or whatever.  I have seen enough business plans in my years to say that this one is just a glorified outline.  There isn't any real substance there.  It's just pabulum. 



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Curmudgeon

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On an earlier thread there were links to the State and Ole Miss strategic plans. Both plans made it clear that education in the broadest sense was their top priority.

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stinky cheese man

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what gets me about our missioning and visioning work is the following statement from the most recent version:

"These include premier programs in polymer science and engineering, marine sciences, teacher preparation, economic development, forensic science, nursing, health, and the visual and performing arts. "

Every time USM writes one of these statements is becomes a political struggle to see whose programs can get listed. Over the years you could tell who was on the committee or who wrote these documents by looking at what programs got listed. By contrast, if you look at Ole Miss's it doesn't particularly single out programs.

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educator

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I've always considered psychology to be a premier program at USM.

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