1. Nature of WNMU’s Operation: Products and Services

Located in the southwestern corner of New Mexico, WNMU celebrated its first 100 years of providing a quality education for area residents in 1993. Western was first established as a Normal School to train teachers needed to educate the children of mining families who came to the region to work the silver mines. New Mexico Normal School became New Mexico State Teacher’s College in 1923, and NM Western College in 1949. After 14 years of expanding its curriculum and degrees, became known in 1963 as Western New Mexico University. The University offers programs in Education, Business and Public Administration, Applied Technology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Arts and Sciences, and Humanities. Graduate degrees are offered in Education, Counseling, Business Administration and interdisciplinary studies. The University offers 40 undergraduate majors and 29 minor fields leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Academic Studies degree. Specialized programs lead to a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science in Vocational Teaching, and Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Also, The University offers a dozen one or two-year degree or certification programs.

Over forty-two percent of the University’s 2000 graduates received degrees in some field of education. All WNMU education programs are approved by the State of New Mexico. In addition, the institution holds accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, the National League for Nursing, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the American Economic Development Council, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs.

WNMU also provides pre-university adult education services (GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship Training, etc.) to over 1,000 students, and education/training for over 1,000 welfare recipients under the "WNMU Works" Program sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Labor. One of New Mexico’s 16 Small Business Development Centers is located on the WNMU campus and the University is involved in local, regional and statewide economic development.

WNMU’s organization is depicted in Figure 2. Twenty-five public higher education institutions exist in New Mexico: 6 universities and 19 two-year institutions. Of the 6 universities, 3 are research universities offering programs at the doctoral level, and 3 are comprehensive regional universities offering programs leading to the masters degree. WNMU is unique in that it is the only university offering a full range of programs including: adult basic education, one and two-year certificate and associate degree programs, a full range of baccalaureate programs, and 3 masters degree programs. This situation has been created because the closest community college is over one hundred miles from Silver City. WNMU serves its region via educational centers in Truth or Consequences and Deming where vocational and general education courses are the primary focus and Gallup where only graduate education is offered.

The system of higher education in New Mexico is decentralized. There is no statewide system or governing board; rather, in accordance with the state constitution, each university is governed by a board of regents with members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. State statute calls for independent community colleges to have a locally elected governing board; branches and off-campus centers are governed by the parent university’s board who are advised by locally elected advisory boards. WNMU is governed by a five-member board of regents. Since 1994, one of the five regents is a student who is appointed to a two-year term. The remaining four regents are appointed for six-year staggered terms.

To better coordinate and oversee the various higher education governance structures, the legislature mandated a state agency, the Commission of Higher Education (CHE), to track various activities relating to higher education. The commission consists of 15 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate for six-year staggered terms. CHE is supported by a 29 member professional staff.

Other important constituencies with which WNMU interacts include: Office of the Governor; legislative members and committee; State Board of Education (SBE); and other licensing and regulatory bodies at the federal, state, and local levels, colleges, K-12 educational organizations, and numerous community and business organizations.

Another key organization is the Council of University Presidents consisting of the six presidents and a full time executive director. The primary role of the council is to enhance coordination among the six universities and to facilitate accomplishment of key initiatives for improving higher education in New Mexico. The president of WNMU serves as Vice President of the Council of University Presidents.

3. Principal Customers

WNMU’s principal customers are students, and most of WNMU’s students were born and raised in southwestern New Mexico to families who work in farming, ranching, or the mining industries. Many of our students are also children of alumni and educators. The typical freshman does not enter Western directly from high school. The average age of new members of the freshman class at the main campus is 21 and of students at off-campus centers is 35. A typical WNMU undergraduate student is likely to be classified as a "non-traditional" and "first generation" college student. Nearly 40% of enrolled students classify themselves as independent of their parents. A very high percentage either work, are on financial aid, or are welfare recipients. Women are the majority in all student classifications. Many are single parents. A significant proportion of degree-bound students attend on a part-time basis, sometimes stopping out for a semester or two. Others, rather than seeking degrees, are enhancing job skills or taking courses for personal enhancement or recreational purposes. The ethnic breakdown of on-campus undergraduate enrollment is 45% Caucasian, 43% Hispanic, 1.7% African American, 2.5% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 1.0% non-resident alien The remainder are undeclared. A large proportion of WNMU students are bilingual. Spanish is frequently used in formal and casual conversation. It should also be noted that one-third of Gallup Graduate Studies Center students are Native American.

There are many other key stakeholders, particularly: parents, state agencies, taxpayers/citizens, employers, graduate schools, public schools, and many others (Appendix A). These stakeholders are important, however, in view of the "pre-eminence of teaching and learning at WNMU," students are viewed as the principal customer.

WNMU’s major markets are local and regional. Over 84% of WNMU’s students are New Mexico residents and the vast majority (over 75%) come from Grant County, the home of the University’s main campus in Silver City, and the four surrounding counties of Catron, Hidalgo, Sierra, and Luna. McKinley County in northwestern New Mexico accounts for 15% of the student body, most of whom are enrolled in graduate classes at the university’s Gallup Graduate Studies Center. Over 15% of WNMU’s students are from outside the state and with the majority coming from Arizona and Texas.

Key student requirements are accessibility, quality, and affordability. WNMU’s acceptance of high-risk students, as long as they have a GED or a high school diploma, is clear evidence that Western takes very seriously a central thrust of its mission statement: to serve regional students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to engage in higher education. An essential part of the university’s mission is to provide students access to higher education. This means that WNMU admits a significant number of students who are academically under-prepared compared to their national counterparts. Based on COMPASS (a nationally standardized English, Math, and reading Proficiency Test) placement test scores, more than 85% of students entering WNMU during 2000-01 academic year required developmental course work in reading, writing, or math. Recent accreditation successes, annual strategic planning retreats, QNM honors, constant review of program and curricular offerings, stable and high quality leadership, involvement of the entire university community in shared decision-making, and improving data management have contributed to recognized increases in institutional quality. WNMU has been consistently at the very low end of tuition-and-fees cost spectrum of publicly supported, post-secondary educational institutions.

New Mexico has three research universities, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMIMT) in Socorro, the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, and New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces. These Ph. D. granting institutions compete with one another for New Mexico’s best and brightest, have the highest per student costs and the highest student/faculty ratios. WNMU is one of three regional public institutions of higher education, and the only one that offers such a wide array of educational programming from pre-university adult education, through certificate and two-year associate degrees, to baccalaureate and master’s degrees. WNMU is the smallest of the three regional universities; however, due to the vast geographic dispersion in New Mexico, it does not regard other regional universities as significant competitors. WNMU’s main competition comes from NMSU and Doña Ana Community College (part of NMSU) both located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, 100 miles from WNMU’s main campus in Silver City.

A key factor in the competitive environment is information technology which is having an impact on virtually every aspect of higher education. The proliferation of distance education providers, web-based courses and educational opportunities which can be completed at home is a growing factor. WNMU has reorganized in several areas to respond to this challenge and establishment of the Dean of the Extended University is a key initiative.

Currently, as WNMU enters the 2001-2002 academic year, WNMU has more than 280 full-time employees and over 250 part-time staff, adjunct faculty, workstudy students, and graduate assistants. The full-time employees consist of 88 Faculty, 28 administrators, 63 professional staff, 12 technical staff, 54 clerical/secretarial staff, 10 skilled crafts persons, and 27 service/maintenance personnel.

In the past 7 years, over $20 million has either been obtained or already invested in new construction, renovation and improvements to facilities on WNMU’s 80 acre main campus. For many years funding shortfalls seriously degraded WNMU’s ability to procure equipment, particularly information technology, and in only the past three years has significant progress been achieved in this key area. All aspects of information technology require serious improvement and WNMU’s Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) addresses those needs which amount to over $4 million in the next three years. Considerable progress has been achieved in obtaining computers, improving telecommunications, and upgrading WNMU’s Management Information Systems. WNMU has formed a number of key partnerships with Stream International, a call center; Silver and Cobre School districts for concurrent enrollment; and Reserve, Magdalena, Quemado and Lordsburg schools who are part of a RUS grant-funded initiative to create an integrated instructional network using information technology; a five-year Title V grant of $1.9 million will enable us to train faculty and staff in technology, instructional design, customer service and inclusiveness. WNMU has received funding for a new Center for Information Technology and construction is underway. Construction is also underway on a new Football Stadium/Athletic Complex and renovation and expansion will begin this fall on the Child Development Center and early childhood education and family resource services. Although progress has been made wiring the campus much work remains before the campus will be totally integrated and connected via a Local Area Network (LAN).

WNMU relies on many suppliers for various goods and services but none are more important than the regional elementary/secondary schools. WNMU’s core competency is teacher education, therefore relationships with schools also provide student teaching opportunities and a variety of other opportunities key to WNMU success. Relations with schools are regarded as very positive and strong. Health and human services areas are also key suppliers of allied health and social work field placements.

Other suppliers are Follet Corporation, WNMU Bookstore; Sodexho Marriott Corporation, food services and partial maintenance of facilities; Sutin, Thayer and Browne, legal services; ASA Architects, architectural service; Monet, Clifford and Ross, external audit; and many local/regional businesses that supply a variety of goods and services such as: utilities, telephone, police, retailers, and the like. Supplier relations are strong.

As a public institution, WNMU is bound to follow all appropriate laws and regulations (local, state, federal) pertaining to health and safety, environmental, financial, and equal employment opportunity to name but a few.

Another dimension unique to education is that of accreditation. WNMU is affiliated with and accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The University affiliation with the Commission is authorized by the Board of Regents. Regulation through institutional accreditation includes requirements such as employing a faculty that has earned appropriate degrees from accredited institutions and employing a sufficient number of faculty as full-time employees. Accreditation also provides public assurance that the faculty has a significant role in developing and evaluating all of the University’s educational programs, that WNMU’s degree programs are compatible with the institution’s mission, are based on recognized fields of study at the higher education level, and that WNMU’s undergraduate degree programs include a coherent general education requirement consistent with the institution’s mission and designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and to promote intellectual inquiry.

At the state level, the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE) coordinates, supports, and gathers pertinent information from the state’s higher education institutions. The state auditor requires and approves an annual external audit of the institution. Participation in the NCA alternative accreditation process, the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) will focus and extend WNMU’s Quality journey. Vital FEW goals for the next three years are communication, funding, and advising.

The most important element of WNMU’s Strategic Plan is its Mission Statement. The Mission Statement not only explains who we are and what we do — the reason for our existence — but also justifies continued support by our many customers and stakeholders. The current Mission Statement was approved by the Board of Regents on

May 13, 1999.

Western New Mexico University serves the people of the State of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public, coeducational university. Its student body is diverse in age, culture, language, and ethnic background. Teacher education continues to provide the basic foundation of WNMU’s programs. That focus has broadened to include a range of certificate, associate, baccalaureate, and several graduate programs which also meet the needs of students in allied health, arts and sciences, business, and vocational education. All undergraduate degree programs include a strong comprehensive general education requirement.

Excellence in teaching is a preeminent goal at Western New Mexico University. The University encourages the exchange of ideas; fosters the cultural, emotional, intellectual, physical, and social growth of students; nurtures a lasting appreciation of learning; encourages increased relationships with people of diverse backgrounds; and furthers an appreciation for the benefits and opportunities derived from community involvement. WNMU, through advanced technology and telecommunications, creates opportunities for its students, the faculty and staff, and the communities it serves to participate more fully in educational efforts which provide access to information and outreach to the global community.

WNMU recognizes as a strength the multilingual, multicultural population of the region and state and accepts the responsibility to be particularly mindful and supportive of the unique opportunities afforded by this diversity. The University aspires to increase access to all levels of education and to help people better understand and appreciate diversity, tolerance, and cooperation. The University is committed to help preserve and enhance the rich cultural heritage of the region it serves and to broaden its student diversity by reaching out to students from other states and nations.

WNMU values the contributions of its faculty, staff, and students and is committed to their professional growth and personal enrichment. Faculty and staff encourage student success by providing quality educational opportunities that are affordable and accessible. The University supports innovative and scholarly work, promotes integrity and equity in its dealings with people, actively pursues accreditation by recognized national and regional accreditation agencies, and seeks continual improvement of institutional management practices and processes.

WNMU works diligently to maintain fiscal and ethical integrity in its activities, to provide for the future educational needs of the people of southwestern New Mexico, and to build a collaborative relationship with its constituencies. The University addresses the educational, cultural, community, and economic development needs of the region through its library, museum, gallery, fine arts center theater, and through supportive partnerships with community and educational organizations, business, industry, and local governments.

We have given considerable thought to WNMU’s future, and firmly believe WNMU is ideally positioned to achieve a leadership role among peer institutions. WNMU’s potential is extraordinary, and although concerted effort will be required to realize this potential, the vision is within reach.

TO BE A LEADER IN HIGHER EDUCATION KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST AS THE UNIVERSITY OF CHOICE FOR OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF BECAUSE:

• WE PROVIDE RELEVANT EDUCATION, THAT IS

AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY;

As we strive to accomplish our mission, and to fulfill our potential, thus realizing our vision, it is useful to establish guideposts for our individual and collective behavior. These are not mandates, but rather challenges to our decisions and actions, and over time should form the basis of our organizational culture. Their relevance and utility must constantly be tested if they are to be a lasting force in shaping the way we go about our daily work.

PREEMINENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING!

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

Considerable time and effort has been expended collecting data, analyzing and discussing various scenarios and deriving assumptions about WNMU’s future. The latest analysis is contained at Appendix B. Some major factors emerging from this analysis follow:

1. Stability of leadership is absolutely critical for WNMU’s future.
2. Although the state government has been generally supportive of higher education, the current climate is very uncertain. Continued economic growth in New Mexico is important to future resources for education. Augmenting state funding and tuition from other sources, such as grants, private contributions, etc., is critical.
3. Higher enrollment is key to WNMU’s future. Population in New Mexico will increase over the next 7 years increasing the potential demand for higher education in New Mexico. New industry in the area indicates opportunities for new relevant education. Phelps Dodge’s future presents considerable uncertainty. To protect WNMU’s future, serious integrated efforts to improve retention and all aspects of enrollment management must be continued. Increased marketing of WNMU is absolutely necessary to WNMU’s future. WNMU must succeed in attracting students with higher GPAs, ACTs, and SATs.
4. Increased accountability for higher education is growing nationwide, and in New Mexico. Thoughtful planning and implementation of a comprehensive system to measure WNMU performance must be accomplished. A student outcomes assessment system must be developed and refined and thoroughly integrated with an improved academic support system.
5. The demand for quality teachers, nurses, and social workers in New Mexico the next 10 years exceeds the current supply. WNMU’s SOE, Nursing and Social Work programs must meet this challenge.
6. We must continue to integrate diversity into everything we do.
7. Students will come to value the WNMU "personal touch" -- accessible faculty, friendly staff (must be emphasized), low student-teacher ratios, and low tuition.
8. All aspects of information technology require detailed, integrated planning, adequate funding, and execution. Changing philosophy by State agencies regarding distance education and extended service instruction, coupled with emerging information technologies will have a significant impact on every aspect of education delivery and enrollment.
9. WNMU’s role in economic and community development is a key planning factor. Strengthening partnerships with our NAFTA and University colleagues in Mexico is important as are partnerships with industry and school districts.
10. Changing family values definitely affect the University culture. Demand for services such as child care will increase significantly.
11. Efforts to develop and refine articulation agreements must continue.
12. Tuition reciprocity with Arizona and in-state tuition for El Paso students and student athletes are great assets which must be exploited. Efforts to gain legislative support must be pursued. Tuition reciprocity with partner universities in Mexico must be pursued. Efforts to recruit and retain Native Americans at WNMU must be improved. All aspects of student financial aid must be properly utilized to support student accessibility and affordability. For example, the NMEAF loan program for teachers should be vigorously pursued. We must better leverage all of our competitive scholarships to attract quality students from across the U.S.
13. Obsolete equipment, routine maintenance, and crumbling infrastructure require serious attention.
14. The quality of student life is an area requiring great emphasis and improvement, particularly the condition of our residence halls and family housing, student healthcare, food service, and student activities.
15. WNMU’s recent accreditation history is excellent and these efforts must be maintained. WNMU’s acceptence in the NCA Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) is a positive step that links accreditation with building a culture of quality.
16. The number of special needs students is increasing and will require commensurate support services.
17. Intercollegiate athletics has a positive impact on enrollment and receives considerable support from the State of New Mexico. Title IX requirements in intercollegiate athletics must be closely monitored and followed. The new athletic complex offers great potential. We must vigorously pursue memberships for football and women’s basketball in appropriate conferences.
18. Bringing compensation for all WNMU employees including graduate assistants and adjunct faculty to equity with peer groups must continue to be a top priority.
19. Foundation and Alumni activities offer great potential and must be more thoroughly integrated into everything we do. A 3-5 year fundraising campaign must be planned and executed in coordination with the University’s marketing and public relations plans.
20. Better integration and coordination of community service and research activities among WNMU academic organizations (SOE, Business, Social Work, etc.) must be accomplished.
21. Greater collaboration with other institutions of higher education (academic programs, technology, libraries) offers great potential. The Renaissance Group, and AQIP are prime examples.
22. WNMU must create learning communities of student cohorts, and design living arrangements that reinforce learning.
23. Training for Faculty and Staff must be expanded. Customer service training and support is a top priority as are technology and inclusiveness training.
24. Positive interactions and better communication between various university constituencies and with the community must be achieved.
25. A concerted effort to improve efficiency through more effective integration of processes must be undertaken.
26. We must be more entrepreneurial! Times are changing rapidly and we must stay in front or be trampled.
27. A thorough assessment of the Maintenance Department must be conducted, and recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance at WNMU developed and implemented.
28. Energy efficiency must be studied, a plan developed and implemented, and progress achieved rapidly.
29. Funding has been severely impacted due to declining enrollment and increased energy costs resulting in decreasing fund balances. Greater budget accountability must be enforced to protect WNMU’s financial viability.

Our fourth core value is "a dedication to continuous improvement in Higher Education," and this value also underlies WNMU’s Strategic Goals. To realize our Vision, continuous improvement must be achieved in virtually all areas of operation. In analyzing our mission and conducting Strategic Analysis, twelve specific areas requiring improvement are identified. These Strategic Challenges must undergo continuous improvement efforts, and measurement indicators for each must be defined and monitored.

The 12 Strategic Challenges are further refined for the sake of clarity and conciseness, into 5 Strategic Goals which serve as the basis for WNMU Strategies.

The linkages between strategic goals and operational plans are strategies. Strategies are guideposts for action. They specify the direction WNMU will move and criteria which will serve as the basis of action. Strategies serve as the foundation upon which operational plans are constructed.

1. Teaching Excellence

2. Maintaining Accreditation

3. Pursuing Appropriate Academic Expansion

4. Maintaining Academic and Institutional Standards

5. Providing Adequate Academic Support

6. Increasing Access to Library Resources

1. Increasing Opportunities Through Extended Learning
2. Continual Examination of Roles and Missions of Levels of

9. Enhancing Information Technology

10. Implementation of Enrollment Management Techniques

11. Focus on Quality of Student Life

12. Support of Intercollegiate Athletics

13. Enhancement of Career Services

14. Support of Child Care Opportunities

15. Focus on Faculty Research and Professional Development

16. Support of Economic Development and Community Service

17. Pursuit of External Funding, Grants, Foundation, and Alumni

1. Focus On Partnerships Regionally and with Mexico
2. Support of Cultural Activities and Environmental Awareness

IV. STRATEGIES ADVANCING HUMAN RESOURCES

AND QUALITY OF LIFE

3. Compensation, Professional Development, Affirmative Action and Human Resources Policies and Practices
4. Improving Communication, Marketing, and Public Relations
5. Support of Diversity

23. Focus on Campus Master Planning and Energy Efficiency

24. Management of ER & R and BR & R Funds

*(AQIP)-This will appear several times throughout the strategies. It indicates that the item has been identified as an AQIP Goal.

STRATEGIES ADVANCING ACADEMIC RELEVANCE,

1. THE TRADITION OF TEACHING EXCELLENCE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE EVERYTHING WE DO. THIS MEANS RELEVANT CURRICULUM, APPROPRIATE DELIVERY OPTIONS, QUALITY FACULTY AND INSTRUCTION, UP-TO-DATE INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES, APPROPRIATE USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SMALL CLASSES AND LOW STUDENT/TEACHER RATIOS! TEACHER EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE BASIC FOUNDATION FOR WNMU’S PROGRAMS AND WE WILL STRIVE TO ACHIEVE WORLD CLASS EXCELLENCE IN THE PREPARATION OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE OTHER PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS UNDERGIRDED BY A STRONG LIBERAL ARTS COMPONENT.
2. NATIONAL ACCREDITATION THROUGH THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION IS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH OTHER ACCREDITATION EFFORTS ARE BASED AND WE WILL THOUGHTFULLY AND DILIGENTLY IMPROVE WNMU AS PIONEERING MEMBERS OF THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION’S ACADEMIC QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AQIP). IN ADDITION TO NCA ACCREDITATION AND NCATE ACCREDITATION, WNMU WILL MAINTAIN ACCREDITATION OF THE BUSINESS, SOCIAL WORK, NURSING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COURSE. COMMENSURATE WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES, WNMU WILL CONSIDER ACCREDITATION OF ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS (BFA) BASED ON PROGRAM NEEDS AND FACULTY/STUDENT DEMAND. STATE APPROVAL OF THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER, LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY, ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES (AES) THE VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL PROGRAM, WELFARE TO WORK, AND TEACHER EDUCATION WILL BE MAINTAINED. CERTIFICATION OF THE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AREA, CONSTRUCTION AND AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS, AND EXPANSION/STATE APPROVAL OF THE VOCATIONAL TEACHING PROGRAM WILL BE PURSUED.

5. AN INTEGRATED, COMPREHENSIVE, ACADEMIC SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT PUTS STUDENTS’ NEEDS FIRST AND INTEGRATES ASSESSMENT, ADVISING, DEVELOPMENTAL COURSEWORK, LEARNING COMMUNITIES, PEER MENTORING, THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER, ORIENTATION, PLACEMENT, TESTING AND OTHER PROCESSES SUPPORTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. EFFORTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT RETENTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE VIGOROUSLY PURSUED (AQIP).
6. WNMU WILL GREATLY EXPAND ON AND OFF-CAMPUS LIBRARY RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES.
7. EXPANSION OF DISTANCE/EXTENDED LEARNING WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES WILL BE VIGOROUSLY PURSUED AND "G" FUNDING FOR EXTENDED SERVICES SUPPORTED. IMPROVED INTEGRATION OF EXTENDED LEARNING CENTERS WITH THE MAIN CAMPUS THROUGH BETTER COORDINATION, TECHNOLOGY AND CONTROL WILL BE ACHIEVED. THE RUS GRANT OFFERS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR DISTANCE LEARNING, AND MUST BE THOUGHTFULLY IMPLEMENTED.
8. DIFFERENCES IN THE ROLE, SCOPE, ENROLLMENT DOCUMENTATION, MISSIONS, AND ORGANIZATION OF PRE-COLLEGE, CERTIFICATE, TWO-YEAR , FOUR-YEAR, AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS WILL BE REVIEWED AND CLARIFIED ALONG WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FACULTIES’ ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND COMPENSATION. WNMU GRADUATE PROGRAMS WILL BE THOROUGHLY STUDIED AND REFINED TO INSURE THEY MEET APPROPRIATE STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM, RESEARCH, ASSESSMENT AND FACULTY WORKLOAD.

 

9. WNMU WILL AGGRESSIVELY PLAN FOR AND PURSUE THE APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN LINE WITH THE UNIVERSITY’S IT VISION (APPENDIX G).

14. CHILD CARE OPPORTUNITIES, FACILITIES, CAPABILITIES TO SERVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND HOURS OF AVAILABILITY WILL BE EXPANDED AND RESOURCES PROVIDED IN ORDER TO SERVE THE GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH CHILDREN. APPROPRIATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING APPROVED BY THE STATE WILL BE PROTECTED. RENOVATION/EXPANSION OF THE CDC WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.

DEVELOPMENT, NEW FACULTY MENTORING, PEER COACHING, AND

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE EXPANDED AND ENCOURAGED.

21. COMMUNICATION AMONG ALL CAMPUS CONSTITUENCIES CAN AND MUST BE IMPROVED (AQIP). THE AQIP COMMUNICATION PLAN WILL BE VIGOROUSLY IMPLEMENTED AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT BOTH A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING AND PUBLIC/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PLAN BE DEVELOPED, BUDGETED AND HAVE ESTABLISHED TIMELINES WITH MEASURABLE RESULTS TO MEET THE INCREASING NEEDS TO PROMOTE THE UNIVERSITY, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, IMPROVE OVERALL COMMUNICATIONS AND ASSIST THE ALUMNI OFFICE AND FOUNDATION WITH THEIR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS (AQIP).

23. DETAILED CAMPUS MASTER PLANNING WILL BE MAINTAINED &