2008-2009 Academic Catalog

   
About Columbus State University
Strategic Planning Goals, 2006-2011
  

Through its 2006-2011 Goals, CSU commits to achieving excellence in the academic enterprise and prominence in the community, state and nation.
 

Goal 1:

Promote academic excellence at every level

• Increase the number of full-time faculty in proportion to student enrollment
• Balance academic resources with enrollment
• Develop strategies that enhance CSU’s graduate programs
• Fund library to the level of national benchmarks
• Maintain funding in CSU’s select mission areas
• Staff at least 75% of the sections of each core course with full time faculty
• Ensure that part-time faculty have access to university facilities and services necessary for quality instruction
• Expand opportunities for study abroad and international experiences
• Encourage life-long learning for the citizens of the region

Goal 2:

Attract promising students; graduate educated citizens

• Promote high graduation rates through increasing freshman retention, meeting expectations of high achievers and providing academic support services for all students
• Develop partnerships with public schools
• Recruit and enroll more students who are ranked at the top of their high school classes and who perform exceptionally well on the SAT/ACT
• Enhance First Year Experience programs and maintain a strong Learning Support Program
• Develop a system to provide effective academic advising for all students
• Expand programs and services designed to develop students’ leadership skills

Goal 3:

Attract, develop and retain outstanding faculty

• Adjust faculty salaries to national averages by 2011 and create a system to award meaningful merit pay
• Expand the scope of and financial support for faculty development in teaching, research, and service
• Increase faculty sabbatical opportunities
• Support academic freedom

Goal 4:

Build a diverse and inclusive campus community

• Implement tangible strategies to attract minority faculty, especially African-Americans, to reflect the diversity of the student body
• Increase the international student population
• Develop strategies to ensure retention and success of minority students
• Foster a campus community that embraces differences among people

Goal 5:

Improve the academic and social experiences of all students through comprehensive student services

• Adjust funding of non-academic student services to accommodate increasing enrollment
• Increase the services for the downtown campus while maintaining existing campus services
• Ensure that programs and services reach residential, commuter, non-traditional and distance learning students
• Ensure collaboration and communication among units providing student support services

Goal 6:

Increase funding

• Broaden sources of private giving
• Increase grant applications and other funding opportunities

Goal 7:

Demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the use of technology to deliver instruction, provide student services and enhance administrative functions.

• Ensure that technology and communication infrastructure and support staffing meet faculty, staff, and student needs
• Provide sufficient technology support for efficient administrative services
• Add multi-media classrooms to meet instructional needs

Goal 8:

Maintain and improve campus facilities and grounds to meet the needs of a rapidly growing enrollment

• Develop plans for a sustainable campus to ensure wise use of financial and environmental resources
• Add classrooms
• Address parking needs and develop transportation alternatives
• Create more outdoor social spaces

Goal 9:

Ensure continuity of effective leadership

• Prepare faculty and staff to assume leadership positions
• Build university goals into organizational culture

Goal 10:

Sustain a culture that values all university employees and their contribution to the overall mission of CSU

• Recognize the contributions of CSU employees
• Nurture a culture of teamwork and collaboration
• Promote staff, administrative and non-academic professional development programs
• Adjust staff salaries to appropriate benchmarks

Goal 11:

Develop and sustain partnerships for the benefit of CSU and the surrounding community

• Develop partnerships to address the economic, social, and cultural needs of our region
• Become the region’s most important partner for identifying and solving educational problems and for promoting educational excellence.
• Become the region’s most important resource for intellectual and applied research expertise.