University of Wisconsin-Platteville Strategic Plan

VISION

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville among the finest public undergraduate teaching universities in the upper Midwest, with programs which focus on the total development of each student, which ensure graduates' abilities to make a successful transition from college to career, and which provide a solid foundation for lifelong learning and responsible citizenship. In addition, the university serves as a major center for cultural and outreach activities.

To realize its vision, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville embraces and is guided by the following values:

• excellence in undergraduate education and in targeted graduate programs;
• liberal education as a basis for lifelong learning, growth, and professional development;
• ethical behavior;
• students as the primary focus of university activities;
• respect for individual differences and support for the development of all students, faculty, and staff;
• people as the source of strength, reputation, and vitality;
• the pursuit of knowledge and its practical application, and applied research;
• learning and development which occur inside and outside the classroom; and
• service to the community and society.

THEME: High Quality Education

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recognizes that students learn in different ways and that education is a dynamic process. Faculty and staff will take a leadership role in developing a creative, exciting, and effective learning environment. Resources will be dedicated to support the innovation and risk-taking necessary to achieve this goal. Teaching designed to enhance learning by all students and to meet their continuing and changing needs will be expected, supported, and rewarded. The university will create and maintain a community of colleagues who share the process of establishing high quality teaching practices and a culture of continuous examination and improvement of such practices.

1. Recognize the crucial and central role played by liberal studies in preparing students to become thoughtful and insightful citizens.
2. Require, support, evaluate, and reward ongoing professional development which motivates faculty and staff to perform with excellence.
3. Enhance academic advising to increase access, accuracy, faculty-student interaction and efficiency.
4. Recognize and support practices responsive to the continuing and changing needs of students including updating curricula.
5. Support the development and implementation of instruments to assess basic skills, liberal studies, and academic programs.
6. Utilize the Teaching Excellence Center as a clearinghouse for resources, information, and opportunities to enhance teaching and learning.
7. Recognize and support outstanding and innovative teaching both in and out of the classroom.
8. Recognize and support practices that encourage and reward students for high academic achievement.
9. Recognize and support educational practices which include diversity issues as part of the curriculum.
10. Require the development of computer literacy skills supported by excellent facilities and technical assistance.
11. Require that administrators develop a process to support initiatives that incorporate new knowledge into teaching.
12. Make teaching facilities the highest priority in building, maintenance, and remodeling projects, gathering substantial input from current and potential users and attending to flexibility of use.

THEME: Academic Advising

The academic advising process is to be a value-added experience for both the student and the advisor as they form an interactive partnership. The advisor will be understanding and caring of student needs in order to help the student obtain the maximum benefit from the educational opportunities offered at the university. The advisor will assist the student in the consideration of life goals by linking interests, skills, abilities, and values to careers, the world of work, and lifelong learning. The student will be an active participant, responsibly engaged throughout the process.

1. Assess student and advisor needs by surveying students and faculty about current advising services and expectations.
2. Develop and enhance advising materials, services, and programs to better serve the needs of students.
3. Develop advising workshops for both new and continuing faculty that help to address students' advising needs and concerns.
4. Support, recognize, and reward faculty for advising excellence.
5. Continue to improve communication among faculty, staff, and students about academic requirements, policies, and procedures including changes which affect the quality of advising.
6. Promote the use of developmental advising strategies and activities.
7. Involve faculty, recognized for advising excellence, in sharing advising information and resources with new and continuing faculty.

THEME: Human Resources

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recognizes that all members of the university community contribute to the success of the institution.

1. Review, refine, and improve all processes for evaluation of personnel.
2. Increase the interaction and improve the communication among the various units of the university.
3. Initiate and encourage a team-focused approach to university activities where appropriate.
4. Encourage the continued development of mentoring programs for faculty and staff.
5. Recruit, employ, and retain a diverse faculty and staff ensuring equal employment and educational opportunity for all qualified persons.
6. Require and support professional development for all employees.
7. Recognize and support the concepts of wellness and health and provide an employee assistance program.
8. Provide appropriate information technology, including high quality training and support
9. Continue to address internal and external salary issues.
10. Recognize and support efforts to maintain balance between personal and professional life.

THEME: Student Development

Student development involves experiences, opportunities, and education both in and out of the classroom. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recognizes that students have many developmental needs, including academic, social, physical, emotional and professional.

1. Create a supportive environment for all students.
2. Provide facilities and equipment to support programs and student needs.
3. Recruit, admit, and retain a diverse student body ensuring equal employment and educational opportunity for all qualified persons.
4. Continue to improve the student orientation program, explore the development of a Freshman Year Experience Program to supplement new student orientation activities.
5. Encourage and promote activities that focus on student wellness.
6. Encourage student mentoring programs.
7. Expand and enhance student leadership initiatives.
8. Encourage the engagement of students in the community through service learning and other activities.

THEME: Culture

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville strives to reflect and celebrate the unity and diversity of people. Through its cultural activities, the university seeks to foster imagination and creativity for the enjoyment and enlightenment of the university and regional communities.

1. Recognize and support the role of the arts and letters in preserving cultural elements of the past and understanding the present.
2. Increase the number of international students, women, and students of color attending the university.
3. Provide increased international educational experiences for students and promote increased awareness of ethnic and cultural diversity through the curriculum, study abroad opportunities, and domestic and international exchange programs.
4. Recognize and support the performing and visual arts, essential components of a university education.
5. Encourage and support student involvement as artists and as members of the audience.
6. Continue to serve as the cultural center for the arts for southwestern Wisconsin.
7. Promote the understanding and expression of various viewpoints, beliefs, and cultures.
8. Recognize and support the pivotal role of books and information technology in our society and their role in the acquisition, construction, and transmission of knowledge.

THEME: Outreach

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville serves individuals and organizations outside its campus by providing continuing education, technology, and expertise throughout Wisconsin, with specific focus on Southwestern Wisconsin.

1. Develop partnerships with each college to plan and expand outreach offerings.
2. Provide services to Wisconsin citizens though cooperative work with UW-Extension and Continuing Education.
3. Identify the various audiences of the university and extend outreach services to these groups.
4. Recognize and reward participation of faculty and staff in university outreach activities.
5. Recognize and encourage imaginative and innovative outreach programs to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in programs in which they are under-represented.
6. Develop partnerships that support the economic development and special needs of the State of Wisconsin, e.g., the Wisconsin Agricultural Stewardship Initiative and the Fox Valley Engineering Initiative.

THEME: Distance Education

Distance education provides a unique opportunity to serve nontraditional, place-bound, disadvantaged, and underserved students and plays an increasingly important role in higher education. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will provide the necessary administrative, technological, instructional, learner services, and design support to serve learners at a distance using flexible, accessible delivery systems.

1. Identify audiences for traditional and nontraditional distance education programs and assess their educational needs.
2. Develop high quality classes and programs and offer a variety of distance education courses through appropriate technologies.
3. Support academic programs in the development and maintenance of web-based certificate and degree programs that meet identified needs.
4. Maintain the technical infrastructure and support the staff and technology needed to offer high quality distance education courses.
5. Provide the necessary training and professional development in distance learning for instructional staff, support staff, and students.
6. Provide and maintain administrative, library, academic advising, and learner services support for distance education students.
7. Create learner-friendly and effective distance education environments, assess student learning in distance education courses, and provide opportunities for instructional staff to improve such courses.
8. Establish partnerships with other post-secondary institutions, school districts, business, industry, and community groups to offer and receive distance education classes.
9. Monitor current trends in distance education to stay abreast of best practices, implementing them when feasible.

THEME: Fiscal Resources

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville allocates resources based on priorities established by the university and will seek to expand its resource base.

1. With the direct and active participation of existing governance bodies, develop a mechanism by which fiscal priorities at the university are established, reviewed annually, and communicated.
2. Evaluate the administrative and academic structure of the university to introduce changes that are educationally sound and fiscally efficient.
3. Evaluate the program mix to make appropriate changes that are educationally sound and fiscally efficient.
4. Plan and assign physical facilities for efficient operation and optimal learning.
5. Implement enrollment management policies to optimize stewardship of educational and fiscal resources.
6. Evaluate information technology resources, providing support and training programs to ensure efficient university operation and optimal learning.

THEME: External Support

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will continue to develop relationships with alumni, parents, government personnel, business &industry, and friends and will expand efforts to raise money from all sources to enhance the university's financial base.

1. Identify university needs to be addressed by major gift campaigns and cooperate with the UW-Platteville Foundation in carrying out these campaigns.
2. Establish or enhance relationships with university alumni.
3. Encourage and reward faculty and staff in developing and writing grant proposals seeking external support.
4. Work with state and federal officials to support and enhance the mission of the university.