A
Note from the Provost
Beginning the New Planning Year
Creating Innovative Solutions: Summer School 2005
Many thanks to my colleagues who served this year on the Academic Affairs Planning Committee (AAPC)! I have enjoyed the diversity of perspectives, the insights shared, and the opportunity to work personally with this group.
Whenever we start a new venture like this, we don’t
know exactly where we’ll end up, when we’ll get there, or
what we’ll encounter along the way. We still don’t know just
where we’ll end up, as we’re still “en route”
and always will be. But we know what direction we’re going: forward.
The AAPC has got to where we need to be at this point in time, and we
have momentum as we move into the next phase of the journey.
I think AAPC’s work already is having a big influence
in Academic Affairs. I personally see AAPC’s impact on the decisions,
activities, and everyday thinking of my own administrative team. I also
see AAPC’s impact reflected in the creative initiatives and problem-solving
ideas coming forward in Academic Affairs.
Most of all, I see AAPC’s impact in our ability
to make decisions, allocate resources, and move forward in a coordinated
fashion. This impact will become much more visible in the years ahead.
We’ll continue to work with all this over the summer. We’ll
keep the campus community informed of developments, emerging issues, and
progress made. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.
Congratulations on concluding another academic year.
Have a great summer. If you travel, go safely. Thanks to all.
Sue K. Hammersmith,
Provost
For
many of us in the Academic Affairs area, the planning year begins in the
summer. Several of our divisions (Information Services, Outreach, Student
Affairs, and the Provost’s area) have planning retreats over the
summer. Many of the planning and budget items that are addressed during
the academic year have their origins in those retreats. For the academic
divisions, the planning year usually begins later, as faculty reconvene
in the fall. In any case, each year’s planning should follow from
the accomplishments, developments, and discussions of the previous year.
AAPC concluded its work this semester by articulating
five major goals and objectives which will guide our planning in the coming
year. Bear in mind that these pertain to Academic Affairs; other areas
of the university will have their own processes and goals. The AAPC goals
and objectives are summarized below. The full statement of our goals,
objectives, and performance indicators – at least as we’ve
drafted them to date – is available for your review at www.uwgb.edu/provost/aapcgoal.htm.
GOAL 1: We will have sustainable resources sufficient to sustain
and carry out our mission. Within Academic Affairs, we will look
for opportunities and funding models that enable us to generate revenues
through grants, programs, and services. We’ll look for models that
enable us to share resources across participating units and to reinvest
revenues to support our strategic goals. We also will look for opportunities
to develop or participate in initiatives to increase the state’s
GPR base budget support for Academic Affairs programs and services.
GOAL 2. We will have programs and services of high academic quality
and integrity that are flexible and responsive to the needs of the region. We need to constantly keep an eye on trends and emerging needs in the
region, in higher education, and in our respective professional fields,
and then to be flexible and responsive to those needs. We must be willing
to review and revise our curricula, programs, and services; to be flexible
and responsive; and to allocate/reallocate resources to meet changing
needs.
GOAL 3: We will have active and productive partnerships
that meet the changing needs of our community, region, and professions. Partnerships will be important to our future survival, capability, and
well-being. We need a reward structure and culture that encourages beneficial
partnerships, and we need to be more active in identifying intellectual
resources outside the university as well.
GOAL 4: We will prepare students, faculty, and staff to function
as citizens of the world. We need to navigate and appreciate
the cultural diversity and complexity that characterizes not only the
global economy but also our immediate region here in Northeast Wisconsin.
This goal calls on us to increase our student, faculty and staff diversity;
to increase their international experience; and integrate diverse cultural,
political, and religious perspectives into our programs and services.
GOAL 5: We will promote and invest in a culture of learning, professional
development, and continuous quality improvement across all units. This goals calls for ongoing quality improvement of programs, services,
and processes; for meaningful professional development for faculty and
staff; and for using technology to enhance learning, professional development,
and work processes.
AAPC’s charge is to develop and use an integrated planning
process to: 1) guide decision-making, 2) allocate resources, and 3) act
in a coordinated fashion.
Over the coming year, our Academic Affairs divisions will be expected
to consider and/or address these strategic goals and objectives as appropriate
for our respective areas of responsibility and expertise. Performance
indicators will be assessed and reported, and within Academic Affairs,
future budgetary decisions will be undertaken in light of these strategic
goals and objectives.
As the broader UWGB planning and budgeting process
gets underway in the fall, we will articulate our ongoing Academic Affairs
planning with the campus instructions and priorities. Note: Other areas
of the institution (e.g., Business and Finance, Athletics) may have different
planning processes and different goals or priorities for their own areas.
Again, the full draft of these strategic goals, of
4-5 objectives under each goal, and of the performance indicators we’ll
be tracking in connection with these goals are available for your review
at www.uwgb.edu/provost/aapcgoals.htm.
Comments, questions, criticisms, or suggestions are welcome. The Provost
will schedule an open forum early in the fall semester as well to enable
interested parties on campus to discuss these in person. Meanwhile, feel
free to direct questions or comments to the Provost at hammerss@uwgb.edu
or to any other member of the AAPC.
Have a great summer!
The
2005 summer school enrollments continue to grow, even since our last “Update.”
As of May 4, 2005, this is how the Summer 2005 enrollments and projected
tuition to date compare with the final enrollments and tuition revenues
from Summer 2004:
| Indicator | 2004 (final) | 2005 (to date) | Difference | Change | ||
| Enrolled person | 1,281 | 1,836 | 555 | +43% | ||
| Student credit hours | 3,922 | 5,681 | 1,759 | +45% | ||
| Tuition | $595,000 | $955,000 | $360,000 | +61% |
