STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
Focus Group Summary

Date: April 12, 1999
Time: 3:00 P.M.
Facilitator:  Dick Bynum
Notetaker: Yvonne Johnson

STRATEGIC GOAL: Community

Question #1: Based upon any information you have, how would you assess Moorhead State's performance regarding the transition goal?

Intramural Sports.  We have the facilities.  Funding has increased in this area.  Ice time at the new arena will be available.  This is a well used area but we don't hear much about it.

MSU Science Center is part of the curriculum at many schools.

There are more articles in the Fargo Forum recently.  This is an improvement.

Question #2: How could transitions to MSU be improved?

MSU representation in the community at large seems limited.  We need to make connections.

Share resources with different community organizations.

We should define community regionally (not just Moorhead and Fargo).

Brochures on various areas of expertise should be developed (like the speakers bureau).

Send MSU students to various places.  Talk to schools/classes.

Put areas of expertise on our home page.

Join F-M Leadership which is connected to Chamber of Commerce.

Improve reputation in town, specifically where the 5-block area is concerned.  The publicity on that issue has hurt us.  We are very bad at showing our good side.  We should be more proactive.  Cuts have hurt us.  The community believes we have done some illogical things.

Press Releases are too short, not enough of them.  For example, the SI Program results, exceed the national average.  We should make sure the community knows about this significant accomplishment.  We must make sure to inform Glenn Tornell of these things so he can follow up with a press release or article.

We need to make news- good news.  Our PR people need to foster good relationships.

Promote honors convocation.

Question #3: What barriers exist for students in their transition to MSU?

Parking is a problem.  People want to park close to where their meetings will be held. Beautify parking areas.

We don't have a niche for which we are recognized.  We are our own identity crisis.

We  need to find out who we are.

Distance Education-do we want to export classes.

Weekend degree programs- The University of MN offers programs on our campus.  Can we do the same thing on other campuses?  There are 270 people in the University of Mary Program.

Difficult to get into our graduate programs.  Too many hoops to jump through.

Tremendous need for counselors in schools.  This tract has been cut.

Have to offer courses summer and nights.  Have to offer summer classes that will sell.

Students want Saturday graduation.

We act like we are a 3rd rate institution.  We need to act like we are first rate.
We are as good as Concordia.  Concordia acts like they are better.  Perception then is that they are better.

Someone needs to stand up and say what we should do.

Question #5: How could MSU excel to a greater extent in terms of productive faculty and student interaction?

We say we want diversity but we cut English classes for international students.

If a minority group is touring MSU, make sure a Minority is conducting the tour.

People need to know their jobs- work-study need to be better informed.   Too many front desks are staffed with work study who are ill informed.  These are training issues to be considered.

Question #6: How could MSU excel to a greater extent in terms of academic advising?

Summer conferences have decreased dramatically (MN Arts Exp. Funding was cancelled).   We need to be involved in more summer conferences.

We need a central person to coordinate all the events at MSU (event, dates, housing, parking, location, etc.).

Question #7: If you were to identify a new strategic goal for MSU, what would it be and why?

We need leadership.  Someone needs to say what we should do.

Annual Reports.  Look at these documents.  Where are we good?   Where do we need to improve?  Where are we flawed?  This should generate ideas.  We can also use outside reviews to obtain similar information.  Are departments not doing their jobs?  Let's figure this out.

There are negative feelings about the administration.  The administration is not listening to students.  Relationship between administration and students has to be more positive. 

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