STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY

DATE:  April 15, 1999
TIME:  3:00 PM
GROUP LEADER:  Mary Shimabukuro
RECORDER:  Mark Rice

QUALITY
Need to identify "what quality looks like?"
Teaching?, Service?, how and what areas defined
Creative and research grants- example of not enough money
Need to promote research, provide more money
Fund raising to provide non-state dollars
Need to compare to other Universities and bench mark
Need to reward "young" faculty and promote grant awards
Positive comments about learning experiences at MSU
Innovative programs, strengthened programs, new procedures, need to be identified and exemplified
"Student Academic Conference" good example
Biotechnology Concentration project funded new lab and student technology experience.

ACHIEVEMENT OF QUALITY
Too much variety in quality of advisors
Need for assessment of advisors; example: advising team concept goes to improve process
Keep lines of communication open- e-mail good vehicle
Need for consistent definition of service across campus

BARRIERS
Time, limited money, ie) participation in decision making as promoted to take much more time.

"Committee on Committees" to review process- need to improve process, need to identify problems with systems.

EXCEL
Excel to greater extent doing right things.

Define "right things," mission statement for departments need involvement by all in department, standards, need to communicate to Chief Administrator.

Young faculty should be brain-stormers and sought for input without layers of administration.

Quality is self-evident.

Excel to create scholar creative work.

Release time should be treated alike across campus, "professional advisors"

May be a mistake to expect all to advise.  Some disciplines may not need same degree of advising.

Time for research needs to be defined.

Time for students affected by time available.

NEW GOALS
POOR:  Business Office, registration process examples of areas in process of improvement.
GOOD:  Staff are good example of strength.
Improve applications for external funding.
Lifelong learning

MISSION STATEMENT
Faculty Development, grants, more summer duty days to develop.
Teaching as a primary goal.
Student/faculty collaboration of scholastic activity.  Devote $ and time to activity.   Example: marketing, research

NEW DIRECTIONS
Faculty load- Masters "out of hide" need to provide more assignments

1)  Why have quality as a goal?  Is there a need to strive for quality?  Could give impression there must be poor quality now.
Average age of faculty a factor?

2)  Need for transition and Goal-
Transfer students
Feeder schools
Need to adjust schedule to meet needs of students
Web courses, summer school mandatory minimum limits impact students choice for classes
Develop new ways of delivery- internet, interactive video
Bring in "new" students- seniors, "Communiversity" (out-reach)

3)  Careers- no need for this goal

Allocations- 1% is not enough.
Technologies- need to invest more.
Community- retention, image.
Alumni- need to be involved.  No mention in current goal.

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