ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN 1

University Goal To become the best comprehensive state university in the Upper Midwest, recognized by our peers as a leader in our region 2

Distinctive Characteristics Accessibility that leads to success SCSU will become distinctive by providing access to high quality education with a commitment to individual student success. Character that reflects our region SCSU will become distinctive by offering an array of programs that reflect the character of our region with a commitment to meeting the needs of our community. Education that drives knowledge into action SCSU will become distinctive by preparing our students for success in work and life through integrated learning and the expert and innovative application of knowledge. A portfolio of distinctive programs SCSU will become distinctive by building on our prominent programs with the addition of new programs that hold the greatest promise of contributing to our future success. 3

SCSU’s Strategic Action Plan Strategic Action Plan Presentation 4

CREATE AND FOSTER A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS Implementation Plan: Oct. 31 draft St. Cloud State University Strategic Action Plan 5

Development history 6  Faculty Research Work Group [Sharon Cogdill, Lakshmaiah Sreerama, Kristi Tornquist, Frances Kayona, Mary Edwards, Jim Knutson-Kolodzne, Jodi Kuznia, Lowell Hellervik]  Management Team review: Sept. 29, 2008  Strategic Planning Committee review: Oct. 9, 2008  Campus review and feedback: Nov. 3, 2008

Completion timeline 7  Campus review concludes: Nov. 13, 2008  Management team review: Nov. 14, 2008  Strategic Planning Committee review: Dec. 11, 2008  Community of Scholars implementation plan completed and distributed: Jan. 14, 2009

Vision Statement As a community of scholars, St. Cloud State University will: Recognize scholarship as central to our mission Our university will value, reward, and celebrate scholarship, and regard successful scholarship as a contribution to our entire community. Our most active and influential scholars will be recognized as leaders in our community, and we will offer the intellectual work of our campus as evidence of our excellence among our peers. Our university will promote the importance of scholarship in the educational experience of our undergraduate and graduate students, and we will engage our students with faculty scholarship whenever possible. Promote scholarship in service to our community Our university will strategically support scholarly projects that improve our region, our understanding of it, and the quality of life of its residents while, at the same time, respecting the scholarship of faculty who choose different communities to serve. Uphold academic practices that support graduate and undergraduate education Our university will foster the practices and kinds of scholarship that support education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels with graduate assistantships and the assignment of workload consistent with best practices for graduate and undergraduate education. Support forms of scholarship that fulfill our public mission Our university will accept scholarship as broadly defined by Boyer. Our scholarship portfolio will reflect the disciplinary differences of our faculty and our mission as a state comprehensive university. 8

Strategic Initiative CS1: Create the social and institutional infrastructure to enhance scholarship 9 Action ItemResponsibility Comments or Priority Indication Develop a University Scholarship Council (USC) and define its charge clearly Provost Dean, Graduate Studies Faculty Association Beginning with discussion in departments, clearly define scholarship expectations within the context of the IFO contract USC, Deans Departments Faculty Association Initiate a university-wide discussion of professional-development fund rollover based on an overview of existing department policies USC, AVP for Research Faculty Association Analyze business and institutional processes for potential barriers to scholarship activities USC Faculty Association Develop incentive and reward structure that encourages active scholarship and celebrates leaders in the university Provost, USC Faculty Association Reshape the role of the Assistant Vice President for Faculty DevelopmentProvost Develop infrastructure, policies and guidelines for comprehensive intellectual property program Special Advisor to President Task Force, Faculty Association Expand library collections and resourcesLRTS Investigate the development of an interactive system for collecting and representing the full spectrum of faculty workload with sufficient reporting mechanisms for Article 22 and Article 25 AVP for Research Faculty Association Invest in research infrastructure, including space, equipment, technology and support Develop a clear institutional approach to identifying, welcoming, and supporting visiting scholars AVP for Research Faculty Association Create research infrastructure appropriate for each college, including the creation of research directors AVP for Research Deans

Strategic Initiative CS2: Create practices to provide scholarship in service to the community 10 Action ItemResponsibility Comments or Priority Indication Create a clearing house that connects faculty experts with the community AVP for Research University Communications Encourage and foster interdisciplinary centers of service in support of strategic institutional and community needs Deans USC Link research efforts with Community Engagement proposal for a University Outreach Center Provost Faculty Association

Strategic Initiative CS3: Develop practices that support graduate education 11 Action ItemResponsibility Comments or Priority Indication Develop a University Graduate Council (UGC) and clearly define its charge Dean, Graduate Studies Faculty Association Analyze research requirements in master’s degree and doctoral degree programs for research incentives and standards Dean, Graduate Studies UGC Faculty Association Create a new position of Associate/Assistant Dean for School of Graduate Studies Dean, Graduate Studies Faculty Association Analyze and develop equitable policies regarding the effect of graduate advising, thesis and dissertation work, graduate courses, starred papers, etc., on faculty workload Dean, Graduate Studies UGC Faculty Association Analyze and develop policies and standards regarding the appropriate number and use of graduate assistants across campus, with the goal of matching assignment to educational goals Dean, Graduate Studies UGC Faculty Association Identify and make recommendations about the obstacles to the development and implementation of interdisciplinary graduate programs Dean, Graduate Studies Deans UGC Faculty Association Investigate the usefulness of an institutional repository for faculty scholarship at St. Cloud State University and make recommendation LRTS Encourage programs to evaluate appropriate writing requirements for their disciplines Dean, Graduate Studies UGC Faculty Association Provide digital archiving of MS and Ed.D. thesesLRTS

Strategic Initiative CS4: Enhance faculty professional development 12 Action ItemResponsibility Comments or Priority Indication Develop a mentoring programs for new and mid-career faculty, for faculty who want to increase scholarship activity, and for faculty at a professional crossroads CETL Promote faculty exchange programs with international partner institutions as part of faculty sabbaticals CIS Develop and expand private support available for faculty professional development University Advancement Develop a systematic approach for the use of sabbaticals to enhance scholarshipProvost AVP for Research USC Faculty Association

Providing feedback 13  The current draft of the “Create and foster a community of scholars” implementation plan can be found at:  Include comments in comments section of this document and to:  Send a hard copy of comments to: Office of Institutional Effectiveness, AS-102  comments directly to:  Strategic Planning Committee: Strategic Planning Committee:  Lisa Foss: or Lisa Foss:  Dan Gregory: Dan Gregory:  Provide comments to your Strategic Planning Committee representative. See to find your representative