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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. Southern Connecticut State University
Strategic Plan 2023 – 2028
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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES.
Strategic Plan Preamble and Mission Statement
OR MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS, ARTS AND SCIENCES HAS BEEN THE FOUNDATION of Southern
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Connecticut State University; indeed, the liberal arts ushered Southern’s transformation from its origins as a teachers’ college to a modern, comprehensive university.
Today, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) boasts 21 academic departments and four interdisciplinary programs, approximately 500 full- and part-time faculty, 22 staff, and 3 administrators. There are upwards of 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students in CAS with partnerships across our region and state. The College offers more than 80% of the courses in SCSU’s general education curriculum, the Liberal Education Program. Thus, we reach nearly all Southern students as they progress toward graduation and a degree. Our students and alumni contribute daily to the economic, political, social, and cultural fabric of our region, state, and the world beyond. They are state and local officials, business leaders, and community organizers, including a Rhodes and a Fulbright Scholar, a congresswoman, and a National Teacher of the Year. Our faculty are award-winning teachers, scholars, artists, and scientists whose creativity and collaborations offer students meaningful and impactful experiences in and outside the classroom. Together, the CAS is an academic community dedicated to providing inclusive, nurturing, and rigorous learning opportunities while encouraging our students to develop into moral and ethical contributors to society.
Southern Connecticut State University
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Mission Statement
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providing our students with a liberal education of the highest quality, the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan reaffirms and expands the College’s commitment to social justice and diverse perspectives, top-notch facilities, disciplinary expertise, and interdisciplinary approaches. We intend not only to build on our strengths, but to also identify and address areas for growth in the following goals: • Foster the growing excellence of the faculty and students to ensure transformative, rigorous educational experiences. • Enhance academic support for all students, including finding resources at the undergraduate and graduate level, and improve practices across the CAS that promote student retention and timely graduation. • Enhance the CAS physical space and infrastructure with 21st century technologies that promote and support innovative pedagogy, learning, and creative activity. • Foster a culture of interdisciplinarity within the CAS, across the university, and through the university’s local, regional, and global relationships. This vision for the CAS ensures that Southern will graduate leaders and decision-makers who use creative thinking to advance their lives, careers, and communities. As we look to the future in collaboration with regional and global partners, we relish the chance to prepare our students to join the workforce of the 21st Century and to thrive as members of a complex, global society.
College of Arts and Sciences • Strategic Plan • 2023 – 2028
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GOAL 1.
Teaching, Creative Activity and Academic Excellence Foster the growing excellence of the faculty and students to ensure transformative, rigorous educational experiences. ACTION ITEMS: 1 Promote and facilitate the inclusion of research and creative activity within classroom experiences, including CURE (Courses with Undergraduate Research Experiences). 2
Enhance opportunities for research and creative activity for both students and faculty, through resources such as internal grants, incentives linked to external funding and rebalanced credit load.
3
Recruit, support, and retain diverse faculty who advance the mission, vision, and values of the CAS.
4 Support innovative new programs and courses, while maintaining the strength of the existing curriculum. Expand mechanisms for recognizing and promoting excellence in creative activity, research and outstanding teaching including leadership development. 5
Expand mechanisms for recognizing and promoting excellence in creative activity, research and outstanding teaching including leadership development.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS: • Growth in participation in faculty-led research, student publications, and undergraduate research conference and grant applications. (Action Item 1) •
Increase in CAS funding through rebalanced credit load, grants and training. (Action Item 2)
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Provide incentives for external grants beyond existing mechanisms. (Action Item 2)
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Increase in the number of faculty proposals for and awards of external funding. (Action Item 2)
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Faculty profile that more closely mirrors the student profile. (Action Item 3)
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Increase in new full-time and part-time faculty hires in areas of need (Actions Item 4)
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Increase in published research summaries, creative activity and innovative teaching through CAS website, Integrated Communications and Marketing (ICM) and other external publications. (Action Item 5)
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Increase in leadership opportunities, awards and other mechanisms to recognize faculty and student excellence. (Action Item 5)
Southern Connecticut State University
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GOAL 2.
Student Support, Resources, and Success Enhance academic support for all students, including funding and resources at the undergraduate and graduate level, and improve practices across the College of Arts and Sciences that promote student retention and timely graduation. ACTION ITEMS: 1 Enhance student support (embedded tutoring, supplemental instruction, workshops, advising, and peer mentoring) in ways that are mindful and respectful of the diversity of the campus community. 2
Increase and find additional funding to support students in the following areas: study abroad opportunities, creative activity and academic research, graduate assistantships, scholarships, along with textbook and technology cost assistance.
3
Improve processes and communication between Arts and Sciences administration, academic departments, and internal offices to help all students acclimate to the university, with an emphasis on commuters and transfer students.
4 Increase community engagement and experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, fellowships, cooperatives, apprenticeships, service-learning, field work, & research experiences) for CAS students, and strengthen collaboration between CAS and Office of Career and Professional Development. 5
Collaborate with the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on initiatives that support the success of underrepresented students in the CAS.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS: • Encourage all student support staff to engage in professional development that includes DEI training. (Action Item 1) •
A year-by-year increase in funding for and participation in experiential learning activities such as study abroad, creative and academic research, graduate assistantships, and scholarships. (Action Item 2)
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Increase in level of overall satisfaction of commuters and transfer students as assessed by a survey administered by the CAS. (Action Item 3)
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A year-by-year increase of participants in activities such as paid and unpaid internships, community engagement, and experiential learning. Additionally, an increase in the number of students participating in services provided by the OCPD as assessed by the Office of Career and Professional Development. (Action Item 4)
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An increase in collaborative initiatives between DEI and the CAS to support the success of underrepresented students. (Action Item 5)
College of Arts and Sciences • Strategic Plan • 2023 – 2028
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GOAL 3.
Academic Infrastructure and Technologies Enhance the College of Arts and Sciences’ physical space and infrastructure with 21st century technologies that promote and support innovative pedagogy, learning and creative activity. ACTION ITEMS: 1 Conduct a unit-by-unit needs assessment to identify, inform, and prioritize usage and remodeling of facilities. 2
Update classrooms and physical spaces to promote and engage teaching and learning and meet program goals.
3
Update classrooms with technology that facilitates different modes of teaching and learning.
4 Promote and support the use and access of technology to meet the needs of our students and faculty. 5
Assess structure and modality of scheduling to meet the diverse and changing needs of our students.
6 Develop a college-based resource to provide marketing support for departments and programs. INDICATORS OF SUCCESS: • Modern facilities and technology resources that meet the needs of programs and departments in the CAS. (Action Items 1-4) •
Targeted course schedules and modalities that support enrollment goals and student success. (Action Item 5-6)
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Establishment of a college-level marketing service utilizing a student assistantship mechanism. (Action Item 6)
Southern Connecticut State University
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GOAL 4.
Breaking Boundaries, Institutionally and Intellectually Foster a culture of interdisciplinarity within the College of Arts and Sciences, across the university, and through the university’s local, regional, and global relationships. ACTION ITEMS: 1 Foster close partnerships with alumni, international organizations, industry, academic institutions, and community agencies. 2
Expand opportunities for international study and international faculty exchanges.
3
Recruit, retain and support (i.e., with resources) faculty engaged in interdisciplinary programs.
4 Incentivize interdisciplinary grant opportunities and submissions, internally and externally. 5
Promote the CAS and SCSU as institutions that emphasize human rights and social justice missions in the classroom, on campus and in the greater New Haven area.
6 Foster civic engagement between the university and our local and regional communities. Promote lectures, community workshops, forums and other outreach, partnership efforts with New Haven’s public and nonprofit sectors. INDICATORS OF SUCCESS: • Increased quantity and breadth of faculty development initiatives geared toward community and external experiences. (Action Item 1) •
Increased collaborations and events in cooperation with the external community. (Action Item 1)
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Greater number of students studying abroad and faculty international exchanges. (Action Item 2)
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Increased hiring of faculty with interdisciplinary training and experience. (Action Item 3)
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Increase grant submissions that are interdisciplinary, internally and externally. (Action Item 4)
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Increase programs, courses, events, organizations, clubs, etc., emphasizing human rights and social justice. (Action Item 5)
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Greater number of events, programs, and partnerships involving SCSU faculty, students and the local community. (Action Items 5 & 6)
College of Arts and Sciences • Strategic Plan • 2023 – 2028
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501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06515 SouthernCT.edu