This narrative is intended to (1) describe the work that is already being accomplished on the implementation of the strategic plan, (2) identify strategic issues that will be given attention in 1996, and (3) suggest areas within the strategic plan to which budgetary priority will be given during the next budget cycle. For the purpose of conceptual organization, the many individual items found within the Strategic Plan under "Excellence" and "Distinctiveness" are grouped here into four thematic categories:
In one collaborative area of distinctiveness, discussion is proceeding about an organizational structure that could integrate the various policy initiatives around the campus.
In another collaborative area of distinctiveness, a planning grant proposal to establish a Metro Atlanta P-16 Council has been funded by the University System of Georgia. This council will enable local colleges and universities, community groups, and local school systems to work together to meet the needs of learners through essential changes in all P-16 learning environments.
A Center for Teaching and Learning has been established as a resource for faculty and graduate teaching assistants who wish to elicit student discovery and construction of knowledge, enhance their teaching skills, and increase their use of technology in teaching and learning practice.
An informal group of faculty has been exploring the design and implementation of an initiative in Writing Across the Curriculum, which is the first phase of a broader initiative in written and oral communication.
Some funds have been allocated to support faculty international initiatives.
Another faculty group has been working with the Provost to identify barriers and create incentives for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration.
2. Additional Initiatives for 1996 In order to use funds more effectively to enhance the diversity of scholars on campus, a review of the effectiveness of present incentives will be undertaken and refinements suggested as indicated.
Library collections in those areas in which doctoral programs are offered will be developed to level 4 or better on the scale of the Pacific Northwest Conspectus. A strategic plan for the entire collection will be developed. A Special Committee of the University Senate made up of members from the Library Advisory, APACE, and Budget committees will oversee the development of the strategic plan for collection development and make recommendations to the Budget Committee for funding of the plan.
3. Areas of Budgetary Priority Priority for allocating redirected funds will go to academic programs. In FY 96, 41% of the General Operations budget of $165 million is allocated to University Administration & Support, including administration of academic departments. The goal is to reallocate one to two percent per year of the General Operations budget from University Administration & Support to academic programs.
Attention will be given to providing more targeted support for research and professional programs, especially those that are already nationally and internationally competitive. In this regard, major external funding for broad based initiatives that are consistent with University objectives, will be followed up with allocations of redirected funds to support them.
Following assessment of the impact of additional funds devoted to graduate assistantships in the last two budget cycles, consideration will be given to increasing the number and value of graduate assistantship awards in order to make selected graduate programs nationally competitive.
Overall programmatic strength, which is defined by variables appropriate and relative to each discipline such as research, scholarly or creative productivity, levels of external funding, number of graduates, student credit hours, and cost per student credit hours, will be a key factor in determining faculty position allocation and/or replacement in traditional disciplines. Another factor will be a continued emphasis on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary connections as complementary extensions of established disciplinary strengths.
Appropriate benchmarks will be utilized to identify and ameliorate resource inequities among the colleges and to increase operational budgets for targeted instructional and research programs.
The Center for Teaching and Learning will continue to be developed with support being given to faculty to explore and apply new learning methods and technology in their teaching and learning practice. In addition, faculty will be encouraged to analyze and apply pedagogy for diverse ways of knowing and learning.
Support will also be given to development of a Writing Across the Curriculum program to be implemented with conversion to the semester calendar.
Library collections, in various formats and at appropriate levels, will continue to be built to support effective teaching and scholarship.
In terms of programmatic excellence, academic program review is continuing as the primary means to evaluate departments on a multi year cycle with respect to quality, centrality, and viability.
In addition, academic program review is being utilized as a mechanism for determining appropriate levels of resource allocation, including additional graduate student assistantships and selectively converting PTI positions in core areas of high student demand to faculty positions.
The Assessment Subcommittee of the Undergraduate Council of the University Senate is coordinating the institution's efforts in the assessment of student learning outcomes in general education and the majors.
The Admissions and Standards Committee of the University Senate will monitor the effects of the newly agreed upon admissions standards, with a view to revisiting the question when useful data are available to measure the impact of present changes.
The Human Resources department in Financial Affairs division has initiated a series of workshops to increase employee awareness and practice of a customer service orientation, where the 'customers' are students, staff, faculty, or the public served by the particular office in which one works.
2. Additional Initiatives for 1996 As part of the discussion regarding conversion to semesters, the issue of University standards for faculty workload will be discussed among the Deans. The Faculty Affairs Committee and Admissions and Standards Committee of the University Senate are discussing a draft of a University faculty workload policy.
Furthermore, curricular revision will be a necessary component of redesign from a quarter to a semester system, thereby enabling careful scrutiny of learning objectives and refinement of their measurement. In addition, it will be the opportunity for greater inclusion of interdisciplinary, intercultural, and international perspectives and will enable us to continue to make the curriculum more inclusive of diverse people and perspectives.
Georgia State will seek opportunities to collaborate with other institutions where appropriate to strengthen programmatic activities in areas identified as priorities by the Strategic Plan.
3. Areas of Budgetary Priority A portion of existing funds for instructional improvement will be targeted for activities devoted to the assessment of student learning outcomes.
Additionally, funds will be provided during FY 97 to support curriculum development for the semester conversion, much of which must take place during Summer 1996.
A reorganization of information systems and technology will result from the 1994 EDUCOM report and a current systematic assessment of the computer center. The resulting organization will be more responsive to users and will be more efficient.
Part of the responsiveness should be the greater availability of hardware and software technical support for faculty, staff and students.
Part of the enhanced efficiency will be the creation of an integrated relational database system, the discussions for which are proceeding.
Another part will be the networking of all campus buildings, which will allow for improved campus communications.
The Information Systems and Technology advisory committee, working with the Associate Provost for Information Systems and Technology, is developing a strategic plan for this area. To ensure broad community input, the committee works closely with three advisory committees -Research Computing, Administrative Information Systems, and Teaching and Learning Technology Roundtable. The plan will be brought to the University Senate through the Planning and Development Committee, at which time a permanent Senate committee on information systems and technology will be established.
Furthermore, the Pullen Library's participation in the Galileo project will produce better access to scholarly resources around the state.
With regard to improved physical facilities, Georgia State has indicated to the Regents that its top priority for capital acquisitions from General Obligations Bonds is a new classroom building.
In addition, anticipated new signs should bring a greater sense of physical identity to the campus.
2. Additional Initiatives for 1996 Creation of a relational database system will provide the necessary basis on which to build a Data Warehouse for administrative decision making and reporting. In particular, this will provide support for academic program review and for student recruitment, retention, and graduation initiatives.
A migration plan for administrative computing systems is being developed to replace the existing, home-grown legacy systems with commercially available software systems.
3. Areas of Budgetary Priority Continued investment in networking campus buildings is necessary in order to complete the fiber optic backbone, vertical risers, and horizontal in-building connections.
Continued support of the libraries' technological advances will enable the Universities' library staff to provide leadership both locally and statewide in the Chancellor's project to link Georgia's libraries electronically.
Investment in the administrative information systems migration plan will be made.
Additional requests to the Regents will be made to provide funds to acquire existing downtown properties selectively so that Georgia State may gain some relief from its space overcrowding.
As Georgia State prepares for a major capital campaign, resources will be added to extend the fundraising capabilities.
With regard to academic programs, the program review process continues as a key vehicle for administrative decision-making.
Plans are underway for the implementation of a comparable Administrative and Support Unit Review process. In the interim, the Fiscal Advisory Committee to the President is undertaking an expedited examination of administrative and support units in order to inform the discussions about budget redirection.
The Budget Committee of the University Senate is investigating appropriate benchmarks that can be utilized in decision-making for both academic and administrative and support units.
The University Senate has approved principles of a campus Master Plan, and the HOK study of space is also now available as a planning tool.
2. Additional Initiatives for 1996 Attention will be given to a systematic approach to Enrollment Management for student recruitment and retention decisions, taking into account expected perturbations caused by the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and the upcoming semester conversion. Program and enrollment distributions between the downtown campus and the suburban centers will be considered. Data from this initiative will also be used to inform space needs at the Gwinnett and North Metro sites.
With the availability of the HOK study, short-term and long-term space allocations and rehabilitation and/or renovation schedules will be established.
3. Areas of Budgetary Priority Funding of the projects established by the Capital Budget and Space Allocation Committee (CBSAC) as short-term priorities for space allocation, renovation and repair will be given high budgetary priority. Priority for moving units will be for those moves that are an important component of the redirection plan of the University. Redirected funds must never be used for renovation.