Saint Mary's College
Strategic Planning Advisory Committee Update
June 2003
Document in MS Word format
(better for printing)
This page contains the progress reports from the Strategic Plan Task
Forces as of June 2003 The reports are organized by the strategic initiatives
and actions which are the responsibility of the Task Force..
Previous progress reports are available:
in January 2003 also available
in Microsoft Word format
Individual Task Force Reports
June 2003
Information Technology Task Force
General Education Task Force
Diversity Task Force
Integration of Learning Task Force
Enrollment Management Advisory Committee
Integrated Marketing and Communication Task
Force
Governance Review Task Force
Information Technology Strategic Task Force
January 2003
Link to Information Technology
Task Force page
Administrative Task Force group
Report Pending
Academic Computing Task Force
Area: Educate Women to Make A Difference in a Complex World
Initiative 3: Examine and enhance the ways in which students
integrate learning across the curriculum
Action 3.3 Place information technology within the context
of teaching and learning
Detail 3.3.1 Establish reflective dialogue about teaching, learning,
and technology: The ITRC promotes this continuing dialogue. Brown
bags organized by Vince Berdayes' Minerva series the last two years
have also contributed to this effort. Efforts in this area are on-going.
Detail 3.3.2 Develop and
publish a policy stating how technological initiatives
by faculty will be evaluated and recognized with regard
to promotion and tenure: Recommendation forwarded
to the chair of rank and tenure in January 2003.
R & T expects to return the recommendation in time
for TLTR’s Oct. 8 meeting with minimal changes.
Detail 3.3.3 Develop a policy
regarding appropriate use of distributed learning
technology at Saint Mary’s College (e.g. online courses,
electronic learning communities, electronic portfolios,
computer-based tutorials, video-based delivery systems):
Work on this initiative was begun in spring 2003.
A report is expected at the Oct. 8 TLTR meeting.
Action 3.4 Support student information technology fluency
Detail 3.4.1 Determine how Saint Mary's College can be a leader
in the area of women and technology: More concrete discussion of
ways to address this need to take place. The fluency initiative in
3.4.2 is a beginning response.
Detail 3.4.2 Initiate the Teaching and Learning Technology Roundtable
(TLTR) student information technology (IT)
fluency project: Pilot class of SMC190:
Research and Resources in a Networked Environment
to be taught in fall 2003.
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Strategic Task Force for Review of General
Education
January 2003
Link toGeneral Education Task
Force Page
During Spring 2003, the Task Force on General Education addressed the
following Action Details and made the indicated progress.
Area: Educate Women to Make a Difference in a Complex World
Initiative 1: Examine and renew the way in which students gain
breadth of knowledge through the curriculum by examining the current state,
structure, and governance of general education at Saint Mary's College.
Action: 1.1 Examine and renew the current state of general education.
Detail 1.1.1 Conduct systematic review of General Education:
The Curriculum Committee with approval of the Faculty Assembly and
in conjunction with the Vice President and Dean of Faculty, establishes
a task force for the review of general education. Has conducted the
following:
- A review of the history of General Education at Saint Mary’s
- A review of our current general education statement (The Ways
of Knowing document)
- A review of the discussions from the General Education dinner
in August 2002
- A review of models of General Education at other institutions
- A meeting with the assessment committee to discuss the assessment
of General Education
- A meeting with the Education Committee of the Board
- A discussion of the AAC&U book "Strong Foundations: Twelve
Principles for Effective General Education Programs"
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Diversity Strategic Task Force
January 2003
Link to Diversity Task Force
Page
As of the end of Spring 2003, the Task Force on Diversity had accomplished
the following:
Area: Educate Women to Make a Difference in a Complex World
Initiative 1: Examine and renew the way in which students gain
breadth of knowledge through the curriculum by examining the current state,
structure, and governance of general education at Saint Mary's College.
Action 1.3 Infuse diversity throughout the curriculum
Detail 1.3.1 Conduct review of diversity in curriculum
Diversity Committee is formed.
Initial meetings were held with the resources groups (Assessment
Committee, Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs, Center for Women’s
InterCultural Leadership, and Associate Dean of Faculty).
Area: Recruit, Retain, and Graduate a Vital and Diverse Student Body
That Ensures the College’s Leadership in Women’s Education.
Initiative 3: Develop a student body with a wide variety of
backgrounds, interests, and capabilities
Action 3.1 Increase enrollment of historically unerrepresented
groups, including international students
Detail 3.1.1 Increase opportunities for reaching prospective students
from historically-underrepresented groups.
Relationships with school officials, community agencies and
congregations in primary markets are beginning to be strengthened
and increased
Action 3.2 Expand and strengthen support services for all students.
Challenges facing students from historically-underrepresented
groups are identified.
A plan is being developed to address these challenges.
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Integration of Learning Task Force
January 2003
Link to Integration of Learning
Task Force Page
Report Pending
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Enrollment Management Advisory Committee
January 2003
Link to Enrollment Management Advisory
Committee Page
Report Pending
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Strategic Task Force for Integrated
Marketing and Communication
January 2003
Link to Integrated Marketing and
Communication Task Force Page
As of the end of Spring 2003, the Task Force on Integrated Marketing
had accomplished the following:
Area: Cultivate Leadership and Enhance Communication
Strategic Initiative 4: Create understanding and achieve commitment
to integrated marketing communications from the Saint Mary’s College
community.
Action 4.1 Develop and implement an external and internal integrated
marketing communications plan
Detail 4.1.1 Establish a planning structure:
- IMC Team is formed — IMC Task Force formed January 2003.
- New — IMC plan outline designed — Outline
designed and presented to IMC Task Force
- New — IMC Committee communication forum developed
— Blackboard site established
for IMC Task Force to enhance internal communication within committee.
Has been used to schedule meetings, post discussions on a message
board, file meeting minutes, requests, IMC readings, web sites,
etc.
- An appropriate research cycle is established — Current,
relevant research shared with the IMC Task Force by Mary Lelik,
director of Institutional Research. Included information on admitted
students, current student surveys (sophomore/senior comparison)
benchmarks with competitive "cross-applied" colleges and
universities, women’s colleges surveys, graduate statistics,
and preliminary results from alumnae survey. Currently planning
research with seed money from Lilly initiative to poll alumnae,
specifically non-donor populations. This goal should be revised,
or another goal added. Before an appropriate cycle can be established,
necessary research needs to be identified, prioritized and conducted.
Research also needs to be coordinated with other Strategic Plan
committees.
- Communication goals are identified — Goals of the task
force have been outlined in the design of the IMC plan. The task
force has identified and prioritized target audiences, and identified
and focused the "vivid descriptors" or points of pride
that are guiding principles in communication message and design.
- The Saint Mary’s community is educated about the effectiveness
and importance of IMC — Committee has not yet begun work
on this initiative. Marketing Communications director began work
with Development officers in Summer 2003 to plan and implement an
IMC strategy for Development offices.
Detail 4.1.2 Design and implement effective internal communication strategies
- — Existing internal communication
vehicles are assessed and analyzed — No action taken by
committee thus far. Informal polls by Marketing Communications resulted
in re-establishing weekly e-mail updates.
- — Recommendations are made for
improving internal communications — No progress to report.
Dependent on analysis and review (4.1.2.1).
Action 4.2 Market the distinctive features of a Saint Mary’s
education
Detail 4.2.1 Identify the College’s distinctive features —
IMC Task Force has identified five "vivid descriptors"
that highlight the distinctive features of the Saint Mary’s experience:
- Rooted in the liberal arts — preparing women for life,
not simply a career.
- Preparing women to make a difference in an increasingly complex
world
- A transformational experience for young women
- Developing confident, caring, ethical leaders
- A faith-nurturing education rooted in Catholic heritage and
values
Detail 4.2.2 Promote the College’s Centers of Distinction: Center
for Academic Innovation, Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadership,
and Center for Spirituality
No progress to report regarding IMC Task Force’s
role in promotion of the Centers. The Centers and their activities
continue to be promoted, but their promotional plans are not yet integrated
into a college-wide plan.
Action 4.3 Strengthen connections with the Michiana community
in all its diversity
Detail 4.3.1 Establish a community relations plan that guides appropriate
institutional interaction with the Michiana community
- Faculty, staff and student involvement in local community activities
is encouraged and supported — Committee has not yet begun
work on this initiative.
- A community relations plan is created — Committee has
not yet begun work on this initiative.
- Strategies are implemented — Committee has not yet begun
work on this initiative.
- Effectiveness of actions is assessed — Committee has not
yet begun work on this initiative.
Back to index of Task Force Reports
Governance Review Strategic Task Force
January 2003
Link to Governance Review
Task Force Page
The work of this group has just begun
.Back to index of Task Force Reports
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Last update12/18/03
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