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Creating Our Future: UConn’s Path to Excellence

Creating Our Future: UConn’s Path to Excellence. Open Forum March 26, 2014. Core Values of the University. Innovation Leadership Engagement Diversity. Plan Guiding Principles. Bold and Visionary Ideas Growth of Extramural Research Programs Adaptability to change

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Creating Our Future: UConn’s Path to Excellence

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  1. Creating Our Future: UConn’s Path to Excellence Open Forum March 26, 2014

  2. Core Values of the University • Innovation • Leadership • Engagement • Diversity

  3. Plan Guiding Principles • Bold and Visionary Ideas • Growth of Extramural Research Programs • Adaptability to change • Engagement of faculty • Accountability

  4. Guiding Questions • Guided by Four questions • What are our Strengths? • What new strengths can we create? • What can we improve through collaborations among colleges/schools? • What programs can we realign or streamline to reallocate resources?

  5. Goal 1- Excellence in Research • Develop new knowledge, scholarship and innovative solutions to society’s pressing problems • While we have had success we must grow scholarly activities and extramural funding • First- remove barriers that impede growth of extramural funding • Second- study new ways of defining and rewarding faculty productivity • Third- ensure efficiency, effectiveness and accountability at all levels • Fourth- invest new (NextGen and Bioscience CT) and reallocated funds (university wide and within schools and colleges) in selected disciplinary and interdisciplinary strategic academic areas with high potential for international distinction

  6. Areas Strategic Academic Emphasis • Advanced Materials and Manufacturing • Artists, Scholars and Public Discourse • Brain, Mind and Cognition • Genetics, Genomics and Personalized Medicine • Health and Wellness • Human Diversity, Disparity and Rights • Sustainability and Resilience: Environment & Energy • With emerging potential in Complex Systems and Big Data and Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

  7. Selected Actions for Goal 1 • Establish/align current innovative institutes with strategic areas • Recruit National Academy faculty in strategic areas and continue cluster hires in those areas • Build and expand core facilities with shared equipment to support strategic areas • Examine and reform grant writing support, purchasing and compliance polices and procedures to align with the nation’s leading research institutions • Promote faculty interactions across campuses • Review and change when necessary faculty workload policy, PTR and Merit policies to support growth

  8. Goal 2- Excellence in UG Education • Enhance learning through the richness of university experience in the classroom and beyond • Continue the great success we have experienced over the years • Grow and improve to continue the positive trends in diversity, accessibility, retention, academic quality of students • Rich and engaging undergraduate experience

  9. Selective Actions for Goal 2 • Increase number of students (STEM and non STEM students) while not compromising academic quality • Increase number of smaller classes and classes taught by full time faculty • New courses, concentrations, minors and majors in key areas identified in Goal 1 • Increase number of Living and Learning Communities • Build more on campus housing • Enhance use of new learning technologies • Increase opportunities for study aboard

  10. Goal 3-Excellence in Graduate Education • Graduate Education is the lifeblood of great research universities • Same aggressive strategies we used to grow our undergraduate programs need to be applied to enhance our graduate programs • We must trim outdated and marginal programs, build upon strong ones and create new and innovate programs that align with our strategic areas • Ensure graduate faculty meet standards of those at the top research universities

  11. Selective Actions for Goal 3 • Actively recruit top talent from around the globe with coordinated and strategic planning at the university and school/college level • Diligently pursue funding to make multiple year financial support for the top talent competitive with the top research universities • Develop new and innovate interdisciplinary programs and remove barriers that impede growth • Enhance the support systems that enhance graduate student academic life

  12. Goal 4-Excellence in Teaching Effectiveness • Reward creativity, risk-taking and collaboration in teaching and learning • Reward faculty who excel in classrooms • Continue to grow programs that support the improvement of teaching • Continue to support the growth of innovative teaching practices using emerging learning technologies

  13. Selective Actions for Goal 4 • Emphasize teaching in PTR decisions • Establish innovation funds for curriculum development • Strengthen opportunities at our Institute for Teaching and Learning for helping new and experienced teachers grow and improve • Make better use of student evaluations to improve instruction

  14. Goal 5- Excellence in Public Engagement • Continue our success in promoting outreach programs and translational scholarship that serve the public and society • Help Connecticut, nation and world community solve their most difficult problems

  15. Selective Action items for Goal 5 • Further enhance service learning courses • Promote opportunities for more engaged student learning opportunities • Study and publicize the impact that our service efforts have in for the State of Connecticut • Support university-community based partnerships and better articulate how to work collaboratively • Explore the establishment of a Global Education Institute focusing on study abroad and an interdisciplinary Global Studies degree option

  16. Academic Plan Summary Highlights • Build upon our proud history and be bold to try new ventures • Recruit and support talented staff, faculty, UG and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows • Establish (support) institutes to foster collaborations across disciplines for innovative research and teaching • Develop new curriculum opportunities at UG and graduate levels • Develop an accountability plan for all levels of the university • Build/renovate teaching and research facilities aligned with strategic initiatives • Be engaged in solving our societies most challenging problems • Grow outside funding to meet the visionary ideas in the plan

  17. AP Implementation • April 2014 – Academic Plan is adopted by BOT. • May 2014 – Colleges and Schools to align individual academic plans that are aligned with university plan. • September 2014 – Call for proposals for institutes/colleges to submit proposals for research and educational for areas of emphasis. • November 2014 – Review of the proposals with VPs, deans and faculty as well as external reviews • December 2014 – Selection of proposals for support with research funds, faculty/staff lines, GA support, etc. • September 2014 – May 2015 – Responsible committees conduct a review of PTR, Merit, Workload, Accountability Requirements as identified in the plan.

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