Developing and Understanding Institutional Identity and Mission

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Developing and Understanding Institutional
Identity and Mission

• Steven K. Pontius
• Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
•  
• Kevin Snider
• Executive Assistant to the President for
  Strategic Planning, Institutional Research and
  Effectiveness
• Karen Schmid
• Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

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ISUs June 2000

• Access University
• 120 Programs Certificate through Ph.D.
• Enrollment 11,000
• Mission Statement

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Development of a Distinctive Identity External
Factors

• Enrollment threatened by
• Aggressive marketing by other colleges and
  universities in traditional areas

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As we looked outside we found

• Market research demonstrated that prospective
  students and parents have only a vague sense of
  ISU
• High school counselors and teachers also know
  little specific about ISU

ISU
5
Enrollment problem was given urgency by

• Growth of community college system in Indiana
• Growth and increased prominence of regional
  campuses

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Unsettled Ground What is ISUs Role?

• Legislators viewed ISU as filling state access
  role
• State plan called for reliance on research for
  economic development

• Research Intensive
• Doctoral Intensive also important
• Graduates remain instate
• Apply research to state problems
• Other?

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Presidents Perspective

• Put us on Student/Public Radar Screen
• Increase Market Share through Niche Development
• Distinguish Learning Experience for Enrollment
• Define State Role and Value to Legislators

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Internal Factors Necessitating Identity
Development

• Provosts Perspective
• Accountability
• Faculty and staff hiring
• Budgeting
• Balancing priorities

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Why development of a distinctive identity is a
priority

• Institutional confidence
• As a doctoral research-intensive university, are
  we a Research One wanna be?
• If so, we will always be second best

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ISUs process for developing our distinctive
identity

• Planners Perspective
• Niche identification
• How institutional identity and mission are
  developed and understood
• Implementation issues

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Planning Horizon
Vision
Long Range Horizon
Year 6
(Conceptualized)
Strategic
Year 2 - 5
Strategic Horizon
Strategic
Proposed
Year 1
Tactical Implementation
Tactical
Mission Planning Projecting
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Determining the final product

• Campus involvement
• Experiential learning identity

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Marketing Gaining the biggest bang for the buck

• The role of integrated marketing
• Internal marketing
• External marketing

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Intentional identity creation?

• Timeframe
• Organizational and individual benefit

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Doctoral/researchintensive universities

• What is our strength?
• Learning intensive?
• SOTL as particular contribution?

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Lessons learned Obstacles and Challenges

• Do
• Stress continuity, build upon history, uncover
  distinctiveness
• Repeat messages
• Make clear connections between various
  initiatives
• State clearly how changes will benefit
  individuals
• Be prepared for anger and denial
• Be patient

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Lessons learned Obstacles and Challenges

• Dont
• Assume that faculty and staff will take an
  institutional perspective
• Assume that anything is obvious
• Be surprised by great variation in perceptions
  and desires about the Universitys mission and
  future

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Implications for other universities

• Determine if a distinctive identity is worth the
  effort. Consider competition for attention on
  campus.
• Decide whether to use incremental change or a
  campaign.