Charting the Course: The Strategic Direction For Boise State University

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Charting the CourseThe Strategic Direction For
Boise State University

• May 2, 2005

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Goals for todays forum

• Explain our strategic process
• Let you know what hundreds of you told us
• Outline next steps
• Respond to questions received

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What we now say about ourselves

• Boise State is a metropolitan university
  reflecting the character of Idaho's capital city
  - a center of business, government, finance, and
  technology - and serving the academic needs of
  the state through graduate and undergraduate
  programs, research and public service.

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Charting our Future is about

• Continuing Boise States trajectory to become a
  leader in higher education
• Focusing on our vision of what it means to become
  a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction
• Defining the role of metropolitan universities in
  this century
• Creating a plan for action
• Establishing benchmarks to measure our progress

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Why?

• Organizations are most effective when they have a
  well articulated and ambitious vision for the
  future
• Vision without action is merely a dream. Action
  without vision just passes the time. Vision with
  action can change the world. Barker
• We want to make sure that we take charge of our
  future and the direction we wish to move as a
  university

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Assumptions

• As a university, our primary mission is the
  pursuit of knowledge
• Students have been and always will be our focus
• Our plan will be strategic
• Through planning we will be better positioned to
  make appropriate decisions

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What is the planning process?

• Our institutional role and mission

Need to understand the gap between them
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We started with the question
What does a Metropolitan Research University of
Distinction look like?
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How we solicited your help

• Invitation for all of you to participate in one
  of 30 focus groups
• Web input
• Close to 600 of you did so in either focus groups
  or via the web
• http//www2.boisestate.edu/vpaa/strategicdirection
  /

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What you said
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Metropolitan was defined by these prevalent
themes
A Curriculum that is
Link theory to practice
Informed by meaningful assessment
Progressive, forward thinking, relevant
Flexible programs
Student focused
Wide variety of majors
Mix of doctoral, masters and undergraduate
programs
High Academic Quality
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A Culture that is
Sophisticated
Vibrant
International/global
Addresses issues relevant to the city
Where the university is the center for
metropolitan events for sports, arts, and
business
Active
Defined by and help defines the metropolitan
area
Innovative
The center of things
Partnerships with the community are embraced
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Policy/Politics that are
Closely tied with city/regional and state
government
Influential
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An Integration of Teaching and Scholarship that
Finds a balance between teaching and research
Links Theory and Practice
Involves students
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• That is Diverse due to its

International dimensions
Inclusiveness
Meeting the needs of many
Promotion of cultural awareness
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• External Relationships/Partnerships through

Recognition as a community resource
Working with business, education, government
Reciprocal and mutually beneficial collaborations
Having employers look to the University for ideas
Being responsive to business/community needs
Internships and service learning opportunities
for students
Shared resources
Business support
Community based research
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• Is Accessible through

Serving a broad geographic area
On and off-campus facilities shared with the
community
Offering convenient transportation options
Service beyond normal business hours
Technology
Having a range of classes/programs in evenings
and weekends
Physically accessible
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• Has Students who are

Non-traditional
Ready for opportunity
Life-long learners
Diverse
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• Creates an Impact Locally by

Serving as an economic engine
Being central to supporting the community
Providing a range of post secondary educational
opportunities
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Research was defined by these prevalent themes
A Graduate Program array that has
Certificate programs

• Wide array of Doctoral programs

Professional Schools
Post-Doctoral opportunities
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• High academic standards that put an emphasis on

Integrating scholarship at all levels of the
curriculum
Quality students
Learning
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• National Recognition evidenced by

Visibility
Attracting high quality students
Top student placement
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• Forward thinking

Shaping the future
Experimental
Meeting challenging needs
Breaking new ground
Fostering innovation
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• Has a Distinguished Faculty who are

Experts in their field
Leaders in education
Highly skilled
Engaged in scholarship throughout every discipline
Visibility through publication
Foster creativity and curiosity
Properly credentialed
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• Integrates teaching and scholarship by having

Undergraduate research opportunities
Flexible faculty workloads
Teaching informing scholarship and scholarship
informing teaching
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• Research Infrastructure with

Advanced technologies
Facilities that support research
Time for creativity creativity
Personnel to support research activity
Graduate student support
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• Funding sources that include

Contracts
Endowed professorships
Grant funds
Gifts
State dollars for research
Federal appropriations
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• Collaborations with

Other departments and colleges within the
university
Other universities
Industry/business/government/non-profits
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Distinction was defined by these prevalent themes

Having an Impact
Regionally
Locally
Meeting community expectations
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• Reputation by

Being know as a destination campus
Exceeding benchmarks
Academic excellence
Faculty, staff, student, alumni and community
pride
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• Adhering to Values

Emphasizes student needs
Promotes success
Guiding principles
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• Quality

Noticed
Quality students
Quality faculty/staff
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• Being Unique

Niches
Different
Distinct offerings
Specialized
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Next steps

• Constitute the Strategic Directions Planning Team
• Conduct a gap analysis
• Develop and present strategies and goals to
  realize actions
• Continue to seek campus input
• Create clear and measurable KPIs to monitor our
  progress

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• As organizations change the process should be an
  organic, cumulative transformationnot a
  revolution
• Jim Collins

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How can we maintain a focus on excellent teaching
if we emphasize research?
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Where will the resources come from to implement
this vision?
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How does becoming a Metropolitan Research
University of Distinction coincide with creating
a Boise State University Community College?
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Where did the idea for BSU to be a Metropolitan
Research University of Distinction" come from?
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How can you be a metropolitan university in
Boise, Idaho?
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This label is just fluff, how will the words and
vision make the school better?
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Why do we want to change Boise State?
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Will you include ideas from the outside community
in creating this vision?
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Are we trying to be something we are not?
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Is this just a fad? How long will this vision
last?
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