To:Congress

From:Congress Executive Committee (CEC)

Date:March 10, 2006

Re:Priority Objectives of the Strategic Plan 2002-2010

Background

A strategic plan ought to govern the budgetary and planning decisions of the institution, defining priorities and setting targets for achievement. However, the UH Hilo Strategic Plan 2002-2010, mandated by the UH system and developed by representatives of the UH Hilo community during a year of intense labor, has not been effectively revisited since its approval by the Board of Regents, nor have concerted attempts been made to implement its objectives.

We are convinced that the faculty of the university must take the initiative for moving forward with using the Strategic Plan as a vehicle for making UH Hilo the premier institution of higher learning we envision. Moreover, this progress will strengthen our position during the next WASC review.

We have reviewed the plan—its goals, objectives, strategies, and performance indicators. We find the goals and objectives unobjectionable, somewhat idealistic, and so broad as to require definition and redefinition, but also so broad as to allow for continuous and often unexpected changes in the institution and its context.

Recommendations

We have concluded that Congress should identify a small number of priority objectives, publicize them, and work together with faculty, students, staff, and administration to achieve them. This effort should not be construed as a replacement for periodic review of the Strategic Plan to determine if it adequately communicates our evolving vision of our institution. Nor should this effort preclude systematic assessment of whether our institution is meeting its stated goals and objectives. It is the view of the CEC that responsibility for conducting systematic assessment (based on quantifiable or documentable measures) is the responsibility of the administration. We feel that it is the responsibility of the faculty to identify what we feel are academic priorities for the institution. Further, in view of the extremely broad nature of the Strategic Plan, identification of a few key objectives will facilitate assessment.

The 2002-2010 Strategic Plan, which was developed by UH-Hilo and approved by the Board of Regents, is built on six broad goals. Each goal is broken into a number of more specific objectives. From the many existing objectives, the CEC recommends that the following seven objectives be given priority. Our selection is based on: 1) importance to our core mission, 2) urgency of need, 3) prospects for significant improvement, and 4) ability to document improvements.

Objective #1

Ensure that the general education curriculum prescribed for students offers them the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills expected of an educated person.

Rationale for selection: General Education is foundational to the academic mission of UHH.Meeting this objective requires a structure for fostering dialog and commitment for implementation and assessment.

Objective #2

Continue to raise the level of academic challenge in courses and programs, in order to improve the quality of the educational experience and the value of our graduates to graduate programs, their professions, and communities.

Rationale for selection:Data suggest that UH-Hilo students have fewer challenging assignments than their peers at other universities. Increasing the level of academic challenge can only improve our reputation. The quality of our programs can be enhanced if there are incentives that encourage faculty to raise the bar. Moreover, there is currently no UHH policy or initiative regarding periodic review of courses and programs in order to determine their relevance to our educational objectives and whether their rigor is sufficient to prepare our students for their post-graduate careers. While program reviews may reveal inadequacies, a frequent, standardized effort is needed.

Objective #3

Develop a “culture of effectiveness” by making assessment of program quality part of the regular functioning of the university and using the results of assessment to improve our programs.

Rationale for selection: Academic departments can ensure continuous improvement in curriculum and pedagogy by systematically reviewing how well students are meeting learning objectives in both GE and major courses and by adjusting delivery accordingly; administration is responsible for supporting these efforts.

Objective #4

Improve crucial services for all students, especially those that affect student learning and the successful transition to life after college.

Rationale for selection:Student learning and retention are at the core of our mission. There is room for improvement in the services we offer, and it is realistic to expect that we can make measurable progress. This objective is broad enough to encompass many of the other objectives in the Strategic Plan.

Objective #5

Address deficiencies in our level of support staff and resources for service units.

Rationale for selection:It is becoming increasingly apparent that we are severely under-staffed (and/or under-funded) in terms of maintenance, computing support, student records, fiscal services, clerical support, and so forth. These services are central to our ability to deliver quality education.

Objective #6

Provide services to the people of the island and state that are natural products of our educational and research programs.

Rationale for selection: We would like to have the local community view UH-Hilo as a valuable asset. Too many of our faculty are not actively engaged in using their expertise and experience to address the wide range of problems affecting our community. Rather than there being a flourishing town-gown relationship, UHH is more like an island in the middle of a stream. Efforts must be made to change this.

Objective #7

Within the principles of shared governance, develop transparent and consultative planning and budgeting processes, with clear and consistent linkages between the two.

Rationale for selection:The combined expertise of the entire university community is needed to achieve our potential. Planning is pointless unless it informs budgeting and is constrained by fiscal realities.

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