Charting the Course:The Strategic Direction For Boise

State University

May 2, 2005

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Goals for today’s 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 State’s 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

Mis

sion

Our vision

Our current situation

Need to understand the gap between them

Goals, strategies and actions

Strategic targets

KPIs

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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/

What you said

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Informed by meaningful assessment

Metropolitan was defined by these prevalent themes

A Curriculum that is:

Progressive, forward thinking, relevant

Student focu

sed Wide variety of majorsMix of doctoral, masters and

undergraduate programs

Flexible programs

Link theory to practice

High Academic Quality

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A Culture that is:

Defined by and help defines

the metropolitan area

Where the university is the center

for metropolitan events for sports, arts, and business

Partnerships with the community are embraced

Addresses issues relevant to the city

The center of things

International/global

Active

Inno

vativ

e

Sophisticated

Vibrant

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Policy/Politics that are:

Influential

Closely tied with city/regional

and state government

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An Integration of Teaching and Scholarship that:

Finds a “balance between

teaching and research

Involves students

Links Theory and Practice

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That is Diverse due to its:

Inclusiveness

Promotion of cultural awareness

International dimensions

Meeting the needs of many

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External Relationships/Partnerships through:

Business support

Recognition as a

community resource

Internships and service learning opportunities for

studentsCommunity based research

Being responsive to

business/community needs

Having employers look to the

University for ideas

Shared resources

Working with business, education,

governmentReciprocal and mutually beneficial collaborations

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Is Accessible through:

On and off-campus facilities

shared with the community

Serving a broad geographic area

Technology

Physically accessible

Offering convenient transportation options

Having a range of classes/programs in

evenings and weekends

Service beyond “normal business

hours”

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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:

Being central to supporting the

communityProviding a range of post

secondary educational

opportunities

Serving as an economic engine

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Research was defined by these prevalent themes

A Graduate Program array that has:

Wide array of Doctoral

programs

Post-Doctoral opportunities

Certificate programs

Professional Schools

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High academic standards that put an emphasis on:

Quality students

Integrating scholarship at all

levels of the curriculum

Learning

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National Recognition evidenced by:

VisibilityAttracting high quality

students

Top student p

lacement

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Forward thinking:

Shaping the future

Fostering innovation

Breaking new ground

Meeting challenging needsExperimental

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Has a Distinguished Faculty who are:

Leaders in education

Foster creativity

and curiosity

Visibility through publication

Engaged in scholarship

throughout every discipline

Highly sk

illed

Properly credentialed

Experts in their field

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Integrates teaching and scholarship by having:

Flexible faculty workloads

Undergraduate research

opportunities

Teaching informing scholarship and

scholarship informing teaching

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Research Infrastructure with:

Facilities that support research

Advanced technologies

Graduate student support

Personnel to support research activity

Time for creativity

creativity

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Funding sources that include:

Grant funds

State dollars for research

Federal appropriations

Gifts

Contracts

Endowed professorships

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Collaborations with:

Other departments and colleges within the university

Industry/business/

government/non-profits

Other universities

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Distinction was defined by these prevalent themes

Having an Impact:

Regionally

Meeting community expectations

Locally

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Reputation by:

Academic excellence

Being know as a destination campus

Exceeding benchmarks

Faculty, staff, student, alumni and community pride

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Adhering to Values:

Emphasizes student needs

Promotes successGuiding principles

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Quality:

Noticed

Quality studentsQuality faculty/staff

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Being Unique:

Specialized

Different Niches

Distinct offerings

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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 transformation—not a revolution”

Jim Collins

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How can we maintain a focus on excellent

teaching if we emphasize research?

Where will the resources come from to implement this vision?

How does becoming a Metropolitan Research

University of Distinction coincide with creating a Boise State

University Community College?

Where did the idea for BSU to be a “Metropolitan Research

University of Distinction" come from?

How can you be a metropolitan university in Boise, Idaho?

This label is just fluff, how will the words and vision make the

school better?

Why do we want to change Boise State?

Will you include ideas from the outside community in creating

this vision?

Are we trying to be something we are not?

Is this just a fad? How long will this vision last?

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