President Earl H. Potter, III |
Reaching Higher: Transforming our students and our community
Two years ago, “Reaching Higher” was first introduced as the theme for St. Cloud State University’s HLC self-study process to signify our University’s commitment to ongoing improvement. The accreditation process provided an opportunity to reflect on past accomplishments but also challenged our campus community to think critically about the future of our university.
Accreditation was just the beginning of our process
of reaching higher. Our self-study and strategic planning committees
identified critical areas that we must focus on if we are to become a
truly great university committed to transforming our students and our community.
These critical areas can be combined into four strategic priorities that
are critical to our success.
They are:
Enhancing Excellence: Provide a challenging, rich, global, and diverse curriculum and learning environment informed by active research and scholarship.
Expanding Opportunity: Improve access, satisfaction, and success of all our students, especially those who are underrepresented or traditionally underserved by higher education.
Enriching Community: Engage in partnerships that contribute to the well being and stability of the University and the Central Minnesota community.
Elevating Practice: Innovate and continuously improve to provide our students the best possible education and to meet the future opportunities and challenges.
Over the next two years, St. Cloud State University will complete a comprehensive action planning effort designed to seek out the wealth of special expertise and knowledge that exists in our university and tap our external stakeholders to help us see beyond the borders of our institution and get a clear understanding of how we can build a stronger SCSU and surrounding community.
The result of our effort will be an integrated set of planning documents that contain tangible initiatives for achieving our strategic priorities and measurable outcomes that will help us monitor our progress along the way. Six interrelated planning activities will be completed by spring 2009. They include:
- Academic Action Plan (07-08)
- Facilities Master Plan (07-09)
- Diversity Plan (07-08)
- Neighborhood Plan (07-09)
- Technology Plan (08)
- Comprehensive Fundraising Campaign Plan (08-09)
We will begin with the development of our Academic Action Plan, which will serve as cornerstone upon which the remaining plans will be constructed. The Academic Action Planning process will be completed by May 2008. Work also will begin on the Facilities Master Plan, Diversity Plan, and Neighborhood Plan this year, with the goal of completion of 2009. The final planning effort will be the development of a comprehensive fundraising campaign that will result in the acquisition of private resources necessary to implement our plans and realize our vision.
I am encouraged by the spirit of collaboration that I have experienced as I’ve talked about the future of our University in my meetings with departments and campus groups. We’ve created the Action Planning web site to expand the dialogue and provide real opportunities for input as the plans progress. On this site you will find up-to-date information about our different action planning activities as they unfold. I encourage you to visit the site frequently and to become involved in the process.
I am privileged to be the President of SCSU at such a critical time in its history. Through the action planning work that will occur over the next two years and the implementation of those plans that will begin next year, we will lay the groundwork and make tangible steps toward achieving our vision. Together, we can reach higher and make St. Cloud State University a truly great university committed to transforming our students and our community.
Earl H. Potter, III
President
