ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island

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ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
ACADEMIC
STRATEGIC PLAN
   2016–2021

                  INNOVATION
                     with IMPACT:
               Shaping the Future of URI
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
Table of Contents
 2   A Message from President David M. Dooley
 3   President’s Transformational Goals for the 21st Century
 4   A Message from Provost Donald H. DeHayes
 5   Provost’s Acknowledgments
 6   About the Academic Strategic Plan
 7   Academic Vision
 9   Overarching Focus: Innovation with Impact
10   Goals
11   Goal 1 — Enhance Student Success
14   Goal 2 — Expand Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work
16   Goal 3 — Grow a Global Presence
18   Goal 4 — Embrace Diversity and Social Justice
19   Goal 5 — Streamline Processes to Improve Effectiveness
22   Goal 6 — Implement a Bold Advancement Agenda
24   Appendix – Glossary of Key Terms
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
A Message from President                                                                       President’s Transformational Goals
               David M. Dooley                                                                                for the 21st Century
                                        Dear Colleagues and Friends:                                          Creating a 21st Century 24/7 Learning Environment. To prepare our students to excel and
                                                                                                              lead, URI must take full and systemic advantage of the most advanced educational tools and
                                        The University’s Academic Plan is central to shaping our
                                                                                                              practices. We must provide expanded opportunities for experiential learning (research, creative
                                        priorities and defining our path for the future. Many areas of        work, and scholarship), as well as opportunities to learn and work across disciplines and fields
                                        significant, quantifiable progress have been made as a result         of knowledge. It is essential to provide “hands-on” learning. Through the use of technology,
                                        of the implementation of the 2010–2015 Academic Plan. This            improved advising, and innovative curricula, URI must do its part to reduce barriers to
                                        progress demonstrates the focus and dedication of URI faculty,        graduation and enable more of our students to complete their degrees in four years.
                                        administrators, staff, and students to achieve academic excellence.
                                                                                                              Increasing the Magnitude, Prominence, and Impact of URI’s Research, Scholarship, and
               The goals of this academic plan continue to build on URI’s momentum in certain areas           Creative Work. URI must place additional emphasis on research, scholarship, and creative
               but also incorporate new goals to achieve even greater success. The goals are:                 work. To do so will help preserve and enhance the nation’s global competitiveness; help create
               enhancing student success; expanding research, scholarship, and creative work;                 a Rhode Island economy that is vibrant, competitive, and sustainable; and enrich our culture
               growing a global presence; embracing diversity and social justice; streamlining                and society. Increasing the research, scholarship, and creative work undertaken by our faculty
               processes to improve effectiveness; and implementing a bold advancement agenda.                and research staff will provide more opportunities for students to be engaged in these activities,
               These goals strongly resonate with my vision for the University’s future, outlined on          thereby providing a stronger education.
               the following page.                                                                            Internationalizing and Globalizing the University of Rhode Island. It is simply essential
                                                                                                              for our students’ success that they are prepared to live and work in an increasingly globalized
               This is an opportunity for all of us to think creatively and energetically about how we
                                                                                                              economy and society. URI must substantially increase the number of our students who study
               can work together to achieve these goals and transform our university and our state.
                                                                                                              abroad and the number of international students who study at URI. We must expand the
               Warm regards,                                                                                  number and scope of our international research and education partnerships. We must increase
                                                                                                              the number of our graduates with competency and fluency in languages other than English,
                                                                                                              and their knowledge of the cultures, politics, and history of other peoples and nations.

                                                                                                              Building a Community at the University of Rhode Island that Values Equity and Diversity.
               David M. Dooley                                                                                In order for our students to thrive in an increasingly diverse and complex context, URI must assist
               President                                                                                      them in developing their abilities to communicate, understand, and work with people who are
                                                                                                              very different from themselves. Building a community at URI in which every member is wel-
                                                                                                              comed, supported, and valued is an essential foundation to education and learning, and therefore
                                                                                                              is central to our identity and mission. The University of Rhode Island must strive to prepare our
                                                                                                              students not just to participate, but to lead, and effective leadership in the 21st century requires
                                                                                                              the skills to build productive partnerships in contexts and institutions that are increasingly diverse.

                                                                                                              As we meet these goals, URI will continue to be a leader in preparing its students for success,
                                                                                                              and URI—through the work of its faculty and students—will have a major impact on economic
                                                                                                              renewal in our state and region, and in maintaining our quality of life.

                                                                                                              To learn more about the implementation progress related to these goals, please visit:
                                                                                                              uri.edu/president/Transformational_Goals_ProgressFall2014.pdf

2   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                           UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   3
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
A Message from Provost
               Donald H. DeHayes                                                                        Provost’s Acknowledgments
                                        Dear Colleagues and Friends:                                    The Joint Committee on Academic Planning (JCAP) provided leadership for, and
                                                                                                        steered the development of, this Academic Strategic Plan. JCAP diligently reviewed
                                       The landscape of higher education is changing rapidly
                                                                                                        important trends impacting higher education and organized the Seventh Annual
                                       and dramatically. Disruptive technologies, rising student
                                                                                                        Academic Summit—with 225 attendees and an especially engaging Student
                                       debt, access and affordability, a renewed focus on student
                                                                                                        Summit—to generate and shape ideas. From these summits, an array of goals
                                       success and degree completion, globalization, and the
                                                                                                        and strategies emerged that represent the core of this new plan. Ten task forces,
                                       evolving demography of our nation present challenges for
                                                                                                        including 150 faculty members, students, and staff, refined the goals and strategies
                                       every higher education institution in our nation. However, for
                                                                                                        and developed a series of recommended actions. The draft plan was shared with
               those institutions committed to thoughtful strategies and innovation, these chal-
                                                                                                        the community and with the Faculty Senate, then opened for public feedback. The
               lenges will be opportunities for advancement and success. URI must be one such
                                                                                                        focused and strategic efforts of JCAP members and their attention to gathering,
               institution. Our future depends on our comprehensive commitment to thoughtfully
                                                                                                        listening to, and incorporating the ideas of faculty, students, and others, with
               and selectively embracing innovations with impact to shape a vibrant institutional
                                                                                                        patience and persistence, reflects academic shared governance at its best—
               future. We must define and invest in new modalities of student learning and edu-
                                                                                                        shared responsibility for the health and vitality of the institution.
               cational technology, partnerships that support and enhance impactful scholarship,
               streamlined procedures and processes to allow agility, and advancement strate-           Gratitude is extended to President David Dooley, the vice presidents and senior
               gies that enhance our resource base and reputation. In so doing, we will become          leadership, the deans, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, and the URI
               the first-choice institution for a dedicated and diverse community of students,          Foundation for their thoughtful feedback. Hundreds of URI community members
               staff, and faculty, and ensure a system of shared governance that will enable and        provided suggestions, comments, and ideas for the plan. This collaborative
               empower URI in the future.                                                               process created the University’s 2016–2021 Academic Strategic Plan, which
                                                                                                        ensures that URI will remain focused on the initiatives that will serve our students,
               The 2016–2021 Academic Strategic Plan, Innovation with Impact: Shaping the
                                                                                                        our state, and our world.
               Future of URI, responds to these challenges and opportunities with a clear set
               of goals, strategies, and actions developed and embraced by our community.
               The plan is dynamic and ambitious—it will stretch us forward and raise the bar
               on our expectations of ourselves. As a “living” plan, we expect these strategies
               and actions to evolve, even as they define and guide our strategic direction,
               shape our future, and also serve as a framework for investment and resource
               allocation. Hopefully, the bold ideas articulated here will inspire us to be
               innovative and impactful, moving us in important and exciting new directions.

               Donald H. DeHayes
               Provost and Vice President
               for Academic Affairs

4   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                              UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   5
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
About the Academic Strategic Plan                                                        Academic Vision
               This plan provides strategic direction, a set of broadly defined goals critical to the   The University of Rhode Island will be the institution of first choice for students and
               evolution of our university. It is not a prescriptive plan, but rather a dynamic one     faculty with a passion for inquiry. Our emphasis on innovation and interdisciplinary
               open to modification as we proceed, progress, and observe changes in the world.          learning and discovery connects us with the world and is built upon a contemporary
               The ideas in this plan are meant to guide our work, focus our priorities, and inspire    foundation of liberal learning and scholarship that celebrates diversity and complexity,
               us to move forward in exciting new directions.                                           and instills empowerment and social responsibility. Our emphases and expertise
                                                                                                        in the broadly defined realms of health, environment, and science and technology
                                                                                                        translate into learning and discovery that matters deeply in the world. We contribute
                                                                                                        directly to global prosperity through collaborative innovation and productive
                                                                                                        partnerships.

                                                                                                        In our academic vision, we establish the goal of creating a learning environment
                                                                                                        steeped in innovation and characterized by discovery, collaboration, inquiry, and
                                                                                                        engagement. We take pride in demonstrating these values for our students and
                                                                                                        their families in their academic and co-curricular experiences. We shall become
                                                                                                        more self-sufficient and entrepreneurial so that we can better meet the opportunities
                                                                                                        before us. We must lead the way in new integrative approaches to teaching,
                                                                                                        scholarship, and outreach by developing meaningful partnerships and embracing
                                                                                                        innovation.

                                                                                                        OUR VALUES: uri.edu/cornerstones

                                                                                                        OUR MISSION: uri.edu/mission

6   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                             UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   7
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
OVERARCHING FOCUS:
       INNOVATION WITH IMPACT
The University of Rhode Island aspires to nothing less
  than strategic excellence in all areas of academic
  pursuit and institutional investment. Therefore, all
   institutional efforts and initiatives outlined in this
    Academic Strategic Plan will emphasize and
     focus on innovation in the following areas:

                              d
      Engaging and innovative pedagogies, research,
      and academic programs that foster learning and
    success in matters of critical importance in the world
                              d
         Exciting and relevant collaborations deeply
        rooted in innovation that push the frontiers of
          learning, discovery, and problem solving
                              d
        New applications of technology that promote
             innovation, engagement, efficiency
                      and effectiveness
                              d
         A community that reflects innovation and a
             commitment to strategic institutional
                  advancement in all areas
                              d
    Innovative models and processes that promote agility
           and responsiveness across all divisions
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
GOAL   Enhance Student Success
                                                                                                           01    Transform undergraduate and graduate student learning and academic
       GOALS                                                                                                     support with a firm commitment to student success and the development
                                                                                                                 of knowledgeable, skilled, and engaged graduates prepared for an
                                                                                                                 ever-changing world.
                                                                        GOAL            Enhance Student
                                                                         01             Success
                                                                                        PG. 11
                                                                                                                  Strategy 1                                          Strategy 2
                                                                                                                  Expand pedagogical approaches focused               Significantly expand opportunities for
                                                                                                                  on engaging students in learning across             experiential learning within all majors, and
                                          GOAL          Expand Research, Scholarship,                             the curriculum                                      restructure academic and career advising
                                           02           and Creative Work                                         ACTIONS                                             to better support students in meeting their
                                                        PG. 14                                                    1.	Promote use of engaging pedagogical
                                                                                                                                                                      life goals
                                                                                                                      approaches (e.g., flipped classrooms,           ACTIONS
                                                                                                                      team-based/problem-based learning,              1.	Move toward a model of professional
                                                                                                                      less hierarchical/more facilitative pedagogy,       advising, especially in early years of the
                                                                                                                      study groups, action research, students             student experience and systematically
                                                                                                                      teaching students)                                  assess the effectiveness of advising at
                                                                        GOAL            Grow a Global
                                                                                                                  2.	Implement widespread data analytics and             all levels
                                                                         03             Presence                      self-paced learning options in courses          2.	Emphasize internships and experiential
                                                                                        PG. 16                                                                            learning opportunities through
                                                                                                                  3.	Promote increased faculty-student
                     GOAL                Embrace Diversity                                                            and student-student interaction (e.g.,              knowledgeable advisors and a strong
                                                                                                                      instructor-student feedback cycle, peer             collaboration between the Center for
                      04                 and Social Justice                                                           assessment/review, early alerts)                    Career and Experiential Education (CCEE)
                                         PG. 18                                                                                                                           and advisors in all areas
                                                                                                                  4.	Expand the scope and strategy of the Honors
                                                                                                                      Program to ensure student engagement and        3.	Expand efforts to make graduate students
                                                                                                                      to enhance recruitment and retention of             and their advisers aware of and prepared for
                                                                                                                      high-achieving students; seek external              both academic and non-academic careers
                                                                                                                      investment to ensure the Program’s              4.	Cultivate, value, and track experiential/
                                                          GOAL        Streamline Processes to                         continued vitality                                  project-based learning early in the student’s
                                                           05         Improve Effectiveness                       5.	Explore options that allow students to design       college career in every undergraduate major
                                                                                                                      or customize their own majors                       and in all graduate degree programs
                                                                      PG. 19
                                                                                                                  6.	Coordinate curriculum (align curriculum         5.	Expand advisory boards/groups for all
                                                                                                                      among multi-section courses, upper- and             majors and/or colleges with goal of
                                                                                                                      lower-level courses), integrate civic               promoting internships and mentorships,
                                                                                                                      engagement and experiential learning                where potentially useful
                                                                                                                      projects (e.g., “unclassroom,” integrated       6.	Develop greater coordination between
                                                                                                                      clinical experience), and ensure programs           the CCEE and departments/programs,
                                                                                                                      actively engage students in integration,            including the assessment of graduates
                                                                                                                      synthesis, and application of knowledge             and their success
                                                        Implement a Bold                                          7.	Advance student support through                 7.	Reconceptualize and affirm (collaboratively
                                           GOAL                                                                       information literacy
                                                        Advancement Agenda                                                                                                among faculty and areas) the meaning and
                                            06
                                                                                                                  8.	Expand online course offerings for all              intent of service learning and undergraduate
                                                        PG. 22                                                        students and for targeted populations               student research; and reorganize the under-
                                                                                                                      (adult learners)                                    graduate student research funding program
                                                                                                                                                                          to ensure it is fully available to and meets the
                                                                                                                                                                          needs of engaged students

10   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                 UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND            11
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
GOAL                   Enhance Student Success (continued)
             01                     8.	Develop more interdisciplinary                  8.	Support appropriate assessment strategies      Strategy 5                                   Strategy 6
                                        learning opportunities for all students,            to measure learning outcomes for both
                                                                                                                                           Reframe and redefine liberal                 Focus on access and affordability            8.	Develop specific strategies to
                                        including those in professional master’s            undergraduate and graduate programs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         improve retention of graduate
                                        degree programs                                     and ensure the Academic Program Review         education at URI in the context              and improve credit and degree
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         students and ensure timely
                                                                                            Committee’s criteria is aligned with the       of the 21st century                          completion rates for all undergrad-              completion of advanced degrees
                                    Strategy 3                                              Plan’s learning themes                                                                      uate and graduate students, with
                                                                                                                                           ACTIONS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     9.	Support and expand dual enrollment
                                                                                        9.	Strategically expand post-baccalaureate                                                     specific attention in data reporting
                                    Facilitate the implementation of new                                                                   1.	Frame and emphasize the value of                                                          and statewide articulation agreements
                                                                                            online degree programs and certificates                                                     to underrepresented, economically
                                    learning pedagogies and expand modes                                                                       liberal learning as a foundational                                                        to expand access to college
                                                                                                                                               platform for intellectual inquiry and    disadvantaged, international,                    credit-bearing courses
                                    of course delivery and assessment by
                                                                                        Strategy 4                                             development (all majors) with the        out-of-state, and in-state populations       10.	Advance degree completion
                                    leveraging space and time in new ways                                                                      potential to be intellectually
                                                                                        Provide a comprehensive faculty                                                                 ACTIONS                                          efforts, including programs such
                                    ACTIONS                                                                                                    rewarding, personally fulfilling,                                                         as “Finish What You Started” that
                                                                                        development program, align incentives,                 and economically beneficial              1.	Focus and expand efforts to ensure
                                    1.	Strategically plan and allocate space and                                                                                                                                                        target at-risk populations and/or
                                                                                        and explore the opportunity for a faculty/                                                          student success in gateway courses
                                        technology to facilitate interdisciplinary                                                         2.	Engage students with pedagogies of                                                        bring students back to the University
                                                                                        teaching commons and expanded digital                                                               and continually assess those efforts
                                        collaborations and connections among                                                                   problem solving through historical,                                                       to complete degrees
                                        and between faculty, students, and              initiatives within the University Libraries            contemporary, and personal               2.	Successfully implement the new
                                        graduate students                               ACTIONS                                                perspectives, and connect these              general education curriculum com-
                                                                                                                                               habits of mind to lifelong learning          prising new and revitalized courses
                                    2.	Transform the scheduling of classes to          1.	Coordinate extended opportunities for
                                        effectively meet new pedagogical                    faculty development (e.g., utilize faculty     3.	Expand formal programs and               3.	Engage more full-time faculty in
                                        approaches, including service and                   expertise, networking, shared practices,           opportunities for undergraduate              teaching general education courses
                                        experiential learning                               faculty sharing forums, learning commu-            research and increase the integration        and highlight the critical importance
                                                                                            nities, faculty development series, online         of faculty research into courses             of faculty efforts and continuous
                                    3.	Expand interconnectivity between campus-
                                                                                            resources for faculty) in collaboration with                                                    innovation in these courses
                                        es by improving intercampus transportation                                                         4.	Refigure and present the
                                        options, developing an effective adminis-           the Office for the Advancement of Teaching         undergraduate experience as              4.	Target appropriate financial aid to
                                        trative and academic integration among              and Learning (ATL)                                 lifelong learning and introduce its          support economically disadvantaged
                                        Providence, Kingston, and Bay campuses,         2.	Promote initiatives designed to assist             meaning, importance, and pursuit             students and retain out-of-state
                                        and advancing digital integration                   faculty in recognizing different student           starting at matriculation                    students
                                    4.	Facilitate learning through collaborative use       learning styles and developing inclusive       5.	Facilitate curricular and teaching       5.	Assess and identify progress and
                                        of resources, e.g., interprofessional educa-        curricular and assessment strategies               strategies that highlight student            gaps in programs and services that
                                        tion (IPE), area/topic cluster courses          3.	Advance digital initiatives, the Digital           agency, learning outside of formal           are focused on student access, at-risk
                                                                                            Commons, and open access within the                class structures, and curricula that         students, and overall student success,
                                    5.	Consider alternate course delivery systems
                                                                                            University Libraries, and pursue consortium        enhance building connections,                including academic and student
                                        that facilitate engagement, deep learning,
                                                                                            opportunities that would effectively serve         integration and synthesis, and               support services
                                        on-time graduation, and exploration in other
                                        majors (e.g., 4-credit courses, half-semes-         the University                                     broad contextual perspectives            6.	Ensure effective organization/struc-
                                        ter modules, pass/fail option, auditing,        4.	Expand the University Library’s Learning       6.	Explore institutionalizing an                turing of curriculum and academic
                                        J-term offerings, certifications, credit            Commons with a Teaching Commons                    e-portfolio initiative to integrate          policies to promote ease in transfer-
                                        system/seat time); and address the needs            focused on faculty and the advancement             student knowledge and development            ring to URI from other colleges and
                                        of academically challenged students                 of teaching and learning                           and serve as a means of assessment,          within URI between majors; reduce
                                                                                                                                               in addition to the traditional student       redundancy/duplication of work; and
                                    6.	Support the University Libraries plan to        5.	Create feedback structure with ATL so that
                                                                                                                                               transcript                                   eliminate unnecessary prerequisites
                                        accommodate the increasing demand for               faculty who want feedback on their teaching
                                        academic support services                           can receive site visits, consultation, etc.    7.	Encourage and increase collaboration     7.	Continue to refocus URI 101 on
                                                                                                                                               between departments that would               student responsibilities for academic
                                    7.	Implement a variety of teaching methods         6.	Provide faculty with instructions and
                                                                                                                                               lead to innovative interdisciplinary         planning and success, including
                                        and student assessments within the same             resources for applying Student Ratings
                                                                                                                                               master’s and doctoral programs               preparation to achieve professional,
                                        course, where possible, and expand the              of Instruction results toward course                                                            career, and life goals
                                        utilization of technology applications to           modification with the aim of improvement
                                        enhance learning

12   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                       UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND          13
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
GOAL                          Expand Research, Scholarship,
                                                                                                                                                 Strategy 3                                    3.	Create research-based courses to          2.	Encourage the Big Data Collaborative
             02                           and Creative Work                                                                                      Target research initiatives that
                                                                                                                                                                                                   fulfill core major and/or general             to form an Institute for Data Intensive
                                                                                                                                                                                                   education requirements                        Discovery (ID2) to generate synergy
                                          Achieve high-impact, translational, and innovative research,                                           impact economic and workforce                                                                   among Big Data researchers and
                                                                                                                                                                                               4.	Expand research-based, creative,
                                                                                                                                                 development                                       innovative J-term courses/projects
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 to coordinate related education and
                                          scholarship, and creative work that addresses state, regional, and                                                                                                                                     research activities across campuses
                                                                                                                                                 ACTIONS
                                                                                                                                                                                               5.	Engage undergraduate students early
                                          world challenges to improve health, environmental sustainability,                                      1.	Expand and nurture synergistic                in their tenure—especially those who
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             3.	Create undergraduate and graduate
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 courses, certificates, programs, and
                                          economic development, and the human experience.                                                            partnerships and funding with various         are first-generation, low-income, or
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 minors in big data, data science and/
                                                                                                                                                     stakeholders (e.g., corporations,             from underrepresented groups—as
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 or data analytics. Begin with grand
                                                                                                                                                     philanthropic, governmental, and              well as graduate students, in seeking
                                                          centerpiece of scholarship and a            a.	Develop an interactive, visible,                                                                                                       challenge, honors, and general educa-
                                                                                                                                                     community-based organizations)                external funding for research and/or
                                                          distinctive element of URI and the              searchable website that lists                                                                                                          tion courses and develop training and
                                                                                                                                                     at local, state, national, and                creative activities
                                                          State of Rhode Island                           faculty areas of expertise in                                                                                                          educational support for faculty and
                                                                                                                                                     international levels                      6.	Aggressively publicize funding
                                                                                                          research, teaching, and service                                                                                                        student users
                                                       6.	Continue and extend commitment                                                        2.	Build public support and appreciation         opportunities and successfully
                                                           to international collaborations            b.	Explore establishing differenti-                                                                                                   4.	Develop user policies and manage-
                                                                                                                                                     for the University’s research,                funded and completed research
                                                                                                          ated and individualized faculty                                                                                                        ment plans that attract new users and
                                                       7.	Ensure effective research                                                                 scholarship, and creative work
                                                                                                          workloads that better match                                                                                                            encourage new and innovative ways
                                                           infrastructure, e.g., establishment                                                       and its interconnectedness with           Strategy 5
                                                                                                          interests, capabilities, and Uni-                                                                                                      to use computing in the humanities,
                                                           of a vivarium research facility                                                           economic and workforce
                                                                                                          versity needs and reflect faculty                                                    Develop high-performance research                 arts, and education
                                                           and a high-performance                                                                    development and enhancing
          Strategy 1                                       computing center                               members’ changing interests and            quality of life in Rhode Island           computing initiatives to facilitate           5.	Provide incentives and organizational
                                                                                                          abilities over time, e.g., increased                                                 research and advance big data                     structure to foster a community of
                                                       8.	Leverage federally supported small                                                    3.	Emphasize experiential undergraduate
          Broaden resources and support for                                                               teaching activities in exchange                                                                                                        researchers in high-performance
                                                           business funding mechanisms                                                               and graduate learning and research        analyses and applications across
          significant growth in research                                                                  for reduced research activities or                                                                                                     and research computing
                                                           to support faculty research and                                                           through integrative services,             all disciplines
          opportunities with the state, nation,                                                           reduced teaching for increased
                                                           translate research into commercial                                                        programs, and courses                                                                   6.	Develop metrics for areas such as
                                                                                                          research activities with proven                                                      ACTIONS
          and world, and demonstrate value                 applications                                                                          4.	Develop a wide range of 1- or 2-credit
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 usage by faculty and students, funds
                                                                                                          track record
          and recognition for multiple forms                                                                                                                                                   1.	Procure and support computational             invested by deans for faculty start-up
                                                       9.	Ensure that University Libraries                                                          research/professional courses, or
          of scholarship                                                                              c.	Expand opportunities to build                                                            resources for faculty and students            packages, and grant impact—e.g.,
                                                           provides access to current online                                                         topical modules, that have value
                                                                                                          vertical research teams with                                                             and provide a learning and training           number of grant applications
          ACTIONS                                          publications and databases, and to                                                        and appeal across broad disciplines
                                                                                                          interdisciplinary components                                                             environment that includes:                    referencing the HPC Center
          1.	Generate research, scholarship, and          print collections in nearby libraries                                                 5.	Implement innovations in digital
                                                                                                   4.	Attract new graduate students by                                                           a.	Technical support for                  7.	Ensure that graduate students have
              creative work across all academic                                                                                                      technology and communication for
                                                                                                       developing new programs and                                                                    computational, mathematical,               access to statistical expertise for
              disciplines with emphasis in four        Strategy 2                                                                                    researchers who are developing and
                                                                                                       renewing existing programs                                                                     and statistical consulting                 their research
              core strategic and transdisciplinary                                                                                                   preparing grant applications, prepar-
                                                       Foster inquiry-based interdisciplin-        5.	Ensure that University-supported                                                               related to high-performance
              themes: (a) Health, (b) Science and                                                                                                    ing graduate fellowship applications,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      computer (HPC) enabled research
              Technology, (c) Environment, and         ary knowledge and the Scholarship               graduate assistantships (teaching             writing Institutional Review Board
              (d) Liberal Learning and Scholar-        of Teaching and Learning (SoTL),                and research) are: strategically and          (IRB) submissions, or using the              b.	Incentives for the formation of
              ship for the 21st Century                and build greater connections                   equitably allocated to best support           visual arts for enhancing graphics               interdisciplinary research teams
                                                                                                       teaching and research needs and               and illustrations in scientific writing          around HPC to encourage broad
          2.	Selectively recruit senior-level        across disciplines and                          graduate program advancement;                 and presentations                                URI community involvement in
               faculty hires in critical areas where   academic units                                  supportive of interdisciplinary                                                                research
               the University is underrepresented                                                      programs; and reviewed on a
               or needs to accelerate development
                                                       ACTIONS                                                                                   Strategy 4                                       c.	Training and educational support
                                                                                                       regular basis
                                                       1.	Recognize the Scholarship of                                                                                                               for researchers and students
          3.	Enlist senior research faculty to                                                                                                  Involve undergraduate and
                                                           Teaching and Learning (SoTL)            6.	Create permanent structures for
              mentor, advise, and assist early-                                                                                                  graduate students in rich and                    d.	Enable and enhance HPC and
                                                           (e.g., promotions, awards, grants,          graduate teaching assistants to
              career tenure track faculty                                                                                                                                                             research computing support for
                                                           tenure, advancement, citations)             develop and receive feedback on           varied research, creative projects
                                                                                                                                                                                                      teams seeking external research
          4.	Establish clear and open lines of                                                        their teaching                            and other opportunities                              funding
                                                       2.	Improve publicity, marketing, and
              communication about measuring                sharing of faculty and student          7.	Create professional development           ACTIONS
              faculty research productivity;                                                                                                                                                      e.	Provide student and instructor
                                                           research to key stakeholders within         opportunities for graduate students
              appropriately value various disci-                                                                                                 1.	Develop coordinated support services             access to data, HPC and research
                                                           and outside the University across           without teaching assistantships to
              plines and types of scholarship                                                                                                        for undergraduate research and                   computing, and advanced analytical
                                                           multiple media outlets and open             gain experience and knowledge
                                                                                                                                                     explore the potential for creating               tools to improve opportunities for
          5.	Focus on enhancing University                access and digital commons                  about pedagogy
                                                                                                                                                     an office or center to support and               critical problem solving in multiple
              Libraries to support research,           3.	Improve infrastructure to serve                                                           organize these services                          disciplines
              scholarship, and creative work               multidisciplinary faculty research,
              and make Special Collections a                                                                                                     2.	Increase student knowledge of
                                                           scholarship, and creative work                                                            preparing scholarly proposals

14   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND           15
ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN - 2016-2021 INNOVATION - University of Rhode Island
GOAL                   Grow a Global Presence
             03                     Advance the internationalization of the University, develop students                                 Strategy 4                                  3.	Effectively integrate study abroad        2.	Create an interdisciplinary review
                                                                                                                                                                                         into the curriculum by engaging               team to examine and confirm that
                                    as engaged global citizens, and create meaningful international                                      Create institutional policies and               advisors to communicate opportuni-            proposed collaborations are aligned
                                                                                                                                         support mechanisms to provide                   ties to students, offer cross-cultural        with institutional mission, are
                                    strategic partnerships.                                                                              faculty with opportunities to develop           course options during and after study         fiscally viable, and have appropriate
                                                                                                                                         global competence to maximize the               abroad experiences, and provide               academic approvals
                                                                                                                                         impact of student global experiences            effective preparation for global
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   3.	Streamline administrative process
                                   Strategy 1                                        Strategy 3                                                                                          learning by introducing cross-cultural
                                                                                                                                         on learning outcomes                                                                          and legal review of collaborative
                                   Articulate and prioritize internationalization    Create opportunities for the international-                                                         course options delivered prior to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       agreements (e.g., memorandums
                                                                                                                                         ACTIONS                                         study abroad
                                   of institution-wide strategic plans               ization of the curriculum and co-curriculum                                                                                                       of understanding/agreements)
                                   and faculty hires                                 to ensure that all students are exposed             1.	Increase international mobility        4.	Enhance partnership efforts to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   4.	Update collaboration proposal
                                                                                                                                              opportunities for teaching,                recruit and enroll international
                                   ACTIONS                                           to global perspectives and build global                                                                                                           guidelines on URI website and
                                                                                                                                              conducting research, and                   graduate and undergraduate students,
                                                                                     competence                                                                                                                                        communicate these to the deans
                                   1.	Encourage colleges and divisions to                                                                    attending conferences abroad               e.g., Education Service Providers,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and faculty in all degree-granting
                                       incorporate specific global initiatives       ACTIONS                                             2.	Encourage faculty applications              development of URI pathway
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       colleges
                                       into their planning                                                                                   for international scholarship and           program, Associates in Cultural
                                                                                     1.	Partner with the Office of Advancement of                                                                                                 5.	Review partnerships annually for
                                                                                                                                             provide support (e.g., Fulbright)           Exchange (ACE) conditional
                                   2.	Establish global committees and/or task           Teaching and Learning (ATL) and other or-                                                                                                     operational and programmatic
                                                                                                                                                                                         admission
                                       forces within each college and division to        ganizations to provide workshops for faculty                                                                                                  effectiveness and communicate
                                       monitor and assess progress of interna-           on teaching experiential and global courses     Strategy 5                                  5.	Improve recruitment of international
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       with partners to discuss and
                                       tionalization plans, including benchmarking                                                                                                       students through print, video, and
                                                                                     2.	Formalize a global studies minor that           Expand support structures and                                                                 implement changes as needed
                                       with similar units at other institutions                                                                                                          online materials in target languages
                                                                                         reinforces student global competencies
                                                                                                                                         efforts to increase numbers of              6.	Provide comprehensive support for
                                   3.	Ensure that global education, research,       3.	Create experiences and opportunities such
                                       service, and outreach are recognized                                                              domestic students engaging in                   and inclusion of enrolled international
                                                                                         as international tracks, global certificates,
                                       and valued in promotion and tenure                                                                international education experiences,            graduate and undergraduate students
                                                                                         and expanded study abroad or domestic
                                                                                                                                         and successfully recruit, enroll, and           through advising, peer support,
                                   4.	Work to create a campus community                 travel opportunities within majors and
                                                                                                                                         retain international students                   and programs at the University
                                       that reflects the diversity of the global         graduate programs
                                                                                                                                                                                         and college levels, such as peer
                                       community                                     4.	Expand students’ global geographic,             ACTIONS                                         ambassadors and expanded
                                   5.	Provide professional development                  linguistic, and cross-cultural learning and     1.	Expand opportunities for graduate           housing options
                                       opportunities for faculty to develop              world orientation by expanding course               and undergraduate students to gain
                                       global competence and incorporate                 offerings in these areas across disciplines         an international education experience   Strategy 6
                                       global perspectives into their teaching           and departments                                     of study, research, and/or internship
                                       where appropriate                                                                                     (e.g., through an increased number      Formalize the process of strategic
                                                                                     5.	Increase number, breadth, and variety
                                                                                         of co-curricular activities that reinforce          of J-term and full-semester             planning and proposal review,
                                   Strategy 2                                            international elements of the curriculum,           faculty-led study abroad programs,      approval, tracking, and assessment
                                                                                         including the new global competency                 and through partnerships with           of international partnerships
                                   Provide appropriate administrative                                                                        international institutions and local
                                                                                         general education requirement
                                   leadership and structure to promote                                                                       globally-engaged organizations)         ACTIONS
                                   and coordinate the globalization efforts                                                              2.	Standardize policy for transfer of      1.	Identify strategic regions and
                                   of the University                                                                                         credit gained abroad across all             countries as potential partner
                                                                                                                                             colleges and maintain a database            locations, based upon mission
                                   ACTIONS
                                                                                                                                             of pre-approved transfer credits            fit and ability to support and
                                   1.	Assess current structures devoted to                                                                  from international institutions             sustain collaborations
                                       globalization efforts and consider
                                       whether to recommend changes
                                   2.	Establish clear internal and external
                                       communication channels to promote
                                       internationalization efforts (e.g., global
                                       website, campus events, newsletters)

16   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                      UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND         17
GOAL                         Embrace Diversity and Social Justice                                                                  GOAL   Streamline Processes to
             04                          Inspire an enlightened community that is characterized by vibrant                                      05    Improve Effectiveness
                                         cultural diversity; that embraces difference; that is built upon a
                                                                                                                                                      Engender a highly professional work culture that celebrates service and
                                         learning environment that fosters respect, understanding, and
                                                                                                                                                      is characterized by flexible, effective, and efficient processes and by
                                         social justice; and that rejects prejudice and intolerance.
                                                                                                                                                      trust, support, and recognition towards greater institutional effectiveness.
                                                        7.	Develop professional development          6.	Develop targeted opportunities to
                                                            and mentoring programs for staff              increase diversity among graduate
                                                            and faculty from underrepresented             students
                                                            groups at all career levels
                                                                                                                                                      Strategy 1                                          3.	Ensure comprehensive recruitment strategies
                                                        8.	Further advance and support work/         Strategy 3                                                                                              with competitive salaries, dual professional
                                                            life flexibility policies and practices                                                   Develop new strategic and supportive                    employment opportunities, faculty start-ups,
                                                                                                      Create an active learning commu-
                                                        9.	Engage college diversity committees                                                       human resource, affirmative action, and                 and relocation assistance
                                                                                                      nity among students, faculty, staff,
                                                            and presidential commissions in                                                           payroll administrative processes within             4.	All divisional/department heads should
                                                                                                      and administrators that engages
                                                            recruitment and retention, and in                                                         all divisions of the University that enable             assess position descriptions annually to
                                                            fostering a welcoming, supportive,
                                                                                                      in open discourse and enhanced
                                                                                                                                                      efficiency and effectiveness in hiring and              determine if required skill sets are current
          Strategy 1                                        and inclusive climate for faculty         understanding about what it means                                                                       and to propose updates to better meet
                                                                                                                                                      retaining excellent employees, and in
                                                                                                      to be a diverse and socially just                                                                       current and future workplace needs
          Develop robust plans for diversify-                                                                                                         performance management
                                                        Strategy 2                                    community
          ing faculty and staff by employing                                                                                                          ACTIONS                                                a.	Document the essential functions
          new and novel approaches that                 Increase the recruitment, retention,          ACTIONS                                                                                                    performed by current employees
                                                                                                                                                      1.	Lead a collaborative process to develop a
          realize and retain greater numbers            and graduation of students from un-           1.	Engage and inform faculty about                workplace vision and organizational values         b.	Review job responsibilities to ensure they
          of diverse faculty                            derrepresented groups, and provide                 inclusive pedagogy, classroom                  for the University                                     meet current needs and anticipate future
                                                                                                           climate, practices and policies,                                                                      needs; determine desired changes and
          ACTIONS                                       support for their inclusion and suc-                                                          2.	Propose changes to the hiring process—
                                                                                                           and diverse learning styles and                                                                       work with HR to update and keep current
                                                        cess in the academic environment                   encourage faculty scholarship in               without compromising recruitment of
          1.	Encourage and support departments                                                                                                                                                              c.	Identify new positions, taking into account
              and colleges in using URI’s Affirma-      ACTIONS                                            these areas                                    diverse applicants—such as:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 creative ways to accomplish goals (e.g.,
              tive Action plan, institutional data,     1.	Designate academic program liaisons       2.	Expand undergraduate coursework                a.	Update personnel classifications and                shared positions, hourly work, and other
              and best practices to increase the            to work with the Office of Admission          addressing diversity and inclusion                 re-engineer human resource processes                employment arrangements)
              number of diverse faculty and staff           on recruitment efforts and to develop         through infusion of diverse course                 to promote additional paperless electronic
                                                                                                                                                             processes (including internal payroll)          d.	Prioritize positions strategically and
          2.	Educate the community about                   outreach to engage and excite under-          material in existing courses and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 develop a long-range (2–4 years) timeline
              systemic and structured                       represented K–12 students about URI           development of new courses                     b.	Develop a system designed to hire                   for future funding requests
              discrimination and marginalization        2.	Examine the use and impact on stu-        3.	Urge graduate students from all                    qualified people for jobs at all levels in
                                                                                                                                                             a timely manner                              5.	Reinvest in a staff development program
          3.	Inform the community of the                   dent success of diversity coordinators/       departments and programs to
                                                                                                                                                                                                              and performance management system
              success of efforts to diversify               advisors as mentors of undergraduate          participate in cultural competency          		 i.	Determine optimal position approval
              faculty, staff, and students                  and graduate students from underrep-          courses as part of postgraduate                    process for most efficient hiring               a.	Institute cross training or similar
                                                            resented groups                               education                                                                                              mechanism to allow decision-making
          4.	Secure institutional commit-                                                                                                            		 ii.	Improve timing in processes related                and response time to flow more quickly
              ment to eliminating disparities in        3.	Expand peer tutoring and support pro-     4.	Leverage the Multicultural and                      to all aspects of hiring including                 for hiring offers, search-related decisions,
              recruitment, hiring, and retaining            grams for underrepresented groups to          Diversity Enhancement Fund                          processing forms, approval to                      and performance management
              of employees, and ensure that all             increase success in Gateway courses           for course development in                           interview, approvals for hiring
              departments are accountable for               and other challenging courses                 multicultural competency                            offers, and appointments                       b.	Examine compensation and merit pay
              diversity hiring and retention                                                                                                                                                                     connected to performance management
                                                        4.	Seek and secure external funding for      5.	Advance awareness and                          c.	Formally propose greater autonomy from              and professional development for greater
          5.	Ensure that search committees                 programs (e.g., Ford and Gates Foun-          pedagogical sensitivity related                    the state classification system                     organizational effectiveness
              within departments and colleges               dations) that support the inclusion and       to equity and diversity through
                                                                                                          faculty and staff orientation and           		 i.	Explore opportunities to allow for              c.	Strengthen coordination between the
              understand and implement affirma-             success of marginalized students in
                                                                                                          professional development programs                  greater autonomy for approvals of                   areas of Community, Equity, and Diversity
              tive recruitment, hiring, and retention       the academic environment
                                                                                                                                                             new positions and performance-based                 (including the Office of Affirmative Action,
              plans sensitive to diversity              5.	Educate faculty about effective           6.	Incentivize faculty to integrate                   merit pay                                           Equal Opportunity and Diversity) and
          6.	Elevate institutional recognition             mentorship of graduate students               diversity and inclusion principles
                                                                                                                                                      		 ii.	Forms should reflect greater sensitivity           Human Resource Administration, and
              and visibility at all levels of               from underrepresented groups and              and practices in their work
                                                                                                                                                              to diversity (e.g., gender orientation)            other areas as applicable
              teaching and scholarship that                 develop other targeted opportunities
              focus on diversity, equity, and               to increase diversity among graduate                                                                                                             d.	Incorporate diversity and equity training
              social justice, including ensuring            students                                                                                                                                             into staff development programs
              appropriate consideration in the
              promotion and tenure process

18   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                     UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND           19
GOAL                   Streamline Processes to
             05                    Improve Effectiveness (Continued)                                                                         Strategy 4                                        processes and improving upon the
                                                                                                                                                                                               process and timeliness of response
                                                                                                                                             Improve research administrative                   and decision times
                                                                                                                                             processes at all levels and within
                                     Strategy 2                                        3.	Introduce new information technologies                                                          3.	Address college academic issues,
                                                                                           to ease processing of student forms.              all units                                         including those related to students,
                                     Prioritize and improve information                    Develop e-forms to track the progress of          ACTIONS                                           faculty, and staff, more expediently
                                     technology to better meet future                      graduate students and facilitate their time                                                         and locally, at the college level to the
                                     technology-related needs of the institution           to completion                                     1.	Streamline and improve electronic
                                                                                                                                                                                               greatest extent possible
                                                                                                                                                 workflow for research awards, from
                                     ACTIONS                                           4. In Business Services:                                  proposal to post-award
                                     1.	Implement a shared governance process for        a.	Determine optimal centralization versus           a.	Ensure better research compliance
                                                                                                                                                                                           Strategy 6
                                         Information Technology                               decentralization of business support                  by reducing paperwork                  Explore changes in long-range
                                                                                              services and consider the potential
                                     2.	Develop a comprehensive IT strategic plan                                                           2.	Create more effective pool fringe         space, facility, and capital improve-
                                                                                              use of business support centers
                                         in collaboration with the URI community                                                                 rates for all URI employees to improve    ment planning, including deferred
                                                                                          b.	Explore re-engineering opportunities               budget management and ease in             maintenance plans; and assess
                                     3.	Develop annual priorities and a related
                                                                                              with end-users; assess results for service         proposal writing
                                         funding plan                                                                                                                                      campus planning efforts with the
                                                                                              and efficiency improvements
                                     4. Annually assess all IT services to improve                                                           3.	Create a strong and effective program     community to regularly make
                                                                                          c.	Develop more efficient processes for               for mentoring potential principal
                                     5.	Work towards the connectivity of software                                                                                                         improvements
                                                                                              travel, purchasing, and administrative             investigators in grant writing and
                                         systems to ensure consistency and                    functions in all divisions and assess              submission                                ACTIONS
                                         integration of systems and information               progress by division and function
                                                                                                                                             4.	Better aid faculty members in             1.	Comprehensively review the physical
                                         across the University
                                                                                          d.	Improve automation so that it is timely            research administrative activities            plant and maintenance priorities
                                     6.	Ensure the utilization of integrated                 and responsive and not reliant on the                                                            and develop a deferred maintenance
                                         systems and better assist staff in learning          presence of particular individuals             5.	Provide more effective and efficient          plan with identified funding streams;
                                         new systems                                                                                             legal support for research and                report progress
                                                                                          e.	Assess processes and responses to                  compliance
                                                                                              ensure consistency, quality, and efficiency,                                                 2.	Improve the effectiveness of capital
                                     Strategy 3                                               including those in procurement                 6.	Make the intellectual property process        projects planning and implementation
                                                                                                                                                 more effective and efficient from
                                     Explore new business and administrative              f.	Seek greater purchasing autonomy from              disclosure of inventions to patents           a.	Track the time projects spend in
                                     processes that serve faculty, staff, and                 State; update policies and procedures                                                                various stages of capital planning;
                                     students with the highest degree of                      in Purchasing                                                                                        improve efficiency; identify bottle-
                                                                                                                                             Strategy 5                                            necks; account for cost overruns
                                     service and efficiency                               g.	Streamline the Request for Proposal
                                                                                              (RFP) and Bidding processes                    Develop processes and practices                   b.	Improve accuracy of cost
                                     ACTIONS
                                                                                                                                             that enable Academic Affairs to more                  estimating and account in
                                                                                          h.	Utilize URI or Board of Education Master
                                     1.	In the Office of Budget and Financial                                                               nimbly update curriculum, solve                       writing for cost overruns,
                                                                                              Price Agreement (MPA) contracts for
                                         Planning:                                                                                                                                                 repeating work, or underestimating
                                                                                              services or goods purchased in volume          problems, and work collaboratively
                                         a.	Implement an interactive online budget                                                                                                                cost of capital projects
                                                                                              where no state contract exists                 across disciplines in order to better
                                             and reporting system                                                                            meet the needs of future learners             3.	Assess potential improvements
                                                                                          i.	Complete a comprehensive study of
                                     2. In the Office of Legal Counsel:                                                                                                                        in the areas of small project
                                                                                              whether travel agent services are              ACTIONS                                           management, traffic management
                                         a.	Delegate the review of certain types             cost- and time-effective and should be
                                                                                                                                             1.	Update and streamline the program             and parking, winter storm and
                                             of contracts, such as maintenance                required of all offices
                                                                                                                                                 proposal process and course                   snow management, and energy
                                             agreements, equipment purchases,             j.	Work with State Administrative Office on           proposal and revision processes for           efficiency
                                             simple contracts, etc., and communicate          the MPA process for state travel agency            graduate and undergraduate courses;
                                             the approval process broadly to campus                                                                                                        4.	Ensure that long-range space
                                                                                              for best options or alternatives                   remove unnecessary bottlenecks
                                             and efficiently to approval requestors                                                                                                            planning reflects institutional
                                                                                          k.	Review Administrative Management               2.	Improve the time it takes for all forms       priorities and is conducted in
                                                                                              Review Committee (AMRC) proposal                   to be processed by assessing time             broad collaboration with the
                                                                                              to consolidate custodial services under            to completion of various academic             community
                                                                                              Facilities Services and consider whether
                                                                                              to implement

20   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                    UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   21
GOAL                   Implement a Bold Advancement Agenda
             06                    Elevate the stature of the University through robust and bold                                              Strategy 3                                    Strategy 4
                                   strategic advancement initiatives designed to establish a strong                                           Leverage University relationships             Ensure a cutting-edge infrastructure
                                   and sustainable financial and marketplace position.                                                        to expand the pool of individual,             that supports a robust advancement
                                                                                                                                              alumni, Foundation, and corporate             operation
                                   The following strategies were coauthored between University and URI Foundation                             prospects and donors                          ACTIONS
                                   leaders and representatives:                                                                               ACTIONS                                       1.	Enhance Foundation-based prospect
                                                                                                                                              1.	Identify emerging University                  research, reporting, and capacity
                                   Strategy 1                                           Strategy 2                                                constituencies and friends to be              analysis and ensure that such
                                                                                                                                                  evaluated as immediate or future              information is accurate, timely,
                                   Engender a University culture of                     Maximize the effective working                                                                          comprehensive, and utilized in
                                                                                                                                                  development prospects
                                   philanthropy through strong                          partnership between the URI Foundation                                                                  developing prospect engagement
                                                                                                                                              2.	Develop processes to ensure that all
                                   University partnerships                              and the University, leading to the launch                                                               strategies
                                                                                                                                                  appropriate University and Foundation
                                   ACTIONS                                              of a comprehensive campaign                               personnel appropriately share             2.	Develop strategies and an
                                                                                        ACTIONS                                                   information that assists with the             actionable plan for integrating
                                   1.	Recognize the URI Foundation as the
                                                                                                                                                  development process and prospect              the work of the Foundation and
                                       responsible organization for all fundraising     1.	Clarify the roles, responsibilities, and
                                                                                                                                                  cultivation (e.g., contact reports)           the Alumni Association
                                       on behalf of the University of Rhode Island,         expectations of each fundraising partner,
                                       and as such, collaborative planning and              including URI Foundation and Alumni               3.	Ensure strategic fundraising              3.	Develop a strong and effective
                                       regular reporting to the University should           Relations staff, VPs, deans, faculty, athletics       messaging in all University and               prospect and donor research
                                       occur at various levels                              staff, and other staff                                Foundation communications, where              component for discovery for
                                                                                                                                                  appropriate, including consistent             each college and unit and ensure
                                   2.	Identify and jointly develop strategic           2.	Develop and communicate policies and
                                                                                                                                                  development messaging in individual           information is current in relation
                                       funding priorities for the University through        guidelines regarding how we successfully
                                                                                                                                                  college collateral materials, websites,       to area strategic needs
                                       collaborative planning between institutional         conduct fundraising efforts/business,
                                       leaders and the Foundation                                                                                 social media and other outlets            4.	Work with the Foundation to
                                                                                            including standards in areas such as
                                                                                            prospect management, gift acceptance,             4.	Leverage existing relationships with          develop and implement creative
                                   3.	Educate University partners and the
                                                                                            naming opportunities, and the                         corporations and foundations, the             and effective strategies to ensure
                                       Foundation on the fundraising priorities
                                                                                            comprehensive campaign                                Business Engagement Center, and               sufficient financial support to
                                       of the University
                                                                                                                                                  other new business partners to                achieve a robust and successful
                                   4.	Consider every University event an               3.	Collaborate on identifying University                                                               comprehensive campaign
                                                                                                                                                  expand the potential prospect base
                                       advancement opportunity, and develop                 funding priorities and creating case
                                                                                            statements for support                            5.	Ensure that a major focus of our          5.	Implement best practices (Council
                                       coordinated cultivation and communication
                                                                                                                                                  alumni outreach and engagement                for Aid to Education/CAE, Council
                                       strategies as appropriate                        4.	Facilitate transparent communication
                                                                                                                                                  is focused on advancement and                 for the Advancement and Support
                                   5.	Ensure that fundraising effectiveness,               between the University and the Foundation                                                           of Education/CASE) and identify
                                                                                                                                                  support of the University
                                       success, and accountability are embedded             through regularly delivered fundraising                                                             processes, strategies, and resources;
                                       in the responsibilities of the deans,                reports, consistent meetings, joint                                                                 identify and implement changes
                                       development officers, and Foundation                 evaluation processes with University                                                                as needed
                                       leadership, and as such will be used as              leadership and Foundation staff, and
                                       criteria for evaluations and hiring                  education regarding best practices
                                   6.	Develop a strategy to engage students and        5.	Provide ongoing education and training
                                       their families as well as faculty, staff, and        of best practices
                                       the University community in a manner that        6.	Implement a collaborative process for
                                       elicits a sense of “paying it forward” and           the development of individual prospect
                                       collective interest in investing in the future       strategies
                                       of the University
                                                                                        7.	Develop plans for each college, as well as
                                   7.	Clearly communicate the expectation that             key areas for annual giving (Annual Fund)
                                       every institutional advisory council and             and major gifts
                                       board member participate in University
                                       giving to model behavior critical to an          8.	Engage Foundation leadership to ensure
                                       advanced fundraising agenda                          that endowment sufficiently supports the
                                                                                            University and primary gift purpose, and
                                                                                            incentivizes future donor giving

22   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                  UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND   23
Appendix
            GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

           (Applied) Research and Scholarship              Engaging Pedagogies                           Interdisciplinary Projects                    Mentoring                                    and read and apply the literature on         Unclassroom
           Applied, as opposed to theoretical,             Engaging pedagogies are theories of           Interdisciplinary refers to the combination   Mentoring relationships are established      teaching and learning in their discipline    The “unclassroom” is an educational
           research and scholarship is focused on          teaching that imagine students as             of two or more academic disciplines.          with the goal of providing support,          and, perhaps, more generally.                space that is not defined or limited by the
           solving real-world problems. Students           active participants instead of passive        Interdisciplinary projects are designed       training, and advising. Mentor/mentee        Scholarly teaching is closely linked         physical space of the classroom. On the
           engaging in applied research and scholar-       consumers. Engaging pedagogies                to allow students to combine skills and       models deviate from instructor/student       to reflective practice.                      University of Rhode Island’s Harrington
           ship participate in the practical application   prioritize student involvement and            knowledge from more than one academic         models in that mentor/mentee relation-                                                    School of Communication and Media
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Service Learning
           of their studies to a specific client, state,   investment. Such pedagogies allow             discipline. By combining disciplinary         ships are often cultivated outside of                                                     website, the unclassroom is described
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Service learning incorporates community
           business, or field-driven problem.              for students and teachers to mutually         knowledge and skills, students can            the classroom and can be established                                                      as “an interdisciplinary program where
                                                                                                                                                                                                    service with instruction and reflection
                                                           share their knowledge in classroom            seek more complex and comprehensive           between peers. Peer mentoring can help                                                    students will work on projects that
           Certification Courses                                                                                                                                                                    as an initiative in teaching and learning.
                                                           spaces. Engaging pedagogies may               solutions to real world problems and          new students meet the expectations of                                                     a real-world client will use.” These
           Certification courses can be taken in                                                                                                                                                    Service learning is intended to
                                                           include the use of active and                 make connections between their different      college learning.                                                                         projects include “a course . . . partnering
           addition to or separate from a degree pro-                                                                                                                                               enrich student learning experiences,
                                                           cooperative learning, learning                courses of study without the artificial                                                                                                 with the Initiative to Educate Afghan
           gram. When taken in addition to a degree                                                                                                    Outcome-Based Learning                       while simultaneously teaching civic
                                                           communities, service learning,                separation of the classroom.                                                                                                            Women, a nonprofit organization based
           program, a related certification enhances                                                                                                   Outcome-based learning is an                 responsibility, and benefiting
                                                           cooperative education, inquiry                                                                                                                                                        in Providence that works with partner
           a student’s skills and provides additional                                                    J-term                                        educational theory that bases each           communities. Service learning provides
                                                           and problem-based learning, and               J-Term, or January Term, is a special                                                                                                   colleges and universities to provide a full
           marketability after graduation. Certifica-                                                                                                  part of an educational system around         an opportunity to assist students in
                                                           team projects.                                month-long period of study during which                                                                                                 four-year U.S. undergraduate education,
           tion is an official, accepted designation                                                                                                   goals (outcomes). The educational            making connections between the
                                                                                                         students can take classes held both on                                                                                                  leadership and social entrepreneurship
           that the certified individual is capable of     E-Portfolio                                                                                 experience is designed to assist             knowledge they again and the ways
                                                                                                         campus and around the world.                                                                                                            training for Afghan women.”
           performing a specific task or has acquired      An e-portfolio is an electronic portfolio                                                   students in accomplishing these goals        it can benefit those around them.
           a specific skill. Some examples of certifi-     containing student work uploaded to the       Liberal Arts                                  Project-Based Learning                       Student Portfolio
           cation programs include ESL certification       Web. These portfolios can provide an          Specific disciplines, i.e., the humanities,   Project-based learning is a teaching         A student portfolio is a systematic
           (teaching English as a Second Language          alternative means for assessing student       sciences, and social sciences.                method in which students gain knowl-         collection of student work and related
           students in literature and writing) and CA      success and evaluating student progress.
                                                                                                         Liberal Education/Learning                    edge and skills by working for an ex-        material that depicts a student’s activ-
           certification (Chartered Accountant).
                                                           Experiential Learning                         Liberal education/learning focuses on the     tended period of time to investigate and     ities, accomplishments, and achieve-
           Civic Engagement Activities                     Experiential learning is the process of       liberal arts with the goal of developing      respond to a complex question, problem,      ments in one or more school subjects.
           Civic engagement means actively                 learning through experience, and is more      the mind. The Association of American         or challenge. These problems are often       Student portfolios may be collected over
           working in and with our communities             specifically defined as “learning through     Colleges and Universities defines liberal     based in the “real” world and assist         the course of their academic career or
           to their benefit. Activities that promote       reflection on doing.” Experiential learning   education as “an approach to learning that    students in making connections between       during a specific course or semester.
           civic engagement create an opportunity          is distinct from rote or didactic learning,   empowers individuals and prepares them        classroom learning and life outside the      These portfolios provide an alternate way
           for students to become involved in              in which the learner plays a comparatively    to deal with complexity, diversity, and       academic institution.                        to depict and quantify student success
           their community and improve                     passive role.                                 change. It provides students with broad       Scholarship of Teaching and                  while simultaneously providing the
           living conditions.                                                                            knowledge of the wider world                  Learning (SoTL)                              student with a means of reflecting on
                                                           Faculty Learning Communities
           Engaged Models of Learning                                                                    (e.g., science, culture, and society) as      The Scholarship of Teaching and Learn-       their own progress over time.
                                                           A faculty learning community (FLC) is
           Student engagement refers to the level of       a group of faculty, often gathered from       well as in-depth study in a specific area     ing (SoTL) draws on the reciprocal rela-     Translational Research
           attention, curiosity, interest, optimism,       across the disciplines, who engage in         of interest.” A liberal education helps       tionship between teaching and learning.      Translational research is research that,
           and passion that students show when             active and collaborative learning and         students develop a sense of social            An important goal of SoTL is to enhance      when applied, will enhance human
           they are learning or being taught. Levels       teaching. These communities may also          responsibility, as well as strong and         and augment learning amongst and be-         health and wellbeing. Such research is
           of engagement may determine students’           include graduate students and staff.          transferable intellectual and practical       tween individual learners by investigating   purposed to “translate” its findings into
           motivation to learn and succeed.                The communities engage in seminars,           skills such as communication,analytical       the many features of discipline-specific     benefits in human health, environmental
           Engaged models of learning prioritize           retreats, interdisciplinary projects, and     and problem-solving skills, and a demon-      expertise and best pedagogical practice.     sustainability, and economic develop-
           practice and real-world application of          other collaborative efforts. They are         strated ability to apply knowledge and        Scholarly teachers do things such as         ment that will improve the quality of life
           classroom knowledge.                            created for the purpose of supporting         skills in real-world settings. (AACU, 2015,   reflect on their teaching, use classroom     for people globally.
                                                           faculty and encouraging the open              aacu.org/leap/what-is-a-liberal-education)    assessment techniques, discuss teaching
                                                           exchange of ideas, information,                                                             issues with colleagues, try new things,
                                                           and support.

24   ACADEMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2016–2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                      UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND         25
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