April 2004 Reformulation of the University System of Georgia's 2002-2007 Strategic Plan

BACKGROUND AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2002, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) approved its 2002-2007 Strategic Plan. Consisting of 11 goals and 116 recommendations/action steps, the Plan envisioned significant qualitative improvement and quantitative growth in the USG across a broad spectrum of programs and activities.

In the two years since the Strategic Plan was adopted, the University System, because of steep declines in the State of Georgia’s revenues, has experienced budget reductions of over $300 million. These reductions necessitated a reformulation of the USG Strategic Plan that included three steps.

First, the reformulation decreased the number of goals from 11 to 9 by eliminating two goals, “improving the curricula, research activities, and international opportunities” and “maximizing cooperation with other state agencies,” that were subsumed by other goals.

Second, a detailed culling and prioritization process reduced the number of previously identified recommendations/action steps from 116 to 29. This process:

  • focused attention on a limited number of recommendations/action steps;
  • combined similar recommendations/action steps;
  • omitted recommendations/action steps that had been achieved during the first two years of the Strategic Plan; and
  • deleted recommendations/action steps that are not achievable under prevailing and foreseeable budgetary conditions.

Third, the reformulation added six recommendations/action steps that are intended to begin to position the USG between 2004 and 2007 for the significant changes in Georgia’s population and economy that are expected to take place by 2015. Additions include:

  • planning for significant expected growth in the number of students;
  • gaining support to initiate a comprehensive building program;
  • reviewing the missions of selected institutions;
  • permitting a limited number of institutions to suggest new names;
  • expanding the type of degrees that may be offered at some institutions; and
  • re-examining the future of university centers.

This reformulation of the Strategic Plan, resulting in 9 goals and 35 recommendations/ action steps, will enable the USG to meet the near-term needs of the students, population, and economy of the State of Georgia and to position itself to provide the mid-term and long-term educational services needed to create a more educated Georgia.

The University System of Georgia will ensure access to academic excellence and educational opportunities for all Georgians by pursuing the following nine goals and accompanying 35 recommendations/action steps.

GOAL 1

Educate graduates who are intellectually and ethically informed individuals with well-defined skills and knowledge who are capable leaders, creative thinkers, and contributing citizens.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Concentrate on quality within all programs by assuring that comprehensive program review is fully implemented.
  2. Promote the inclusion of international issues, where appropriate, across the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities.
  3. Set target pass rates for professional licensure tests, including teacher education, nursing, law, and other programs requiring certification.
  4. Develop more opportunities for internships and cooperative programs with businesses, government, and community service organizations.

GOAL 2

Expand participation by increasing access, enhancing diversity, improving service to nontraditional students, expanding use of distance education, advancing public library usage, and marketing the advantages of postsecondary education.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Plan for significant growth in the number of students served by the USG.
  2. Develop and initiate an institutional mission review process, taking statewide needs into account.
  3. Expand the type of degrees that may be offered at selected institutions.
  4. Re-examine the role, structure, and organization of university centers to assure that they are serving the needs of local communities.
  5. Develop additional programs in which four-year universities offer four-year degree programs at two-year colleges.
  6. Implement programs to raise Georgia’s educational aspirations and to overcome barriers to access for minority and non-traditional students.
  7. Use distance learning technologies, and form consortia of USG institutions, to develop and deliver certificate and degree programs.

GOAL 3

Increase academic productivity through improved recruitment, increased retention, accelerated graduation, expanded credit generation, augmented continuing education opportunities, and current technology.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Expand the use of freshman and sophomore experience programs, learning communities, and other initiatives to increase student retention rates and graduation rates.
  2. Offer courses, programs, and degrees in formats, at times, and in locations that are convenient for students.

GOAL 4

Emphasize the recruitment, hiring, and retention of the best possible faculty, staff, and administration.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Make salaries competitive in the South and nationally.
  2. Require each USG institution to evaluate its compensation practices, have its compensation practices reflect its strategic plan, and link its compensation practices to market data and performance management.
  3. Require systematic planning for resource needs to ensure that employees have the right tools to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently.
  4. Develop opportunities for institutions to enhance, develop, and promote flexible work schedules and telecommuting opportunities.
  5. Make professional development a key priority.
  6. Create mentorship programs.

GOAL 5

Help accelerate Georgia ’s economic development by providing needed graduates, offering appropriate academic programs, and marketing the System and its institutions as economic assets of the state.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Develop academic-business-government partnerships to enhance entrepreneurship, innovation, and commercialization of research.
  2. Strategically promote and contribute to Georgia’s economic development.
  3. Create a USG think tank to study issues facing the state and suggest policies to resolve them.
  4. Permit institutions to suggest new names appropriate to changed mission and/or expanded locations.

GOAL 6

Seek the most efficient, effective and technologically sound business and service best practices, and regularly compare ourselves to national peers.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Monitor and report on institutional best practices, recognizing outstanding efforts with awards.
  2. Require best practices benchmarking to be part of institutional strategic plans.
  3. Reaffirm internal controls for audits.

GOAL 7

Provide and maintain superior facilities, funded by innovative mechanisms that shorten the time that elapses between approval and use.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Gain support to initiate a comprehensive building program to accommodate the expected significant growth in the number of USG students.
  2. Address long-term maintenance, renovation, and/or replacement of facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and return on investment.
  3. Improve coordination of privatization efforts, and incorporate coordination processes in Board policies.

GOAL 8

Assure coordination, where appropriate, between University System of Georgia policy and practices and those of the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE).

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Coordinate USG policies and practices with the DOE to enhance mutual understanding of requirements, to ensure curriculum alignment, and to resolve issues that may arise between the USG and DOE.
  2. Coordinate USG policies and practices with the DTAE to ensure mutual understanding of requirements and to resolve issues that may arise between the USG and DTAE.
  3. Improve transferability and transfer processes between USG institutions.

GOAL 9

Increase, diversify, and strategically allocate resources.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION STEPS

  1. Review and refine allocation methodology to better capture missions, costs, and quality indicators.
  2. Identify options to diversify and increase flexibility in use of existing resources.
  3. Initiate a formula revision process when conditions warrant.

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