Strategic Roadmap

• View Kent State Stark's Strategic Roadmap pdf

PRIORITY 1: STUDENTS FIRST

1.1 Student Academic, Professional and Personal Success Goals

1. Promote academic excellence among students
2. Support student success, progression and retention
3. Strengthen incoming freshman class
4. Deliver academic courses and programs in the most effective manner

Key Priorities

• Boost efforts to craft schedule of classes to meet the needs of students
• Maintain academic rigor
• Strengthen the relationship among students, faculty and advisors
• Bolster initiatives for grants and scholarships for all qualified students
• Improve and promote student research options
• Strengthen students’ connections to career opportunities and internship programs
• Continue to mitigate student debt through financial literacy education
• Advance efforts to revise First Year Experience (FYE) program to enhance retention and to strengthen the first-year student class
• Expand student social, co-curricular and pre-professional activities
• Continue to involve high-achieving current students in recruitment
• Increase efforts to create programmatic options for all students at all levels of academic readiness

PRIORITY 2: A DISTINCTIVE KENT STATE

2.1 Faculty Excellence Goals

1. Promote excellence in teaching
2. Promote excellence in faculty research and creative activity
3. Maintain a vibrant academic community

Key Priorities

• Support faculty use of innovative strategies, course offerings and interdisciplinary faculty partnerships
• Increase support and active recognition of faculty research and creative activities
• Increase the recognition and celebration of outstanding teaching
• Foster effective communication and collaboration among all campus constituencies
• Continue to strive toward effective shared governance
• Continue to cultivate a respectful environment in the classroom

2.2 Campus Community Goals

1. Build and support relationships within the campus community
2. Promote excellence in all non-teaching staff performance

Key Priorities

• Continue to cultivate a respectful environment in the workplace
• Support the professional development of all campus constituencies
• Devise new ways of including the families of campus citizens in the life of the campus
• Nurture diverse campus constituencies such as veterans, LGBTQ students, first-generation students, international students, etc.

PRIORITY 3: GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

3.1 Global Awareness Goal

1. Enhance the global cultural awareness of all campus constituencies

Key Priorities

• Strengthen opportunities in support of study abroad and study away exchange programs
• Reaffirm commitment to and respect for diversity and cultural awareness in the classroom
• Stress the importance of diversity in the recruitment of all community members

PRIORITY 4: REGIONAL IMPACT

4.1 Image and Community Relations Goals

1. Promote Kent State Stark as the preferred choice in the region for education and economic partnerships
2. Build and support relationships within the wider community
3. Respond to regional needs
4. Enhance image as a community asset

Key Priorities

• Emphasize the ways in which our degree programs meet the dynamic educational and employment needs of the region
• Identify community partners/stakeholders for select programs, including experiential and service learning programs
• Conduct ongoing research to determine economic growth areas in the region
• Support faculty, staff and administrators’ engagement with schools, businesses and organizations to meet community needs
• Develop additional academic, articulation and completion agreements with area colleges and universities
• Promote the Conference Center and Corporate University as avenues for the business and professional community
• Engage local arts and cultural groups to promote reciprocal relationships
• Connect Kent State Stark alumni to the campus

PRIORITY 5: ORGANIZATIONAL STEWARDSHIP

5.1 Sustainability Goals

1. Increase traditional and non-traditional revenue streams
2. Develop cost-reduction strategies and budget efficiencies
3. Act in environmentally responsible ways

Key Priorities

• Maximize enrollment at Kent State Stark
• Expand current course offerings and degree programs
• Create new and innovative courses, certificates, degree programs and professional development opportunities
• Nourish current and create additional fundraising opportunities
• Increase efficiency and accountability in developing operating budgets
• Develop a campus and community education program in environmental sustainability
• Pursue innovative partnerships to bring new energy technology to campus