Our major initiatives, developed annually for the academic year, represent areas of
growth, change or improvement which will require focus and collaboration across the
colleges and units that comprise Academic Affairs. We simultaneously remain engaged
with many other initiatives at the course, program, college and university level.
Our initiatives and planning efforts are directly supportive of Ferris State University's
mission to "prepare our students for successful careers, responsible citizenship,
and lifelong learning."
Academic Affairs Division Strategic Plan 2014-2019
I. Major initiatives
-
Academic Affairs recognizes the interrelated nature of retention/graduation rates,
diversity issues, and student debt. Academic Affairs is also working to improve advising
infrastructure that includes accuracy of MyDegree as well as launching the new online
catalog. Further efforts include curricular oversight training for chairs, directors,
and program coordinators. Entrance into academic degree programs, especially BS/BA
degree programs and AAS programs that lead seamlessly into bachelor degree programs,
and a well-developed academic infrastructure support retention and timely degree completion,
an important factor in student debt reduction. All are, in fact, components of a strong
student debt reduction strategy.
-
Student academic deficits are often treated in isolation using standard, traditional
methods that are based principally on academic performance. An alternative, one that
aligns with the historical mission of the University, is to view academic deficits
holistically. We have all the necessary tools on this campus for meaningful change
- an optometric clinic, a writing center, faculty who are knowledgeable, and faculty
who are experts in reading, writing, and mathematics. An expectation for the year
would be that we begin to approach assessing student academic problems and deficits
holistically. Its impact on retention and, specifically, its impact on transforming
lives and creating real opportunity could be significant.
-
A systematic and Supportive approach to innovative and meaningful programmatic and
pedagogical experimentation and practice is essential to quality and distinctiveness
within individual classrooms, academic departments, and individual colleges. The nimble
nature of Ferris' programs and the quality of their delivery can only be enhanced
by the creative experimentation by its faculty. Faculty willing to experiment and
consider innovative scheduling, team-teaching, interdisciplinary experimentation and
implementation, inter- and intra-disciplinary collaboration within and across colleges
should be encouraged and supported.
-
Meaningful professional development and mentoring is essential to academic leadership
and its new hires. Not only does the University have a number of relative newcomers
to its academic leadership tam, but a number of academic leadership positions have
become vacant in 2014-15. Filling these positions with the most qualified and diverse
candidates we can is important. Retaining and developing them as well as our extant
leadership team is also important and will require commitment to sound practical and
theoretical professional development delivered by both external and internal expertise
as well as quality mentoring. Continuation of present initiatives and implementation
of new ones will be a major expectation for 2015-16.
II. Ongoing Engagements
-
Established in 2012-2013, the Center for [email protected] Studies (CLS) works to get students
to college and through college by building on the strengths of students' culture and
identity. To do so, CLS has developed place-based, community-university partnerships
to launch Promesa, an educational pipeline supporting students from middle school
through college graduation. Promesa features a program called Woodbridge Promesa Summer Success Program in three locations: Grand Rapids, Holland, and Shelby/Hart. In partnership with the
Center for College Readiness, the program offers 75 rising high school seniors the
opportunity to earn 12 free college credits for unique admissions consideration to
Ferris. As of Fall 2015, approximately 25% of Promesa participants are enrolled at
Ferris, which contributes to the university’s 25% increase in [email protected] student enrollment.
This increase creates a more vibrant and inclusive learning community for all students. Community-university
partnerships make Promesa possible and culturally relevant. The success of the university
is intertwined with the success of the community.
-
This project is the collaborative effort of the Michigan College of Optometry, the
College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions, the Clinica de Santa Maria,
The Wage Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, the Hispanic Center of Western
Michigan, and the Center for Latin Studies. A Memorandum of Understanding is under
development with Habitat for Humanity, the Clinica de Santa Maria and the University;
its adoption will allow for continued planning of an expansion of the current Clinica
Santa Maria facility. Growth of the clinic will provide for an enhanced academic/clinical
presence in the community. The clinic will eventually provide optometric and clinical
pharmacy services as well as opportunities for nursing, dental hygiene, and other
College of Health Professions programs. Possibilities for involvement by the School
of Education as well as the Social Work Program and the Center for Entrepreneurship
also have great potential. Habitat for Humanity’s community development plans include
construction of a mixed use building, addressing the community’s request for a variety
of services and housing options. The participation of the Center for Latino Studies
and the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan assures that all parties are working toward,
and with cultural sensitivity, a lasting partnership among the academic, business,
non-profit, and Hispanic community.
-
The General Education committee has been grappling with the task of streamlining and
implementing the changes that were proposed by the General Education Taskforce and
endorsed by Academic Senate in 2013. The goals of this process are two-fold. The first
is to retain the excellent articulation that currently exists between General Education
and Ferris statewide as well as transfer agreements with programs in our numerous
educational partners. At same time, we are creating new opportunities for individuals
from every division and academic program at Ferris to contribute to the General Education
curriculum. In consultation with faculty, staff, and administrators from across our
campuses, the number of student competencies in the program has been reduced from
the proposed eighteen to eight. The number of measurable student outcomes has similarly
been condensed from 82 to a more manageable 32. A comprehensive assessment plan is
currently being developed for the General Education program. By standardizing and
automating the important task of assessing student learning, we will acquire course-level
measures of student learning in our core curriculum. These data will be essential
for the continuous improvement of the General Education program and for meeting the
increasing needs and requirements of our external stakeholders. Finally, student achievement
of the core competencies will be used as evidence of the success of our strategic
plan, as we continue to live out the core values of Ferris.
Planning History
Browse through the documents below to gain a better understanding of our planning
history. You can also call our office at (231)591-2300 for more information regarding
division and college planning.