Town Hall Meeting February 2014

TOPICS  Strategic Planning Initiative  Enrollment Management Consultation  “Unplugged”  University Marketing  Student Engagement Center  Eagle Athletics

Strategic Planning Initiative  Where we’ve been (Process)  What we’ve learned (Insights)  Where we’re going (Vision)  How we’ll get there (Path)

Where we’ve been – The Process  Town Hall Meetings  Community Advisory Groups  Facilitator-led Planning Meeting (held at Red River Army Depot community center)  Review of Findings

What we’ve learned - Your Insights  Key Themes (from town halls)  Core Values  Strategic Objectives

Key Themes—Strengths  Personal connections  Association with the A&M System  Support of local community  Quality of faculty  Physical setting  Campus-wide concern for students

Key Themes—Areas for Development  Emphasis on quality academics rather than low tuition  More opportunities for hands-on learning  Additional student activities and recreation space  Academic technology  Global learning opportunities  Enrollment processes  Scholarship funding

Themes—our niche?  Liberal arts and sciences vs. professional orientation  Face-to-face vs. expansion of on-line  Traditional undergraduates vs. non-traditional and graduate students  Developing depth in majors (content) vs. liberal learning (“soft” or essential skills)

Core Values  Passion for Excellence  Culture of Success  Integrity, Honesty & Visibility  Community Leadership  Learning Community  Stewardship of Valuable Resources

Strategic Objectives (Action Steps)  Develop comprehensive academic master plan  Integrate, update, improve enrollment management services  Re-establish First-Year Experience  Create strategic communication plan

Strategic Objectives (Action Steps)  Enhance student activities - strategic, aligned with academics  Revisit and document advising process  Create and distribute codes of conduct for faculty & staff and honor code for students  Hold campus “Unplugged” event

Strategic Objectives (Action Steps)  Develop comprehensive faculty orientation  Establish Office of Professional Development (extended learning opportunities)  Develop community service initiatives

Strategic Objectives (Action Steps)  Develop and enhance global and international programming and opportunities  Create student “lingering spaces”  Refine budget process and align with strategic planning

Where we’re going – The Vision  Comprehensive and focused  Best undergraduate experience in Texas from freshman year forward  Common themes/approaches across curricula (liberal learning, community as classroom, high- impact practices)  Non-traditional and graduate programming responsive to community needs  Community resource and leader

How we’ll get there– Next Steps  Refine and vet core values  Responsible parties develop plan to execute strategic objectives according to timeline  Academic master plan refines university vision  Revisit and possibly redraft mission statement  Monitor progress on strategic objectives and develop new goals on annual basis

Enrollment Management Consultation  American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers  Dr. Stanley Henderson, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management & Student Life, University of Michigan-Dearborn  Planning should function as a restart for “downward expansion” and a recommitment to core values

Consultant Observations  Texas A&M University has a world class reputation for excellence; Texas A&M-Texarkana is a beneficiary of that reputation for excellence in that the campus gives an A&M degree – the excellence is assured by the governing board  A&M Texarkana is, obviously, not the same kind of place as College Station; the Texarkana campus overlays the excellence with small campus atmosphere and concern for individual students, faculty involvement with teaching, etc.

Consultant Observations  The campus has had exceptional support from the Texarkana community, as well  Parents are reported as being very impressed with the campus  Students specifically reference the campus as a “community” - They mention interactions with faculty - They claim more opportunities to be involved than on other campuses - They sense a concern for their well-being

Consultant Observations - They speak about the campus’s overall care for them - They warmly describe the campus’s friendliness - One student during the on-site visit disclosed very personal information in front of other students that gave an incredible testimony of how safe she felt among her peers – she credited that to the sense of community on campus - Graduate students seem exceptionally involved on campus as part of the community rather than just unconnected people taking classes, as grad students often are; they appear to be remarkable, contributing citizens of A&M-Texarkana

Consultant Observations  President Cutrer picked up on this sense of community in her investiture speech  The consultant had the experience of a faculty member coming up to him in the University Center and saying in a welcoming manner, “I don’t think I know you. I’m so-and-so,” and then proceeding to show genuine interest in what I was doing on campus

Consultant Observations  It could safely be said that Texas A&M- Texarkana is not an institution of higher education where things happen to people in a passive environment, but, instead, is a community of higher education where people are members, where they participate, contribute, and watch each other’s back

“Unplugged” Heath Coston Undergraduate Student Representative Strategic Planning Board

University Marketing  Royall & Company  Super Sunday

Student Engagement Center

Eagle Athletics  Future Town Hall with Mike Galvan  NAIA Application  Coaching Staff  Focus on Student Athletes

What’s on your mind?