1. 1 GOAL: Provide students with a quality educational experience that enables them to complete their educational goals in a timely fashion. Review and restructure all educational programs to ensure that students complete their educational goals in a timely fashion. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Enable students to complete their educational goals in a timely fashion. 1. Enable students to develop plan of study. Develop and publish class schedules 1 year in advance. Assist students to develop multi-year plan of study. 2. Facilitate effective student advisement. Encourage development of an effective degree audit system. Explore the feasibility of group advisement. Promote the timely dissemination of information. Explore creation of department level advising coordinators. 3. Conduct ongoing curricular review. Availability, relevance, and sequencing of course offerings. 4. Conduct ongoing evaluation of advisement. 5.Improve student learning outcomes assessment processes and procedures. 6.Use results for program improvement, including review and revision of curricula.

2. 2 GOAL: Provide students with a quality educational experience that enables them to complete their educational goals in a timely fashion. (continued) Ensure that graduate programs are academically rigorous and research centered, promoting independent learning and preparing graduates to contribute successfully to their chosen professions. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Provide Students with Quality Educational Experience. 1.Encourage development of external funding for teaching and learning programs. 2.Foster research and hands on experience. Engage students in data collection and analysis experiences. Internships Research Assistantships Community Service 3. Produce graduates who have writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Explore Senior Thesis Explore the development of Writing Intensive Courses Enhance Presentation Skills

3. 3 GOAL: Provide students with a quality educational experience that enables them to complete their educational goals in a timely fashion. (continued) Ensure that graduate programs are academically rigorous and research centered, promoting independent learning and preparing graduates to contribute successfully to their chosen professions. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Provide Students with Quality Educational Experience. 4.Professional Development. Prepare students for graduate school. Prepare student for career opportunities. Mentor students. 5.Encourage Faculty-Student Engagement. Ensure access to tenure-track and tenured faculty. Encourage development of funding for student-faculty research.

4. 4 GOAL: Become an outstanding research institution, emphasizing collaborative partnerships and entrepreneurship. Foster intramural and extramural collaborative research partnerships. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Encourage research that contributes to resolving public policy issues. 1.Develop community partnerships with groups and institutions related to faculty research. 2.Build partnerships to support faculty/student research.

5. 5 GOAL: Become an outstanding research institution, emphasizing collaborative partnerships and entrepreneurship. (continued) Provide support for the improvement of the research infrastructure. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Generate support for research and develop a culture of research. 1.Seek increased external support of research. 2.Establish SBS Research Resource and Support Center. 3.Develop contract services to raise research funds. 4.Create SBS faculty awards for research 5.Hold annual SBS Research, Teaching and Learning Symposium. 6.Support RAs. 7.Build RA support into grant and contract proposals. 8.Encourage interdisciplinary and collaborative research within and across colleges. 9.Increase SBS research funds (equipment, software, travel, etc.). 10.Propose new graduate programs.

6. 6 GOAL: Become an outstanding research institution, emphasizing collaborative partnerships and entrepreneurship. (continued) Establish a framework for external support of research and entrepreneurial activities. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Actively promote our distinctiveness (demographics; location). 1.Communicate and leverage the demographics of the border in national and international research and teaching agendas. 2.Recruit faculty with research interests in issues unique to the area. 3.Foster university faculty exchange programs.

7. 7 GOAL: Enhance UTPA’s engagement with the community to meet challenges and maximize opportunities. Promote engagement with existing organizations to address challenges and opportunities. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Develop an effective and efficient College alumni program. 1.Forge an alliance with campus alumni organization. 2.Develop a college level alumni tracking system for each department. 3.Develop alumni support program. 4.Develop College and/or department alumni chapters.

8. 8 GOAL: Enhance UTPA’s engagement with the community to meet challenges and maximize opportunities. Promote engagement with existing organizations to address challenges and opportunities. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Increase community awareness and understanding of the College. 1.Maintain a user friendly College web site. 2.Promote the College profile using University Relations Office. 3.Utilize the alumni to increase awareness of the College.

9. 9 GOAL: Enhance UTPA’s engagement with the community to meet challenges and maximize opportunities. (continued) Provide resources necessary to accomplish, maintain, and/or develop outreach activities. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Develop long- term partnerships with diverse communities. 1.Encourage departmental community advisory groups. 2.Maintain contact and communication with relevant community interest groups. 3.Foster student-driven teaching/mentoring. 4.Promote internship opportunities for students in community. 5.Develop continuing education.

10. 10 GOAL: Collaborate with K-12 schools to enlarge the pool of applicants who are personally prepared and academically qualified for higher education. Establish expectations/standards that define students who are personally prepared and academically qualified for college. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Encourage Professional Development for K-12 Staff/Faculty. 1.Communicate to K-12 Staff/Faculty Established Standards/Expectations for Students. 2.Offer and Promote Opportunities for On-going Teacher Skills and Knowledge Enhancement.

11. 11 GOAL: Collaborate with K-12 schools to enlarge the pool of applicants who are personally prepared and academically qualified for higher education. (continued) Collaborate with PK-12 institutions, STC and UTPA on curriculum alignment. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Increase/Improve Mechanisms For Outreach To K12. 1.Promote Concurrent Enrollment. 2.Identify Faculty/Students/Alumni to Perform Campus Visits. 3.Initiate Interactive Programs for Student/Campus Visits. 4.Communicate Established Standards/Expectations. 5.Increase Faculty Involvement and Service to K-12 Community (UIL Judge).

12. 12 GOAL: Infuse Inter-American and global perspectives throughout the University community. Infuse international and Inter-American content into the curriculum. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Infuse Inter-American and global perspectives in curriculum. 1.Apply the Learning Communities’ model to international perspectives. 2.Promote our multi-cultural expertise across colleges. 3.Promote study abroad by integrating it into degree programs. 4.Establish SBS-International Studies Liaison.

13. 13 GOAL: Infuse Inter-American and global perspectives throughout the University community. (continued) Increase research activity with an international focus. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Increase research activity with international focus. 1.Attract/recruit more faculty with global research perspectives. 2.Encourage publication in international journals. 3.Promote the simplification of formal procedures for travel to international conferences.

14. 14 GOAL: Infuse Inter-American and global perspectives throughout the University community. (continued) Increase the number of study abroad and exchange programs involving students and faculty. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Enhance cultural exchanges. 1.Continue to support Pan American Days and International Week. 2.Encourage exchange programs for faculty and students with other countries. 3.Bring in speakers to speak on international topics.

15. 15 GOAL: Optimize institutional effectiveness and efficiency consistent with high quality organizational standards. (continued) Define and implement standards and performance measures for business processes and stakeholders. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Improve business practices. 1.Establish a College business procedures manual. 2.Review College business practices by College Executive Council as needed. 3.Promote effective dissemination of University and College policies and procedures.

16. 16 GOAL: Optimize institutional effectiveness and efficiency consistent with high quality organizational standards. (continued) Define and implement standards and performance measures for business processes and stakeholders. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Promote a dialog with administrative offices to enhance a “customer friendly” environment. 1.Clearly articulate College goals, needs and processes. 2.Encourage the development of cooperative relationships with relevant administrative offices. 3.Promote a culture of collegiality between College departments and faculty, and the administration.

17. 17 GOAL: Optimize institutional effectiveness and efficiency consistent with high quality organizational standards. (continued) Streamline business processes by removing obstacles to decentralization and moving decision making responsibility to the lowest appropriate level. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Increase revenue streams to support research infrastructure. 1.Promote development of college discretionary funds to support research and teaching/learning. 2.Build actual costs into grants and contracts. 3.Work with External Affairs to identify sources of research funding. 4.Work with community partners and alumni to identify funding sources.

18. 18 GOAL: Optimize institutional effectiveness and efficiency consistent with high quality organizational standards. (continued) Provide infrastructure to maximize utilization of human intellectual capital. UTPA 2012: A Strategic Plan for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Strategies AcademicAffairsObjective College Objective Provide staff development opportunities in support of college activities and programs. 1.Provide regular training opportunities for support staff. 2.Communicate availability and encourage staff to participate in on- campus professional development opportunities. 3.Communicate availability and encourage staff to participate in external professional development opportunities.