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Texas State University 2017-2023 University Plan

III. Texas State Mission, Goals, and Initiatives

           The mission statement serves as a clear link to strategic planning, illustrates to external audiences our unique place among public universities, and reaffirms our university identity. This approved mission statement, along with our shared values, remain in effect throughout the six-year planning cycle.

Our Mission:

           Texas State University is a doctoral-granting, student-centered institution dedicated to excellence and innovation in teaching, research, including creative expression, and service. The university strives to create new knowledge, to embrace a diversity of people and ideas, to foster cultural and economic development, and to prepare its graduates to participate fully and freely as citizens of Texas, the nation, and the world.

Our Shared Values:

           In pursuing our mission, we, the faculty, staff, and students of Texas State University, are guided by a shared collection of values:

  • Teaching and learning based on research, student involvement, and the free exchange of ideas in a supportive environment;
  • Research and creative activities that encompass the full range of academic disciplines—research with relevance, from the sciences to the arts, from the theoretical to the applied;
  • The cultivation of character, integrity, honesty, civility, compassion, fairness, respect, and ethical behavior in all members of our university community;
  • A diversity of people and ideas, a spirit of inclusiveness, a global perspective, and a sense of community as essential conditions for campus life;
  • A commitment to service and leadership for the public good;
  • Responsible stewardship of our resources and environment; and
  • Continued reflection and evaluation to ensure that our strengths as a community always benefit those we serve.
     
    Approved by the President’s Cabinet on October 3, 2016 and revised on December 19, 2016 (Approved by the Board of Regents on February 16, 2017 and by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on February 24, 2017)

Introduction to University Goals

           The university goals and related initiatives outlined below reflect the Texas State philosophy that a successful university plan must be driven by the academic endeavor. The success of the plan is also dependent on the ability of all divisions to support that endeavor. A broad range of initiatives are implemented and regularly assessed to determine progress we have made toward achieving university goals. Others were added or modified as necessary, during the formal mid-cycle review of this plan. Additional goals and associated initiatives are contained throughout division and college plans that also assist in achieving overall university goals.

 

Texas State University

2017-2023 University Goals and Initiatives

(2020 Mid-Cycle Revisions, approved by the President’s Cabinet May 7, 2020)

1.   Promote the success of all students.

1.1 Plan and implement activities aimed at improving the overall student experience and satisfaction.

1.2    Manage student enrollment, both at the graduate and undergraduate level.

1.3    Increase student retention and graduation rates.

1.4    Increase scholarship and grant resources to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation of students.

1.5    Enhance advising, academic support programs and services to ensure student success.

1.6    Ensure marketable skills are incorporated into curricular and co-curricular experiences.

1.7    Prepare students to achieve their career goals and make positive and meaningful contributions as they interact in a diverse and increasingly global society through an inclusive program of learning and engagement, rich with diverse perspectives. (MODIFIED)

1.8    Provide educational programs and co-curricular activities that foster community, service learning, financial literacy, and leadership. (MODIFIED)

1.9    Establish the appropriate processes, procedures, and tools to support the necessary accommodations for constituents with disabilities.

1.10  Support the success of students by continuously improving the function, condition, reliability, and aesthetics of the facilities and grounds of the university.

1.11  Provide a supportive environment for student athletes that encourages academic excellence, character development, and respectful interaction with others. (MODIFIED)

1.12  Provide students with quality engagement opportunities that model the values associated with equitable competition, engender university pride, positive community relations, institutional prestige, and promote student well-being and development. (MODIFIED)

1.13  Enhance affordability, accessibility, and student success through management of the cost of textbooks and other learning materials. (NEW)

 

2.   Offer high quality academic and educational programming.

2.1 Introduce new academic programs that meet the economic and cultural needs of the region and the state.

2.2 Provide quality educational programming that leverages diverse perspectives embedded in an inclusive learning environment.

2.3 Enhance and expand the Honors College experience to attract high-achieving students.

2.4 Improve the capabilities in our learning spaces and learning environments to better foster creativity, enable collaboration, and encourage discovery.

2.5 Support the growing academic requirements of the university by improving the condition and reliability of academic facilities and technology, creatively assisting departments in optimizing their use of space, and collaboratively planning and constructing new facilities.

2.6 Increase national and international visibility and presence by supporting curricular and co-curricular initiatives that prepare students to be responsible citizens.

2.7. Provide high quality distance learning programs and courses. (NEW)
 

3. Achieve significant progress in research and creative activity as measured by national standards.

3.1    Achieve National Research University Fund (NRUF) Eligibility.

3.2    Develop new graduate programs to advance the university’s research goals.

3.3    Encourage and promote student research opportunities.

3.4    Expand support to the research community by enhancing resources of faculty while developing a staff of research professionals to assist researchers. (MODIFIED)

3.5    Foster a university-wide culture that promotes, rewards, and celebrates interdisciplinary research, scholarship, creative activity, innovation, and community engagement.

 

4.   Provide the necessary services, resources, and infrastructure to support the university’s strategic direction.

4.1    Offer competitive salaries to attract and retain highly qualified faculty and staff.

4.2    Plan and implement programs to help improve faculty and staff recruitment, hiring, and retention in order to support a highly qualified, diverse, motivated, and satisfied workforce.

4.3    Promote excellence through effective planning, policy development, assessment, and reporting to ensure the continuous improvement of programs and services.

4.4    Implement fundraising initiatives in support of the university’s strategic direction.

4.5    Provide training and educational resources to enhance personal and community safety.

4.6    Enhance information security practices to better predict, prevent, detect, and respond to threats to Texas State’s information systems and data.

4.7    Expand Round Rock Campus resources and space to support the move of the College of Health Professions, growth of other academic offerings, and student services at this location. (MODIFIED)

4.8    Enhance the satisfaction and experience of the university community by continuously improving processes and interfaces. (MODIFIED)

4.9    Provide a diverse and inclusive environment of support to achieve the highest level of performance for all members of the campus community.

4.10  Effectively engage alumni and external constituents to influence and generate human and financial capital opportunities.

4.11  Provide programs and services that support and enhance the health and wellness of the university community.

4.12  Provide a competitive, high-profile, diverse, equitable athletics program, in compliance with applicable rules and regulations, which increases university prestige and creates exciting engagement opportunities.

4.13  Support the growing requirements of the university by enhancing the condition and reliability of the university infrastructure, creating redundancy to support essential building operating systems, and collaboratively planning and constructing new facilities.

4.14  Seek historically underutilized business (HUB) suppliers. (NEW)