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Pathways to Greatness 2017 Strategic Plan Honoring Our Past, Creating Our Future 2012 – 2017 “ Be the leader in the use of alternative and/ or renewable energy in the Territory and the Caribbean.” “ Create modern living and learning facilities for students, faculty, and staff.” 1 Greetings: I am honored to have the distinct privilege of introducing you to Pathways to Greatness – the University of the Virgin Islands strategic plan for the period 2012-2017. I am thankful for the opportunity to be at such a place for such a time as this – a time when we celebrate our past and take decisive actions to create our future. Pathways to Greatness is a dynamic living document that chronicles the path that this University will traverse on the road to greatness. We are building on the successes of the past and will use our best efforts to carve these projected achievements outlined in this plan on the mountains of hope that guard our future. I urge you to join us on this journey whether as a student, faculty, staff, administrator, board member, community member, alumni, or patron of the University. UVI is a special place; a destination University where lives are transformed, talents groomed, and where diamonds in the rough become shining gems of success. As this new strategic plan unfurls, we welcome your support and commitment. We hope that this plan will inspire you to dream of UVI in a place of greatness. May it also encourage you to create a special place in your heart for this University – a place that inspires you to dream with us and commit your resources, of whatever kind, to improve higher educational opportunities for students in the Virgin Islands and the world. Thank you for being a partner with UVI as together we travel the path to greatness. Sincerely, David Hall President “ UVI will produce graduates who are academically excellent, globally sensitive, entrepreneurially focused, emotionally and spiritually balanced, and committed to serving the world.” 2 Pathways to Greatness Pathways to Greatness – Honoring our Past, Creating Our Future – is a fitting description for the University of the Virgin Islands new strategic plan that spans the period 2012 to 2017. The plan is developed on the premise that the University is on a journey to greatness – and that it remains committed to providing the best quality education and experience for its students, faculty, staff, administrators, and patrons. UVI anticipates a future of growth as seen through the lenses of six areas of focus: academic quality and excellence; student development and success; community engagement and globalization; modern and safe university environment; organizational and human development; and financial sustainability and growth. All of these areas represent the collective input of students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, board of trustees, and the Virgin Islands community within the context of a collaborative approach to strategic planning. University Mission Statement The University of the Virgin Islands is a learner-centered institution dedicated to the success of its students and committed to enhancing the lives of the people of the U. S. Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean through excellent teaching, innovative research, and responsive community service. “ Strengthen relationships with regional educational institutions to increase recruitment of graduates from those institutions to residential programs at UVI.” 3 • Improved Quality and Excellence of our Undergraduate and Graduate Programs • Improved Faculty and Staff Development and Compensation • Increased Retention and Graduation Rates • Growth in our Endowments for Educational Support and Mission-Focused Investments • Increased Use of Opportunities for Meaningful Community and Civic Engagement and Global Interaction • Expanded Relevance of our Centers and Institutes as Places of Economic Stimuli • Increased Evidence of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment as a Measure to Further Improve the Learning, Business, and Service/Operational Environments • Enhanced Opportunities for Student Development, Learning, and Success • Enhanced Infrastructure for Employee Well-being and Student Success • Improved Allocation of Resources for Maximum University-wide Impact • Increased Opportunities for Research (applied, educational, and psychological) and Scholarship University Vision Statement The University of the Virgin Islands will be an exceptional U. S. institution of higher education in the Caribbean dedicated to student success, committed to excellence, and pledged to enhancing the social and economic transformation of the U. S. Virgin Islands. As a result of its investment in the six identified areas of focus, the University of the Virgin Islands aspires to realize the following anticipated outcomes: Transformational Return on Investment: What Excites Us 4 “ Improve the image of the University by highlighting the achievement of students and the expertise of faculty and staff.” “ Develop and implement UVI’s first Ph.D. program.” Strategic Integrative Goal Our overarching strategic integrative goal is to become a cornerstone of academic excellence, operational effectiveness, and economic stimulus for the Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean. In fulfilling this integrative goal, we anticipate the following outcomes: • Becoming a ‘university of place’ where lives are nurtured, talents developed, potentials groomed, ethical standards practiced, students are given the opportunity to succeed, and University personnel the opportunity to improve • Receiving the Carnegie-designated elective community engagement classification by becoming more connected to the community, using the resources of the University to better respond to the needs of the community, and impacting the future of the territory • Receiving the Baldridge award for educational excellence through the quality of our programs and the corresponding links between strategic planning, resource allocation, organizational effectiveness, and performance assessment • Becoming a destination-university in the Caribbean, known for high quality programs and performance, excellent service, uncompromised integrity, fiscal responsibility, informed decision-making, performance assessment, and emotional and spiritual well-being of students, faculty, staff, and administrators 5 Summary of Areas of Focus Academic Quality and Excellence The University of the Virgin Islands is a learner-centered institution dedicated to the success of its students and committed to enhancing the lives of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean through excellent teaching, innovative research, and responsive community service. We have identified 7 academic key issues as we move on with our next strategic planning and these are: accredited programs, improved classrooms, research collaborations, community outreach, creation of academic centers, producing global students, and excellent faculty. Student Development and Success Student development and success is central to the guiding principles of UVI. The University’s Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and list of Core Values clearly indicate that UVI is “dedicated to its students,” “dedicated to student success,” and embodies the ideal that “students [are] first.” Building on this accepted premise, internal constituencies have identified five key areas specific to student development and success on which the University will focus. These key areas are student access and enrollment, student retention and graduation, student development services, student achievement and recognition, and student satisfaction. Core Values Integral to UVI’s strength, our core values embody the principles, ideals, and beliefs of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees. They are: students first, learning and scholarship, excellence, teamwork, collegiality and shared governance, inclusiveness of ideas, principled leadership, support of our community, effective use of technology and equitable reward system 6 “ Expand the funding base of the University through increased philanthropic support.” “ Serve as a resource to the Virgin Islands in addressing critical community issues (e.g. crime, gang violence, economic development, political process).” Community Engagement and Globalization UVI acknowledges its responsibilities for service, collaboration and leadership in the local and regional communities in its mission and strategic planning as well as in a wide variety of specific initiatives. Certain organizational units at UVI, particularly Research and Public Service (RPS,) focus on community engagement, but service and outreach are also central to some other units and are implemented by the colleges and schools as well as by individual faculty and staff. Workforce development is a factor in academic programs and training. There are also a variety of specific initiatives which include a local or regional community focus. Information about activity falling under this theme occurs across the institution and the University is committed to expanding its role to more significantly impact the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands, the Eastern Caribbean, and the world. Modern and Safe University Environment The past several years have brought about the construction of many new facilities and infrastructure improvements. However, much remains to be done in creating and sustaining a modern and safe university environment. There are several threats to safety and security with regards to the University’s facilities and technology infrastructure that could threaten the goals and mission of the University. Most importantly, funding for development and maintenance of new facilities and technology infrastructure has often been reliant on non-recurring sources. Therefore, although these projects are instituted properly they are often not regularly maintained or upgraded for lack of resources. 7 Management Values The University of the Virgin Islands upholds the following seven management values: high performing institution with a focus on quality, service oriented, uncompromised integrity, informed decision-making, fiscal responsibility, performance assessment, spiritual and emotional well-being “ Improve the link between planning, resource allocation, business operations, and assessment.” 8 “ Increase enrollment through the offering of online bachelor, associate, and masters programs.” Organizational and Human Development Intellectual capital is a prime resource of any organization or institution, but is of particular significance and merit in an academic institution. It represents the communal application of the collective expertise, capabilities, and competencies of its membership in an arena which fosters utilization and expression of these attributes for the betterment of the University and the broader community it serves. The University of the Virgin Islands has a longstanding tradition of recruitment and hiring practices which filter applicants in order to hire the most highly qualified available individuals. The process has engaged multi-level stakeholders allowing for collaborative decision making. Any resource, however, has to be deliberately acknowledged and assessed so that it not only remains and is sustained, but also is nurtured and protected so that it remains and thrives. Financial Sustainability and Growth UVI has amassed an impressive track record of achievements. Its dedication to student success has produced a Pulitzer Prize winner, a mathematician who discovered two new prime numbers, Rhodes scholars, Thurgood Marshall Scholars, scientists, professionals, entrepreneurs, and others who are leaders in the region and the world. But while we can take pride in UVI’s many achievements, its potential calls for even greater financial investments. Its future excellence depends on ensuring its financial sustainability and growth now, which means increases in enrollment and retention, improved organizational efficiencies, more funded grant applications, and renewed efforts in philanthropy. “ Increase faculty productivity and effectiveness by expanding research and faculty scholarship expectations and opportunities.” www.uvi.edu HISTORICALLY AMERICAN. UNIQUELY CARIBBEAN. GLOBALLY INTERACTIVE. SPECIALIZING IN FUTURES For more information Call: 340-693-1000 Visit: http://strategicplan.uvi.edu The University of the Virgin Islands is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.