Wayne State University

Department Chairs and Academic Directors

1. Learning experience: Establish and sustain a superlative learning experience that builds upon the unique values and attributes of WSU.

Department chairs and academic directors offered several suggestions for refining and revising this objective.

• Increase the number of full-time faculty.
• Create a system and means of support for mentoring junior faculty members.
• Segment FTIAC and traditional student population for better needs assessment and marketing.
• Renewed focus on general education needs.
• Provide information on student retention, admissions and financial aid at the college and departmental levels.
• Work more closely with community colleges to increase the number of dual-enrollment programs.
• Develop methods of retaining highest-quality undergraduate students and recruiting them for WSU graduate programs
• Assist faculty in best use of technology.
• Additional funding needed by academic units to pay for new initiatives outlined in revised plan.
•  Extend student tutoring beyond the first and second year of undergraduate study.
• Commit greater resources to provide well-equipped classrooms and labs.

2. Pre-eminence in research and scholarship: Strengthen our performance as a nationally recognized research university by focusing on our competitive advantages, enhancing our scholarship, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to research, and collaborating with government, industry and other institutions to enhance economic growth and the quality of life.

The group reaffirmed the importance of this strategic direction for Wayne State University. However, they argued that the definition of research should be refined in the revised plan. First, they believed that “multidisciplinary” research is given privileged status in the current plan. The group recommended omitting the term “multidisciplinary” to give all research equal status in the updated plan.

• Find other measurements for determining research rank, considering that a portion of the research conducted on campus is not funded.
• For goal 2.1, omit reference to placing WSU in the rank of the top 50 public universities since this is a National Science Foundation ranking and does not recognize research that may not receive external funding.
• Change understanding of research and scholarship because they involve different infrastructure support issues and different facilities (for example, laboratories versus library collections).
• Separate goals for funded and nonfunded research and develop goals and strategies appropriate for each.
• Improve funding situation for travel for academic departments with inadequate resources to attend international conferences or conduct research overseas.
• Separate research from scholarship, and develop individual language for these two issues.
• Provide additional funding for enhanced research facilities including animal and wet lab facilities.

3. Quality of campus life: Enhance the quality of life on campus by nurturing a culture of success and excellence.

• Make the Student Center the centerpiece of the campus community by making the facility attractive and visually appealing.
• Improve the quality of student services, enhance business and financial services and request that the Commission on 40,000 address these issues in its planning.
• Delay a move to Division I athletics of the National Collegiate Athletic Association until the university’s fiscal picture improves; focus on niche sports that may increase Wayne State’s visibility.
• Focus on the quality of life on satellite campuses.
• Continue to recruit and retain qualified staff.
• Update and enhance outdated classrooms.
• Establish an Honors College.
• Continue to develop more retail services on campus that provide basic services for the university community while creating employment opportunities for students.

4. Engaged university: Develop mutually beneficial partnerships with our community as catalysts for the social, cultural, economic and educational enrichment of the region.

• Ensure that the capital campaign does not negatively impact college and department fundraising.
• Provide support for “jump start” programs that reach out to the community.
• Make certain that the Oakland and Macomb centers have the needed resources to develop outstanding degree programs.
• Offer high-quality distance learning or Web-based classes.
• Interact aggressively with high schools and expand advanced placement course offerings; provide opportunities for high school students to visit central campus.
• Develop a shuttle or transportation system from surrounding communities to campus.
• Provide more academic and preparatory support for transfer students.
• Replace or enhance small, outdated on-campus performance venues.

5. Educational opportunities for renewal and advancement: Enhance and increase educational opportunities both for the benefit of Michigan citizens and to attract others to the state from throughout the world.

• Increase enrollment to 35,000 to 40,000 students.
• Grow the number of First Time in Any College (FTIACs) students, target ethnic communities, and reach out to growing areas of Macomb County.
• Create opportunities for professional development courses and continuing education for professionals in nondegree programs.
• Expand internships beyond the business community.
• Develop online courses that are not semester-driven, allowing greater flexibility for part-time, employed students.
• Increase the time for completing a degree to accommodate part-time, employed students.
• Recognize the difference between the growing number of FTIACs and nontraditional, part-time students; develop appropriate resources and programs for each.
• Add an additional goal concerning the need to advance international education and research initiatives.