Strategic Plan

Future

Past

Present

STRATEGIC PLAN Texas A&M University-Texarkana Page 3

In the year 2020-21Texas A&M University-Texarkana will celebrate many significant milestones:

» 10 Years as a Comprehensive University

» 25 Years of Membership in The Texas A&M University System

» 50 Years of Serving the Texarkana Region

Our Shared Vision for Texas A&M University-Texarkana

» As a first-choice institution known for

Academic Excellence Student Success Community Leadership we will provide the best public undergraduate experience in Texas.

» Through intentional outreach and partnerships, we will expand the

number and diversity of our region’s university-educated citizens.

» By further developing dynamic on-line learning opportunities and career

oriented graduate degrees, we will serve the educational needs of our

community beyond the traditional undergraduate experience.

» Through enhanced collaboration and engagement of the larger

community, A&M-Texarkana will attain the prestigious Carnegie

Community Engagement classification. Our university will be renowned

in our community for its service, sought for its expertise, and utilized as

the catalyst for solutions to community issues.

» Because of the exemplary reputation of our university and the efforts

of all in leadership roles, we will receive abundant external funding for

university initiatives.

» Our membership in a world-class university system will provide the

prestige of a Texas A&M University degree from a campus known as a

‘community’ of higher education.

Page 4 Texas A&M University-Texarkana STRATEGIC PLAN

Texas A&M-Texarkana will be a “first-choice” institution known for academic excellence, student success, and community leadership and a “cradle to career and citizenship” strategy that not only prepares students for their chosen careers but also develops their capacities for leadership.

Simply put, Texas A&M-Texarkana will provide the best public

undergraduate experience in Texas from freshman year to graduation, one

that maintains its commitment to the liberal arts and sciences tradition, while

transforming that tradition for the 21st century and offering a broad array of

professional programs.

Key characteristics include:

» A&M-Texarkana will be innovative and nimble, shaping its practices to

match national best practices in undergraduate education and contributing

itself to the national dialogue about how higher education can improve

learning and retention.

» The University will develop a freshman year program that intentionally

addresses all the dimensions recognized as criteria for excellence in the first year.

» A&M-Texarkana will be a leader statewide in the incorporation of high impact practices into undergraduate curricula (learning communities,

undergraduate research, community service learning, etc.).

» A&M-Texarkana will excel in problem-based learning, using the region as a living laboratory across the curriculum.

» Our graduates will be aware of and highly achieving in each of The Texas

A&M University System and LEAP learning outcomes (on which System

outcomes are based).

» Our student life program, guided by intentional learning goals, will provide

a variety of experiences for students including Greek life and athletics.

A Look

Into Our

Future

Sharing a Vision ›››››


FRESHMAN STUDENT’S BLOG ABOUT LIFE AT TEXAS A&M-TEXARKANA

“When I arrived at A&M-Texarkana just two months ago, I was excited about coming to a campus known for its supportive community and outstanding academics. But my experience, thus far, has exceeded my expectations. From Day One, people here have made sure that I felt like I belonged-making sure I knew who to go to if I ever needed help, had a group of interesting friends with diverse backgrounds and experiences (even some from other countries!), and was taking courses that really made me think!

In sociology, we’re doing something called a ‘community service learning’ project with the city’s Housing Authority that helps us learn while we’re helping other people. And my biology class is spending lots of time across the street from campus at Bringle Lake Park, collecting specimens to use in experiments that my professor says we’ll write up as a research paper and present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the spring. How many freshmen get to do that? Have to run…the sorority I’m hoping to join has a mixer in the Student Engagement Center, and later on today, my freshman learning community is going to join the other learning communities in a park clean-up across town.”

» Program expansion will be guided by the unique environment of the “four states region”—northeast Texas,

northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, and southwest

Arkansas-an area with rich resources in water and timber

and well-established healthcare, transportation, and

recreation industries.

» We will expand our opportunities for global education,

enabling a significant percentage of our students to study

in other countries and increasing our own international

student population to at least 10%.

» Our faculty will embrace the teacher-scholar model and be innovative teachers, using, as appropriate, new

technological tools to increase student learning, as well

as active scholars/researchers with programs that provide

opportunities for undergraduates to engage, alongside

them, in the discovery and creation of knowledge.

» There will be widespread use of sophisticated technological tools and analytics to help us address

students’ learning and scheduling needs and keep them on

track for graduation, while also making our administrative

processes more efficient.

In order to serve the educational needs of the community beyond the traditional undergraduate experience, A&M-Texarkana will:

» Further develop on-line learning opportunities at both

the undergraduate and graduate level.

» Expand the number and diversity of career-oriented graduate degrees in keeping with analysis of our

region’s needs.

» Be THE site for the four states region and beyond for

high-level career enhancing certificate and continuing

professional education programs responsive to the needs of employees and employers in the region.

NOVEMBER 2016

Sharing a Vision ›››››


TRANSFER STUDENT/SPEAKER AT 2018 GRADUATION

“As I stand before you as the keynote speaker, I am proud—and a bit surprised—that I will soon hold my bachelor’s degree and be beginning my career. When I began my studies at Texarkana College in the fall after high school graduation, I wasn’t sure if college was for me—and I certainly wasn’t thinking of pursuing a four year degree at that point. I was amazed by how much I enjoyed my classes at TC and how quickly the time passed as I earned my Associate’s Degree. It really just seemed like a natural progression to continue my studies at A&M-Texarkana—and thanks to the folks in the Compass Center who assisted me, the transition from TC to A&M-Texarkana was seamless. My counselor clearly outlined the pathway in my chosen degree program. In my first semester at A&M-Texarkana, I took advantage of the opportunity for an internship. It was amazing to me how much more relevant the concepts from my classes were when applied in real-life situations. Because of the hands-on experiences and work in interdisciplinary teams I’ve had at A&M-Texarkana, I am confident that I’m well-prepared to step into my new career. I wasn’t just earning my bachelor’s degree— I was acquiring the skills necessary to be a team player and a leader. Look out world, here I come!”

TEXAS A&M-TEXARKANA STAFF MEMBER TO A NEW COLLEAGUE

“For me, working at A&M-Texarkana is much more than simply a job—it’s a calling. Because we truly care about our students and our colleagues, we’ve been able to retain the sense of family that sets us apart—even while growing at a rapid pace. As an Enrollment Management Professional, I have the opportunity to positively affect the lives of students each and every day. Often the students with whom I work are the first in their families to attend college—so making the enrollment process as easy as possible for them is what it’s all about. Knowing the students by name and keeping up with their progress toward their degrees makes coming to work on campus very fulfilling. And when I bring my kids to Eagles’ soccer games on the weekends, I’m not sure who is more excited—my ‘own’ kids or my ‘A&M’ kids. My work at A&M-Texarkana allows me to know that I am making a difference in the lives of the exceptional young people who have chosen to be our students.”

We will expand the number and diversity of the region’s university-educated citizens by

» Developing partnerships with higher

education institutions and community

organizations to raise the region’s higher

education attainment level.

» Intentional outreach to underserved

populations.

» Developing agreements with our

regional schools and community

colleges to make the pathway from kindergarten to a university degree

both visible and accessible.

» Establishing a summer bridge program

that helps capable, but under-prepared

students gain the skills they need to be

successful in their first year.

» Expanding our honors program.

SEPTEMBER 2017

MAY 2018


In order to achieve this classification, we will not only look to our community

as a resource to enrich our curriculum, but we will also be recognized as a “first

choice” resource for our region, providing guidance and expertise in addressing

critical issues—economic, social, environmental, etc.—and partnering with

businesses and agencies to solve those problems.

Our university advancement and community engagement operations will be so woven into the fabric of our organization that we will see:

» Active community advisory boards at multiple levels within the institution

so that administration and faculty can get direct input about community

needs and create opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.

» Coordinated university communications so that our key messages and

initiatives are well known and understood on campus and beyond.

» Coordinated development and fundraising with members of the

leadership and management team involved in identifying opportunities

and raising external funds for university initiatives.

By 2021, we will have achieved the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation that indicates the depth of our collaboration and partnerships with the larger community that has invested in our success.

2019 NEWS RELEASE ABOUT TEXAS A&M-TEXARKANA FACULTY

“In response to continued enrollment growth, Texas A&M University-Texarkana today welcomed 12 new faculty to the academic community. The group, representing disciplines from the arts and sciences to professional areas such as business and healthcare, is presently engaged in a comprehensive orientation program, organized by the university’s Faculty Support Center. This program introduces these new academics to the resources available on campus and within the A&M system. They are learning from some of the University’s accomplished professors about teaching methods that really engage students in the learning process, representatives from Academic Technology Services are introducing them to the array of instructional tools available at A&M-Texarkana, and the Office of Graduate Studies and Research is providing information about research funding and ways they can incorporate students into their research agendas.

As one new faculty member noted, “I had several job offers, but I chose A&M-Texarkana because it is committed to seeing that faculty have the tools they need to be successful teacher-scholars.”

AUGUST 2019


AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER

“I never dreamed that a visit to the A&M-Texarkana campus would lead to my going back to school to get my master’s degree. Joe and I rarely miss the opportunity to attend an arts event or hear one of the phenomenal speakers that the university brings to our community. We often meet a group of friends at the campus coffee shop afterward to hash over the lecture topic. I’ve enjoyed working side-by-side with TAMU-T students on volunteer projects like Race for the Cure, and my company regularly brings in groups of students to research marketing and logistics issues we face. But I sure didn’t see myself as a student until I picked up a brochure as we were leaving a recent event that told us about all of the new degree programs A&M-Texarkana is offering. With the array of classes available on-line, I have the ability to continue to work full-time and pursue my dream of earning my MBA. A&M-Texarkana is now my university—and the path to my future in management.”

SPRING 2020Our membership in a world-class university system will provide:

» For our students—additional learning opportunities beyond a

relatively small university’s capacity. Examples include language

programs, study abroad, specializations in technical fields.

» For our faculty and staff—professional development

opportunities. For faculty, in particular, affinity groups,

developed around key research themes, will enable faculty to

develop an organized network of colleagues and put together

research groups that put them in a better competitive position

for external funding.

» For our community—partnerships that enhance and

complement what our individual institution can provide.

For example, working with the agencies, we have access to

expertise that we will tap into to provide continuing

professional education and training.

» Shared administrative resources, as appropriate, that will help us

develop economies of scale not possible at a single campus.

» The prestige of a Texas A&M University degree from a campus known as a ‘community’ of higher education.

Our Guiding

Beliefs

›› Passion for Excellence

›› Culture of Learning and Success

›› Community Engagement and Leadership

›› Stewardship of Valuable Resources

›› Integrity, Honesty, and Visibility

Our Guiding

Beliefs

Navigating the Path ›››››


Passion for

Excellence2014-2015 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

» Establish enrollment management practices,

from recruitment through enrollment to

graduation, that meet or exceed current higher

education standards.

» Make measurable progress in achieving

program accreditations.

» Establish baseline metrics to measure our

growth in excellence and develop a mechanism

for tracking and reporting our progress.

» Develop comprehensive strategies to prepare

for requirements of upcoming SACS

accreditation process.

Excellence is the goal of every member of the Texas A&M-Texarkana Community.

Whatever our individual roles, we strive to

meet the highest standards of performance

and to deliver our personal best to establish

A&M-Texarkana as a leader in higher

education.

As a university community, academic

excellence is the cornerstone of our work, and

we share a passion for providing our students

with the highest quality education.

Not content with the status quo, we

continually evaluate ourselves in relation

to national standards and practices and

innovate and adapt in order to improve our

performance.


2014-2015 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

» Develop and publish a comprehensive academic

master plan.

» Re-establish Texas A&M-Texarkana’s First Year

Experience program and align it with criteria established

by the Foundations of Excellence in the First-Year.

» Assess and refine student advisement process.

» Establish support programming for international

students and opportunities for global learning for all

students and faculty.

» Strategically develop student life programming to align

with university learning goals.

» Identify and develop spaces for formal and informal

student gathering and collaboration.

» Initiate an intercollegiate athletics program

with an emphasis on the student-athlete and

leadership development.

Texas A&M-Texarkana is a success-oriented university.

We believe that with the required

tools, encouragement, and personal

determination, each individual is

capable of achieving success and that

it is our community’s responsibility to

provide the necessary support.

We are especially committed to

our students’ success and believe that

an integrated academic and social

experience, one that engages students

in the learning process both inside the

classroom and out, fosters persistence,

graduation, and lifelong learning.

Our faculty, staff, and

administration work together to

ensure that learning and success

are woven into the cultural fabric of

the university and that a defining

characteristic of Texas A&M-

Texarkana is its commitment to being

a true learning community.

LearningSuccess

Cultureof

and


Community Engagement and Leadership


» Establish an Office of

Professional Development to

enhance and develop extended

learning opportunities.

» Initiate an intentional

community engagement

program through the Office of

the President.

Among the greatest gifts we offer the community that established us are the graduates who will be its economic, cultural, and civic leaders.

At A&M-Texarkana we look to the larger community as a

partner that enriches our curriculum, teaching, and learning;

enhances opportunities for scholarship, research, and creative

activity; and helps prepare our students for their careers and to

assume active roles as citizens.

In short, we see our region as an extension of our

classrooms and laboratories.

This relationship is reciprocal and demands that we, in

turn, be a resource to our community, providing expertise to

address local issues as well as opportunities for cultural and

intellectual enrichment and professional development.


Stewardship of Valuable Resources


» Refine budget processes and align with

strategic plan.

» Develop a data-informed enrollment plan that

ensures our physical and financial resources are

fully used and sustainable.

» Hold student-led campus “Unplugged” event to

encourage sustainable practices.

» Establish a new faculty orientation program.

» Align university fund raising initiatives with

strategic objectives.

Resources are valued, conserved, and utilized to the greatest benefit for our students and our future.

Fundamental to our ability to provide a

high quality education to students now and in

the future is our commitment to the wise and

effective use of our resources.

We possess a deep appreciation for the

resources with which our university has been

entrusted—financial, natural, and human-

and recognize our responsibility to carefully

steward their use.

We consistently employ sustainable

practices and operations, and the good of our

greatest resource—the people who make up

the A&M-Texarkana family—is at the heart of

our decision making.


Integrity Honesty and Visibility


» Develop and distribute Codes of

Conduct for faculty, staff, and

administration and an Honor

Code for students.

» Identify areas where written

procedures and processes are

needed and develop them.

» Create and follow a strategic

communication plan.

Each and every decision and action of our university must be grounded in the principles of integrity, honesty, and visibility.

The business of our university is conducted in such a

way that we welcome the scrutiny of any stakeholder, and

our values are clearly communicated in writing and reflected

in our deeds.

We are honest. We are accountable. We are committed to

the constant work required to earn and remain worthy of trust.

Strategic Planning BoardDr. Emily F. Cutrer, Chair

Dr. Rosanne Stripling Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

James Scogin Vice President for Finance and Administration

LeAnne Wright Associate Vice President for University Advancement

Vicki Huckabee Chief of Staff

Dr. Peter Racheotes Faculty Senate Chair

Dr. Doug Julien Academic Affairs Advisory Council Chair

Dr. Glenda Ballard Provost’s Leadership Group Representative

Liz Patterson Provost’s Leadership Group Representative

Dr. Patricia Humphrey Faculty Representative

Dr. Ugar Tanriver Faculty Representative

Frankie Milligan Staff Council Vice-Chair

Veloria Nanze Director of Budget and Planning

Dr. Bill McHenry Graduate Studies Representative

Heath Coston Undergraduate Student Representative

Documents

Strategic Plan