Chancellor's Work Plan: 2001-2002

GOAL: Advocate for and secure resources to enhance educational excellence throughout the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, consistent with the needs of students and the state of Minnesota.

• Serve as MnSCU's chief ambassador by visiting all areas of the state to promote the system and its institutions.
• Develop strategies to identify and remove real and perceived barriers to participation in higher education.
• Improve partnerships to better serve statewide, regional and local economic development needs.
• Pursue sufficient resources to provide excellent, affordable higher education opportunities to Minnesotans and to recruit, retain and develop excellent faculty, staff and administrators.

GOAL: Provide excellent, affordable higher education opportunities to students from Minnesota and nearby states.

• Develop new majors and programs to better serve students.
• Make it easier for students to transfer from one institution to another.
• Improve recruitment and retention of students traditionally under-represented in higher education.

GOAL: Listen to the people of Minnesota and craft a strategic plan to achieve their vision for higher education.

• Establish a Citizens' Advisory Commission made up of MnSCU's principal constituencies to assist in identifying the future direction of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
• Conduct public forums in at least six locations around the state.
• Visit with legislators and business and corporate leaders to understand their concerns about higher education and MnSCU.
• Visit with students, faculty and staff at every MnSCU institution to understand their vision for higher education in Minnesota.

GOAL: Ensure that MnSCU institutions and the system office will be accountable for achieving statewide higher education objectives and improving student success.

• Develop accountability standards to measure student success.
• Ensure reliability and validity of data for research, planning and evaluation.
• Maintain fiscal accountability as measured by balanced capital and operating budgets.
• Preserve taxpayer investments and provide safe, accessible, energy-efficient and environmentally compliant facilities for students.
• Assess institutional and system office roles to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Establish a culture that fosters continuous improvement.
• Improve professional development and leadership development activities.

GOAL: Support the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in playing a major role in strengthening the partnerships that build the economic vitality of their regions and the state.

• Enhance partnerships between MnSCU institutions and statewide and regional businesses and industries that contribute to MnSCU's strategic role in workforce and economic development.
• Collaborate with the University of Minnesota and other higher education institutions to provide new higher education opportunities to all citizens.
• Collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning and the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education system to expand opportunities for advanced learning in MnSCU institutions.

GOAL: Enhance MnSCU's public image to build public support for the system and its institutions among students and prospective students, alumni and key policy-makers.

• Implement an effective marketing and communications plan to enhance MnSCU's public image.
• Improve MnSCU's presence and effectiveness in Washington, D.C.
• Enhance the capacity of MnSCU institutions to build strong alumni organizations.
• Enhance MnSCU's capacity to secure higher levels of non-state revenue.

GOAL: Make MnSCU a leader in using technology to serve students in new markets.

• Refine and implement strategies to move effectively and successfully into the eLearning market.
• Improve MnSCU's information technology capacity to serve internal and external customers.
• Use technology to reach new market segments with e-Learning services.