Strategic Issues
for Master List
September 2001
1 Issue: To
attain an operating budget that supports Northern Arizona University’s mission.
Description:
The State of Arizona and NAU must develop and fund a resource plan that
supports the mission of the institution to provide excellent educational
programs for undergraduate and graduate students at its mountain campus in
Flagstaff, as well as the mission to serve rural Arizona and Arizona citizens
seeking professional and workforce development education.
The current Arizona State Budget revenue shortfall and the NAU budget
recission heighten the need to act strategically to protect academic
programming.
2. Issue: Salary
market deficiencies
Description:
Compared to its Board of Regents approved peer institutions, NAU’s
faculty fell to the 7th percentile for all faculty ranks.
Non-teaching professional and classified staff show similar salary
deficiencies. Failure to address
this problem becomes increasingly serious as the numbers of employees resigning
and retiring increase.
3.
Issue: To increase
enrollment and improve retention on the mountain campus.
Description:
NAU needs to increase its enrollment and garner increased financial
support by engaging in strategies to recruit and retain the mountain campus
student population. Retention
efforts will include more accessible and better advising, learner centered
educational programming, and effective assessment.
Recruitment of out-of-state and international students provides diversity
and increased support per student for the academic mission.
4. Issue:
Continuing and expansion of technology enhanced and delivered education.
Description:
NAU must continue to develop new courses and degree programs to become a
leader in the use of technology and in the delivery of programs.
NAU will also expand primary research on the use and assessment of
technology enhanced and delivered instruction and the use of technology to
facilitate a learner-centered environment.
5. Issue:
The need for and access to “workforce” educational programming
through Proposition 301 initiatives.
Description:
NAU needs to develop educational programming to respond to Proposition
301 goals defined by State of Arizona and Board of Regents concerning the
university’s ability to react to changes in the economy and changes in
knowledge demands faced by workers.
6.
Issue: To create an infrastructure
for graduate education and research.
Description:
To obtain increased research support from federal and other sources for
the academic mission, NAU must develop an infrastructure that provides
incentives and a foundation that encourages research growth.
Differential tuition for professional programs and certificates, graduate
fellowships, and strategic distribution of indirect research funds are initial
strategies to build capacity.
7. Issue:
Infusing a learner-centered educational environment throughout Northern
Arizona University’s educational and service programming.
Description:
Incorporating learner-centered education approaches in curriculum,
pedagogy, goals, assessments, and in academic and administrative support
structures and practices requires sustained focus and commitment.
8. Issue:
Faculty development is a key strategy enabling NAU to achieve its mission
and goals.
Description:
NAU must assist faculty to develop expertise in modern education trends
and techniques, assessment of teaching and learning, use of technology in
education, as well as support their research and development efforts for
long-term institutional excellence.