THE STATE UNIVERSITYof NEW YORK MASTER PLAN 2004-2008 For additional copies, please contact: Office of the Provost The State University of New York State University Plaza Albany, New York 12246 http://www.suny.edu/provost/pubs.cfm Table of Contents Mission of the State University of New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Message from the Chancellor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The State University of New York Today: The Impact of Rethinking SUNY (1995) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 SUNY’s Strategic Planning Efforts – A Commitment to Excellence. . . . . . . . . 13 Mission Review II (2005-2010): Building an Expectation of Excellence . . . . . .15 Overview, Purpose, and Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Campus Role and Distinctiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Plans for Strengthening the Quality and Diversity of the Student Body. . . . . .21 Plans for Strengthening the Quality, Diversity, and Reputation of Faculty . . . 25 Plans for Strengthening the Quality and Reputation of Academic Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Plans for Enhancing Student Outcomes/Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Plans for Ensuring Technology Infrastructure Supports Academic Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Plans for Ensuring Facilities Support Academic Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Plans for Administrative Structure and Resource Support to Ensure Academic Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Contributions to Community Ensuring a Vibrant Environment to Support Academic Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 SUNY and Higher Education in New York – The Larger Context . . . . . . . . . . .40 Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Business, Industry, and Economic Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Community College Workforce Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Charter Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 A Stronger Financial Foundation for the State University – Providing and Managing the Resources to Support Excellence . . . . . . . . . . .47 Securing SUNY’s Financial Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Linking Budgets to Campus Mission and Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Improving Administrative Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Strengthening Hospital Finances and Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Managing Energy Consumption and Cost Effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Enhancing Our Residence Halls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Strengthening Campus-related Entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Historical Financial Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 State University of New York Capital Facilities and Capital Plan . . . . . . . .52 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 University Hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Community Colleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Residence Halls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Educational Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness – Findings and Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 APPENDICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 List of Campuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 New Programs of Study Tentatively Planned for Introduction 2004-2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Master Plan Amendments 2000-2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Guidelines for the Implementation of Campus-based Assessment of the Major . . . 77 General Education Assessment Review (GEAR) Group Review Process Guidelines . . .81 Progress Report on the SUNY Assessment Initiative: Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 State University of New York Pass Rates on the NYS Teacher Certification Examination (2000-01 through 2002-03) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Provost’s Advisory Council on Teacher Education Report and Recommendations . . .96 A New Vision in Teacher Education: Agenda for Change in SUNY’s Teacher Preparation Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Memorandum to Presidents: Teacher Education Transfer Template Status Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Initial Report: Provost’s Mathematics Education Task Force . . . . . . . . . . .109 Intra-SUNY Transfer Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Progress Report on the Community Colleges of the State University of New York Strategic Plan for 2001-2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 State University of New York Community Colleges Multi-Year Capital Plan 2003-04 to 2007-08. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 State University of New York State-Operated Educational Facilities Multi-Year Capital Plan 2004-05 to 2008-09. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 SUNY Facts: State University of New York Quantitative Information . . . . . . . 134 Board of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 System Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Advisory Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Mission of the State University of New York (New York State Education Law, Section 351) “The mission of the state university system shall be to provide to the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population in a complete range of academic, professional and vocational post-secondary programs including such additional activities in pursuit of these objectives as are necessary or customary. These services and activities shall be offered through a geographically distributed comprehensive system of diverse campuses which shall have differentiated and designated missions designed to provide a comprehensive program of higher education, to meet the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students and to address local, regional and state needs and goals. In fulfilling this mission, the state university shall exercise care to develop and maintain a balance of its human and physical resources that: a. recognizes the fundamental role of its responsibilities in undergraduate education and provides a full range of graduate and professional education that reflects the opportunity for individual choice and the needs of society; b. establishes tuition which most effectively promotes the university’s access goals; c. encourages and facilitates basic and applied research for the purpose of the creation and dissemination of knowledge vital for continued human, scientific, technological and economic advancement; d. strengthens its educational and research programs in the health sciences through the provision of high quality care at its hospitals, clinics, and related programs; e. shares the expertise of the state university with the business, agricultural, governmental, labor and nonprofit sectors of the state through a program of public service for the purpose of enhancing the well-being of the people of the state of New York and in protecting our environmental and marine resources; f. promotes appropriate program articulation between its state-operated institutions and its community colleges as well as encourages regional networks and cooperative relationships with other educational and cultural institutions for the purpose of better fulfilling its mission of education, research and service.” Message from the Chancellor I am pleased to transmit the State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008. This Master Plan gives us a chance to highlight the tremendous progress made since our last formal submission, and more broadly, since Rethinking SUNY was launched in 1995. It is also an opportunity to share our ongoing plans to make SUNY’s vision—to move to the very front ranks of public higher education in America—a reality. In so many respects the State University is already there, with the largest enrollment ever, dramatic gains in student quality, and tremendous growth in research activity. As Chancellor, I have seen first-hand many of the extraordinary achievements of the State University of New York and what I have witnessed has been nothing less than awe-inspiring. It is truly a privilege to serve this great university—the single largest comprehensive system of higher education in the country. Credit for our success must be shared broadly, from the University’s Board of Trustees to its faculty, staff, and campus leaders. The beneficiaries of this success are our students, their families, their future employers, indeed all New Yorkers. SUNY’s intention, as described in more detail in this document, is to continue building on our success—with support from the Governor, legislature, and all of the State University’s stakeholders—and thereby to enrich the lives of all whom we serve. Grounded in the precepts of Rethinking SUNY, the State University of New York has developed a unique and multi-faceted planning framework, one that continues to move the entire University forward while at the same time respecting the history and autonomy of its constituent campuses. This Master Plan lays out in detail the set of planning processes by which the Un i versity engages each of its 64 campuses in this effort. System-wide initiatives described in this document—our approach to Strategic Planning, Mission Review II, and a performance-based budget allocation process—demonstrate how a c o m p re h e n s i ve system such as ours can leverage size and strength to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, and achieve excellence. Let me close by saying that the State University of New York welcomes the opportunity to share this Master Plan with the New York State Board of Regents, the Governor, and the leaders of the Senate and Assembly, and we look forward to working together to ensure that SUNY continues to offer the best possible education to all of New York’s citizens. Robert L. King, Chancellor The State University of New York Today: The Impact of Rethinking SUNY (1995) The State University of New Yo rk—the nation’s largest comprehensive system of colleges and universities—is rapidly moving into the front ranks of American higher education. T h rough vigorous reforms, begun by its Board of Trustees and embraced by System and campus leadership, SUNY’s 64 institutions are being transformed into colleges and universities that rival the finest institutions of higher education in America. Rethinking SUNY has served as the blueprint for the University’s successful transformation. Launched by the Board of Trustees in 1995, this bold plan for reform called for significantly higher academic aspirations throughout the system—spanning the entire range of higher education from community colleges to major research centers—while devolving substantial operational authority and accountability for performance to campuses and their leadership. Strategic planning continues to build on the foundation laid out in Rethinking SUNY, maintaining an upward trajectory andensuring the University’s ongoing success. Total University Enrollment at an All-Time High (Fall Headcount) 1996 368,459 1997 366,708 1998 368,466 1999 372,443 2000 374,377 2001 388,356 2002 402,945 2003 409,886 In 2003, roughly 410,000 students seeking degrees or certificates enrolled in the $7.8 billion State University system, representing its highest ever full-time undergraduate and graduate enrollment. The State University’s research centers are attracting freshmen with academic profiles rivaling some of the most outstanding public flagships across the country, such as the University of Wisconsin at Madison and UCLA. SUNY’s comprehensive colleges are attracting academically stronger students, strengthening their teacher education programs to better meet State needs, and making tangible improvements in key baccalaureate and master’s degree programs. The University’s technology and community colleges are playing a more critical role than ever before in training—and retraining—the State’s work force as well as sending well educated students on to baccalaureate study. Across a range of fields, campuses throughout the system have seen their academic programs rise substantially in national reputation and, most importantly, student success. This positive momentum can be seen in every facet of the University and is further reflected in the significant contributions of the State: • For eight consecutive years, the University has attracted increasingly larger pools of applicants, reaching an all-time high in 2004. • Enhanced reputation, buttressed by stronger and broader programs of study, has raised the academic profile of incoming students at all SUNY campuses. More than 50% percent of those who enrolled at SUNY University Centers in fall 2003 had SAT scores above 1200 and grade point averages above 90, comparable to admission profiles found at top public flagships in California, Michigan, Texas, and North Carolina. • Across the entire University there is a re n ewed emphasis on the quality of undergraduate education, notably implementation of a university-wide core curriculum, new honors programs, and most recently, a broad-based agreement to implement the most comprehensive program of learning outcomes assessment to be found anywhere in the country. • Addressing New York State's growing need for excellent teachers, the University's New Vision in Teacher Education has substantially strengthened aspiring teachers’ mastery of subject content and nearly doubled student teaching experiences. • SUNY’s $3 Billion Challenge—the largest fund raising effort of its kind and the first launched by a public university system—is well on its way, with over $1 billion in accumulated gifts secured. • Since 1995, the University has invested more than $4 billion in State funding to dramatically enhance campus facilities, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and residence halls. Successive funding enhancements achieved since that time—most notably, enactment of the University’s first multi-year program for capital investments in 1998—have supported the expansion of facilities through new construction and more intensified efforts to improve, upgrade, renovate or rehabilitate existing facilities. Over the past nine years, approximately 2,500 new capital projects have been initiated, improving existing facilities and increasing total capacity across the University to nearly 100 million gross square feet. • In addition to educating those students seeking degrees, SUNY serves more than 1.2 million people who participate in continuing education opportunities across the University. • Through new institutional initiatives such as the nation’s first college of Nanoscale Sciences and Engineering at Albany and the Levin Institute in Manhattan focused on preparing students in international economics, finance, and public policy, SUNY continues to ensure New York State’s preeminence as a worldwide leader in university-based research, business creation, and job development. • The State University, for the second year in a row, surpassed Johns Hopkins and other top-ranked universities in the amount of income received from patent royalties coming from faculty research and joined IBM, Corning, and GE among the top recipients of patents in New York State. • Since 1995-96, sponsored research activity has grown from $455 million to an estimated $862 million in 2003-04, an 89% increase in annual expenditures; and SUNY grants now underwrite over 9,000 projects which directly support more than 21,000 full- and part-time jobs across New York State. SUNY’s Research Volume Rising Dramatically (89% Growth in the Past 8 Years) ($ in Millions) 1995-96 $455 1996-97 $461 1997-98 $472 Mission Review and Budget Allocation Process Launched 1998-99 $501 1999-00 $555 2000-01 $593 2001-02 $701 2002-03 $774 2003-04 $862 * * Estimate • With the support of New York State and private industry partners including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Veridian, International Sematech and Dell, almost $1.5 billion has been invested in SUNY’s three Centers of Excellence, establishing cutting-edge research facilities and academic programs in bioinformatics, nanotechnology, and wireless communication at Buffalo, Albany, and Stony Brook respectively. The implementation of Rethinking SUNY and the translation of its spirit into concrete achievements are credited in large part to the strong leadership of the State Un i versity under Governor Pataki, the SUNY Board of Trustees, chaired by Thomas F. Egan, and Chancellors John W. Ryan (1996-1999) and Robert L. King (1999- present). Furthermore, recognizing the critical role of campus leadership in this reform, SUNY continues to attract and retain nationally recognized leaders through a comprehensive recruitment and rigorous evaluation process. Recent presidential appointments include: Vice Admiral John Ryan, previously Superintendent of the US Naval Academy at Annapolis (Maritime College); John Simpson, formerly Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of California at Santa Cruz (University at Buffalo); John Ettling, formerly Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks (SUNY Plattsburgh); Uma Gupta, Dean of the College of Technology at the University of Houston (Alfred State); and Shirley Robinson Pippins, formerly President of Thomas Nelson Community College (Suffolk County Community College). Beyond strengthening campus leadership, System Administration itself has focused on performance review and reform, with an eye toward changing policies and procedures that inhibit effective management and streamlining administrative proccesses. The recently completed work of the Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness, charged by the Board of Trustees with determining the progress made since Rethinking SUNY, underscores the depth of the University’s commitment to accountability and performance. The State Un i versity has been ve ry successful in developing innovative paradigms for institutional change that continue to drive wholesale reform throughout the University. The budget allocation process SUNY adopted in 1998 is performance- driven and “zero-based” meaning each campus must “earn” its entire allocation every year. Campuses gain significant state tax levy funds for instruction as their students successfully advance toward graduation, and for research in proportion to their success in attracting and renewing external grants. In addition, campuses keep all locally generated tuition revenue—not yet widespread policy in other public systems. Total University All Funds Including State-Operated/Statutory Campuses and Community Colleges ($ in Millions) 1995-96 $5,154.9 1996-97 $5,277.0 1997-98 $5,590.9 1998-99 $5,791.0 1999-00 $6,190.7 2000-01 $6,635.4 2001-02 $7,005.9 2002-03 $7,322.3 2003-04 $7,846.2 The broad performance incentives of the new budget allocation process have been powerfully reinforced and given more focus by Mission Review, a cyclical five-year planning process, nationally recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as a “Best Practice” in higher education. Mission Review engages campus leadership in a dialogue with system representatives on such fundamental issues as the characteristics of their students, strength of their academic programs, and levels of faculty performance in scholarship and teaching. The pro duct of the planning process is a campus commitment to achieve explicit five-year quantitative and qualitative goals set out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the campus president and Chancellor King. Among the most impressive results of the first round of Mission Re v i ew has been its impact on raising campus admissions standards while ensuring access to higher education for all New Yorkers. The second cycle of Mission Review was launched in February 2004. The Mission Review MOUs also serve as the basis of annual performance reviews of campus presidents. In addition, the State University is recognized as a national leader for its comprehensive assessment program. The ultimate goal of the SUNY Assessment Initiative is to improve the teaching and learning process, to determine what students gain from a SUNY education, and to be accountable to the University’s many stakeholders. This broad program includes an assessment of student performance in all general education subject areas, use of nationally or SUNY-normed instruments in three key subject areas, and cyclical review of every academic major at all SUNY institutions— comprised of a rigorous self-study and external evaluation. Taken together, these accomplishments of the State University of New York represent one of the most remarkable higher education transformations in recent history. Leveraging our pro g ress and building on the foundation of Rethinking SUNY, the State University is well positioned to continue its march to the forefront of American public higher education, joining the ranks of the nation’s truly great public universities. In recasting itself as a national public university, SUNY has focused not only on getting immediate results and solving particular problems but on implementing broad mechanisms of reform designed to drive continuing improvement on all its campuses. The University's innovative budget allocation process, its commitment to Mission Review, its persistent attention to undergraduate learning, its effective infrastructure of system support for campus facilities and functions, and its recently launched comprehensive strategic planning framework will continue to transform the State University of New York for years to come. Background The State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008 Per Education Law, section 237 as amended by chapter 82 of the Laws of 1995, every eight years the Board of Regents develops a Statewide Plan for Higher Education. The statewide plan is informed by master plans from each sector of higher education—public, independent, and proprietary. While the independent and proprietary sectors share eight-year planning cycles, SUNY and CUNY are required to submit master plans every four years. Thus, section 354 of the Education Law requires the State University of New York Board of Trustees to every four years adopt or update a long-range plan and submit it to the Board of Regents and the Governor for approval. The required (generic) elements of master plans include the following: plans for new curricula; plans for new facilities; plans for change in policies with respect to student admissions; projected student enrollments; comments upon [the State University’s] relationship to other colleges and universities, public, independent, and proprietary, within the state; and, for informational purposes only, projection standards and overall expenditure projections of capital and operating costs (Education Law, §354, Power and duties of the state university trustees—planning functions). In December 1995, the State University Board of Trustees responded to a call from the New Yo rk State Legislature requesting a "multi-year, comprehensive, system-wide plan to increase cost efficiency in the continuing pursuit of the highest quality and broadest possible access consistent with the state university mission." The Board of Trustees, in its 1995 plan entitled Rethinking SUNY, reaffirmed the statutory mission of the University. It endorsed additional propositions that The State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008 also carries forward: • the State University exists to provide access to educational services of the highest quality; • increased differentiation of campuses is fundamental to realizing the synergies achievable as a system; • graduate, professional, and research programs are essential to the mission of the State University of New York and to the economic vitality of New York; and • clearer academic standards and better means for measuring performance are central to increasing accountability. The SUNY Board of Trustees submitted Rethinking SUNY (1995) as its Master Plan for 1996-2000. A detailed description of the University’s core academic planning process, Mission Review, and the plans and goals embodied in the resulting Memoranda of Understanding comprised the SUNY Master Plan 2000-2004 (submitted in 2002, following an approved extension so that the first cycle of Mission Review could be completed). Mission Review is central to the University’s efforts to realize the goals first outlined in 1995, ensuring campus responsibility for higher levels of performance, distinctiveness, efficiency, and system-wide collaboration. These efforts helped lay the foundation for the State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008. Introduction The State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008 is an update on Rethinking SUNY (1995), the Board of Trustees’ blueprint for the University. In particular, it reflects and builds upon Mission Review, which has become the University’s ongoing academic planning framework for implementing and maintaining the vision laid out in Rethinking SUNY. The Plan begins with an overview of the University’s integrated strategic planning effort, which will capitalize on prior and current planning vectors and position the State University for continued excellence. A detailed description of Mission Review II (2005-2010), launched in February 2004, follows. The State University’s ongoing service to local regions, the state, and the nation; administrative and financial structures, in place and planned; and an overview of the capital facilities and capital plan are also included. Finally, a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness, charged by the Board of Trustees in 2003 with determining how well the System has responded to the reforms outlined in Rethinking SUNY, is included. In addition to the plans and activities described in the body of the Master Plan 2004-2008, there are several reports and other supporting materials in the appendices which provide more detail about the University’s future direction. The direction of the University established by the Board of Trustees in Rethinking SUNY is reflected in the priorities reaffirmed in this Master Plan: quality, access, efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. These priorities are particularly important, given the seven priorities of the Board of Regents outlined in The Bulletin of the Statewide Plan for Higher Education 2004-2012: I. Maximizing Success for all Higher Education Students II. Smooth Student Transition from PreK-12 to Higher Education III. Strong Graduate Education to Meet the State’s Needs IV. Creation of New Knowledge through Research V. Qualified Professionals for Every Community throughout the State VI. Qualified Teachers, Leaders, and Other School Professionals for New York’s Schools VII. A Balanced and Flexible Regulatory Environment to Support Excellence The State University’s efforts and plans address the Regents’ statewide priorities, as will be made evident in this document. The State University of New York Master Plan 2004-2008 is a description of the progress made and the successes achieved since implementing Rethinking SUNY. More importantly, it sets out how the State University will continue to translate the principles of Rethinking SUNY into action through ongoing and integrated strategic planning, articulation of the University’s strategic vision, and execution of Mission Review II (2005-2010). SUNY’s Strategic Planning Efforts – A Commitment to Excellence The overarching vision for the State University of New York is to “move to the forefront of American public higher education and join the ranks of the truly great public universities” (Chancellor Robert L. King and Board of Trustees’ Chairman Thomas F. Egan). To be a truly great University system requires excellence in all efforts. From associate- degree to post-doctoral education, from job training to cutting-edge research, the State University of New York will be defined by its commitment to excellence. A great university requires excellent students, faculty, and programs, supported by adequate resources, up-to-date technology, and state-of-the art instructional and research facilities, managed by effective leaders who value excellence and accountability as well as access and diversity. Building excellence in a system as large and comprehensive as the State University of New York requires strategic planning on a different scale than that found at most institutions, indeed most systems, of higher education. Such planning must be integrative, inclusive, and iterative to be effective; it should include all functional areas and it must build on successes achieved. The State University has recently undergone several major planning efforts that have served it well, beginning with Rethinking SUNY, which focused on efficiency and effectiveness, enhanced campus autonomy, and accountability. That blueprint for change led to the establishment of Mission Review as the University’s ongoing academic planning process, now entering its second five-year cycle (Mission Review II, 2005-2010). Rethinking SUNY also led to the development of a budget allocation process that substantially increased campus responsibility for managing resources effectively. More recently, Realignment for Excellence examined the structure of the central offices of the University—including System Administration, the Research Foundation, and the Construction Fund—and, as a result, changes were made to increase the effectiveness and responsiveness of these units. In 2003, the Board of Trustees charged the Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness with determining how well the University had responded to the reforms recommended in Rethinking SUNY. The Task Force concluded that SUNY has made excellent progress and is lean and efficient. Among the Task Force’s recommendations was the suggestion that greater emphasis be placed on system-wide strategic planning, coordinated effectively with campuses. The Mission Review II (2005-2010) Guidance documents (1Including the Community Colleges of the State University of New York Strategic Plan (2001-2004); A Plan for the State University (2003); Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness-Findings and Recommendations (2004)), Rethinking SUNY, and other planning documents1 provide a strong foundation for developing a comprehensive strategic plan that integrates areas necessary to achieve the State University’s goal of excellence. Under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, the Office of Strategic Planning will work with the various offices in the University's central administration and the campuses to bring greater coherence and consistency to SUNY’s system-wide strategic planning. The State University’s strategic plan will set goals for the system that will move it to the forefront of higher education and provide a framework for each campus to specify how it can contribute to those goals. Current draft goals include achieving: access and success for students; academic programs that are recognized for quality, accredited, and responsive to local, state, and national needs, including enhancement of international activities; increasing numbers of outstanding faculty to carry out teaching, research, and service; state-of the-art technology, infrastructure, and facilities to support mission; a sufficient and growing resource base to support excellence; administrative effectiveness to ensure efficiency, productivity and quality; optimal system-ness while ensuring campus distinctiveness and excellence; strong partnerships with business and industry, communities, and the state; accountability to stakeholders; and state, national, and international reputation for excellence. The strategic plan will specify steps necessary to achieve these goals, identify parties responsible and resources needed, set timelines, and measures of success. Overview, Purpose, and Principles Mission Review II (2005-2010): Building an Expectation of Excellence The Mission of the State University—reaffirmed by the Board of Trustees in Rethinking SUNY—is to provide the people of New York with “educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population in a complete range of academic, professional, and vocational post-secondary programs….” Today the State University is achieving its mission with remarkable distinction. Rethinking SUNY made far-reaching recommendations for the State University, including an ongoing commitment to re-examine the University and its work, with the intention of raising academic standards, utilizing State resources efficiently, and ensuring accountability to the public. Mission Review has become a key vehicle for accomplishing these priorities. Since 1998, Mission Review has been the core academic strategic planning process of the State University. It is an ongoing, campus-based effort that includes all SUNY institutions both individually and collectively as part of geographic regions and sector groups. This extensive effort to think coherently about the role and niche of each of the University’s 64 campuses was designed to: • ensure the highest levels of academic quality across the University; • focus on the fundamental aspects of campus missions; • encourage campuses to think strategically about their roles within SUNY, New York State, and the nation; • enhance campus distinctiveness and differentiation; • enhance the reputation of each campus relative to regional and national peers; • increase opportunities for and support of inter-campus cooperation; and • identify goals and benchmarks to monitor success. Mission Review continues to be an unprecedented effort—in terms of its scope and detail—that has received broad support and is recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) as a “Best Practice” in Quality Assurance. The process is characterized by iterative dialogue between System Administration and the campuses, comprehensiveness (i.e., includes planning at the institutional, sector, and regional levels), and inclusiveness (bringing together all different constituencies). Now, more than ever, public higher education institutions must demonstrate their effectiveness in objective terms and do so in the context of appropriate benchmarks and peer comparisons. From national accrediting bodies and government agencies to bond raters and potential students, there are clear mandates to provide evidence of institutional quality. Mission Review provides the framework with which the University satisfies such mandates. SUNY has an ongoing commitment to realize the full potential of its diverse campuses and its comprehensiveness as a system. The first cycle of Mission Review focused on individual campus missions as components of the State University’s overall academic mission. Through that process, the status and direction of the University was articulated and a vision for the future began to take shape. Today that vision is clear and is embodied in the strategic agenda that drives Mission Review II (2005-2010). During the first cycle of Mission Review, campuses identified specific institutional goals for higher admissions standards, academic program excellence, enhanced student outcomes (e.g., improved graduation and retention rates), and increased faculty research. Commitments were also made in the areas of assessment, teacher education, online learning, especially through the SUNY Learning Network, and participation in the University’s library integration initiative (SUNYConnect). Mission Review II (2005-2010) will build upon the successes already achieved through Mission Review and incorporate the University’s companion efforts to raise academic quality. Following the first cycle of Mission Review, stakeholders were surveyed in order to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of Mission Review and determine how this strategic planning process might be improved. Overall, survey respondents strongly agreed that the goals and objectives set out for Mission Review were successfully achieved. Most agreed that the process helps the University meet its mission, is an effective way for the University to evaluate itself, and should be continued. There was consensus that the review process should be conducted every five years and that it should be streamlined and carried out in a more compressed timeframe. There was also consensus that there should be greater faculty involvement in the process and that the schedule should be more in line with the academic calendar to facilitate that. The survey results, along with other critically important feedback from the University community, have been incorporated into Mission Review II (2005- 2010). The strengths of the process remain, including its collaborative and consultative nature, its comprehensiveness, its focus on institutional improvement and accountability, and its recognition of the importance of campus-based planning. New to this cycle will be greater attention to the physical facilities, resource, and infrastructure implications of academic plans. Consistent with national trends and SUNY Trustees’ direction, efforts to further enhance and measure student outcomes will be of central importance. The enduring theme across Mission Review topics will continue to be academic quality. Key principles, upon which Mission Review rests, derived from the Mission Review Task Force Report entitled A Template for Rethinking the State University of New York (1998), have also been retained. The Report articulates a vision for the State University as “the single most dominant higher education institution in New York” and “one of the pre-eminent educational institutions in the nation and the world.” That vision, reaffirmed by Chancellor King and the Board of Trustees, continues to frame the academic planning of the University. Mission Review is intended to encourage campus responsibility for higher levels of distinctiveness, performance, efficiency, and system-wide collaboration. It is premised on the following principles: • The State University as a whole fulfills its comprehensive mission, meeting the needs of the State’s post-secondary students. A commitment to access is fundamental to the University. • Building on current levels of success and achievement, all campuses will aspire to perform at even higher levels and to enhance the quality of all programs within their unique mission envelopes. • Consistent with a required degree of comprehensiveness, each campus will identify, develop, and hone a distinctive mission. In their totality, SUNY campuses should complement each other and cooperate in sharing the resources of the State University System. • Campuses will have in place robust budgeting and financial management policies and practices to ensure that they fulfill their missions efficiently and cost-effectively. • All campuses share three key objectives: to advance student learning by offering an academically rigorous program of instruction; to support an outstanding faculty in their instruction and scholarship; and to provide public service to the citizens of New York State. The State University must look to the challenges of the future and plan accordingly. Mission Review continues to be a vehicle for forward-looking change. It provides a way to help identify where the system needs to develop new programs and services, and invest additional resources. What follows is a brief discussion of key areas addressed in Mission Review II (2005-2010). Campus Role and Distinctiveness Perhaps the most important step in each cycle of Mission Review is the first: campuses are asked to re-examine and clarify their mission and role within the University. Clear delineation of mission “envelopes” is useful, both to campus constituencies and to the broader constituency base of the State University. Campuses define their role and distinctiveness in relation to their historic mission, geographic considerations, the range of academic degrees offered, and particular institutional strengths. This information is made explicit in the Memoranda of Understanding which, in turn, serve as useful reference documents for determining the appropriateness of newly proposed academic programs. As noted during the first cycle of Mission Review, the sheer scope and comprehensiveness of the State University places a particular responsibility on System Administration to assist each campus in focusing and differentiating its mission. To maintain the quality of education, scholarship, and service provided by the University, regular and thoughtful attention must be given to avoiding institutional drift and mission creep. It is also important that each campus understand and be comfortable with its role and place in the University, and that institutional sectors play a meaningful role in the planning of University objectives. Each campus has a unique role within the University, encompassing both distinctive features that complement other campuses and common features that ensure necessary breadth, quality, and access. As the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education, SUNY has unparalleled opportunities to generate efficiencies while nurturing campus distinctiveness and excellence. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), the University will once again endeavor to identify the unique programmatic strengths of each campus while exploring potential synergies—especially regionally, but also statewide—such as joint programs and shared faculty, facilities, and equipment, that can yield enriched academic environments for students and faculty alike. Ensuring institutional quality and effectiveness necessitates looking beyond SUNY to measure our progress against broader goals in a national context. Consistent with an emphasis on campus distinctiveness, as part of Mission Review, unique sets of peer institutions are identified and campus goals and progress are compared to the performance of those peers. Identifying benchmark institutions for the purpose of making appropriate comparisons enhances academic quality by providing meaningful context for viewing oneself. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), System Administration will work with campuses to generate robust sets of current and aspirational peers—ones that share common characteristics (e.g., mission, program mix, etc.) and are clearly useful for benchmarking purposes. Also, implicit in the identification of “selected benchmark institutions” is the notion that evaluation of campus effectiveness must be supported by data. These benchmark institutions will be used to gauge campus quality improvement over time in measurable areas such as undergraduate enrollment, acceptance rate, SAT scores of entering students, high school grade point average, full-time faculty, retention rate, graduation rate, and research funding. In addition to providing a set of academic programs of the highest quality, benchmarked against a unique set of peers, each campus has a distinct and significant impact on the economy—locally, regionally, statewide, and beyond. The aggregate economic impact of SUNY is enormous. In many areas of the state, the State University is the largest employer and in less tangible ways it plays a profound role, enriching the culture and vibrancy of communities throughout the state. But SUNY must do a better job of describing its impact to the public. An explicit goal of Mission Review II (2005-2010) will be to credibly measure the economic impact of the University—as a whole, by sector and region, and at each constituent campus —so that SUNY’s power as an economic engine is fully demonstrated. (See also Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation; and Task Force on Efficiency and Effectiveness – Findings and Recommendations.) SUNY Campus Sectors Beyond differentiation at the institutional level, Mission Review also seeks to clarify the missions of campus sectors across the State University. The State University has experienced minimal mission creep since its inception, with distinctive sector identities ensuring complementarity within and across sectors. Seven categories of campuses proposed by the Task Force on Mission Review and Performance Reporting were reorganized into four during the first cycle of Mission Review, when campus missions were examined carefully and common elements became more apparent. The simpler taxonomy, described below (in alphabetical order), has been adopted as part of the official planning framework for the State University; it includes five categories of institutions—four college and university sectors (Colleges of Technology, Community Colleges, Comprehensive Colleges, and Doctoral Degree-Granting Institutions) and the Related Educational Centers. This broad range of institutions enhances each citizen’s ability to contribute to society, participate in the workforce, and take advantage of lifelong learning opportunities. Colleges of Technology – Colleges with a strong technical orientation; most programs require a solid foundation in math and science. Together these institutions share responsibility for high-quality certificate, associate, baccalaureate, and selected master’s programs, primarily in technology, agriculture, and the applied sciences. Included in this sector are SUNY’s Institute of Technology at Utica-Rome and the Maritime College in New York City, where baccalaureate and Master’s programs are offered; and the colleges of technology located in Alfred, Canton, Cobleskill, Delhi, Farmingdale, and Morrisville, where associate and baccalaureate degrees are offered. Community Colleges – Community-based, predominantly commuter colleges with responsibility for providing high-quality transfer and career associate degree and certificate programs to all New Yorkers at affordable cost, and providing specialized training to individual workers and business and industry. The State University’s 30 community colleges are located in every region of the state. Students study in a range of two-year programs leading to the associate degree and in certificate and other non-degree programs. More than half of SUNY’s community college graduates transfer to fouryear institutions to earn a baccalaureate degree, while other graduates begin work immediately. The community colleges also have a wide range of offerings and resources supporting programs in lifelong learning and skill development for parttime students already in the workforce, either individually or through employersupported, tailored courses. A number of community colleges offer residential living, and several operate in more than one location. SUNY’s community colleges are different from its state-operated campuses in that governance and operation are shared between the state and local sponsor (i.e., a county or group of counties). State-local shared governance is reflected in the membership of community college boards of trustees: they include both Governor-appointed and local sponsorappointed members. The Fashion Institute of Technology—a specialized college with an international reputation—falls within this sector in terms of governance, but is atypical in terms of programs and admissions criteria: it offers associate through master’s level degrees in more focused programs, many of which are highly selective. (See also Appendix, Progress Report on the Community Colleges of the State University of New York Strategic Plan for 2001-2004.) Comprehensive Colleges – Institutions providing a range of high quality disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs at the baccalaureate and master’s level, as well as selected undergraduate and graduate professional programs, based on state and regional need. The Comprehensive Colleges vary in size, setting, academic focus, and degree of comprehensiveness, while providing a range of undergraduate experiences. This sector comprises twelve traditional institutions, mostly located in small cities and towns, with academic offerings that include liberal arts and sciences and professional programs such as business and teacher education. In addition to a full range of undergraduate curricula, including honors programs, the comprehensive colleges offer master’s degrees. The thirteenth, less traditional, comprehensive college is Empire State College, which enrolls a high proportion of working adults at extension centers throughout the state and via distance learning. Doctoral Degree-Granting Institutions – Research institutions, with national and international stature, offering baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and advanced professional degrees, with differentiated missions and together offering access to programs and advancing knowledge in the panoply of disciplines, professions, and interdisciplinary fields. Included in this sector are the four university centers, University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, and University at Stony Brook, which are, first and foremost, research institutions where the creation of new knowledge is a central part of the campus’ mission. In addition to wide-ranging undergraduate and graduate programs leading to baccalaureate and master’s degrees, each university center has doctoral programs and professional schools. Also in this sector are the four Health Science Centers, including two freestanding centers—in Syracuse and Brooklyn— and two university-based centers at Buffalo and Stony Brook. Three of the HSCs (Syracuse, Brooklyn, and Stony Brook) include University-owned hospitals. Each Health Science Center has a college of medicine, nursing programs, and a range of other health-related undergraduate and graduate programs. SUNY offers, through these centers, some of the highest quality health-related education, research, and patient care in the nation. Joining their sister campuses in the doctoral sector are the College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the College of Optometry, with more specialized programs and research foci. Statutory/Contract Colleges - The five partnership colleges, also known as statutory or contract colleges, round out the doctoral sector. These colleges are not directly operated by the State University, but are operated by their host institutions, subject to the general supervision and coordination of State Un i versity Trustees [Education Law §355(1)(a)], who also approve the appointment of the head of each college by the governing board of its respective private institution [Education Law §355(1)(e)]. Included in this category are four colleges affiliated with Cornell University, the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecologyy, Veterinary Medicine, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations; and a fifth institution, the New York State College of Ceramics, is affiliated with Alfred University (see Education Law, Article 123). Each partnership college enjoys the benefits of being part of the State University of New Yo rk while being connected to, and located at, a private university. These colleges are exemplars of productive public-private partnerships. Related Educational Centers – The University’s related educational centers include the statewide network of Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs), supported by two Counseling and Outreach Centers. EOCs have pioneered urban education with innovative vocational training programs, geared at gainful employment and economic self-sufficiency, and academic programs leading to higher education. In 2002-03, over 23,000 individuals received services, with more than 13,000 of those individuals enrolled in programs leading to certificates. Academic programs range from Adult Basic Education to English as a Second Language, GED, and College Preparation. Demand driven vocational training programs result in job placement in entry level, careertrack employment in information technology, customer service, and allied health. Plans for Strengthening the Quality and Diversity of the Student Body The State University will continue to seek to attract and educate a stronger, more diverse student body. Since Rethinking SUNY (1995), the University has made tremendous strides in improving the academic profile of students enrolled, with SUNY gains outpacing the state and nation, while growing to approximately 410,000 students in 2003-04. At the same time, the State University has become more diverse than ever before, with 76,392 minority students, 15,029 international students, 18,027 students with disabilities, and 129,811 students aged 25 years or older enrolled in fall 2003. As a public university, SUNY remains committed to ensuring access to the full range of populations served; thus, diversity—including geographic, ethnic, economic, gender, age(1), and disability status(2)—will be a priority in Mission Review II (2005-2010). SUNY Enrollment (Fall headcount in thousands) 1996-97 368 1997-98 367 1998-99 368 1999-00 372 2000-01 374 2001-02 388 2002-03 403 2003-04 410 In addition to enhancing the quality and diversity of the student body, it is essential that SUNY campuses manage their enrollments with the same level of sophistication found at the best colleges and universities across the country. Many campuses have made significant investments in the area of enrollment management, as evidenced by eight consecutive years of increasingly larger pools of applicants across the University, reaching an all time high this year. Mission Review II will explore plans and priorities to develop this expertise further. With enhanced academic quality as its guiding principle, the State University addresses enrollment planning from multiple angles, including setting realistic enrollment goals; specifying selectivity aspirations; and identifying benchmark institutions for appropriate comparative student outcome data. Campus plans to attract stronger students through initiatives such as merit scholarships and honors programs are also outlined in the Mission Review Memoranda of Understanding. Footnotes: (1) - Consistent with “Project 2015: State Agencies Prepare for an Aging New York”; for more details, see www.suny.edu/provost/project2015.htm. (2) - SUNY’s annual enrollment of students with disabilities has increased nearly fourfold over the last two decades, and is up 30% since 1995. Consistent with the report of the Task Force on Postsecondary Education and Disabilities, Postsecondary Education and Individuals with Disabilities: Recommendations to New York State for Strategies to Increase Access and Opportunity, the State University continues to work in partnership with all sectors to provide full access and support for students with disabilities (see www.suny.edu/disabilities/taskforce/ for details). In conjunction with the ongoing work of SUNY’s Office of Disability Se rvices and Information and local campus support services, assuring compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a system-wide committee has been created to address ongoing issues and plans related to students with disabilities. As part of the ongoing Mission Review process, campuses carefully consider their short- and long-term enrollment plans in terms of both the size and the academic profile of their admitted student body. An important outcome of Mission Review has been the adoption of a rigorous enrollment planning process—one that takes into account campus goals and aspirations and progress toward those goals and aspirations—which is now in place and overseen by the Enrollment Planning Group (EPG) in System Administration. The EPG engages campuses in dialogue as needed and appropriate, and approves campus plans that are in concert with the thrust of the Memoranda of Understanding. Enrollment plans are evaluated for consistency with overall State University direction, campus goals, demographic trends, campus capacity, workforce needs, funding constraints, and prior success in campus-based enrollment planning. Based on demographic trends, (1) increases in the college-going rate, and growing need for associate, baccalaureate and advanced degrees, there will likely be greater demand for public higher education in New York State over the next several years. But resources may not be sufficient to support growth and quality simultaneously, and SUNY will not compromise on quality. In order to assure that SUNY campuses maintain and enhance academic quality, Mission Review II (2005-2010) will ask for campus enrollment plans in this context, with projected enrollments linked to likely available resources. Projections for 2008-092 a re for 182,842 annual average full-time equivaent (AAFTE) students at state-operated institutions (7.5 percent increase over 2004-05) and 170,421 full-time equivalent students at community colleges (5.5 percent increase over 2004-05), for a total of 353,263 full-time equivalent students (a 6.5 percent increase over planned enrollment for 2004-05 and a 16.4 percent incre a s e over 2000-01). With a current total headcount of about 410,000 students, SUNY’s enrollment has grown by more than 35,000 students since 2000-01. Total headcount is expected to reach approximately 435,000 students in 2008-09, roughly 25,000 more students than are currently enrolled. The table below summarizes State University planned enrollment (in AAFTE) to 2008-09, across sectors and in the context of projected New Yo rk State public high school graduates. While the 2004-05 projections reflect agreed-upon plans, the 2008-09 projections are compiled from campus-based plans that will be discussed and refined further during Mission Review II (2005-2010). 1 - High School graduates are projected to rise to 180,301 in 2008, a 6.7% increase over 2004 projections, and peak at 184,931 in 2009. See NYS High School Graduate Projections, NYSED Fiscal Analysis and Research Unit, NYSED OHE Office of Research and Information Systems, January 2003. 2 - Campus-based projections, to be refined during Mission Review II (2008-2010). SUNY Enrollment Trends through 2004-05 (in Annual Average Full-time Equivalents) Actual Projected Projected Projected Proportion Proportion 2000-01 2004-05 2008-09 Change of SUNY of SUNY 2004-08 2004-05 2008-09 Doctoral Campuses 75,421 79,524 84,287 6.09% 24.0% 23.9% Comprehensive Colleges 68,820 70,568 75,787 7.4% 21.3% 21.5% Colleges of Technology 17,118 19,975 22,768 14.0% 6.0% 6.4% Community Colleges 142,065 161,495 170,421 5.5% 48.7% 48.2% TOTAL 303,424 331,562 353,263 6.5% 100.0% 100.0% New York State HS Graduates - (1) 162,273 169,023 180,301 6.7% _____ ____ The selectivity profile of an admitted class is another indicator of academic quality. As previously mentioned, Mission Review II will include continuing efforts to further enhance the quality of students admitted to the State University of New York while maintaining the University’s long-standing commitment to access. To that end, all state-operated campuses continue to work toward enhanced selectivity and have established precise goals for entering classes. Campus-driven selectivity goals—informed by state and national peer comparison data—are made explicit in the Memoranda of Understanding and will be updated in Mission Review II (2005-2010). The chart below illustrates the current rubric (2) used by campuses and System Administration to describe the selectivity goals for undergraduate admissions. With a defining criterion of at least 60% of students enrolled (as first-time, full-time regular admits) for each selectivity group, the matrix leaves considerable room for access to even the most selective State University campuses. 1 - See NYS High School Graduate Projections, NYSED Fiscal Analysis and Research Unit, NYSED OHE Office of Research and Information Systems, January 2003. 2 - NB: With upcoming changes to the SAT I, the Selectivity Matrix may need to be revised during Mission Review II (2005-2010). The Mission Review Memoranda of Understanding will continue to be relied upon to determine not only whether a given campus is reaching its targeted enrollment but also its goals for undergraduate selectivity, diversity and mix, and student outcomes (e.g., retention and graduation). Campuses are asked to provide updated information on selectivity annually, as part of the enrollment planning process. All indications suggest that the integrated Mission Review and enrollment planning processes continue to be successful in meeting State University goals for 1) more accurate enrollment planning consistent with MOU goals, 2) raising selectivity (where appropriate) and maintaining access, and 3) facilitating collaborative and more transparent planning. Access and Opportunity SUNY’s commitment to ensuring access and opportunity for New York State residents is clear in its stated intention to provide “educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population….” This responsibility—central to the University’s mission as a public institution and articulated as early as 1964—has been reaffirmed many times. In the coming years, the University will give particular attention to: • building upon existing programs that ensure access; • expanding efforts to reach and support populations under-represented in higher education; • supporting early intervention initiatives, in collaboration with middle and secondary schools, that seek to increase student preparedness; • increasing diversity among graduates in fields corresponding to state needs (e.g., teaching); • increasing access to, and support for, graduate level study; • developing greater levels of diversity among faculty, staff and students— particularly in positions that affect governance and policy; and • identifying factors that support or diminish successful student outcomes among various populations, and promoting greater levels of success in all sectors of the University. At the center of the range of programs that serve as mechanisms for access, diversity, and student support is the University’s highly successful Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Designed for undergraduate students who have the potential to succeed in higher education despite economic and academic disadvantages, each year this program provides financial assistance, academic development skills workshops, advisement, and counseling to more than 11,500 students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue college-level study. As a complement to its undergraduate support programs, tuition waivers for study at the master’s, doctorate, and first-professional level at selected SUNY campuses dramatically expand career options for successful graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students enrolled in the University’s opportunity programs come from a variety of backgrounds—from urban to rural—representative of the diversity found in New Yo rk State. Also playing an important role in the maintenance of access is the involvement of SUNY’s Opportunity Programs in the statewide GEAR UP project. As a sector partner, the University provides support and exposure to higher education options in the public sector for thousands of high school students across the state. The University’s Opportunity Programs unit works jointly with the Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) program in the City University of New York and occupies a leadership role in the Tri-State Consortium of Opportunity Programs, comprising access programs in public and private institutions throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Plans for Strengthening the Quality, Diversity, and Reputation of Faculty More than any other factor, the quality of a university’s faculty determines the quality of education it provides to its students. SUNY’s teachers and scholars are recruited from the finest graduate schools and universities and include nationally and internationally recognized figures in all major disciplines. State University faculty accomplishments have been acknowledged through the receipt of numerous prestigious awards and honors, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Guggenheim grants, MacArthur “genius” awards and Sloan, Danforth, and Fulbright fellowships. The State University of New York must continue to attract, engage, and support a diverse faculty of leading teachers and scholars, while advancing the frontiers of knowledge and practice appropriate to each sector. Mission Review II (2005-2010) will see greater emphasis on faculty development, including plans for recruitment and retention (consistent with academic program development plans), strengthening promotion and tenure processes, and plans for ensuring the work of the faculty is appropriately supported and recognized. Campus goals for faculty productivity, in teaching, research and scholarship will be set in the context of national peer performance, and plans to support those goals—with adequate infrastructure, resources, and facilities—will also be discussed. Implications for State University policy will necessarily emerge during the dialogue with campuses, and there will be broader participation from System Administration during Mission Review II to explore such implications. SUNY will ensure its campuses remain places where leading faculty can create outstanding programs of instruction and research, and serve effectively. Expanding the level and distinction of the research enterprise within the University is an essential component of the University’s mission. Making new contributions to knowledge remains at the heart of what the University does. World-class research promotes the stature of the State University, to the benefit of all New Yorkers, and enhancing the research environment on all campuses enables the University to continue to attract the best and brightest faculty from around the world. Strengthening the research enterprise also enriches student learning, as research and teaching are closely interrelated and synergistic. Faculty who are actively engaged in creating knowledge bring those insights to their teaching, at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and students have opportunities to work with top-notch faculty researchers from whom they learn to do original work. Finally, Universitybased research directly and indirectly benefits the economy of New York (see also Research section under Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation). During the first cycle of Mission Review, a system-wide goal was set to reach one billion dollars in externally sponsored activity per year. With an estimated $862 million in annual expenditures in 2003-04 (an 89% increase since 1995-96), SUNY is well on its way to reaching, if not surpassing, that goal. A new goal will be articulated in Mission Review II (2005-2010), consistent with campus missions and aggregate plans to increase research and other sponsored activity beyond the one-billion-dollar mark. Externally Sponsored Research Activity ($ in Millions) 1995-6 - $455.2 1996-97 - $461.3 1997-98 - $472.1 1998-99 - $501.1 1999-00 - $555.1 2000-01 - $594.2 2001-02 - $700.9 2002-03 - $774.2 2003-04 - $862.3* *2003-04 expenditures estimated Beyond campus-based efforts, System Administration and the Research Foundation have committed additional resources to help support faculty development. For example, the Faculty Development Initiative now underway seeks to establish an expectation for, and firm commitment to, effective efforts by campuses in developing strategies and providing support for the ongoing development of their faculty, so as to create and maintain an optimal intellectual, scholarly, and professional environment. The Report of the Advisory Task Force on Faculty Development, co-chaired by the presidents of the University Faculty Senate and the Faculty Council of Community Colleges, is nearing completion and recommendations will be implemented in 2004-05. The Provost’s charge to this group is as follows: • to examine and discuss the broad range of issues related to the ongoing intellectual, scholarly, and professional development of State University faculty, including support for the development and improvement of teaching skills; scholarship and research; community and professional service; further pursuit of advanced credentials; opportunities to develop leadership, administrative and governance skills and additional responsibilities; and appropriate and meaningful recognition and reward, including ways of enriching the State University through greater involvement of its distinguished professors in its ongoing academic enterprise; • to examine and propose a set of best practices—appropriate to each sector of the University—that will provide candidates for reappointment, promotion and tenure with clear guidance regarding campus process, expectations, standards, and flexibility, as well as mentoring, support and timely feedback regarding their progress; • to discuss strategies that might successfully address the need to secure and allocate sufficient additional resources in support of these important aspects of faculty development; and • to make recommendations regarding policy, guidelines and best practices, as appropriate, that would address these issues and contribute to a strengthening of the academic environment and the ongoing retention and development of State University faculty and future academic leadership. In addition, the University has taken several measures to provide ongoing support for faculty scholarship and research, including: • recognizing research volume in the budget process, thereby enhancing institutional support (see A Stronger Financial Foundation for the Sate University – Providing and Managing Resources to Support Excellence); • working with the State University Construction Fund and campuses to ensure that research space is state-of-the art and supports efforts to attract competitive funding; • facilitating collaboration across SUNY and with peer institutions outside of the System; • working with New York businesses to emphasize the importance of research and the building of a state-wide research infrastructure; • working with the Legislature and the Governor’s Office to promote Universitybased research initiatives such as Centers of Excellence, Gen-NY-sis, and other such collaborative efforts (see Research section, in Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation); and • aggressively seeking federal support for research, in part through our continuing SUNY presence in Washington, DC. Finally, a designated unit in the Provost’s Office is charged specifically with overseeing initiatives that recognize and reward extraordinary performance by SUNY faculty and professional staff. Recognition programs include the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Librarianship, Professional Service, Teaching, Scholarship and Creative Activities, and Faculty Service; and the Distinguished Faculty ranks in Teaching and Service. In addition, the University has expanded its support for collaborative faculty research, especially in research relevant to homeland security, such as cyber security and port security. The University’s Conversations in the Disciplines program continues to support collaborative scholarly efforts through competitively awarded grants. Plans for Strengthening the Quality and Reputation of Academic Programs SUNY is committed to offering academic programs of the highest quality, with the range and mix of academic programs in the State University of New York ever evolving, aimed at meeting student and state needs while staying abreast of intellectual currents. Campuses periodically add new programs (see Appendix, New Programs of Study Tentatively Planned for Introduction 2004-2008 and Master Plan Amendments 2000-2004), modify existing programs, and discontinue ones that are no longer appropriate. As part of the ongoing Mission Review process, each campus identifies priorities for program development. During Mission Review II (2005-2010) campuses will be encouraged, once again, to focus on their strengths and sharpen and build on institutional differentiation in setting academic program direction, including development of new programs, revision of existing programs, and elimination of outdated/moribund programs. At the same time, the University’s program review policies and procedures—focusing on mission, market, and quality—will continue to provide mechanisms to monitor and prevent unwarranted duplication of programs and to maintain each campus’ distinctive academic mission. As mentioned previously, Mission Review II will include continued exploration of potential synergies and opportunities for greater collaboration between campuses in developing and delivering academic programs—opportunities uniquely available to SUNY because of its size and comprehensiveness. Consistent with longstanding SUNY and State Education Department practice, proposals for new programs and/or revisions to existing programs are reviewed and approved by the University Provost on behalf of the State University Board of Trustees, before being submitted to the State Education Department for registration. With Rethinking SUNY’s call for streamlining administrative procedures, the University’s review process for new undergraduate programs was revised and streamlined in 2000-01, and updated again in 2002-03 to reflect University-wide academic initiatives in assessment, teacher education, and transfer, as well as technological improvements in the review process itself. The updated Handbook for the Submission of Undergraduate Academic Program Proposals (2003) maintains the requirement that proposed programs be consistent with campus mission, reflect market need, and have demonstrable quality (see Memorandum to Presidents 03-4: 2003 Handbook for the Submission of Undergraduate Academic Program Proposals). In turn, the Program Review and Assessment group’s first priority is to review all academic program submissions in a timely and efficient manner, according to a process that is both judicious and transparent. To that end, review timelines have been established and program proposals may now be submitted electronically. The Program Review and Assessment group maintains a website that includes an Accountability Matrix of its performance and a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) of program review issues. Changes to the graduate program proposal review process—including new guidelines—are planned for introduction in 2004-05. The University also plans to continue to increase the number of programs that are nationally recognized and, where appropriate, ensure programs are nationally accredited. This serves to strengthen the reputation of individual campuses and the University as a whole. In addition to offering excellent and accredited programs, the State Un i versity has an obligation to develop programs in disciplines important to New Yo rk’s future . Recent program development activity suggests that campuses are sensitive to that mandate, with new programs in areas such as materials science and materials engineering, bioinformatics and computational biology, forensic biology, nursing (accelerated), and cybersecurity—to name just a few. (See Appendix, New Pro g rams of Study Tentatively Planned for In t roduction 2004-2008 for more detail.) Academic programs are being launched and/or strengthened in conjunction with cutting-edge research conducted on SUNY’s campuses, including its three Centers of Excellence in bioinformatics (at Buffalo), nanotechnology (at Albany), and wireless communication (at Stony Brook). Critically important program development is also occurring through institutional initiatives such as the Levin Institute in Manhattan, focused on economics, finance, and public policy in an increasingly global context, and the nation’s first college of Nanoscale Sciences and Engineering at Albany, home to newly created graduate degrees in nanosciences and nanoengineering. While SUNY’s campuses continuously update their curricula to meet changing demographics, consistent with SUNY’s participation in Project 2015, Mission Review II (2005-2010) will include focused discussion of campuses’ academic plans and priorities for addressing New York State’s aging population. In particular, plans for relevant new and/or expanded programs and use of technology mediated learning, including online learning, will be explored (see www.suny.edu/provost/ Project2015.htm for more details). Student study abroad is another high priority for the State University. Each year thousands of SUNY students pursue course work in more than 200 overseas academic programs around the world. International programs will receive greater attention during Mission Review II (2005-2010), consistent with the University’s longstanding and growing commitment to provide students with access to broad educational experiences in culturally rich and varied environments. General Education The State University believes that its graduates should have the general knowledge and skills necessary to participate in and contribute to a democratic society and to enrich their lives continually as educated individuals. The University seeks to inculcate such knowledge by offering a broad-based and coherent program of general education. Resolution 98-241 of the State University Board of Trustees, passed in December of 1998, mandated a minimum of 30 credit hours of general education coursework—in 10 specified subject areas and two learning competencies —for all baccalaureate candidates within the University. This policy took effect for students entering in fall 2000, every campus with undergraduate programs committed to meeting the requirements of this policy in the signed Mission Review Memoranda of Understanding in 2000-01, and the resolution is now fully implemented. During Mission Review II (2005-2010), the University will explore with campuses the results of Campus-based Assessment of General Education, with particular attention on how assessment results are being used to make program improvements and improve student learning (see more detailed discussion under Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes; and also Appendix, Progress Report on the SUNY Assessment Initiative: Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes). Teacher Education Teacher Education—historically the centerpiece of many of the State University’s senior campuses—is another area important to New York State’s future, indeed the nation’s future. Eleven of the University’s senior institutions originated as normal schools to train public school teachers. Although the missions of these institutions have evolved, all have retained a strong commitment to preparing highly qualified teachers, and currently 16 campuses have teacher education programs. Through its formal teacher preparation programs, the State University educates about 25 percent of the teachers certified each year in New York State through college and university programs. Additionally, a large number of SUNY graduates with non-education degrees later become certified as teachers through alternative processes. This accounts for an estimated additional 15 percent of the New York State certifications, bringing the total proportion of State University graduates to approximately 40 percent of the teachers certified annually. The University takes justifiable pride in the strong reputation of its graduates who become teachers—a reputation built on consistent excellent performance on teacher certification examinations (see Appendix, SUNY Pass Rates on the NYS Teacher Certification Examination, 2000-01 through 2002-03) and, more importantly, success in the field. The goals of the University’s reform initiative, A New Vision in Teacher Education (see Appendix), adopted in summer 2001, are: to improve the preparation of new teachers, to address New York State’s needs for K-12 schools, and to assure continuing excellence and improvement of teacher preparation. In addition to system-wide enhancements in academic preparation and field experiences, New Vision has, among other projects, (1) fostered development of a universal transfer template, involving 33 associate degree and 12 senior institutions (see www.suny.edu/ EducationTransfer; and Appendix, Memorandum to Presidents: Teacher Education Transfer Template Status Report); (2) established the SUNY Urban Teacher Education Center in New York City where more than 200 student teachers have engaged in field experiences during the Center’s first two years; and (3) supported numerous campus developments, including Empire State College’s alternative teacher preparation program for adults who are changing careers. Consistent with SUNY’s commitment to quality, seven of the 16 institutions have achieved national accreditation for their teacher education programs and the remaining nine are scheduled for evaluation visits during the next two years. Two additional systemwide projects, a teacher-education program assessment initiative (funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Post-secondary Education—FIPSE) and a Mathematics Education Task Force (METF), have the goals of improving program performance in critical areas. The METF has recently submitted its report (see Appendix, Initial Report: Provost’s Mathematics Education Task Force, February 2004) with recommendations for improving the preparation of teachers and the teaching of mathematics in the K-12 schools. Academic Technology The State University is committed to harnessing technology for the enhancement of instruction and learning, including innovative uses of technology in campus classrooms, laboratories, and libraries and through distance learning. Indeed, SUNY is a national leader in technology-mediated learning, with dramatic growth in student and faculty participation, and numbers of courses and programs offered solely online and in hybrid formats. Online Learning The SUNY Learning Network (SLN) has one of the longest and most successful track records in online education in the country. At its core, SLN provides a complete support infrastructure of faculty training and course development, coursemanagement software and server infrastructure, and student and faculty help desk services. It also provides marketing, promotion, and program management services to participating campuses. Course enrollments through SLN have increased from 119 in 1995-96 to 70,669 by 41,000 students in 2003-04, and course offerings have grown from eight to over 4,000 courses during the same time period. In addition, institution-level participation in online learning is up from just two campuses in 1995-96 to 56 campuses in 2003-04. To date, more than 2,000 SUNY professors have developed and taught courses through SLN. SUNY Learning Network Enrollments 1995-96 - 119 1996-97 - 450 1997-98 - 2000+ 1998-99 - 6000+ 1999-00 - 13,000+ 2000-01 - 25,000+ 2001-02 - 40,000+ 2002-03 - 53,000+ 2003-04 - 70,000+ Key to the success of SUNY’s online learning program—and what distinguishes the State University from most other higher education institutions (including commercial and private-sector institutions)—is that all courses are developed and delivered by SUNY campus faculty. In addition, courses are anchored in existing departments, curricula, degrees, and research programs. State University faculty use SLN and other technologies to create efficiencies and new learning opportunities for students, thereby extending and transforming the educational experience. In 2003-04, System Administration assumed responsibility for the development, support, and administration of CourseSpace—SUNY’s technology-program-andservices suite aimed at maximizing faculty access to web-based instructional tools. While SLN provides the means to deliver courses totally at-a-distance, CourseSpace supports the much larger spectrum of web-enhanced learning, including hybrid and blended courses, and enables integration of online activities into classroombased courses. Through SUNY CourseSpace, the advantages of synchronous and face-to-face traditional learning can be combined with those of asynchronous and on-line learning. SUNY CourseSpace is parallel to and integrated with the SUNY Learning Network, which provides faculty who receive training in developing hybrid or web-enhanced courses through CourseSpace with the flexibility to create complete online versions of courses via SLN, with only minimal additional training. Thus, beginning in fall 2004, SUNY faculty will have a broader array of options for creating an online presence in the courses they teach. In the coming years, System Administration will continue to work with campuses to strengthen technology-based learning environments, including online course delivery, and ensure SUNY faculty have access to the full range of tools and practices to achieve excellence in teaching and learning. The University will also work to promote the enormous potential that online learning holds for inter-campus academic collaboration in developing degrees and programs, in teaching, and in research, which the University is just beginning to explore. In all these activities, the State University seeks to identify where System Administration’s role can most add value and quality, and support campus efforts without unnecessarily duplicating infrastructure. Our shared commitment to academic technology is a key component of each institution’s Mission Review Memorandum of Understanding; future plans and goals will be explored during Mission Review II (2005-2010) and described in updated campus MOUs. Libraries Libraries are not only repositories of our collected knowledge they are an essential tool for scholarship. Providing full access to that knowledge is an ongoing challenge —one that the State University is meeting head on by harnessing technology through its automated library initiative. In 2000, the State University launched SUNYConnect, a bold new effort that electronically links all the libraries of the System, creating the largest library collection of any public university in the world. A major part of SUNYConnect is the installation of library management software that creates an Internet-accessible catalog of library materials, allowing searches of all State University library collections. This software also provides a common circulation process enabling students to directly access and borrow materials from any SUNY library and receive them within two days. Significant savings are already being realized from the creation of this common library management system and reduced (unnecessary) duplication in library holdings. During the first cycle of Mission Review, campuses made commitments to participate in the SUNYConnect initiative. By 2005, all campuses will be operating the common library management system, providing every student and faculty member on every campus full access to SUNY’s entire holdings (over 18 million volumes). In Mission Review II (2005-2010), the University will continue to explore opportunities to further enhance library resources and generate additional long-term cost savings through mechanisms such as unified subscriptions to electronic databases and regional storage facilities. This initiative is just one example of how SUNY is working effectively to leverage its size, and achieve substantial savings—through joint purchasing, group purchasing, and shared licensing—to the benefit of students and faculty. Additionally, the University is part of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated system of higher education resources and distance learning programs, to which all New Yorkers will have access via telecommunications and local libraries. Finally, the State University has been instrumental in the establishment of the New York State Higher Education Initiative (NYSHEI). NYSHEI is a membership organization of New York academic institutions and their libraries. Its mission is to develop, enhance, and preserve research and educational services, collections, and resources for the benefit of faculty, students, and the larger research community, and to promote new methods of scholarly communication. Full NYSHEI membership currently exceeds 125, including all SUNY and CUNY libraries and the New York State Library. Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment is an essential factor in ensuring academic quality. During the first round of Mission Review, all campuses made commitments to ongoing, systematic assessment. The State University has come a long way these past few years, with substantial progress made in campus-based assessment of both General Education and the Major. In 1999, the Provost’s Advisory Task Force on the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes was charged with recommending a process for assessing student learning outcomes and intellectual growth, in general education and the major, across the University. Following extensive research and deliberation and broad consultation within the SUNY community, the Task Force submitted its Report to the Provost in November 2000 (see Master Plan 2000- 2004 Appendix, Report of the Provost’s Advisory Task Force on the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes). The Task Force report clearly identified Outcomes Assessment as a cooperative venture between the faculty of the University and the academic leadership of both campuses and System Administration. Consistent with the principles of Rethinking SUNY, emphasis is placed on campus-based assessment focusing on program improvement and accountability. The University’s assessment initiative is well underway and all campuses are involved. Guidelines for the implementation of campus-based assessment of general education and the major were developed and distributed to campuses in December 2000; assessment of the major began in fall 2001 and assessment of general education began in 2002-03. As of June 2004, approximately 1,500 academic programs have undergone review (by campuses and external reviewers) and many positive changes have been implemented as a result. Further enhancements (approved in spring 2004) to the campus-based process for assessing general education will strengthen this effort by focusing additional attention on the core building blocks of mathematics, written communications and critical thinking through the inclusion of nationally- or SUNY-normed measures, or a value-added approach. Campuses will also be expected to analyze and interpre t general education assessment data in the context of an assessment of the level of student engagement in academic activities and the campus academic environment. Preceding and concurrent with the Task Force’s work on assessment, Mission Review has emphasized the importance of comprehensive assessment in enhancing academic quality. Consistent with the recommendations of the Task Force, all campuses have made a commitment in their Mission Review Memoranda of Understanding to meaningful assessment efforts, specifically including regular assessment of academic departments/programs, and participation in system-wide surveys of students and alumni. System Administration and campuses are further committed to working together to ensure the validity of data interpretation through, for example, consistent and clearly delineated procedures for administering survey instruments so that data are comparable year-to-year and across the system. Many SUNY institutions, especially the community colleges, rely increasingly on employer satisfaction data as a key component of their assessment efforts, properly reflecting the workforce-training element of their mission. By using such surveys within a comprehensive assessment framework, campuses seek to ensure that they successfully meet expectations—held by recipients and beneficiaries alike— of a State University of New York education. A system-wide project now underway involving all campuses with teacher education programs, supported by a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-seco n d a ry Education (FIPSE), illustrates the efficacy of inter-institutional collaboration on assessment within an academic discipline. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), campuses will describe how assessment results are being used to improve program quality, teaching effectiveness, and student learning, and share their plans going forward. (See Appendices: Guidelines for the Implementation of Campus-based Assessment of the Major; General Education Assessment Review (GEAR) Group Review Process Guidelines; and Progress Report on the SUNY Assessment Initiative: Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes.) Plans for Enhancing Student Outcomes/Success SUNY is committed to a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, with particular concern for student outcomes. For the State University, enhancing academic quality extends beyond attracting strong and capable students to include providing excellent instruction and a supportive learning environment until graduation, and ensuring students are well prepared for their future endeavors. Success can be measured in terms of excellent retention rates and timely graduation, pass rates on licensing and certification examinations, and postgraduate success in obtaining a job, transferring, and/or pursuing an advanced degree. Successful student outcomes depend on a number of factors, including the quality of instruction, students, and faculty, and the quality and availability of student support services and co-curricular experiences. During Mission Review II (2005- 2010), the University will seek to better understand the relationships between these factors and student success at each campus and facilitate sharing of best practices where appropriate. National and system-wide surveys may be particularly useful in elucidating this relationship. System Administration will also work with campuses to determine post-graduate success: to measure it, keep track of it, benchmark it, and identify best practices for gauging this as well. Retention and Graduation Consistent with Rethinking SUNY’s attention to time-to-degree, State University campuses are very focused on retention and graduation as important indicators of academic quality, and performance at most campuses continues to outpace national averages for public universities and colleges. Over the last four years, first-year retention rates at SUNY’s four-year campuses rose from 79 percent to 81.4 percent in fall 2003, a ten-year high, compared to 74 percent nationally.1 Rates are even higher at SUNY’s doctoral campuses, with almost 87 percent of the 2002 cohort returning in fall 2003. First-year retention in the community college sector also continues to outpace the nation, with 63 percent of the 2002 cohort returning in fall 2003 compared to the national mean for public two-year colleges of 57 percent.(1) Successful initiatives now underway include expanded first-year studies programs (e.g., Freshman Seminars), faculty mentoring of new students, placing students in supportive learning communities, and improved academic advisement. Similarly, the State University’s average six-year graduation rates at its four-year campuses continue to exceed the national mean for public colleges and universities, 58 percent overall and 65 percent at SUNY doctoral campuses, compared to 45 percent nationally.(2) Likewise, the average SUNY community college three-year graduation rate of 28 percent also exceeds the national mean for public two-year colleges of 18 percent.(2) SUNY Baccalaureate Graduation Rates Compared to Carnegie Peers (1996 Entering Freshman Cohort as of Fall 2002) SUNY National Other NYS National NYS Public Public Private Private Graduating 4 Yrs 41% 20% 20% 41% 46% Graduating 5 Yrs 55% 37% 33% 51% 56% Graduating 6 Yrs 58% 45% 39% 57% 59% For community colleges, in particular, retention and graduation rates must be interpreted in the context of student goals. Many community college students do not enroll to pursue a degree but rather to acquire specific skills or knowledge (for example, by taking a set of specific job-related courses). Consistent with national attention focused on achievement of student goals in gauging success at community colleges, the first cycle of Mission Review gave rise to a commitment to develop more comprehensive analyses of student intentions upon admittance and at subsequent points in their academic career. This System-wide effort will provide more accurate measures of community college effectiveness in helping students reach their academic goals. Footnotes: (1) - College Board, Annual Survey 2003-04 (2) - Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2002 Graduation Rate Survey Student retention and graduation are, of course, affected in important ways by financial pressures facing SUNY students. Consistent with its access mission, the University remains concerned about economic barriers that may prevent a student from attaining a quality higher education in New York. SUNY will continue to seek adequate levels of financial support through federal, state, local, and private sources so that students can stay in school and graduate in a timely manner, consistent with individual educational goals. As mentioned previously, Mission Review II (2005-2010) will also see more focused attention on the economic diversity of students enrolled. During the first cycle of Mission Review, campuses set three- and five-year goals for retention and graduation rates. Most campuses are meeting, if not exceeding, these goals. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), campuses will update their goals and re-affirm commitments to enhance student success, and the University will continue to benchmark student outcome data—including retention and graduation rates—against appropriate peer institutions. In addition to tracking retention and graduation rates as a matter of course through the University’s Office of Institutional Research, campuses and System Administration monitor these trends as part of the enrollment planning process. Transfer and Articulation A major function of the University’s thirty community colleges is to provide students with access to an educational pathway leading to the baccalaureate degree and beyond. Well over 8,000(1) SUNY community college students transfer to upper-division SUNY institutions per year. Moreover, data continue to show that transfers from SUNY’s community colleges fare exceptionally well at our upper-division institutions, often outperforming those who began their education at these institutions as freshmen. Independent colleges also actively recruit and welcome SUNY community college graduates. Each of SUNY’s community colleges has negotiated detailed articulation agreements with their most prominent transfer partners, including both four-year SUNY campuses as well as independent colleges. In addition to articulation agreements, many SUNY community colleges and their transfer partners offer jointly registered programs. Students in these programs are effectively admitted to the upper-division campus at the same time they are admitted to the participating community college. Seamless articulation between community colleges and four-year institutions— a pillar of the University’s mission—continues to be a high priority for the SUNY Board of Trustees. Board policy ensures that students with an A.A. or an A.S. degree who are accepted into a parallel program by a SUNY baccalaureate institution will be granted full junior status and have the opportunity to complete their degree within the same timeframe as students who matriculate as freshmen. Furthermore, the State University General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER) assures seamless transfer of general education courses among SUNY institutions. Transfer students from SUNY campuses take with them—as a supplement to the official transcript—the General Education Transcript Addendum (GETA), which specifies the SUNY-GER categories already completed and associated course work. Consistent with the high priority given to transfer and articulation, during the first cycle of Mission Review campuses made commitments to tighten existing articulation agreements, develop new articulation agreements, develop more jointly registered programs, and increase inter-campus collaboration. Footnote: (1) - In fall 2003, 8,276 community college students transferred to a SUNY State -operated institution. As a result of transfer discussions during the first round of Mission Review and thereafter, a system-wide SUNY transfer initiative was launched; a committee was charged with monitoring and ensuring implementation of relevant University policy, as well as formulating recommendations for system-wide approaches to facilitate student movement within the University. That work has been integrated into the Intra-SUNY Transfer Action Plan (see Appendix for Plan; see also Appendix, Progress Report on the Community Colleges of the State University of New York Strategic Plan for 2001-2004). SUNY’s largest transfer initiative, the Teacher Education Transfer Template project, which aims for full participation of all associate degree-granting colleges and all senior institutions with undergraduate teacher education programs, is now fully implemented (spring 2004). Working templates—accessible via the web—now serve as valuable resources to students and faculty alike, supporting advisement and curricular/program development, thereby facilitating transfer and articulation. (See Appendix, Memorandum to Presidents: Teacher Education Transfer Template Status Report.) The State University continues to seek ways to encourage the best possible communication between associate and baccalaureate institutions, with strong articulation and seamless transfer the desired outcome. Many campuses have worked particularly hard over the last two or three years to strengthen articulation agreements and, more generally, communication with sister SUNY campuses. The work that has been done to date is truly commendable. Still, the University needs to continue to enhance campus-to-campus relationships and ensure that students wishing to transfer receive the best possible advisement and are well prepared for academic work at the next (i.e., receiving) institution. Plans for Ensuring Technology Infrastructure Supports Academic Quality It is essential for the State University to invest in its technological infrastructure to support academic quality. Many of the University’s systems are in need of updating and integration with other campus-based and/or centrally based systems. In particular, systems that track applications, student data, courses, faculty and staff, library resources, and so on, must provide accurate and timely information for effective decision making and planning. Because resources are limited and maintaining technology is very costly, campuses must be strategc in developing technology plans, and plans and investments must align with academic priorities and institutional mission. Technology planning and investment is another area where cross-campus collaboration can be particularly effective in maximizing resources. During Mission Re v i ew II (2005-2010), SUNY will give added attention to plans to ensure robust technology infrastructure and explore opportunities to expand collaborative activity. Plans for Ensuring Facilities Support Academic Quality The State University—with support from the State University Construction Fund, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and, in the case of the community colleges, local sponsors—will continue to invest in and maintain its Facilities facilities to support academic quality and successful student outcomes. Campus facilities must go beyond functional adequacy; they must be aesthetic spaces where world-class teaching and research can flourish, where students and faculty are excited about learning and creating new knowledge. Indeed, the University’s priorities will be dramatically revealed by the manner in which its facilities and site infrastructure are maintained. Each campus’ focused attention to facilities maintenance and renewal, via strategic capital planning efforts that integrate resources with vision and mission, will best position that campus to attain both short- and long-term goals for facility improvements which promote academic excellence. Moreover, no campus can sustain a core of excellence without a demonstrated commitment to facilities; neglect of facilities suggests a conflict of administrative priorities readily apparent to prospective students and their parents upon arrival. Accordingly, Mission Review II (2005-2010), will emphasize both shortand long-term plans for ensuring SUNY’s facilities support academic quality and enhance prospects for favorable student life experiences. Many campuses, while properly planned and developed for the era in which they were built, are now in need of major rehabilitation and renovation in order to reflect current advances in technology and to support new and evolving directions in academic programs, research, and student life. Successful attention to and transformation of campus facilities is essential. To ensure that every campus is positioned to achieve such transformation and that all campuses effectively maintain and improve the University’s vast infrastructure—the extent of which rivals the core facilities found in a small city—each campus must develop and implement new facilities plans, fully integrated with the campus’ overall mission objectives. These should include a carefully constructed campus design concept plan and a longrange plan for facility rehabilitation, improvement, and development. Each set of plans will be as unique and varied as the legacy of SUNY’s individual campuses, which range from historic and landmark structures like the Maritime College’s Fort Schuyler campus and Westchester’s Hartford Hall to building complexes designed by contemporary world-class architects, such as those found at Fredonia, Purchase, and the University at Albany. Many campuses have already seen extraordinary transformations—the beautifully landscaped and aesthetically pleasing Academic Mall at the University at Stony Brook is a wonderful example. Other examples include the renovation of historic Weiskotten Hall at the Health Science Center at Syracuse (the original medical school building at the campus); the major rehabilitation of Cornell’s Mann Library (including significant technological upgrades) and its new Veterinary Science building—part of the largest veterinary college complex in the country; and Jamestown’s creation of an entire branch campus complex in downtown Olean, successfully renewing the business district of that small city and providing a positive economic impact on the community as a whole. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), the University will seek to ensure consistency between academic plans and priorities and facilities planning. In addition to academic, clinical, and residential facilities, plans for developing and equipping research facilities essential to attracting federal funding, will be discussed; as these areas are explored, implications for University policy and procedures that put SUNY in the strongest position possible for attracting competitive funding will likely emerge. (See also, State University of New York Capital Facilities and Capital Plan) Plans for Administrative Structure and Resource Support to Ensure Academic Quality The University must distribute its resources efficiently and effectively, and its resource allocation must be closely linked to and supportive of campus mission, with appropriate performance measures defined and applied. The University’s budget allocation process is currently under review to determine how best to support the academic priorities of the University. A continued commitment to develop a resource allocation model that encourages excellence and rewards quality is essential to SUNY’s, and therefore New York’s, future. Mission Review II (2005-2010) will proceed in conjunction with these efforts. Academic Quality As mentioned previously, in Mission Review II the University will show that dollars invested in SUNY bring significant returns to the state—in terms of jobs, a better educated population, reduced crime, cultural enrichment, inventions, external research support, population growth (especially with rising out-of-state enrollment) —and beyond. But, while SUNY demonstrates its value to stakeholders, the economic reality in which it operates must be faced, and the Un i versity must do all that it can to maximize available resources. Taking advantage of the size and strength of the system wherever possible, through joint purchasing agreements, shared facilities, and other forms of collaboration, is essential and must be explored fully. Effective use of data is another way in which the Un i versity can maximize its resurces. A goal of Mission Review II will be to ensure that timely and accurate institutional data is available to support decision-making, at both the campus and system level. Clear delineation of responsibility—between System Administration and campuses and among campuses themselves—is an essential step to maximizing effectiveness and leveraging the size and strength of the University. While Rethinking SUNY and the tradition of the State University devolved substantial numbers of academic and administrative functions to campuses, System Administration continues to play an important role. However, System Administration must ensure that what is being done centrally truly adds value to the University. Similarly, on a campus level, campus leadership must put in place administrative structures and resources to ensure the highest possible academic quality and institutional effectiveness. (See also, A Stronger Financial Foundation for the State University – Providing and Managing the Resources to Support Excellence.) Contributions to Community Ensuring a Vibrant Environment to Support Academic Quality As an outgrowth of the University’s commitment to service, all campuses endeavor to build strong and productive partnerships with their communities, to the benefit of students, faculty, and programs. SUNY campuses make significant contributions to the communities they serve—as cultural centers where art, theater, athletic, and other such activities occur regularly; as educational centers where credit and noncredit instruction, and continuing education is offered; and in public sersupport is vital to institutional success and academic quality. In Mission Review II (2005-2010), the University will expand the description of these activities. To the extent that service and other contributions can be quantified, for example, by describing the economic impact of the campus and/or system, SUNY must capture that data and clearly demonstrate the value of such contributions. (See also, Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation.) SUNY and Higher Education in New York – The Larger Context Despite its size and comprehensiveness, SUNY recognizes that it is just one part of a much larger educational community spanning pre-K through post-graduate education, encompassing public, independent, and proprietary sectors, providing education, research, and service to New Yo rk State and beyond. Through joint and cooperative programming, the State Un i versity provides a wider range of instruction, research, and public service for a larger number of citizens than would otherwise be possible. As a result of Mission Re v i ew and other campus-driven initiatives, interinstitutional relationships continue to be enhanced through jointly registered programs and articulation agreements, scholarly exchanges, and multi-campus interdisiplinary research. As noted previously, jointly registered programs and detailed a rticulation agreements are particularly important in disciplines such as education and nursing, where shortages of professionals across the state and nation are researching critical levels. Besides facilitating transfer and enhancing access, these programs are effective recruitment mechanisms for participating campuses, there by increasing the mutual benefits of such collaboration. State University campuses actively participate in regional organizations that involve non-SUNY institutions, including the Associated Colleges of the Mid-Hudson Area, Hudson-Mohawk Association of Colleges and Un i versities, Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education, Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley, Rochester Area Colleges, and Western New Yo rk Consortium of Higher Education. These organizations provide a vehicle for collaboration in the form of student cross-registration at participating campuses; joint workshops, symposia, exhibitions, and special projects; and shared use of expensive equipment and services among member institutions. Be yond regional organizations, SUNY is active in numerous statewide consortia addressing focused issues such as integrated library services (as described previously) and shared medical research facilities. The State University’s Chancellor or his designee joins other sector leaders in statewide higher education planning and policy formation through participation on the New York State Commissioner of Education's Advisory Council on Higher Education. At a national level, in addition to the hundreds of professional associations in which SUNY faculty and staff maintain membership and leadership responsibilities, the State University is active in the American Association of Stat Colleges and Universities, American Council on Education, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and several international associations of colleges and universities. Coordinated inter-institutional activities have long had a place in SUNY and the Un i versity continues seek opportunities to expand these. During Mission Review II (2005-2010) such opportunities will be explored further. Service to Local Regions, the State, and the Nation Central to the State University’s mission is service to local regions, the state, and the nation. This service takes on many forms, from the development of excellent academic programs that respond to need and demand, to the sharing of expertise through research and business development, to support for innovative educational approaches such as Charter Schools. The economic impact of the State University—the result of both direct and indirect service—is enormous. Indeed, one might even regard the University as a $16 billion1 industry with 64 locations around the State. In many instances the State University campus is a region’s largest employer, providing a solid base of employment, educating the citizenry, working to attract and build business and industry, and enriching the quality of life through cultural offerings. In addition, SUNY campuses draw students from outside the community who in turn add to the local economic base. The University also strengthens the business environment in New York through its research enterprise, including public-private ventures such as its Centers of Excellence; through technology transfer and incubator facilities that foster high-tech industry; and through workforce development. The following sections highlight just a few of the many ways in which the State University provides service to New York. Research Research conducted at the State University not only contributes new knowledge and understanding, and leads to economic growth, but also frequently addresses significant social problems. Thus, SUNY research is a vehicle for service to the people of New York, the nation, and the world. In 2003-04, SUNY’s research expenditures (funded by governments, corporations, foundations, and other entities) reached an estimated $862 million, an increase of 89% since 1995-96. Projects sponsored directly by the federal government (including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education, and the Department of Defense) represented over half of the expenditures. Last year, more than 21,000 full- and part-time research jobs statewide supported by 9,360 projects contributed substantially to the economic health of the state. In 2002, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ranked SUNY in the top 10 of U.S. universities receiving the most patents for inventions. With over 650 patented inventions to date, State University inventions generated $11.7 million in royalty revenues in 2002-03 alone. (1) - $7.8 billion in direct expenditures; using a simple multiplier of 2.1, the estimated total impact exceeds $16.3 billion. Trends in Patent Applications 1995-96 - 83 1994-95 - 58 1996-97 - 82 1997-98 - 86 1998-99 - 123 1999-00 - 150 2000-01 - 119 2001-02 - 125 2002-03 - 174 SUNY’s research efforts also gain strong support from ongoing state initiatives. In recent years, New York has substantially increased its investment in the research infrastructure that will enable its universities to become national leaders in key fields. Established Centers of Excellence in Nanoelectronics at Albany, Bioinformatics at Buffalo, and Wireless and Information Technology at Stony Brook demonstrate the power of industry-government-university collaboration and the value of focused strategic investment. With more than a billion dollars in private industry and venture capital support, and matching state support of $446 million, SUNY’s Centers of Excellence are already attracting high-tech companies from around the globe and substantial federal research and development. Together with the University’s Centers of Excellence, incubator programs such as the Center for Environmental Science and Technology Management (CESTM) at Albany and the Long Island High Technology Incubator (LIHTI) at Stony Brook serve as catalysts in attracting businesses and generating new research and scientific breakthroughs, providing important educational resources for training scientists, engineers and researchers in diverse areas such as atmospheric chemistry, nanoelectronics, wireless communication, and artificial intelligence. Such facilities are essential to attracting leading faculty researchers and top-notch graduate students. At the same time, these state-of-the-art facilities give start-up companies access to university libraries, computing support, and other important scientific and technological tools. The State University is co-sponsor, along with Cornell University, of the New Yo rk Sea Grant Institute (NYSG), a state-federal partnership program located in the Marine Sciences Center at Stony Brook University. In addition to Stony Bro o k , eight other SUNY campuses participate in this important program (SUNY Colleges at Buffalo, Purchase, Brockport, Os wego, and Plattsburgh, Em p i re State College, the Un i versity at Buffalo, and the College of En v i ronmental Science and Forestry). NYSG is dedicated to the development and protection of coastal resources. Through the outreach activities of NYSG’s extension specialists, SUNY contributes not only to the viability of many small and low margin businesses (e.g., fisheries, marinas, seafood, boating), but of the state as well. Wo rk on erosion control helps to maintain the $10 billion tax base on the southern shores of Long Is l a n d . Through stew a rdship of the educational outreach activities of the program, SUNY also helps train citizens, legislative and executive decision-makers, and the next generation of resources scientists to be knowledgeable about sustainable coastal development. Given the significance of the Great Lakes and marine coastal contributions to the NYS economy via the ports of Buffalo and New York, shipping, tourism and recreation, etc., the services of SUNY to New York State via stewardship of NYSG are important to the state’s long-term economic stability. Promoting research is vital to enhancing the academic quality and stature of the State University, and in increasing the University’s contribution to the economic health of New York State and beyond. SUNY’s success in attracting millions of dollars of research in areas important to New York’s future is made possible by the groundbreaking research and discoveries of its outstanding faculty. Their achievements bring prestige to the University, at a national and international level, enabling the University to attract bright and accomplished students and faculty. As noted previously, during Mission Review II (2005-2010) the University will set a new five-year goal for total sponsored activity based on campus-specific goals articulated in the Memoranda of Understanding. To ensure campus success in reaching research goals, the Un i versity will continue to provide support for research. Business, Industry, and Economic Support Small Business Development Center The New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) celebrated its 20th anniversary in March 2004. Administered by SUNY through the Office of the Provost, the SBDC has evolved into an integral component of the University’s academic mission, delivering hands-on counseling and support services to small businesses in every corner of New York State. In addition to providing business advice to New Yorkers, the SBDC works in partnership with other government agencies to open up opportunities for New York entrepreneurs. Funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration and host campuses, today’s SBDC is a nationally recognized, electronically integrated network of 23 regional centers and 30 satellite offices. Since 1984, the SBDC has worked with more than 200,000 businesses, saved or created over 100,000 jobs, and helped businesses invest more than $2.4 billion in private and public funds into the State’s economy. Notably, the SBDC recently received national recognition for its support to small businesses in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. The SBDC has marked its 20th anniversary by renewing its longstanding commitment not only to meet the emerging needs of NYS business and industry but to exceed expectations for services provided; specific goals include increased outreach, enhanced technology, and growth in counseling services. Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence In 1996, the University’s engineering schools formed the Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR) to provide a vehicle for delivering advanced technical assistance to foster development of high-tech regions similar to California’s Silicon Valley or North Carolina’s Research Triangle. These regions grew through strong bonds between industry and universities, manifested most powerfully through university engineering schools. SUNY’s engineering schools—at Binghamton, Buffalo, New Paltz, and Stony Brook—hope to achieve similar results in New York, as the state’s industry moves toward an economy based on technical knowledge and development of new technology. From small firms looking to streamline their manufacturing to large high-tech firms searching to expand their horizons, SUNY’s engineering resources continue to help businesses enhance their competitive edge. Community College Workforce Development Central to the missions of the State University’s 30 community colleges is their role in workforce development. Beyond extensive for-credit programming, SUNY’s community colleges offer a wide range of non-credit courses and programs aimed specifically at business and industry (funded from a variety of sources, including grants, employers, and participants); in 2002-03 alone, approximately 4,200 non-credit courses and programs we re delive red, with over 54,000 individuals participating. One well-known and highly successful program which provides funding for such efforts is the Community College Workforce Development Training Grants program, aimed at stimulating economic growth throughout New York and administered through the Office of Community Colleges. The goal of the program is to promote and encourage the location and development of businesses in the state, and to create greater employment opportunities for individuals. With the support of the Governor and the Legislature, $8.5 million has been allocated to this effort during the past seven years. In the past five years alone, almost $7 million provided training to over 300 projects involving more than 36,000 workers. A required match of at least 25 percent from participating businesses multiplies the effect of these grants; participating employers have invested more than $9 million, including $1.5 million in cash. Employers indicate that as a result of the training grants 2,500 jobs have been created and 31,000 others retained. Most of the participating companies are small to medium sized businesses, from diverse fields such as manufacturing, building trades, health, e-commerce, service industries, tourism, and the fashion industry, to name a few. Every State University community college has participated and SUNY w