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Weber State University
2002-2003 Progress Report
The following are accomplishments reported by WSU departments, units and divisions toward the achievement of overarching institutional goals during the 2003-2004 academic year.
Goal 1: Enhanced multi-campus “learner-centered” environment
Undergraduate Research:
• Students enjoyed increased opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty on scholarly projects as a result of:
< the creation of formal, active undergraduate research committees within the colleges of Arts & Humanities, Health Professions and Science
< the distribution of $130,000 to fund student research proposals
< the establishment of the Layton P. and Betty J. Ott Research Fellowship in Accounting
< the hosting of the first annual university-wide undergraduate research symposium in March 2004
First-Year Success:
• Faculty leaders completed preliminary discussions focusing on development of strategies to improve student preparation, development and retention in their first-year at WSU.
• A focused effort was launched to improve first-year student success in Health Sciences courses with an applied mathematics course.
Assessment:
• The competencies of major students who graduated in 2003-04 were assessed in approximately 80 percent of departments and programs through a variety of strategies. The resulting data is being used to effect improvements in curriculum design, pedagogical approaches, advising services, etc.
• Faculty leaders completed preliminary work on student and faculty survey instruments for the assessment of Humanities/Creative Arts and Life/Physical Science general education areas.
• The Stewart Library continued its use of extensive in-house and standardized assessment tools to measure faculty and student satisfaction, collection relevancy, etc. The resulting data is being used to effect improvement in library equipment, facilities and policies.
• Continuing Education implemented two new assessment efforts; a customer satisfaction survey of deans/department chairs and course design/review procedures for online courses migrated to WebCT-VISTA
• Numerous academic programs completed either internally-designed program reviews or externally-administered accreditation reviews. Those reviews included :
< all programs in the College of Applied Science & Technology
< Family Studies
< Early Childhood Education
< Health Promotion
< Human Performance Management
< Athletic Training
< Nursing
< Dental Hygiene
< Health Information
< the Honors program
Student Support:
• The Stewart Library’s resources and services were enhanced. Those improvements included the addition of more than 10,000 volumes; more than 950 videos, DVD’s and CD-ROM’s; and more than 14,000 new electronic resources (e-books, journals, etc); plus a 17 percent increase in library instruction and information sessions.
• The WSU Alumni Association encouraged student success by creating two scholarship grants for returning students; awarding 26 scholarship and book grants; and matching 120 alumni mentors with current students.
WSU-Davis:
• The university presence in Davis County was enhanced by the opening of WSU-Davis in fall of 2003. The new campus offered a wide range of student services and academic programs. A 38 percent increase in WSU enrollments in Davis County occurred in Fall 2003. Enrollment jumped another 3 percent in Spring 2004. Student Affairs staff (providing academic support, health services, counseling service, tutoring, student activities, etc.) recorded more than 13,000 contacts with students.
Goal 2: Improved infrastructure to support students, faculty, staff and community (technology, physical campus, administrative systems)
Facilities:
• Master plans for the renovation of central campus facilities and landscaping efforts for the Ogden campus were developed.
• Recent successes in facility modernization efforts included:
< renovation of the David O. McKay Education Building
< remodeling of the John D. Lampros Hall for Teaching, Learning & Technology
< legislative funding for the renovation of the Swenson Building
< programming for the remodeling of the Shepherd Union Building and student approval of funding for the project
• Improvements to facilities on the Ogden campus included:
< modernization of elevators in three buildings
< paving and expansion of parking lots
< stairway and walkway repairs
< electrical system upgrades for five buildings
< triple redundancy capability added to the campus electrical substation
< restoration and improvement of the duck pond at Lindquist Plaza
< restoration of Tracy Plaza and its fountain
< steam distribution improvements for three buildings
Technology:
• The information technology infrastructure supporting WSU students was significantly enhanced by:
< the opening of WSU-Davis with 23 multimedia classrooms, eight computer classrooms, an information commons with 70 individual work stations and 12 computer kiosks
< upgrades to computers in public areas of the Stewart Library and those in multimedia classrooms and computer labs in the colleges of Applied Science & Technology, Education, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Health Professions and Science
• Progress toward the implementation of the Lynx-Banner information technology network included:
< activation of the Banner software modules supporting Finance, Human Resources and Alumni-Development
< completion of the first half of a two-year effort to implement the Enrollment Services package
• Progress toward the conversion of WSU Online from the locally developed legacy system to the commercial WebCT-VISTA platform included:
< initial faculty training in the summer of 2003
< a pilot program for selected courses and expanded faculty training in Fall semester of 2003
< the availability of a wide selection of courses developed in VISTA starting in Spring semester of 2004
• Efforts to enhance the campus information technology infrastructure included:
< continued development of the university’s Oracle, Data Warehouse and Crystal Enterprise resources
< upgrading of the Campus Pipeline Luminis Portal
< conversion of Multimedia Services to all digital media
< development of plans for physical and technical security improvements in Telecommunications equipment rooms
< installation of a new telecommunications management system supporting the university voice network
< providing wireless access to university housing, all of WSU-Davis and about 30 percent of the Ogden campus
< enhancement of the university data network
• Enhanced identification cards were issued to students, faculty and staff. In addition to verifying identification, the new cards provide comprehensive access to services, programs and activities as well as declining balance monitoring for computer labs and food service operations
Training/Services:
• Enhanced services created for faculty and staff included:
< an online version of the Performance and Enrichment Program (PREP)
< a web-based PAR system
< online employment and applicant rating systems
< a computerized maintenance management system
< online enrollment for benefits
< online updating of job descriptions
< streamlined travel reimbursement
• Enhanced training and development opportunities created for faculty and staff included:
< development of web-based training for purchase card certification
< initiation of a process to identify “required” campus-wide training
< initiation and/or improvement of Training Tracker; the Higher Education Leadership Academy, Supervisor’s Training, Spring Break Training and Lynx Finance Training
Goal 3: Supportive and engaged campus environment for students, faculty and staff
Support for Faculty:
• Enhanced support efforts for adjunct faculty included:
< a retreat for adjunct faculty hosted by the Forum for Teaching and Learning
< an open house at WSU-Davis
< comprehensive orientation programs and mentoring services provided by the colleges of Health Professions and Arts & Humanities
< the creation of an employment web site for adjunct faculty
< initial efforts toward the development of a uniform hiring process for adjunct faculty
• New support efforts for regular faculty included:
< a retreat for new faculty
< a series of teaching skill workshops for full- and part-time faculty, both sponsored by the Forum for Teaching and Learning
< financial assistance from endowed funds and other sources for faculty in the colleges of Health Professions and Applied Science & Technology who are completing terminal/doctoral degrees
< the implementation of two new faculty development programs by the Goddard School of Business & Economics (an internal proposal-review process to support faculty teaching and scholarship and a series of luncheon discussions on teaching and learning issues)
• Institutional Research assumed responsibility for the coordination and administration of the faculty evaluation process.
• During 2003-04, Academic deans assumed a more proactive role in the approval/review of policies and procedures for WSU Online as well as individual online courses. The deans were also actively involved in creating a strategic plan for academic program growth at WSU-Davis.
Support for Students:
• The Student Government and the Faculty Senate collaborated on the development and implementation of an evaluation process to assist students in the selection of classes and professors.
• WSU increased support for students’ efforts to excel via participation in regional and national events. Those events included:
< the Mock Trial
< the Ethics Bowl
< the ROTC Advanced Leadership Course and Ranger Challenge programs
< the Professional Business Leaders conference
< undergraduate research conferences
< various competitions focusing on public relations, public art, string performance, newspaper operations, television broadcasting, debating skills, free enterprise, human resource management and accounting skills
• The Goddard School of Business & Economics expanded opportunities for students to work with alumni and business professionals including Wall Street fellows, Berkshire Hathaway executives and Nye Lecture Series speakers.
• Collaboration between Counseling/Psychological Services and the Student Heath Center helped to raise student awareness of issues relating to drug and alcohol abuse by participating in the National Alcohol Screening Day. Additionally, Weber State became a member of the Utah State Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, which resulted in student participation in a state-wide drug and alcohol survey.
Support for Campus Community:
• The Shepherd Union Building supported WSU students, faculty and staff by hosting more than 4,300 events, programs, meetings, conferences and other activities.
Goal 4: Increased connection with and support from external communities
Community Connections:
• Public events sponsored by Weber State that attracted significant participation from the local community included :
< the opening ceremonies for WSU-Davis
< the closing ceremony for the WSU Capital Campaign
< Homecoming, which included a week-long series of events honoring World War II veterans from Weber State
< the observance of the 50th anniversary of WSU’s nursing program
< the 88 Keys Concert for piano fund donors
< the 50-year reunion of the Class of 1954
< the third annual Utah Construction Symposium
< numerous Classes without Quizzes sessions featuring faculty and alumni speakers
< the Ritchey Lecture Series and Mars Rover Talk, hosted by the College of Science
<