SGPS Strategic Plan 2021-2026

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A Message From The Dean D ear F riends, A s D ean of th e S ch ool of G raduate and P rofessional S tudies, it is a tremendous h onor to be able to present to you all our S trategic P lan: 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 6 .

A t S outh ern, w e deriv e immense pride from being a leading institution of h igh er education, supporting th e realiz ation of educational, professional, and social aspirations of our communities! Y et, w e h av e bolder v isions and soaring ambitions to pursue.

O pening th e doors to graduate education for underrepresented and underserv ed populations is th e greatest v alue proposition of graduate sch ools. D isproportionately low r epresentation of racial and eth nic minorities in graduate education is a byproduct of significant inequities in access to opportunity. In addition to financial and socio econo ic barriers to entering graduate school, once there, inority students face unique obstacles in co pleting their degrees on ti e, including a lac of support syste s and little accessibility to acade ic and financial resources. L ack of div ersity across faculty, staff, and administrativ e rank s furth er compounds th e problem.

S outh ern h as been a pioneer in dismantling barriers to h igh er education, and w e are ready to furth er build upon Southern s social ustice legacy and shape a future that re ects our vision of a world that is ore ust, fair, and equitable.

O ne of th e biggest ch allenges facing graduate students is th e mounting burden of debt. S G P S is adapting our program curricula design to mark et dynamics for students’ academic and career success th rough non- traditional, custo i able, e ible duration, and accessible progra s delivered through ulti odal platfor s. he e ibility and accessibility allow s tudents to maintain a steady income w h ile balancing w ork place and family demands as th ey pursue graduate education. A t S outh ern, w e are adopting innov ativ e w ays to reduce th e cost of education by strea lining curricula, for e a ple, by offering accelerated pathways to graduate degrees. e have introduced such progra s over the last two years with over students already enrolled in these progra s. e have also launched progra s that offer speciali ed s ills through short ter and less e pensive graduate certificates that are additive toward an eventual graduate degree. inally, our efforts to enhance financial aid and ca pus e ploy ent opportunities are improv ing affordability and accessibility.

As acade e positions itself as a critical player in the digitali ation of various fields, Southern s Graduate progra s aim to place th emselv es at th e forefront of th ese innov ativ e break th rough s for th e creation, dissemination, and transfer of nowledge. e are intentional in pursuing opportunities to offer interdisciplinary progra s that prepare leaders for the fastest growing career fields Digital u anities, Artificial Intelligence and obotics, loc chain echnology, ealth Infor atics, Cybersecurity, usiness Analytics, Innovation anage ent, and Population ealth and Co unity esilience Studies to enable students to co prehend and solve the ost pressing and co ple proble s facing hu anity. he training and dedication of faculty lies at the foundation of students acade ic success. One of our top priorities is to enh ance th e support av ailable for our faculty dev elopment initiativ es. A n area of special focus is th e first se ester e perience of graduate students, particularly those who co e fro traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations. e consider it i perative that typical barriers to acade ic progress facing students are identified and dis antled through faculty, advisor, and peer entoring. here is a significant opportunity before us to launch fundraising and grant seek ing initiativ es and establish faculty- led research and entrepreneurial v enture proj ects aimed at bringing innov ativ e tech nologies to successful commercial v entures. S G P S endeav ors to be a forceful catalyst in spurring innov ation, h elping regional economic dev elopment and promoting entrepreneurial v entures. elco e to new beginnings we hope to have you as our partners in adv ancing our mission of preparing conscientious leaders for guiding our w orld into a brigh ter tomorrow .

anohar Singh, PhD

A Message From The Co-Chair Dear

e bers of the SCS

School of Graduate and Professional Studies Co

unity,

I a delighted to share the newly developed School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) Strategic Plan, . he result is a tour de force of collaboration a ong faculty, students, university leaders, co unity e bers, alu ni, and other i portant sta eholders. I a honored to have served as Co Chair of the Strategic Planning Co ittee, along with Dean anohar Singh, and gratefully ac nowledge his leadership on this pro ect, as well as the invaluable contributions of the SGPS Strategic Planning Advisory Co ittee.

Special than s go to Dr. Jonathan harton, Dr. isa Galvin, s. anpreet Sachdeva and Graduate Council for sh eph erding many of th e interim activ ities, as w ell as to S h ermaine E dmonds, w h o k ept us organiz ed th rough out th e process.

Our wor began the first wee of the all se ester, and re ects the ission, vision, and values of SCS , while also incorporating the visionary perspectives of our diverse group of valued sta eholders. I portantly, the docu ent re ects SGPS planned strategic and tactical actions to advance SCS s co it ent to e cellence in teaching, learning, scholarship, and innovation. It further e phasi es social ustice values of anti racis , diversity, equity, and inclusion, and overall values of dignity, respect, indness, co passion, and civility.

It recogni es the need for high i pact co unity engage ent through service, strategic partnerships and netw ork ing, and it addresses th e need for an effectiv e sustainability plan for student and faculty retention, as w ell as goals for enrollment grow th and effectiv e S G P S infrastructure. A bov e all, each of th ese tenets prioritiz e student w ellbeing and preparation for academic and professional success. he Strategic Ob ectives are i aginative while attainable, and given the level of co it ent a ong all of us who call SCS and the SGPS ho e, success in achieving our goals is certain. hile additional resources are e pected to be deployed in so e areas, significant wor will be facilitated through our sustained and focused dedication to achieving the ission. or ing together will provide the o entu needed to ove each ob ective forward. he ne t steps will be to outline and co plete the specific steps towards achieving these strategic outcomes. A ll members of th e S G S P community h av e sh ow n w illingness to contribute some amount of ti e, energy, or ideas for these to co e to fruition. I therefore as that we all strongly consider ways in which we can contribute our specific talents and resources towards these achieve ents. Please answer the call when as ed for your support, and help SCS s School of Graduate and Professional S tudies to furth er th ese critical strategic initiativ es!

Cynthia O Sullivan, PhD, AP

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A ssociate P rofessor S Progra Director Chairperson, Graduate Council Co Chair, SGPS Strategic Planning Co

ittee

Vision Our Vision:

Southern Connecticut State University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies will continue its ascent to preeminence as a “first choice” New England graduate school, dedicated to providing exemplary graduate education, inspiring a community of dynamic leaders, scholars, and professionals recognized for pioneering positive change aimed at justice, prosperity, and inclusion.

Our Mission:

Mission

To provide universally acclaimed, future-focused graduate and professional degree and non-degree programs for lifelong learners seeking advanced credentials, career transitions, or personal fulfillment. As part of a socially responsible university, the SGPS promotes world-class education by leading innovation among engaged students and faculty within a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, and student-centered environment.

o create a nurturing and intellectually stimulating env ironment for all aspiring students pursuing graduate and professional education o support students and scholars to succeed by offering e e plary educational e periences that e brace th e latest adv ances in tech nology, instruction, research , and academic meth odologies o support faculty develop ent and enrich ment th at enables th em to prov ide inspiring and inclusiv e leadersh ip, sch olarsh ip, and mentorsh ip to graduate students in th eir academic and professional pursuits o enhance and sustain all collaborations for post- graduation career and leadersh ip opportunities by supporting and engaging in successful academiccommunity- alumni partnersh ips o prepare students as consu ate professionals and conscientious members of our global community w h o personify S outh ern’ s social j ustice v alues of dignity, respect, indness, equity, compassion, and civ ility, promoting socio- economic prosperity and w ellbeing in our w orld

Goals Goal 1

Program Innovation for Accessibility, Inclusivity, Equity, and Academic Excellence

Goal 2 Students’ Academic and Professional Success and Personal Well-being

Goal 3 Academic Excellence Through Impactful Teaching and Cutting-edge Scholarship

Goal 4 Community Engagement and Impact

Goal 5 Commitment to Excellence in SGPS’ Service Mission

Goal 6 Fostering Diversity, Embracing Inclusivity, and Promoting Equity

Goal 7 Strategic Enrollment Growth Through Robust Recruitment and Purposeful Retention Practices

Goal 1

Program Innovation for Accessibility, Inclusivity, Equity, & Academic Excellence Foster and support innovative programs for traditional and life-long learners that are recognized for academic excellence, community impact, and scholarship, and aim at preparing professionals as inclusive leaders who can address emerging economic, social, scientific, educational, and population challenges in our society

Objective 1.1 E stablish an organiz ational structure, process, mech anism, and rubric for dev eloping innov ativ e and multimodal graduate and professional programs with deliberate e phasis on student success and diversity, equity, inclusivity Planned Actions Create an organi ational structure to continuously review current progra s and curricula S et up a resources and infrastructure need assessment group Set up a steering group within the Graduate Council to lead new progra dev elopment initiativ es

Short Term

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D esign mech anisms to align curricular content w ith program obj ectiv es and accreditation standards E stablish an inclusiv e group to assess j ob mark et trends, enrollment trends, progra currency, and adequacy of faculty resources to launch new financially v iable programs E a ine and revise all relevant processes and evaluation rubrics for dev elopment and rev ision of graduate and professional programs under th e Graduate Council s stewardship

Medium Term

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Long Term

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D esign systems for ensuring continued assessment and improv ement of programs based on employer, alumni, and v arious oth er stak eh older groups Establish an efficient process for progra proposal sub ission with easy accessibility to all necessary guidelines and templates D ev elop effectiv e and coordinated mark et analysis process to k eep abreast of potential program opportunities

Objective 1.2 aise organi ational and financial resources and incentivi e progra develop ent by depart ents through revenue sharing arrange ents and by channeling funds raised through philanthropic fundraising, university budget allocations, and grants to faculty Planned Actions Collaborate with SPA for grant funded faculty led innovative progra dev elopment or with Institutional Advance ent to raise philanthropic contributions for launch ing new programs aise revenue by launching tuition generating professional and continuing education programs

Short Term

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Long Term

Medium Term

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E ngage faculty and students in creating grant- funded opportunities to design and launch research focused graduate progra s in e erging fields Set up a syste for continuous collaboration and idea e change across Institutional Advance ent, Graduate Council, and other relevant acade ic units

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E stablish a special unit w ith in th e S G P S for fundraising aimed at spurring innov ation in program design and deliv ery S et up a team dedicated to designing, dev eloping, and managing rev enue generating continuing and professional education programs

Objective 1.3

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Offer co petency based and specific s ill building progra s to non traditional adult learners Develop a university consortiu echanis to offer technical e pertise to both local and state gov ernments and small businesses uild adequate faculty resources for instituting collaborations with local and state organiz ations • • •

Long Term

Medium Term

Short Term

E ngage community leaders and partners in dev eloping and deliv ering programs aimed at adv ancing our social j ustice mission Planned Actions

D esign faculty dev elopment programs to foster community collaborations ith the support of local industry, build a technology entrepreneurship center to promote business incubators P artner w ith oth er institutions of h igh er education to promote innov ativ e programs that effectively serve Connecticut s s illed wor force needs E ngage community leaders to launch programs aimed at addressing th e needs of traditionally underserv ed communities • •

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Ensure sufficient nu bers of qualified faculty to guarantee currency of progra offerings D esign appropriate incentiv e for faculty to h av e time and resources to engage in impactful program dev elopment •

Objective 1.4 Build a deliberate and intentional emph asis on career prospects, entrepreneursh ip, and innovation anage ent in the e erging and critical need fields Planned Actions Short Term

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Medium Term

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Enhance sta eholder involve ent including S all usiness Develop ent Centers, incubators, and state economic dev elopment agencies Design progra s for and in collaboration with C Cha bers of Co erce Create a ar eting ca paign to pro ote our students and their s ills

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Long Term

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Establish co unity and industry partnership for e periential learning P romote continuing education, professional dev elopment, and w ork force training rain graduate students in ob search, ob interviews, and salary negotiations E pand opportunities for ca pus obs and internships

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D esign data informed strategies to close th e loop betw een program content, deliv ery modes, and stak eh olders’ w ork force training needs Establish an office of career services dedicated to graduate students Create ob ban and ob board platfor s

Indicators of Success • •

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u ber of new progra s launched and enroll ent growth therein esources invested in new and revised progra s and return on invest ent reali ed u ber of co unity partnerships for ed, clients served, and levels of satisfaction u ber of students engaged in e periential learning S tudent, alumni, employers, and community partner satisfaction lev els

Goal 2

Students’ Academic and Professional Success and Personal Well-being Create an inclusive and accessible student-centered environment to promote and support students’ academic success, professional growth, and personal well-being along with an enriching graduate school experience to stimulate their curiosity and solidify their lifelong commitment to education

Objective 2.1 Enhance financial support for graduate students

Medium Term Short Term

Planned Actions • •

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Increase the nu ber of graduate assistantships supported by philanthropic fundraising, grants funded proj ects, and enh anced univ ersity budget allocations Increase the scholarship funding available to graduate students •

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Long Term

evise and si plify the process of application for e isting graduate assistantsh ips P romote av ailability of emergency funds to graduate students

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A ugment resources for graduate assistantsh ips and campus j obs to attract a diverse student body fro Connecticut, nationally, and internationally Increase the availability of graduate scholarships to recruit a ore diverse body of students

Objective 2.2 P rov ide h igh q uality academic support for graduate students in all modalities of learning Planned Actions

Long Term

Medium Term

Short Term

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Identify learning and support gaps and create a syste to refer graduate students to appropriate on campus resources Enhance accessibility to I services, including corresponding acco odations for disabilities Collaborate with faculty to pro ote engage ent in research pro ects, databases training, and conference attendance

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Increase writing and statistical research support, especially addressing unique needs of international students and students from div erse back grounds E pand currently available services to serve students enrolled in re ote learning modalities

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D ev elop a robust offering of academic mentoring support for graduate students O ffer w ell- designed online instruction th at includes self- paced, synch ronous, and i ed odalities Offer tutoring services in various sub ects, especially supporting quantitative research ethodologies in S E fields

Objective 2.3 eet graduate students professional develop ent needs Planned Actions Long Term Medium Term Short Term

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or with faculty advisors to connect students with co unity of professionals in their field E pand collaboration with the Office of Career and Professional Develop ent for help with resu e building, professional networ ing, and e periential learning opportunities D esign and implement trainer models to enh ance student collaboration at v arious lev els P repare graduate students for pursuing adv anced graduate degrees and research careers

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SGPS will serve as a bridge between the Offices of Career Services and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to ensure there are no opportunity gaps in career preparation among our student population

Objective 2.4 M aintain and enh ance support for students’ w ell- being Planned d Actions

Long Term Medium Term

Short Term

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Identify gaps and pro ote available counselling and health services to graduate students Identify resources for adopting student ental and psychological health best practices S G P S to collaborate w ith student h ealth serv ices to promote a stigma- free env ironment for prompt recognition and treatment for ph ysical and mental h ealth issues •

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D ev elop new initiativ es to meet th e mental h ealth and w ell- being needs of graduate students P rov ide training to faculty and staff to be able to identify and refer students to righ t support resources D ev elop bench mark s for standards of support to be adopted for our graduate students • • •

D ev elop partnersh ips w ith off- campus w ellness prov iders for easy access to th eir serv icers by graduate students

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Indicators of Success evel, scope of coverage, and nu ber of students provided financial support Scope and scale of statistical, writing, and professional develop ent career support S tudents’ satisfaction lev els w ith th e S G P S serv ices and support uality and scope of Counseling, ealth, and ellness services and satisfaction lev els

Goal 3

Academic Excellence Through Impactful Teaching & Cutting-edge Scholarship Through faculty development and support, foster excellence in teaching by facilitating adoption of the latest pedagogical practices and creating infrastructure and financial support for faculty and student scholarship

Objective 3.1 phold acade ic e cellence and continuously aintain progra regional accreditations Planned Actions Short Term

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Medium Term

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Continue to develop and grow graduate and CE progra s in the e erging and high i pact fields S upport curricular rev iew and rev ision process for ensuring currency in course contents Collaborate with acade ic units to refine scheduling for greater e ibility and accessibility for students S upport adoption of collaborativ e online teach ing and remote learning strategies Develop e periential and service learning focus through sustainable internship and fellow sh ip opportunities E nable and empow er faculty and students to be inclusiv e and to adopt approach es th at positiv ely promote social j ustice E stablish systematic approach es to remov e barriers to retention and timely graduation a e Online ybrid courses and progra develop ent a top priority Continue to e pand accelerated pathway degree progra s

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Long Term

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F acilitate and support efforts focused on attaining regional and programmatic accreditations eview current Carnegie classification and ta e steps to engage faculty and administrativ e leadersh ip to sh ape future strategic direction Collaborate with faculty to align graduate curricula and progra s to eet industry certification require ents where appropriate

Objective 3.2 S upport and strength en student and faculty sch olarsh ip enterprises – prioritiz ing student- faculty collaborativ e research Planned Actions Short Term

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Long Term Medium Term

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edesign GSGA and GSS awards to attract pro ising graduate student research ers from underrepresented groups Increase research support for faculty scholarship and conference attendance, with special e phasis on a ing funding ore inclusive and equitable, focused on prioritiz ing th e support for j unior faculty F oster inter- departmental and multi- disciplinary research initiativ es Create co unity engaged research opportunities for faculty and students E nh ance w riting and statistical research support for graduate students Collaborate with the E ecutive Director of esearch and Innovation to promote faculty- student collaborativ e research L aunch grant- seek ing and fundraising initiativ es to adv ance basic, applied, and th eoretical research

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or with the Office of Sponsored Progra s and esearch to identify grant w riting opportunities for students and for prov iding grant w riting training Create a dedicated self supporting unit for statistical, analytical, and research meth odological support serv ices

Objective 3.3 Continuous i prove ent in teaching and curricula design for student success th rough faculty professional dev elopment Planned Actions S upport faculty training to facilitate adoption of th e latest classroom and learning management tools to mak e classes more inclusiv e and accessible acilitate instructional design support for new course develop ent and e isting course redesigns anage quality assurance, currency, and continuous i prove ent of curricula Collaborate with egistrar s office to conduct yearly audits and coordinate with students, adv isors, and program coordinators in follow ing up on audit results

Short Term

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Strengthen e ible delivery odes and i prove scheduling efficiency to ensure accessibility and inclusiv ity of th e program F acilitate dev elopment of regularly planned course offerings to ensure students can plan and follow th eir graduate program completion timeline w ith a certainty S upport grant- funded and donor- supported faculty enrich ment and curricular dev elopment initiativ es Identify learning needs of faculty in diversity, equity, anti racis , and inclusion domains and support faculty dev elopment activ ities in th ese areas Strea line policies and wor ow co unication across offices to a e graduate curricular processes efficient or tutor entor progra s for lateral learning a ongst grad students ocus on efficiency gains in degree audits and progress towards graduation information serv ices

Medium Term

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Long Term

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S upport dev elopment of classroom spaces to allow adoption of th e latest instructional tech nology for on- site, online, and h ybrid modes of instruction S upport faculty course dev elopment and deliv ery by prov iding teach ing assistants D ev elop an academic env ironment for innov ativ e course and program designs E pand student success center offerings to graduate students Connect with co unity sta eholders to e plore opportunities wherein they contribute to our student success and h elp us in serv ing community needs

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Indicators of Success • • •

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Student teaching evaluations re ecting on quality of instruction L ev el and scope of faculty dev elopment support and faculty satisfaction lev els Currency of progra s offered within the conte t of ar et de and and e erging fields u ber and a ount of research grants and philanthropic fundraising supporting research easures of graduate student and faculty research productivity and i pact Continuous aintenance of accreditation standards

Goal 4 Community Engagement And Impact

Through SGPS’ impactful community initiatives, augment SCSU’s position as a recognized leader in community engagement and impact that inspires and engages our students, staff, and faculty towards lifelong investment in social justice imperatives and community-support-based engagement

Objective 4.1 D ev elop v ital and sustainable relationsh ips, reputation, and trust for fundraising and friendraising in th e community Planned Actions •

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D ev elop a compreh ensiv e S G P S sch ool- w ide fundraising and alumni dev elopment plan E stablish S G P S A dv isory Board to assist w ith community outreach and engagement •

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Long Term

Enlist the support of Acade ic Deans, Institutional Advance ent Alu ni Affairs, and inance Ad inistration units to guide develop ents in this domain Prioriti e graduate and professional education progra s that benefit fro community partnersh ips to generate v alue for our communities Identify prospective donors, alu s, and co unity partners for deepening the relationsh ip, seek ing th eir support, and discov ering opportunities for S G P S to contribute to community building w ith an emph asis on proj ects th at support traditionally underserv ed populations, including black , indigenous, and persons of color

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Collaborate with Institutional Advance ent tea to create organi ation structure, process, and mech anisms th at engage fundraising for S G P S initiativ es Create a plan and set up a steering group to raise the profile and prestige of S G P S to be able to ev entually get S G P S endow ed as a named sch ool Share SCS s rich acade ic and cultural resources with our co unity

Objective 4.2 Establish and e pand partnerships throughout the public and private sectors through networ ing and co unication with SCS alu ni and friends Planned Actions

Medium Term

Short Term

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uild echanis s for effectively and sustainably e panding utually beneficial opportunities w ith community D ev elop and proj ect graduate and professional programs as instruments of serving Connecticut s wor force needs and pro oting regional econo ic dev elopment Develop partnership with SPA to build public private pro ect partnership • •

Long Term

each out to our alu s, donors, co unity organi ations, and state agencies to support sev eral of our student success initiativ es including th ose in academic, professional, and personal w ell- being domains Connect with a or co unity organi ations, foundations, corporate units, and state institutions to understand their needs and identify the ways SCS can best serv e th em

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Establish a sustainable collaboration odel between SCS SGPS and state institutions, corporate foundations, and business and community organiz ations to design and launch j oint economic dev elopment and community w ell- being programs Enable SCS to beco e our co unity s preferred partner serving their e pert advice, e ployee professional develop ent, and co unity service mission needs

Objective 4.3 Build brand aw areness in th e community by mark eting, promoting, and communicating S G P S initiativ es in th e region and beyond

Long Term Medium Term Short Term

Planned Actions tili e e isting SGPS and SCS co unication channels to enhance community outreach D eploy additional resources to stay more connected and engaged w ith S G P S community th rough social media and traditional modes Create additional co unication channels to ore effectively engage community partners y utili ing IC division s e pertise and data analytics gain efficiencies and effectiv eness in targeting most- lik ely- to- engage partners

Collaborate with edia and co unication specialists within SCS to partner with e ternal edia entities to publici e SGPS distinctive progra s In collaboration with IC devise a robust public relations ca paign strategy •

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Indicators of Success A lumni engagement in term of numbers and impact E stablish ment and engagement lev el of adv isory board u ber of fundraising proposals, outreach activities, and a ount of funds raised Co unity partnerships for ed and acade ic, professional, and serv ice programs offered

Goal 5

Commitment to Excellence in SGPS’ Service Mission Enhance and optimize the office organizational structure and decision processes and mechanisms at the School of Graduate and Professional Studies enabling it to promote excellence and efficiency in operations to advance the university mission that champions diversity, academic excellence, access, social justice, and service

Objective 5.1 aintain and grow strategic decision a ing organi ational structure to support grow ing scope and scale of S G P S operations

Short Term

Planned Actions •

Medium Term

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ealign ob descriptions and wor responsibilities as needed to support strategic priorities E stablish and operate serv ice organiz ation catering to local institutions’ professional dev elopment and regional economy’ s w ork force dev elopment needs •

Long Term

Assess and reconfigure current tas s and regular wor responsibilities to better cater to th e needs of graduate students and faculty S trategically allocate budgetary resources to build brand reputation of graduate and professional programs

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Strengthen Continuing Education (CE) as a financially self sustaining and grow ing operation k now n for serv ing community’ s sk illed w ork force needs

Objective 5.2 Build staff and budgetary capacity to support fundraising, community engage ent, e periential learning, and field place ents operations

Long Term

Medium Term Short Term

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S tudy current resources allocation across th e univ ersity based on student enrollment and match th em w ith S G P S strategic priorities to identify gaps in th e needed support lev els

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Assess costs and benefits of various budget odels and propose appropriate odifications Identify staff and budgetary needs and funding sources to specifically address needed support for diversity, equity, anti racis , and inclusion initiatives

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Continue to assess align ent of budget and staff resources with SGPS strategic priorities and adapt as needed w h ile adv ocating for additional support for graduate students

Objective 5.3 E stablish structures and mech anism to facilitate greater collaboration among SGPS, Graduate Council, and acade ic units Planned Actions Engage in discussions with Graduate Council on SGPS s role, identify needs, opportunities and priorities Engage in discussions with Provost s Council on clarifying SGPS role, and identify needs, opportunities, and priorities Identify challenges and barriers to agile curricular and progra develop ent processes

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Long Term

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D ynamically adapt S G P S strategic mission and activ ities in response to th e e erging identified role Develop co unication and wor ow syste s for strea lining curricular and new program dev elopment processes

Codify SGPS role within the university by setting up routines and structures w ith in S G P S to support sh ared goals of program innov ation, academic e cellence, student success, enroll ent growth, co unity i pact, and social j ustice

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Indicators of Success G raduate student applications, enrollments, and timely degree completion numbers u ber of e periential learning opportunities and hours of field e perience Progra success easures enroll ents, ran ings, recognitions, and edia mentions P rogram and institutional rank ings and recognitions

Goal 6

Fostering Diversity, Embracing Inclusivity, and Promoting Equity Address systemic barriers to equity, access, and success for all members of our community to create a culture of inclusion and belonging

Objective 6.1 D eliberate and intentional increase in recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff of color. D ev elop capabilities to be able to effectiv ely serv e as a inority and or ispanic Serving Institution Planned Actions Short Term

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Establish regular reporting and onitoring echanis s for DEI evise e ployee recruit ent and hiring practices re ecting increased e phasis on DEI odify graduate student recruit ent and enroll ent practices for i proving div ersity, inclusiv ity, and accessibility aunch a robust infor ation and P ca paign to generate awareness and garner support for S G P S ’ s div ersity initiativ es

Medium Term

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Long Term

Analy e current data and identify a or i balances and inequities E v aluate current employee recruitment, h iring, and retention practices eview graduate ad issions, recruit ent, and enroll ent practices and identify student groups as priority recruitment targets Initiate the groundwor for beco ing a inority ispanic serving Graduate and P rofessional S tudies P rogram

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S et up a dynamic decisions- mak ing system based on data, bench mark , and continuous assessment of progress aise resources to support recruit ent and retention of inority and underserv ed students

Objective 6.2 Collaborate with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to establish an Equity Scorecard. Align SGPS priorities with those of the proposed Institute for Justice and Social Change (IJSC) Planned Actions Short Term

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ased on data, list priorities for equity scorecard around policies and protocols Create a istening Circle ith IJSC s guidance craft an action plan for pro oting DEI in all graduate education domains Identify Anti ias training opportunities • • • •

Long Term

Medium Term

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A ssess priorities in terms of activ ity domains and most in- need groups E stablish bench mark s and adopt best- in- class practices to ach iev e agreed upon div ersity and j ustice targets E ngage community partners in identifying community ch allenges and best w ays to contribute to community efforts in meeting th ose ch allenges successfully aise resources through grants, fundraising, and corporate partnerships to adv ance th e inclusiv ity and accessibility of graduate and professional education Assess progress and reconfigure the priorities, strategies, and resources allocated to mak e th e efforts in th is direction more effectiv e and w ith greater cov erage

Objective 6.3 ost constructive dialogues for faculty and staff where we treat one another w ith dignity, respect, k indness, compassion, and civ ility as w e sh are div erse perspectiv es Planned Actions Assess current cli ate around DEI, evaluate current initiatives, and e a ine resource allocation for DEI or collaboratively with DEI and Social Justice Co ittee to create a series of DEI progra s specific to graduate students Identify need for DEI professional educational develop ent

Long Term Medium Term Short Term

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Identify priority action areas and quantify resource needs E stablish bench mark s and adopt best- in- class practices to conduct assessments

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Assess progress and reconfigure the priorities, strategies, and resources allocated for greater impact

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Objective 6.4 D ev elop an institutional plan to create a more inclusiv e and div erse curriculum Planned Actions Inventory current courses and co curriculu activities and strategically and inclusiv ely determine th e path forw ard Conduct ca pus wide discussions and devise strategic actions to arrive at learning outcomes for our students

Medium Term Short Term

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E ngage faculty and students to identify emerging areas and adopt best practices to develop curricula that is focused on DEI and social ustice aise resources fro within and outside of the university to fund such curricula initiativ es O ffer graduate students th e opportunity to engage in serv ice- learning promoting DEI •

L ead th e dev elopment of innov ativ e course and program design th at promotes co unity engaged e periential learning in the fields where racial, gender, and se ual orientation inorities have e perienced ost gaps Collaborate with the state, non for profit, and business entities to offer curricula aimed at creating aw areness about th e ch allenges and possible solutions especially in K - 1 2 domain A ssess progress and close th e loop for continuous improv ement

Long Term

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Indicators of Success •

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L ev el and trends in applications, admittance, attendance, and graduation rates for minorities Best- practices in recruitment and retention of faculty and staff from underserv ed groups Equity Scorecard, Ca pus Cli ate Survey, and level of resources invested in DEI initiatives u ber of students enrolled in DEI and social ustice focused courses and programs

Goal 7

Strategic Enrollment Growth Through Robust Recruitment and Purposeful Retention Practices Enhance prospective student outreach and communication, application processes, and adopt a best-in-class customer relationship management system to optimize the complete admission cycle experience. Combine increased visibility and strong brand equity to positively influence enrollments and constituent satisfaction

Objective 7.1 Create infrastructure for strategically aug enting School of Graduate and P rofessional S tudies’ A lumni E ngagement Planned Actions Medium Term Short Term

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Create a co prehensive database of alu ni and their graduate progra s at S outh ern sing this database, build alu ni affinity groups to re engage the bac into S outh ern life and continue th eir lifelong learning, mentoring, and inv olv ement w ith S outh ern •

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Long Term

Collaborate with Institutional Advance ent for SGPS strategic positioning and alumni outreach Identify e e plary alu ni and collect a repository of stories and testi onials attesting to th e breadth and depth of S outh ern’ s graduate programs and th eir role as a catalyst for success

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Collaborate with Institutional Advance ent to create a co prehensive alu ni recruit ent plan to engage with prospective students and e e plify the virtues of a S outh ern education.

See alu ni support for our students for opening internship and e ternships opportunities, guidance on professional sk ills, netw ork ing, career adv ice, and post- graduation success D ev elop a graduate alumni portal - a tech nological portal to v irtually connect group of alumni w ith current graduate students and faculty

Objective 7.2 aunch a strong branding ca paign ai ed at raising the institutional profile and v isibility of th e S G P S

Long Term

Medium Term Short Term

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Conduct brand perception research and use ey sta eholders input to define th e core identity of th e S G P S and distinguish and accentuate w h at it offers.

Create a logo and a tag line that co unicates our vision, ission, and core v alues

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sing the brand research data, define and bolster the SGPS brand identity as har oni ed with the SCS brand sing this newly for ed brand identity, create an awareness ca paign to enlist the support of co unity partners to advance SCS s ission

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Collaborate with IC to develop an integrated ar eting and co unication strategy to promote programs and serv ices offered by th e S G P S tili e the robust co unication strategy channels to recruit students, faculty, corporate and co unity institutions to for partnerships with SCS and the S G P S

Objective 7.3 Develop a portfolio of innovative, ar et de and driven, accessible, e ible and customiz able graduate and professional programs Planned Actions Strea line e isting infrastructure, processes, and echanis s to facilitate dev elopment and deliv ery of customiz able graduate programs on- campus, online, and on- site at maj or employer sites D ev elop new sk ill- based mark et demand driv en online and on- campus certificate progra

Short Term

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F acilitate collaboration among departments, sch ools and colleges, G raduate Council, and Acade ic Affairs to enable agile curricula and new progra dev elopment system ocus on develop ent of new interdisciplinary, ar et responsive, e ible, customiz able, multimodal, and fully online degree and continuing education programs or with acade ic colleges and schools to identify potential agship progra s based on our competitiv e strength s and mark et demand to be nationally recogniz ed as programs of distinction E stablish a dedicated unit w ith in th e S G P S to facilitate tak ing our current or future planned degree programs fully online

Medium Term

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Continue to develop new and innovative progra delivery odels that wor for th e post- traditional graduate student Invest in technology to build capability to offer fully online progra s Develop asynchronous on de and progra s that cater to the busy graduate student.

Institutionali e a ultinodal collaborative syste for continuous graduate curricula innov ation and new program dev elopment

Long Term

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Objective 7.4

Medium Term Short Term

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Long Term

Create a diverse set of industry facing and e ployer guided certificates, and badges Planned Actions

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icro credentials,

Create stac able icro credentials leading to degree or professional certification programs Design opportunities for students to ta e part in pro ect based internships, whereby the e ployer benefits fro the outco e focused intern wor and the student gains acade ic credit and networ ing benefits •

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Conduct a needs and gap analysis assess ent for e ployers to identify what gaps in their e ployee s ills the SGPS icro credentials can help fill D ev elop a series of micro- credentials guided by th e outcome of th is assessment

Establish a echanis for continuous review and refine ent to currency and quality of the CE progra s

aintain

Objective 7.5 Strengthen and build a state of the art ad issions and C recruitment and conv ersion

portal for effective

Planned Actions Conduct a co prehensive co unication audit of all application related communications Identify populations, intention of co unication, and delivery ode of communication to ensure effectiv e and synch roniz ed communication targeted strategy th at appeals to div erse population A ssess open rates and click th rough rates for each communication ch annel, rev aluate strategic priorities continuously and tak e correctiv e actions

Short Term

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D ev elop a compreh ensiv e and multimodal communication plan for both generic and progra specific outreach Create a custo i ed application portal that is dyna ic and progra specific, w h ile still prov iding information th at is applicable to all graduate students

Medium Term

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Ensure continuous collaboration a ong various vendors and SCS s I div ision to maintain smooth adoption and functioning of th e latest softw are and hardware configuration Invest in training and develop ent of all staff ai ed at providing best in class serv ice to prospectiv e students from initial contact to application submission to final registration

Long Term

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Indicators of Success u ber of graduate alu ni engaged in student recruit ent Co pletion, launch, and assess ent of brand equity building and awareness campaign E nrollment- grow th - focused innov ativ e programs launch ed and enrollment trends th erein P ositiv e trends in graduate student enrollment, retention, and timely degree completions

Strategic Investments • • • •

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F inancial and h uman resources to accelerate innov ativ e curricular and program design Software to develop user friendly electronic processes, wor ows, and templates for course and program proposals aculty develop ent and training support for pro oting teaching e cellence I support for designing and operating the latest instructional delivery platforms F aculty and graduate students research funding th rough grants and ph ilanth ropic funding F inancial and h uman resources for managing th e task s of fundraising, grant seek ing, and launch ing rev enue generating graduate and professional programs Organi ational and financial support for students acade ic success and personal w ellbeing esources for e panding financial aid pac ages and ca pus e ploy ent opportunities Invest ent in technology for superior C , ar et research, and building and promoting S G P S brand for enrollment grow th and community engagement Organi ational and financial resources to e pand and support DEI initiatives for graduate students

Strategic Planning Committee SCSU Task Force Dr. Manohar Singh (Co-Chair), Dean Alicia Carroll, Registrar, Registrar Dr. Diane M. Ariza, Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Tracy Tyree, Vice President, Student Affairs Dr. Benjamin Abugri, MBA Director/Finance, School of Business Trever Brolliar, Director of Academic Tech, Information Technology Dr. Lisa Galvin, Director of Graduate Admissions, School of Graduate & Professional Studies Kate Stoddard, Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations, Institutional Advancement Julie Edstrom, Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management Dr. Maria Diamantis, Faculty, School of Education Dr. Elena Schmitt, Coordinator of the MS, World Languages & Literature Dr. Cynthia O’Sullivan (Co-Chair), Graduate Council Dr. Jeffrey Webb, Faculty Senate Liason, Chemistry Dr. Jonathan Wharton, Interim Associate Dean, School of Graduate & Professional Studies Dr. Alaa Sheta, Associate Professor, Computer Science Dr. James MacGregor, Chairperson, Recreation Tourism & Sport Management Dr. Barbara Aronson, Professor/Ed.D Program Director, Nursing Dr. Nicholas Pinkerton, Director, Counseling Services Manpreet Sachdeva, Project Manager, School of Graduate & Professional Studies Shermaine Edmonds, Administrative Assistant, School of Graduate & Professional Studies

Business & Community Members Glenn Jurgen, Director, Human Services, Access Health CT Salvatore Nesci, Director of Employee Relations, Learning & Growth, South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority Jeff Pugliese, Vice President, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Tameika Miller, Vice President of Marketing & Program Development, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Vincent J. Averaimo, Esq., Partner, Milford Chambers Board