College of Arts & Science Strategic Compass

students walking on front campus

The strategic compass approach to strategic planning is one that provides more flexibility for the college to adapt to changing circumstances. Whereas the university has a formal strategic plan and will soon embark on a new one, the college will use this general framework and guidance of the strategic compass to navigate a highly-dynamic higher education landscape, while still remaining faithful to our core identity, values, and goals.

COAS Mission

As the heart of a public liberal arts university, the College of Arts and Sciences provides excellent and rigorous student-focused academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences to motivated students. Engendering critical and creative thinking skills, providing problem-solving opportunities, offering a globally diverse perspective, engaging in disciplinary scholarly and creative activities, and encouraging undergraduate and graduate research all remain central and vital to our mission.

COAS Strategic Compass

As we move forward and consider our priorities in the context of available resources, we will use the following values as our strategic compass, relying on them as essential reference points for decision-making within the college as we support our mission of a public liberal arts university.

  • Public Liberal Arts mission: Our centrality at the heart of the liberal arts mission as evidenced by our diverse and wide-ranging liberal arts and sciences programs implemented and sustained through teaching, scholarly activity, service, and shared governance, as well as fiscal prioritization and resource stewardship.
  • Excellent Teaching and Experiential Learning: Our provision of high-impact, experiential student learning and research opportunities on campus or in the community.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Our active support for diversity, equity, and inclusion in creating an ethos and culture reflective of those values.
  • Ethical Philosophy: Our support for an ethical approach to education that values honesty, professionalism, and integrity.
  • Relational: Our creation of strong and respectful relationships with students and colleagues.
  • Interdisciplinary: Our support for interdisciplinarity within the college.
  • Civic Engagement: Our development of intentional community associations that are mutually-beneficial.
  • Lifelong Preparation: Our teaching and development of essential and future-focused transferable skills to support students’ professional goals.