The second draft of USM’s strategic planning plan, “Preparing USM for the Future 2009-2014” was released on Feb 12.
The plan is a culmination of input from USM faculty, staff, and students, which lays out a vision of massive reorganization of the university’s mission, and organization.
The four working groups, made up members of the USM community, were asked to consider the arenas of engaged education, interdisciplinarity, access, and the “three campus, one university” nature of USM. This is part of an effort to restructure the university as a “far leaner, more focused institution” according to the strategic plan.
With the current economic downturn taking its toll on the state’s tax base, the strategic plan emphasizes a paring down of USM’s mission to help the university get by in time of insufficient state appropriations.
The strategic plan aims to narrow the university’s focus by identifying which programs and activities are “essential to USM’s mission.” However, USM’s Mission Statement is currently being revised as part of the strategic planning process.
The plan is set up as a list of goals identified by the working groups, and their suggested courses of action.
These suggested goals include a “re-energized advancement effort” to be organized under the incoming Vice President for Advancement, which the university has narrowed down to three candidates.
The plan also aims to improve retention and graduation rates by developing a “student success initiative” to be lead by newly appointed Provost Kate Langdon Forhan.
Perhaps the most drastic suggestion outlined in the strategic plan is the proposal to create location-specific missions for each of USM’s three campuses.
In an effort to improve proximity and access to classes, and cut down on time spent commuting between campuses, the plan envisions Gorham as the “home to USM’s residential student population.”
The draft cites Gorham’s athletic facilities and large number of undergrads as “instrumental in recruiting high school seniors interested in team and intramural sports.”
Under the plan, Gorham would become the home of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Core curriculum, as well as applied science, engineering, and technology.
The Portland campus, home of the Muskie School, Law School, and School of Business, would become the center of professional and graduate education. With Gorham focusing it’s resources on undergraduate needs, Portland could be structured around upper-level education.
In addition to cutting down on time spent commuting between campuses, this restructuring would allow USM’s future marketing efforts to differentiate between campuses by their academic offerings, instead of their geography.
LAC would continue its focus on interdisciplinary studies, online classes, and adult education, as one of central Maine’s few institutions of higher learning.
The strategic plan is currently open for review and comment, and any suggestions submitted through March 6th will be taken into consideration for the next draft of the plan.
Next week, The Free Press will take a more in-depth look at the strategic planning process, and get reactions to the proposed changes from USM faculty, staff, and students.
Check out the second draft of USM’s Strategic Plan, and offer feedback at http://usm.maine.edu/spp/