Developing and Understanding Institutional Identity and Mission

1. Developing and Understanding Institutional Identity and Mission Steven K. Pontius Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kevin Snider Executive Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning, Institutional Research and Effectiveness Karen Schmid Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

2. ISU’s – June 2000 • Access University • 120 Programs – Certificate through Ph.D. • Enrollment = 11,000 • Mission Statement

3. Development of a Distinctive Identity – External Factors • Enrollment threatened by: • Aggressive marketing by other colleges and universities in traditional areas

4. As we looked outside we found • Market research demonstrated that prospective students and parents have only a vague sense of ISU • High school counselors and teachers also know little specific about ISU ISU

5. Enrollment problem was given urgency by: • Growth of community college system in Indiana • Growth and increased prominence of regional campuses

6. Unsettled Ground – What is ISU’s Role? • Legislators viewed ISU as filling state access role • State plan called for reliance on research for economic development • Research Intensive • Doctoral Intensive also important • Graduates remain instate • Apply research to state problems • Other?

7. President’s Perspective • Put us on Student/Public Radar Screen • Increase Market Share through Niche Development • Distinguish Learning Experience for Enrollment • Define State Role and Value to Legislators

8. Internal Factors Necessitating Identity Development • Provost’s Perspective • Accountability • Faculty and staff hiring • Budgeting • Balancing priorities

9. Why development of a distinctive identity is a priority • Institutional confidence • As a doctoral research-intensive university, are we a Research One wanna be? • If so, we will always be second best

10. ISU’s process for developing our distinctive identity • Planner’s Perspective • Niche identification • How institutional identity and mission are developed and understood • Implementation issues

11. Planning Horizon Vision Long Range Horizon Year 6+ (Conceptualized) Strategic Year 2 - 5 Strategic Horizon Strategic Proposed Year 1 Tactical Implementation Tactical Mission Planning Projecting

12. Determining the final product • Campus involvement • Experiential learning identity

13. Marketing: Gaining the biggest “bang for the buck” • The role of integrated marketing • Internal marketing • External marketing

14. Intentional identity creation? • Timeframe • Organizational and individual benefit

15. Doctoral/research—intensive universities • What is our strength? • Learning intensive? • SOTL as particular contribution?

16. Lessons learned: Obstacles and Challenges • Do • Stress continuity, build upon history, uncover distinctiveness • Repeat messages • Make clear connections between various initiatives • State clearly how changes will benefit individuals • Be prepared for anger and denial • Be patient

17. Lessons learned: Obstacles and Challenges • Don’t • Assume that faculty and staff will take an institutional perspective • Assume that anything is obvious • Be surprised by great variation in perceptions and desires about the University’s mission and future

18. Implications for other universities • Determine if a distinctive identity is worth the effort. Consider competition for attention on campus. • Decide whether to use incremental change or a campaign.