Plans

I.Teaching and Learning Excellence

UBT to excel as a teaching and learning institution that offers challenging and innovative educational experiences.

Objective 1. Continue to provide a dynamic and challenging  intellectually rigorous educational programs that respond to the needs of learners in a  complex region and global community.

Strategies:

  1. Continue to develop and assess effective coursework, both in the major and general education which provides knowledge, skills and perspectives that will be required of a productive 21st Century global citizen.
  2. Employ effective cutting-edge technologies in the teaching and learning process.
  3. Foster development of critical thinking, information literacy, computer competency, writing, reading, and visual and oral communication.

 

Objective 2. Promote and sustain a teaching-learning environment that emphasizes the importance of the partnership between faculty and students and cultivates each student’s sense of personal responsibility to undertake the work necessary to take full advantage of educational experiences.

Strategies:

  1. Foster student leadership through teambuilding and involvement in the community.
  2. Provide spaces for group and collaborative study, including “smart” group meeting rooms.
  3.  Offer small, medium, and large venues for hosting cultural and learning communities.

 

Objective 3. Promote and support teaching excellence and the scholarship of teaching among faculty.

Strategies:

  1. Increase the number of new positions in addition to the replacement of any retiring, non-retained or non-returning faculty.
  2. Recruit and retain faculty who demonstrate excellent and innovative teaching skills.
  3. Support collaborations that create linkages between academic and experiential learning.
  4. Encourage experimentation and risk taking in teaching and learning.
  5. Provide faculty development programs that enhance teaching skills and celebrate teaching best practices and achievements.

 

Objective 4. Expand information, knowledge, and data resources.

Strategies:

  1. A. Transform the current information and data centers “the library of the future,” one that pushes the technology envelope and, as appropriate, brings together elements that currently reside in various units of the campus to create a hub for the benefit of students, faculty, and community users.
  2. B. Expand collection of resources and data bases related to regional, national, and international interests.
  3. C. Maintain and update learning materials.

 

II. Community Engagement

Work as a meaningful partner in engaging the communities that the university serves.

Objective 1. Expand the university’s role as a leading regional center with a proactive agenda for educational, social, economic, political, environmental, and cultural advancement.

Strategies:

  1. Expand the central clearinghouse to advance partnership development between the university and the communities it serves.
  2. Build new opportunities and expand on existing collaborations for faculty, staff, and students to contribute to community advancement, including addressing community economic, social and cultural issues.

C. Improve and expand programs that address lifelong learning needs of individual

 

Objective 2. Engage our communities in the life and mission of the university, as well as engage the university and its students, faculty, and staff in the life of our communities.

Strategies:

  1. Involve our community audiences in assessing how the university can address regional needs.
  2. Increase involvement of alumni, retirees, community leaders and others in the university through service on boards, speaking engagements, mentoring programs, and philanthropic opportunities.
  3. Promote community and university relationships through increased attendance and participation at university academic, cultural, athletic, and other events.
  4. Actively promote the university’s visual identity and protect the university “brand.”

 

Objective 3. Build more bridges between and among our communities to create a culture of engagement, inclusion, and belonging.

Strategies:

  1. Expand collaborations with local schools and school districts to increase awareness of college programs and improve the “culture of going to college” among area elementary, middle, and high school students.
  2. Bring community individuals and organizations to campus for cultural, educational, and athletic activities.
  3. Expand and foster student exchange agreements, internships, and service learning opportunities within our communities.

Objective 4. Nurture a positive image for the university by providing focused communications to increase awareness of and interest in the university.

Strategies:

  1. Communicate the UBT’s value and contributions to education and the local and regional economies.
  2. Position the university as the area’s university of choice among prospective students, parents, community leaders,