In September 2019, the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) Strategic Planning Task Force began its work to develop a five-year strategic plan to serve as a guide for COAS to fortify its ability to deliver a high-quality educational experience.
COAS Strategic Plan 2020 - 2025: COAS Strategic Plan 2020 - 2025
Moving COAS Forward
Read the PlanRubin Patterson, Ph.D
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Great colleges and universities consistently take stock of their degree programs and administrative operations to assess how these essentials align with student demands, societal needs, career opportunities for graduates, and administrative best practices. For our COAS to remain relevant, its goals must always be aligned with public priorities. We are thereby required to continually assess our programmatic offerings, the quality of our academic programs, the opportunities for revenue generation, and the efficiency and effectiveness of our administrative operations.
Priority #1: Establishment of a Board of Visitors
Although the range of resources that the Division of Humanities, the Division of Natural Sciences, and the Division of Social Sciences need is far and wide, they are still inextricably linked by common denominator of fiscal resources and external partnerships. To help COAS on this front, the priority of establishing a vibrant and purposeful Board of Visitors is set as a strategic priority.
Priority #2: Modernization of the Academy
Modernization of the academy is set as a strategic priority for COAS in anticipation of the future needs of our students and in response to the new operating environment postCOVID-19. Going forward, COAS must be consistently innovative in its curriculum, courses, and pedagogies.
Priority #3: COAS Research Centers of Excellence
In relation to the goals of the two proposed Research Centers of Excellence, COAS seeks to develop a critical mass of complementing faculty to deliver high-quality instruction and generate research and scholarship at the forefront of STEM education and progressive human and social development.
Priority #4: Experiential Learning
The educational journey is augmented significantly through cocurricular experiences. Given that all COAS students can greatly improve their competitiveness by participating in these types of impactful cocurricular activities, Experiential Learning is set as a strategic priority.