As one of eight regional universities in the State of Oklahoma, Northwestern has certain functions prescribed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. These include providing the following services:

1. Both lower-division and upper-division undergraduate study in several fields leading to the bachelor’s degree.



2. A limited number of programs leading toward the first-professional degree when appropriate to the institution’s strengths and the needs of the state.



3. Graduate study below the doctorate level, primarily in teacher education but moving toward limited comprehensiveness in fields related to Oklahoma’s workforce needs.



4. Extension and public service responsibilities in the geographic region.



5. Responsibility for institutional and applied research in those areas related closely to program assignments.



6. Responsibility for regional programs of economic development.

1. To assess the community’s higher education needs at the baccalaureate and graduate program levels.



2. To provide upper-division and graduate courses and programs which are part of the institution’s assigned function and programs within the limits of available resources.



3. To serve as the institution responsible for providing and facilitating upper-division and graduate courses and programs in Enid. Northwestern will contact and make arrangements with other regionally accredited colleges and universities to offer courses and programs at the baccalaureate and graduate program levels.

As part of its strategic planning process, the Northwestern community has developed seven strategic directions that will serve as a blueprint for future success and that will drive the decision-making process.

1. Northwestern will enhance the quality of the educational experience by providing opportunities for students to reach their fullest potential in a personalized, student-centered learning environment.



2. Northwestern will increase its enrollment by actively recruiting and retaining students.



3. Northwestern will strengthen the University community by encouraging and supporting diverse, intellectually-stimulating and community-building activities.



4. Northwestern will expand its support for teaching excellence.



5. Northwestern will seek and build strategic alliances and partnerships with its targeted constituencies and strengthen existing relationships.



6. Northwestern will continue to identify and develop institutional distinctiveness and comparative advantages.



7. Northwestern will actively work to find and secure outside funding to support programs and initiatives.

Northwestern will enhance the quality of the educational experience by providing opportunities for students to reach their fullest potential in a personalized, student-centered learning environment.

A positive educational experience for Northwestern students is a major goal of the University. Northwestern is committed to providing an environment that fosters learning, personal growth and development, leadership, service and respect for all world citizens.

Assess student educational experiences.

• Use assessment results to make decisions regarding changes in the educational experience.

Develop actions to maximize cultural diversity opportunities and awareness.

• Invite speakers from underrepresented groups for presentations and interaction with students and staff.



• Develop partnerships with other institutions for multicultural exchange.



• Actively seek students and employees from underrepresented groups.



• Increase opportunities for international students to share their experiences with the University community.

Create an advising program for students so that matriculation is monitored through graduation.

• Develop an academic advisement training program for faculty and staff.



• Develop procedures so that all students are ensured of an appropriate academic advisor.



• Make advising excellence a part of the faculty and staff evaluation program.

Provide students access to various technologies across campus to maximize learning potential.

• Provide technological opportunities to students in residence halls.



• Increase access to technology across campus.



• Provide students with electronic access to multiple services of the University.

Northwestern will increase its enrollment by actively recruiting and retaining students.

The success of Northwestern’s programs depends on a consistent enrollment in order to supply educational opportunities and activities appropriate for the life and professional goals to which each student aspires. A collaborative effort is needed to recruit traditional and non-traditional students with the goal of providing them an educational environment responsive to individual learning styles and needs.

Actively recruit potential students, including high school students, CareerTech students, community college students, adult students and current college students, by exposing them to the quality educational opportunities that Northwestern has to offer.

• Increase the number of high school and transfer students who are exposed to Northwestern through correspondence and personal visits.
  
  
• Increase the number of new students enrolled at Northwestern.



• Develop new programs to enhance student recruitment.

Continue to increase educational opportunities throughout the service area and into new markets.

• Increase the number of online courses.



• Increase the number of distance learning opportunities.

Provide a greater variety of activities designed to enhance the University experience.

• Enhance residential life.



• Create service learning curriculum components.



• Strengthen student organizations and clubs at all three campuses.



• Increase access and opportunities for non-traditional learners.

Increase the retention of students through aggressive programs.

• Evaluate and continually improve first year programs.



• Evaluate and continually improve transfer articulation and continuance to graduation.



• Expand academic support for students.

Northwestern will strengthen the university community by encouraging and supporting diverse, intellectually-stimulating and community-building activities.

Northwestern values its role as a community of learners that includes students, teachers, staff, administrators and area citizens. Northwestern will continue to promote the mission of the University by offering itself as a resource for developing and supporting the intellectual, cultural, recreational, professional, and social activities of its constituents.

Develop and implement strategies to increase a sense of inclusion in the University community among students at all campus locations.

• Coordinate, schedule and facilitate activities and programs to be held on all campus locations.



• Establish an annual leadership forum that involves students from all campus locations.



• Increase the visibility of the Enid and Woodward campuses through campus media.

Enhance the quality and quantity of extracurricular programs and activities to increase diversity, school spirit and alumni support.

• Schedule special events that would promote both student and alumni school spirit.



• Promote special events through campus and local media.



• Establish a Northwestern special events web site.

Recognize the intellectual and creative accomplishments of faculty, staff and students.

• Establish special recognition programs on each campus for the outstanding intellectual and creative accomplishments of faculty or staff.



• Organize a series of Brown Bag lunches that would allow faculty or staff to present their latest research/publications.



• Increase news releases sent to campus and local media recognizing faculty, staff and student accomplishments.

Continue to develop programs, services and opportunities that provide leadership, intellectual and skills development for students.

• Develop a faculty/student mentoring program.



• Develop a Northwestern Honors Program for intellectually gifted students.



• Increase opportunities for career exploration and employment skills.



• Create a program that enhances appropriate professional behavior.

Northwestern will expand its support for teaching excellence.

Northwestern values a quality educational experience for its community of learners through innovative teaching by well-qualified faculty. The University will expand its efforts to evaluate, encourage, facilitate and recognize excellence in teaching and will provide faculty with opportunities to enhance their pedagogical practices.

Develop a new faculty evaluation and professional development system.

• Implement the new faculty evaluation system in the fall of 2004.



• Create a faculty development program to promote excellence in teaching.

Improve the faculty hiring and orientation process.

• Develop a comprehensive orientation for new faculty.



• Standardize the interview protocol for all new faculty and professional staff.

Recognize and reward teaching excellence among faculty.

• Clarify and revise policies and procedures for awarding merit recognition.



• Establish an annual recognition program for teaching excellence.



• Establish an Educators Hall of Fame to recognize long-term excellence in teaching.

Northwestern will seek and build strategic alliances and partnerships with its targeted constituencies and strengthen existing relationships.

Northwestern recognizes the value of alliances and partnerships with constituencies. The University will strengthen current collaborative efforts with public schools, CareerTech centers, higher education institutions, governmental agencies and others. The University will seek to establish new alliances and partnerships that enhance the mission of the University.

Collaborate with K-12 and postsecondary schools.

• Increase the availability of courses for high school students who wish to pursue concurrent enrollment.



• Establish articulation agreements with community colleges and CareerTech centers for a Bachelors of Applied Science Degree.



• Increase the participation of K-12 students in the arts and sciences.



• Promote Northwestern as a host site for educational activities.

Enhance the University’s relationship with local, state and federal government agencies to advance learning opportunities for all individuals.

• Develop curriculum and increase course offerings in conjunction with appropriate state agencies.



• Increase the offering of short courses for various state certifications.



• Expand educational opportunities for veterans, members of the reserve forces and active military personnel, including those stationed at Vance Air Force Base.

Assist entrepreneurs and businesses (firms) in startup, growth and development of their entities.

• Enhance internship programs for the purpose of providing assistance to a greater number of businesses in Northwestern’s service area.



• Act as a network hub to assist entrepreneurs and firms regarding business operations and other appropriate business development areas.



• Collaborate with the Department of Rehabilitation Services to assist their clients in business development.



• Expand the incubator program to enhance economic development.



• Provide research assistance for business development.

* * * * *

Northwestern will continue to identify and develop institutional distinctiveness and comparative advantages.

Northwestern recognizes that, in a time of high student mobility and plentiful educational opportunities, the University needs to continually sharpen its ability to compete for students. The University will continue to search for existing features which give it an advantage and seek to develop them further.

At the same time, Northwestern will look to identify and develop new features as it recognizes that advantageous features have finite lifetimes and that older features must be replaced by newer ones.

Develop and implement an integrated marketing plan designed to establish a clear identity for the University and increase visibility to potential students and other constituencies.

• Identify trends in our established primary, secondary and tertiary markets.



• Conduct periodic surveys of students, potential students and other groups to determine effectiveness of plan.



• Monitor trends regarding private giving, news coverage and attendance at special events.

Develop actions to capitalize on the value of our scholarship program combined with the affordability of attending Northwestern.

• Track the number of students applying for scholarships and the number of students awarded scholarships.



• Establish other community-based scholarship programs modeled on the Alva Incentive Program.



• Develop positioning statements regarding scholarship opportunities compared with other schools.

Focus attention on the advantages for students of being a part of a small, closely knit, community of learners.

• Increase opportunities for interaction between administration, faculty and students.



• Maximize flexibility and choice of emphasis in general education.



• Maximize seamless transfer and articulation policies to ease the transfer process.



• Develop training for staff to maximize customer service for students.

Develop mission statements for each branch campus, each one linked to the mission of the University as a whole, which define the role of each individual branch and which lead to strengthening and growth of each campus.

• Prepare a focused branch campus mission statement.
• Develop a growth plan for each campus that is based on campus mission statements and that focuses on each campus’s unique situation in its community.



• Incorporate the campus growth plans into the integrated marketing plan.

Northwestern will actively work to find and secure outside funding to support programs and initiatives.

Northwestern is evolving from being a state-supported institution toward being a state-assisted institution. Fundraising must match specific academic and student-focused needs in the areas of capital improvement, major equipment, scholarships and faculty enhancement. The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Foundation, Inc. will assist the University in securing outside funding for teaching and learning needs and will continue to invest prudently to increase its assets so that it can effectively serve the needs of Northwestern and its students.

Identify University needs as perceived by multiple stakeholders from the University and community.

• Develop institutional plans in the following areas: capital, academic programs, student services, technology, regional community services and economic development.

Expand the database of University donors and friends.

• Update and revise the alumni directory.



• Develop informational programs regarding need.



• Annually evaluate goal progress.



• Develop a major gift program.



• Increase functions targeting donors and University friends.



• Increase alumni participation and membership in the Alumni Association.

Develop and implement plans to secure funding from external sources.