Improvement (I)

8I2 Setting Targets for Improvement

Western held public forums to begin the process of creating a second strategic plan now being implemented. That plan identifies seven opportunity areas and goals, objectives, and action items. One of those areas is Sustaining Institutional Priorities. Institutional priorities includes Western's first three AQIP Action Projects: Communicating Quality, Student Engagement, and Applied Learning. Western provided $100,000 annually over the three years these Projects were active and then moved them into base funding. Strategic Planning Implementation Funds (SPIF) provide $100,000 each year of its active life to three new Action Projects: Building Graduate Programs, Enhancing Academic Quality through Critical Thinking, and Using Measurement and Assessment. When retired as Action Projects, they will continue to be funded in the base and recognized as ongoing institutional accreditation priorities.

Western continues to use implementation teams to oversee the accomplishment of goals and objectives in the new strategic plan. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee (35 members) and implementation teams (over 300 individuals) determine the most critical steps in accomplishing the goals listed in the Strategic Plan. Improvement priorities include the three new Action Projects.

Recruitment and retention plans were developed with specific goals set.Western met its goal of recruiting an additional 126 students by 2007. Among these 126 were 44 students coming directly from high school, 59 new transfer students, 12 out-of-state students, and 11 full-time, non-traditional students.

Western is continuing the implementation phase of the retention component of the enrollment management plan.

Western is working to achieve The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accreditation in Business.