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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
 Dear Friends,
Missouri Western is proud
of its extensive planning system, an ongoing activity in which
we learn from the past and build the future. Western's Strategic Plan has
positioned the institution to improve its educational
leadership and to enhance its service to students and the community.
During Phase One of the planning
process, the people of the campus and
the larger community developed a statement of vision, mission, and values as
a foundation for the future. The statement evolved out of ten campus and six
community workshops including almost 400 faculty, staff, students,
individual regents, and community leaders. All campus employees and student
leaders, totaling some 500 individuals, and about 700 community leaders,
were then given an opportunity to shape the draft statement of vision,
mission, and values that evolved from the campus and community workshops.
The resultant draft was discussed with the Board of Regents in May 2001.
Phase Two focused on strategic
issues and goals. This phase also asked for
wide-spread involvement from the campus and larger community. We completed the remaining phases of our planning process in the Fall
2001. The strategic plan for the next five years was finalized in December 2001.
In 2003, Western completed year one implementation of its Strategic Plan and
distributed its First Annual Progress Report in September.
During the next four years of implementing
its plan, Western is
committed to providing educational opportunity and to achieving quality as
it serves students and the region. Western will work to connect theoretical
and experiential learning. Western will focus on programs that overtly serve
the needs of the communities in the region. Western will affirm
existing partnerships and build new relationships to enhance the
educational, economic, cultural, and social development of the region. As
agreed to in our mission review with the Coordinating Board for Higher
Education, Western remains committed to its open enrollment mission and to
better serving under-prepared students through its nationally recognized
ACCESS PLUS program. Western intends to focus more energy in the
future on manufacturing engineering technology degree programs and seek
accreditation by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET). Western is also
planning to seek American Association of Schools and Colleges of Business
(AACSB International) accreditation for its degree programs in business. Such
success will require enlightened leadership, campus and regional
partnerships, and effective and efficient use of resources and support
processes.
As an outcome of its strategic planning
process, Western is now a member of the Academic Quality Improvement
Program, an accrediting body of the Higher Learning Commission. Western's Reaffirmation
of Accreditation is scheduled for the 2009-10 academic year. During the
seven years preceding this reaffirmation, Western will participate in a
Strategy Forum, prepare a Systems Portfolio to be completed in the 2006
academic year, and provide annual updates on Action Projects each
September.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome,
either through the on-line feedback form, in planning group meetings in
September and October 2003, or through input to members
of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.
Please join me in focusing
on our mission and its relevancy to the immediate region and
the state of Missouri.
James
J. Scanlon, President
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