The University of Nevada, Reno's Strategic Plan for 2015-2021 was unanimously approved by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday, Dec. 4, during the Regents' meeting in Las Vegas.

Coupled with the University's Master Plan, which was also approved on Thursday by the Board of Regents, the University will now turn to implementing the Strategic Plan.

Said Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Carman, who helped shepherd the plan to its completion: "The easy part is over.  Now we roll up our sleeves and get it done."

The Strategic Plan serves as a guide for University development and responds to a requirement of the Board of Regents. The plan, which began its formulation in earnest approximately a year ago, was developed with the input of the University community, as well as external stakeholders.

Several forums were held for faculty, staff and student input. On Sept. 16, more than 200 individuals representing all major units across the campus were gathered for a Strategic Planning Workshop in the Joe Crowley Student Union. The workshop was designed to solicit focused input on major goals and objectives and to  fine-tune the messaging associated with them. 

The Strategic Plan defines the three major themes:

Learning: Prepare graduates to compete globally through high-quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and selected professional programs.

Discovery: Create new knowledge through basic and applied research, scholarship, and artistry in strategically selected fields that affect Nevada, the nation and the world.

Engagement: Strengthen the social, economic, and environmental well-being of people by engaging Nevada citizens, communities, and governments.

The three major themes are supported by "key drivers" that are also part of the Master Plan: Learning Landscape; Student Experience; Innovation Platform; Campus Character; Connectivity; Campus in the City; Growth and Change.

During the course of the development of the plan, Carman said it became necessary to add a fourth area, Stewardship, which provides the infrastructure needed to support the three major themes and is central to the efficient function and future growth of the University.

"We saw 'Stewardship' as a commitment to providing the types of resources that are needed to fulfill the three core missions of our University," he said. "It proved to be very helpful in arriving at a better understanding of the demands a growing university will face, while the institution also establishes credentials that will result in its recognition as a Carnegie Research University/Very High classification."

Under each of the three major themes of Learning, Discovery and Engagement as well as Stewardship, the document contains specific goals tied to the various themes. The goals are to be realized over the next six-year timeframe. Carman said it was important that these "Goal" areas deal in data-driven metrics while at the same time grasp the values-oriented vision and unified concepts that will help faculty, staff and students in their efforts to achieve our goals. Institutional values that are embedded into each of the major theme areas are: 1) excellence in all endeavors; 2) integrity in all actions; 3) inclusiveness of diverse cultures and identities; 4) collaboration between disciplines and programs and with community partners and stakeholders.

Goals of note under each theme include:

Learning

Provide high-quality undergraduate degree programs taught by a diverse, well-qualified faculty who continually improve the curriculum through assessment and innovation. This goal's metrics include new tenure-track faculty lines of 42 in 2014 and 300 by 2021; a reduction in student-faculty ratio from 2014's 22.4 to 1 to 18 to 1 by 2021; an increase in diversity of academic faculty form 21 percent in 2014 to 25 percent by 2021.

Recruit a high-achieving, diverse student body and provide access and a clear path to graduation. Metrics, which will be accomplished through such initiatives such as NSHE's "15 to Finish" and the "Pack Promise" to provide a strategic guide toward timely graduation, include an increase in 6-year graduation rate from 2014's 54.8 percent to 60.8 percent by 2021 and an increase in freshmen retention from 82 percent in 2014 to 88 percent in by 2021.

Provide high-quality graduate programs taught by research faculty. Metrics for this goal include increasing Graduate Teaching Assistant lines from 476 in 2014 to 700 by 2021, raising GTA stipend from the current $15,500 to peer median levels by 2021, and increases of more than 200 Ph.D. more than 300 master's students by 2021.

Discovery

Enhance the quality, value and range of the University's research and artistry. Attain classification as a "Carnegie Research University/Very High." Metrics guiding this goal include an increase of research expenditures from 2014's $98 million to $150 million by 2021, increasing the number of research faculty supported by grants from 61 in 2014 to 75 in 2021, increasing the number of graduate research assistantships from 371 to 450 by 2021 and adding 40 postdoctoral scholars and endowed professorships and chairs.

Invest in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research areas that build upon existing strength and that are responsive to emerging needs and opportunities, with emphasis in areas such as advanced autonomous systems, entrepreneurship and neuroscience.

Strengthen infrastructure required to support world-class discovery, scholarship and creativity. The goal's metrics including construction of an Engineering Building, adding an additional Fine Arts Building, renovation of Palmer/Scrugham/Chemistry/Leifson labs, and additional administrative and technical support positions. It is estimated that under the plan, square footage of research and artistry space will increase from the current 434,000 to more than 532,000.

Engagement

Develop and adopt a unified concept and vision for the University's public engagement and land-grant mission. This will include an intensive period reporting and committee work in areas such as definition of land-grant engagement, implantation of an annual engagement report, development of tracking mechanisms for engagement and other areas, culminated by reports filed with the Provost by June.

Work in concert with government and industry to diversify and develop Nevada's economy and communities. This will include encouraging university-county-city-state partnerships across all engagement entities, establishment of environments to promote synergistic interactions between faculty and students and the community and promoting revitalization of downtown Reno through joint planning and collaboration with the City of Reno, the Regional Transportation Commission, and other partners.

Improve mental and physical health and quality of life for Nevada's diverse and growing population. The goal's metrics include increasing formal partnership with hospitals from 21 to 2021 by 2021, establishing a full 4-year school of medicine in Reno, making marked increases in clients served through clinical services to nearly half a million from 2014's 344,195 and growing the number of graduate medical education residencies and fellows from 362 to 758 by 2021.

Provide lectures, exhibits, performances and athletic events that enrich the cultural fabric of the community and expose young minds to the world of possibilities in academics, the arts and culture, and athletics. This goal will be accomplished through high-quality University productions in the visual and performing arts, the presentation of world-class scholars, thinkers and performers, and providing county-based community outreach activities statewide.

Stewardship

A number of key areas are addressed in the Strategic Plan under "Stewardship," including goals and paths to meeting demand and increased pressures in areas such teaching capacity, student housing, college administrative and technical staffing, Information Technology/Libraries, undergraduate teaching and counseling needs, graduate teaching assistantships, new facilities, repurposing of older facilities, core research facilities, childcare, conservation, faculty retention, campus safety, student services and fundraising.

Having spent more than year in compiling and drafting the various iterations of the Strategic Plan, Carman said that the reality is the hard work for the campus is only now just beginning.

"Implementation of the themes, goals and ideas of the plan will be essential to its success," said Carman. Carman noted implementation of the plan will be reviewed regularly by a faculty committee to monitor progress. "We have identified goals that encapsulate where we are and where we are going and metrics with which we can measure our progress. We have identified obligations, aspirations and our commitment to respond to inevitable change. It's a guide to our evolution over the next six years, certainly, but more than that, I hope it proves to be a vehicle through which we can be responsive to the dynamic landscape that is ahead of us."