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Academic Affairs Planning Goal #2
2002-2006

1. What is a visionary goal that your unit set?

To pursue the development of additional graduate programs, off-campus sites, and new program offerings at current locations.

Note that this goal became part of the 2004-2006 PLNU Strategic Goals and thus work has continued through the present. The Strategic Goal statement is: Goal 1: To fully develop a model for graduate studies and implement a multi-year growth plan for each graduate program

2. What information and data did you use to set this goal?

  • In 1999 PLNU hit the undergraduate enrollment cap on the main campus and thus any near term growth in our student body is in the area of off-campus graduate programs.
  • Thus the only significant source of growth in revenue is via expanding graduate programs (see Why Graduate Programs at PLNU ).
  • Nursing (2002) and Business (2001) had just begun graduate programs and wanted to grow their programs.
  • There has been significant demand for our teacher credentialing and masters programs in Education. Many of the models that were developed for a single site are easily transferable to additional sites (particularly in the areas of educational leadership, special education, and teaching and learning).
  • Additional PLNU Departments have been investigating starting master’s degree programs.

3. What actions did you take to try to reach this goal?

See Strategic Goal One Report for details and supporting documents.

  • The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) has worked on policies for the development of graduate programs.
  • The GSC has actively worked on developing a mission and vision statement for graduate programs.
  • Graduate program applications are now processed in a central location so that program data is easier to obtain.
  • One of the six PLNU strategic goals for 2004-2006 focuses on graduate programs, a goal manager was named and a team set up to work on the goal. The action items established for this goal are:
    • Vision: Develop a formal vision statement for graduate programs at Point Loma
    • Infrastructure: Develop a model for the staffing and structure that will best accommodate a multi-campus, multi-program graduate curriculum
    • Information Technology : Develop a model that addresses how IT can best serve the needs of a program operating at multiple sites
    • Communications: Ensure that a system is in place so that all personnel in the university understands and feel fully informed on all issues related to their role (direct or indirect) in graduate programs.
    • Planning: Develop a comprehensive plan for grad programs that map out the process for the future in an informed and data driven manner.
    • Academic Quality: Ensure that a system is in place that fosters, monitors and holds all grad programs accountable to a quality that matches the demands of being “the best Wesleyan university in the country”
    • Spiritual Quality: Ensure that a system is in place that nurtures Christ’s Presence in all aspects of grad programs and beyond: form the curriculum, to staff/faculty offices, to the classroom, to graduate student and alumni workplaces and to their homes

4. What progress did you make?

See Strategic Goal One Report for details and supporting documents.

  • The Graduate Program Standards have been revised.
  • The Graduate Program mission and vision statement is near completion.
  • Graduate admissions data is now available and is posted on the PLNU website as part of the University Data Tables.
  • School of Education offerings have been expanded San Diego, Arcadia and Bakersfield (new programs as well as the development of school district partnerships).
  • The School of Education has a new site in the Inland Empire.
  • The Biology Department masters degree in general biology will being in the Summer of 2006.
  • Extensive discussion is underway about the appropriate model for administration of graduate programs particularly as it relates to the relationship between the site directors and those carrying out the student support services (records, financial aid, etc). There is some tension between two models that has yet to be resolved.
  • Discussion has been held about the most effective ways for communication to occur among those working in graduate programs as well as communication about graduate programs to the full campus community.
  • The Graduate Support Service Committee was instituted to better coordinate and bring uniformity to the support services.
  • Information Technology infrastructure is in place at all sites and is being further developed.
  • There has been some conversation about how “shape” occurs with adult learners in graduate programs, in particular how PLNU lives out this aspect of it mission with this student population.

5. What information and data did you use to evaluate your progress?

  • Growth in graduate program enrollment
  • Expansion in the number of programs
  • Growing body of documents about policies, procedures, mission and vision for graduate programs.
  • Much of the work on the various action items that part of strategic goal one are “in progress.”
  • Each program has submitted a summary of how “shape” occurs in their program/site (this should be done by December)
  • The “Standards for New Graduate Programs” have been modified to include spiritual component (this should be done in December or January).

Supporting Documents:

Patrick Allen’s essay “Why Graduate Programs at PLNU?”

Graduate admissions data
Table 1.1.2
Table 1.3.2
Table 1.4.3

Strategic Planning Goal One Report