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Strategic Goal #1
To fully develop a model for Graduate Studies and implement a multi-year growth plan

This project has been overseen by a President-appointed committee (commonly referred to as the SG1 Committee). Tana Herchold, Professor of Education (Committee member until her retirement in May, 2005), Scott Shoemaker Dean of Admissions, Robert Joslin, Chief Information Officer, Matt Wickstrom, Director of Student Financial Services, and Darrel Falk, Vice-Provost for Graduate Program Support and Dean of the College of Education.  

1. Vision: Develop a formal vision statement for graduate programs at Point Loma

2. Infrastructure: Develop a model for the staffing and structure that will best accommodate a multi-campus, multi-program graduate curriculum

  • There are differences of opinion about the best organizational model (centralized or diversified).  These issues have yet to be resolved and are described in detail in A.I.2 Update for Strategic Goal One.
  • The SG1 Committee is at work on developing a model for staffing and structure.
  • The Graduate Support Services Committee has been formed to ensure that the support staff for graduate programs are in regular communication.
  • Starting in the fall of 2004, all processing of student applications is done in Graduate Admissions Office (located in Mission Valley).  This has resolved some of the data problems that resulted from different sites handling the paperwork in slightly different manners.

3. Information Technology: Develop a model that addresses how IT can best serve the needs of a program operating at multiple sites

  • PLNU’s CIO is a member of the SG1 Committee.  A technology baseline has been established for all existing and future sites and a model for supporting the technology needs of faculty and students has been created (see Model for Supporting the Technology Needs of Faculty and Students in a Multi-site Environment).
  • There have been some basic steps taken at all graduate program sites (see Support for Instruction Portion of the Academic Plan and the technology data tables at: Table 5.1 Information and Computing Resources):
    • All sites are part of the campus network
    • Faculty teaching in remote facilities, including those teaching in school-district-owned facilities, have direct access to the campus network resources; this is accomplished through the use of a VPN client or a secured network appliance – both offering direct secure access to the campus network
    • All classrooms at the sites are connected to the network, and many have data projectors
    • Wireless networking is available at all sites
    • Arcadia and Mission Valley have computer labs; currently Bakersfield is accessing rented computer lab space on an “as needed” basis
    • Students at all sites can access PLNU’s library resources via the web; that means that they have access to all on-line data bases
    • Students at all sites can use LINKS+, an interlibrary loan system that allows them to order books from other libraries via the web (they also have “walk in” borrow privileges at these libraries)
  • A proposal for an on-site faculty liaison for ITS/Library needs was created (Coordination of ITS with Faculty).  After much discussion, this plan has been modified so that the ITS/Media/Library needs will be supported by an on-site staff member whose function is to support all instructional technology including classroom and multimedia support (see the job description for the Instructional Technology Support Specialist).  ITS is currently in the process of reorganizing and will add an Instructional Technologist to the staff who will work under the direction of the Director of Academic Computing and will provide direction to the Instructional Technology Support Specialist. The Instructional Technology Support Specialists at each of the sites off of the main campus will report to the Director of Academic Computing (for issues related to policy and procedure), and have dotted line reporting to the Site Director (for day to day issues) and will be interviewed and hired jointly. In January of 2006, the first of the instructional technology support positions will be posted and a qualified candidate will be actively sought.  It is anticipated that this person will work out of the Arcadia site, and will support Bakersfield, Inland Empire and other sites as needed.  Over time, it is expected that the number of instructional technology staff members will grow as the needs of the sites increase.  

4. 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.

  • The GSC has discussed this issue (Minutes GSC Meeting September 17, 2004).
  • There are some specific recommendations that the SG1 Committee has made in order to improve the flow of communication about graduate programs.  These are discussed in detail in A.I.4. Update for Strategic Goal One.  Here are the highlights:
    • It is essential to maintain unity in the faculty rather than splitting it into graduate and undergraduate faculty.
    • Video conferencing needs to be used more extensively to involve faculty from other site in meetings occurring on the Point Loma campus.
    • University Committee composition should reflect the proportionally graduate and undergraduate faculty.
    • There should be regular time in faculty meetings devoted to reporting about graduate programs (this is different from the curricular items that need to be approved).
    • There needs to be further reporting and analysis on the financial impact of graduate programs.
    • System-wide staff meetings have been very productive.
    • The Graduate Support Services Committee has been instrumental in bringing consistency and harmony to support systems

5. Planning: Develop a comprehensive plan for grad programs that map out the process for the future in an informed and data driven manner.

  • Some very basic data is being collected:
    • Centralized application processing has allowed it to be possible to gather system wide graduate program admissions data beginning in the fall of 2004.  This information is now posted as part of the University Data Tables on the PLNU website.
    • The WASC process uncovered some weaknesses in graduate program data collection (see WASC CPR Group One Report).  Many of these issues have been addressed by moving the graduate program “snap shot” to the month of December.  The results should improve the accuracy of the graduate student profiles posted as part of the University Data Tables.
  • The PLNU Graduate Admissions Office has also gathered some data.
  • There is still a great deal of work to be done to expand the data collected and used for planning.

6. 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”

7. 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

In April of 2006, the Graduate Studies Committee crafted an essay that reflects on the progress made in graduate programs over the last several years and outlines some questions and recommendations (see Comments from the Graduate Studies Committee).