Armstrong Atlantic State University
Strategic Plan
(draft 18 April 2001)

As a comprehensive urban university, Armstrong Atlantic State University is committed to academic excellence in the teaching and learning of all students. The highest priority of AASU is to foster abilities and values essential to the development of students into knowledgeable, thoughtful, responsible, and creative members of society. Through a curriculum based in the liberal arts, the university seeks to instill in its students an individual broadness of mind as well as an awareness of, and responsiveness to, the larger community. In addition, AASU provides lifelong learning opportunities that enhance the cultural and economic development of the region.

ESSENTIAL VALUES

Armstrong Atlantic State University provides access to quality programs in an environment that stimulates the intellectual growth of each student. Professional programs deliver learning experiences that prepare students to excel in their chosen professions. The university strives to enhance instructional effectiveness and student learning by

supporting the arts, sciences, and humanities, which educate students in the description, interpretation, and appraisal of the world;

employing appropriate and innovative technologies in support of high-quality, student-centered programs;

providing opportunities for students to participate in honors programs, international study, and other scholarly experiences;

developing the individual interests and talents of students through the arts, athletics, and other student activities;

promoting the development of each student through support services, leadership programs, experiential training, and internships;

supporting the scholarly and creative work of its faculty;

responding to the needs of its service region through applications of its intellectual and creative resources.

AASU will recruit and retain a diverse student body, staff, and faculty.

Rationale: To provide culturally rich experiences in a supportive environment, the AASU community must reflect the multicultural nature of contemporary American society. Special initiatives need to be taken to retain students, especially our growing population of minority students, and to recruit and retain larger numbers of minority faculty and staff.

AASU will schedule and promote academic courses and programs in a coherent and systematic fashion to provide access to all those who can benefit.

Rationale: To meet the distinctive needs of the region’s under-served student population (including those who reside at a significant distance from campus), AASU must maintain and effectively publicize multiple course-delivery systems (e.g., online, evening/weekend, off-campus, flex-term).

AASU will provide access to high-quality library collections, resources, and services, and equip students with the critical skills required to utilize and evaluate contemporary information sources.

Rationale: To uphold the essential values of the university, AASU must maintain a library that responds not only to the requirements of long-term preservation but also to the need for currency of information.

AASU will stimulate cultural and economic development by providing high quality public service programs, delivering lifelong learning opportunities, offering professional expertise, and conducting applied research.

Rationale: To participate meaningfully and competitively in the cultural and economic growth of the region, AASU must clearly identify, support, and promote its diverse strengths and services.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Armstrong Atlantic State University is committed to preparing students to accept positions in the work place that utilize their general university experience and specialized education in the applied sciences and technology. The university will meet this commitment by:

• responding to the increasing applied science and technology needs of its expanding service region;

• designing educational programs in applied sciences and technology based on current and projected employment          opportunities;
• utilizing its urban location to establish internships and other practical experiences in scientific and technical settings;
• continuing to provide coursework that supports science- and technology- dependent disciplines;
• increasing the number of alternative delivery systems for science and technology offerings;
• continuing to play a vital role in collaborative partnerships with regional science and technology interests.

Goal

AASU will accelerate the development and delivery of undergraduate and graduate programs in computer science, information technology, engineering, economics, chemistry, and other applied sciences important to the economy of the institution’s service region.

Rationale: Given that the institution has the demand, the market, and the resources, AASU is positioned to serve the applied science and technology needs of its student constituency. AASU has an accredited computer science program and is a key participant in theYamacraw project. In addition, the university is a successful partner in the Georgia Tech Regional Engineering program (GTREP) and the Regents’ Engineering Transfer Program.

HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Guiding Principles

Enhancing people’s health includes not only the prevention of illness and injury and the restoration of health, but also the improvement of health itself. As the second-largest Regional Health Professional Education Center in the state, AASU endeavors to attend to these principles by:
• anticipating and responding to the needs of the health education and healthcare workforce not only in its immediate service area but also regionally, nationally, and internationally;
• offering a variety of flexible teaching and learning modalities to serve the needs of its diverse student body;
• maintaining accountability to a broad constituency that includes, but is not limited to, students (traditional, nontraditional, and culturally diverse) with a wide range of academic qualifications; approving boards; accrediting agencies; professional organizations; and the spectrum of healthcare systems.

Rationale: The demands of the healthcare workforce significantly exceed the existing supply.

• AASU, using a multi-/inter-disciplinary approach that involves partnerships and collaborative relationships, will prepare responsible professionals with direct accountability to society as well as to their respective professions.

Rationale: The College of Health Professions responds to the continuing, emerging, and cyclical health care workforce needs––needs serious enough to demand the attention of the U.S. Department of Labor as well as the Governor and Legislature of Georgia.

• AASU, through its College of Health Professions, will offer a wide array of continuing education and certificate programs.

Rationale: Management-level personnel and practices and delivery of health care are constantly changing.

TEACHER EDUCATION

Guiding Principles

Identified as "Best in the State" by the Georgia Association of Teacher Educators, AASU’s College of Education is committed to working in concert with the College of Arts & Sciences, Health Professions, and area schools to maintain high academic standards and meet regional needs by

• responding to the changing needs of the education community of the region and state through program development and innovation;
• adhering to the principles established by the Board of Regents and the standards established by national and state teacher education accrediting agencies and professional organizations.

Goals

• AASU will expand and extend partnerships with P-12 schools.

Rationale: AASU has a mandate to place field-experience students in partnership schools. There is also a need to collaborate with area schools to improve the quality of teaching and learning and to assist in faculty development. Currently, over 30% of teacher education students come from the Brunswick/Camden County area; thus, a need exists to develop partnerships with schools in that area.

• AASU will facilitate alternative paths to teacher certification.

Rationale: The serious shortage of teachers in the region and state plus the demand for content-competent teachers combine to press for alternative routes.

• AASU will increase participation and program completion rates at all levels of teacher education—undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate.

Rationale: Various program options exist that would increase the pool of candidates for admission to teacher education and facilitate successful navigation of certification and/or degree requirements.

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Guiding Principles

AASU is committed to utilizing its campus resources to develop partnerships and responding to current and anticipated community and economic needs by:

• strengthening the region culturally and economically through the significant educational resources of the university;
• improving the quality of life for the communities it serves;
• strengthening the university through its participation in improving the economic, cultural, and social conditions of the communities it serves;
• engaging faculty and students in community service as well as in economic and cultural outreach activities that enhance teaching and learning;
• fostering economic and cultural development activities that add to the financial resources of the university.

Goals

• AASU will identify and mobilize campus resources to focus on the development of partnerships with business, industry, and the public sector to meet targeted economic development and community needs.

Rationale: Successful implementation requires identification of community needs, cataloging of campus resources, and development of a strategic plan.

• AASU will articulate to the campus community the value of participating actively in economic and community development.

Rationale: Although university faculty and staff are generally familiar with the importance of professional service, they have not seen this kind of concerted effort as a formal part of institutional planning.

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