STRATEGIC ACADEMIC PLAN

JESS and MILDRED FISHER
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
STRATEGIC ACADEMIC PLAN 2010–2016

(Approved by the FCSM College Council on March 11, 2011.)

University Summary Mission Statement
Towson University, as the state's comprehensive Metropolitan University, offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, arts and applied professional fields that are nationally recognized for quality and value. Towson emphasizes excellence in teaching, scholarship, research and community engagement responsive to the needs of the region and the state. In addition to educating students in the specialized knowledge of defined fields, Towson's academic programs develop students' capacities for effective communication, critical analysis, and flexible thought, and they cultivate an awareness of both difference and commonality necessary for multifaceted work environments and for local and global citizenship and leadership. Towson's core values reflect high standards of integrity, collaboration, and service, contributing to the sustainability and enrichment of the culture, society, economy, and environment of the State of Maryland and beyond.

University Vision
Towson University will be a regionally ranked Doctoral/Research – Intensive University, with a student population of 25,000 by the year 2016, that provides the appropriate array of programs to meet students' intellectual and cultural needs as well as respond to workforce requirements. At the undergraduate level, the University will build on existing interdisciplinary and programmatic strengths. At the graduate level, curriculum development will occur up to the doctoral level to support more fully our commitment to professional fields in the arts and sciences, information technology, education, the health professions, and business. Through its faculty known for excellent teaching, theoretical and applied research, and creative activities, the University will respond to the advancement of the surrounding diverse region by forming formal partnerships and collaborations based on the metropolitan university model.

Academic Vision
Towson University's academic community will be one of America's exemplary metropolitan-based learning environments, known both for its understanding of and passion for engaging people in collaborative and creative relationships that result in individual and collective learning, discovery and personal growth, and also for its faculty's and student's' active participation in the life of the metropolitan region of Baltimore, sharing this learning and discover wherever possible locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Mission of the Division of Academic Affairs
To provide resources, services and leadership that support the academic programs of the University.

Core Values
Towson's academic community is a special one in which friendliness, caring and nurturing are much more than hollow words. In addition to the preservation of these important characteristics, this academic plan identifies a set of core values that will guide and inform the decision and actions of every academic unit at the university. While regular review and assessment may change aspects of the plan as it is implemented over the next six years, the following core academic values will remain unchanged and because of this, adherence to these principles by the academic community's leadership and decision-makers will determine the successful attainment of the university's academic goals. These core academic values are:

• Intellectual depth and integrity
• Creativity in teaching, learning and discovery that leads to individual and collective transformation
• Collaboration across disciplines
• High standards in personal and unit performance
• Commitment to a diverse and multicultural community
• Civic responsibility and engagement

FCSM Vision
To be recognized as one of the best and most effective learning environment in Maryland for preparing undergraduate and graduate students in the natural, physical and computing sciences and mathematics to work, live and lead in a highly complex scientific and technological world. FCSM faculty members are teacher-scholars who commit themselves to a high level of interaction with their students—both undergraduate and graduate—in challenging, innovative, interdisciplinary, research-based, practice-based and applied programs. This results in graduates who are fully qualified to work in any setting and also to lead others with their passion for discovery.

FCSM Mission
Through rigorous and high quality undergraduate programs in a wide variety of scientific, computing and mathematical disciplines and graduate programs in research-based, practice-based, applied and interdisciplinary fields, FCSM prepares its students to live and work productively in a scientific and technological world and to pursue learning throughout their lives. Faculty members engage both their undergraduate and graduate students through interactive teaching, advising, basic and applied research, and collaborative activities internally and externally. They form partnerships both to serve the metropolitan community as well as to meet regional, national and international needs. The result is dedicated, innovative, flexible, and highly prepared individuals who excel in graduate school, professional school, and careers in industry, government and teaching.

FCSM Decision-Making Principles-The FCSM is:

1. A metropolitan college with global reach where faculty and students work together to serve, educate and share their knowledge of the sciences and mathematics in multiple and diverse settings.
2. A model student-centered learning environment where teaching, research and service to community are all valued.
3. A college that requires high standards and demands all of those who join its community — faculty, students, staff, other University colleagues, and external professional partners — to perform in an exemplary professional and ethical manner.
4. A collaborative college that draws strength and efficiencies from partnering with other colleges at Towson and organizations outside of the University.

Critical Factors for Success

1. Regular Organizational Review & Design
2. Branding
3. Resources
4. Leadership at All Levels of the Organization
5. Quality of Faculty and Students
6. External Partnerships

FCSM Priorities and Strategies

Strategic Priority 1 - Organization: To create a highly effective, supportive and student-centered learning environment for teaching, research and scholarly pursuits

1.1   Define FCSM's unique brand of "student-centered" learning and review the organization in light of the characteristics identified

1.1.1   Review and evaluate how FCSM implements the Boyer Model; refine FCSM workload policy to be flexible, just, and consistent with merit and reward policies and to provide the flexibility which allows faculty to achieve an appropriate balance of teaching, scholarship, and service to meet their personal needs and the university goals.

Desired Outcome(s):

• Establish guidelines for FCSM departmental evaluations using the Boyer Model
• Continually improve the FCSM workload policy to be fair and appropriate
• Contribute to University vision of becoming a regionally ranked Doctoral/Research-Intensive University by scholarship productivity including publications, grants and presentations
• Strengthen AIT doctoral program and consider other doctoral programs

Performance Measures:

• Dean's Office reviews departmental guidelines
• Faculty on 9/9, 9/12, 12/12 loads (Averages and distribution of teaching loads)

2010 Baseline: Dean's office has these data and can provide, by department, broken into T/TT faculty and NTT faculty

Target 2013: What's the appropriate target? All NTT on 12/12 and all T/TT on 9/9? Or Average of T/TT being 9/12?

Target 2016: Distribution of faculty workload profiles that accomplishes all FCSM objectives in teaching, research and service.

1.1.2   Review and evaluate characteristics of all faculty ranks (including T/TT, Clinical, Research Faculty, Senior lecturers, Lecturers, and Adjunct I and II faculty)

Desired Outcome(s):

• Establish guidelines for FCSM departmental evaluation of each faculty rank

Performance Measures:

• Dean's Office reviews departmental guidelines
• Number of Faculty in each category

2010 Baseline: Dean's office has these data and can provide by department

Target 2013: What's the appropriate target?

Target 2016: Stable equilibrium in distribution of faculty ranks which adequately serves students in each program.

1.1.3   Review current undergraduate and graduate programs and develop/establish new programs, e.g. School/Institute of Emerging Technologies

Desired Outcome(s):

• Provide students with undergraduate and graduate programs that will allow them to be successful in their future careers and fulfill Maryland workforce needs.

Performance Measures:

• Track trends in numbers of majors (right size determinations)
• Assess workforce trends for future programmatic planning
• Student Exit Interviews
• Alumni Surveys

2010 Baseline: Dean's office has majors trends going back 4-5 years. Workforce trends are harder to collect.

Target 2013: Maintain stable equilibrium in program size, with adequate faculty and staff resources for each program.

Target 2016: Maintain stable equilibrium in program size, with adequate faculty and staff resources for each program.

1.2   Define and refine shared governance that works for FCSM in light of its unique brand

2010 Baseline: Dean's Office can provide

Target 2013: What is target? Too much committee work makes it hard to accomplish other (teaching, research) objectives—must have participation linked to workload—equity in ability to participate-review gender and minority involvement in leadership, and record of completed Dean's and Chair's evaluations.

Target 2016: Correct any inequities found.

1.3   Identify areas of collaboration with other Towson colleges that will provide opportunities for students and faculty to add extra dimensions to their learning experience

2010 Baseline: Dean's office or College Council/Chairs Council can collect information

Target 2013: Maybe a 5% increase

Target 2016: Maybe a 10% increase

1.4   Explore, implement, evaluate and assess alternative learning modes such as on-line and hybrid, as well as other course redesign initiatives

2010 Baseline: Inventory of on-line, hybrid, off-campus and redesigned courses.

Target 2013: At least two more redesign courses.

Target 2016: At least two more redesign courses.

1.5   Plan and optimize infrastructure for faculty teaching and research

2010 Baseline: Part II Program approved by DBM for Smith; Get approval for SET.

Target 2013: NSF-ARI renovation completed; Smith Hall architectural design to take place from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014. The 100,000 sq. ft. addition to be named in exchange for a significant financial contribution.

Target 2016: Groundbreaking to occur after July 1, 2014; addition built by June 30, 2016; renovations underway through 2017 or 2018 for Smith.

Strategic Priority 2 - Students: To prepare students to be highly qualified to contribute to a diverse, scientific and technological workforce.

2.1   Define desired characteristics of students most suitable for study at Towson's FCSM and use this profile for recruitment; seek these characteristics in students admitted as Fisher Scholars, graduate students, and other high profile programs

2.1.1   Seek these characteristics in undergraduate students admitted as A) Fisher Scholars or other high profile programs and B) All undergraduates graduating in 4, 5, and 6 years

Desired Outcome(s):

• A student population that is highly diverse, talented and motivated and will join the workforce or enter graduate school after graduation
• Increased percentage of students finishing within 4 years
• Scholarships targeted at specific areas of diversity
• Increased number of 2+2 articulation agreements for seamless transition of community college students
• Performance measures are higher than those of the general student body

Performance Measures (the measures for "elite" students may differ from those of all undergraduates):

• Percentage of graduates that enter workforce
• Percentage of graduates that enter graduate school
• Percentage of FCSM under-represented students
• Percentage of women
• Time to degree for full-time students
• Number of scholarships targeted at specific areas of diversity
• Number of articulation agreements
• Retention rates
• University target of first time college attendees
• GPA

2010 Baseline: Office of Institutional Research

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

2.1.2   Seek these characteristics in admitted graduate students

Desired Outcome(s):

• A student population that is highly diverse, talented and motivated and will join the workforce or continue education after graduation

Performance Measures:

• Percentage of graduates employed
• Percentage of graduates that continue to doctoral programs
• Percentage of under-represented students
• Periodically evaluate admissions standards

2010 Baseline:

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

2.2  Identify desired characteristics of FCSM's graduates and review and redesign both the traditional and non-traditional curriculum to obtain these results with emphasis on both scholarly and practical experiences

2.2.1   Increase internships, external learning opportunities, civic engagement and undergraduate research experiences

Desired Outcome(s):

• Increased number of courses with applied and real-world projects
• Increased support for students to present their research at professional meetings
• Establish mechanism to reward faculty who are actively engaged in undergraduate research

Performance Measures:

• Number of internships/externships completed
• Number of students who participated in undergraduate research
• Number of new partnerships created or sustained
• Employer satisfaction survey

2010 Baseline:

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

2.2.2   Evaluate the various roles for graduate assistants, both research assistants and teaching assistants; determine the possible parameters on teaching assignments that are appropriate for graduate teaching assistants in the FCSM

Desired Outcome(s):

• Mandatory teaching workshops for teaching assistants.
• More flexibility with the pay structure for research assistants on external grants.
• Better support for graduate assistants including training, mentoring, office spaces and higher stipend.
• Increase number of assistantships.

Performance Measures:

• Number of assistantships (GA/TA/RA) provided by the college and department
• Number of assistantships funded by grants
• Training workshops for TAs
• Exit surveys

2010 Baseline:

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

2.2.3   Seek external partners to provide more internships and research opportunities for graduate students

Desired Outcome(s):

• Increased number of students working on real-world project which will better prepared them for their future careers
• Increased number of publications authored by students
• Increased support for graduate students to present their research at professional meetings

Performance Measures:

• Number of internships completed
• Number of students participated in funded research
• Number of new partnerships created or sustained
• Number of publications with student authorship
• Percentage with a job in field at graduation

2010 Baseline:

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

Strategic Priority 3 - Faculty: To ensure that Faculty are Teacher/Scholars who are committed to a student-centered learning community.

3.1        Desired Outcome:

• To provide an environment where quality teaching is valued, encouraged, and supported for all faculty.

• Number of full-time faculty attending university supported professional development activities.
• Number of adjunct faculty attending university supported professional development activities.
• Number of faculty presenting and attending educational conferences.
• Number of new courses that implement innovative pedagogies designed to enhance student learning.
• Performance of students on professional and graduate exams.

2010 Baseline:

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

3.2        Desired Outcome:

• To provide an environment where quality research and scholarship are promoted, valued, and supported for all faculty.

• Number of faculty publications
• Number of faculty presentations
• Number of faculty patents
• Number of collaborations with other academic institutions
• Number of scholarly workshops
• Research dollars as a total and by funding agency
• Percentage of faculty submitting and securing external grants/contracts
• Percentage of faculty presenting research at professional meetings
• Number of university-sponsored events that showcase faculty and student research
• Number of awards/other recognition presented to faculty by external organizations/institutions
• Number of faculty reviewing grants (and how many reviews/faculty member)
• Number of faculty reviewing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals (and how many reviews/faculty member)
• Number of faculty on editorial staff in peer-reviewed journals

2010 Baseline: Develop a strategy to create an accurate database by 2013

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

3.3        Desired Outcome(s):

• Create an environment for faculty which facilitates mentoring, scholarly dialog, and recognition of faculty success

• Create survey on Faculty mentoring satisfaction (this could be for tenured and non-tenured faculty and adjunct faculty)
• Number of scholarly seminars at Towson
• Number of faculty mentorship workshops
• Number and type of recognition events

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and satisfaction with the different FCSM Mentoring Programs

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

3.4        Desired Outcome(s):

• Increase faculty diversity at all ranks (emphasis on recruitment and retention of qualified faculty)

• Annual survey of faculty diversity
• Number of opportunities for diversity training offered (e.g. search committee training)
• Number of participants attending training opportunities
• Number of outreach efforts from search committees

2010 Baseline: Establish FCSM Diversity Action Committee
                             Approve FCSM Diversity Action Plan

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

Strategic Priority 4 – Learning Environment: To create a learning environment which facilitates faculty/student and student/student interactions, where students are engaged as partners in meaningful and rigorous programs and research activities, and where undergraduate and graduate programs are both highly valued.

4.1        Desired Outcome:

• To facilitate faculty/student interactions both inside and outside the classroom setting.

• Annual Student Advising Assessment
• Number and type of faculty/student social events. Faculty participation rates
• Percentage of students involved in research with faculty
• Measure distribution of courses including number of students, course level and course type (e.g. Core, Service, Majors, etc.) taught by T/TT faculty

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

4.2        Desired Outcome:

• To facilitate student/student interactions

• Number of student clubs
• Number and type of club initiated activities
• Number and square footage of space assigned to student clubs/organizations
• Number of student run newsletters/publications/websites

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

4.3        Desired Outcome:

• To provide meaningful research opportunities for undergraduate students

• Number of undergraduate students taking independent research credits
• Number of undergraduate students participating in summer research at Towson
• Number of undergraduate students participating in summer research elsewhere
• Number of faculty publications with student co-authors in peer-reviewed journals
• Number of presentations by undergraduate researchers at professional conferences
• Amount of undergraduate student travel/grant funds supplied by college
• Percentage of students participating in research with faculty
• Number of research students funded by faculty external grants
• Number of college forum for student presentation
• Number of externally-funded research programs (e.g., REU)

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

4.4        Desired Outcome:

• To provide meaningful research opportunities for graduate students

• Number of publications/presentations by graduate students
• Amount of graduate student travel/grant funds supplied by the college
• Number and amount of graduate student travel/assistantship funds supplied from external grants
• Percentage of students that are thesis vs. non-thesis

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

Strategic Priority 5 - Resources: Develop more resources to support the needs of the College

5.1   Identify and cultivate stakeholders—individuals and organizations—that can both provide and connect FCSM to external sources of funding and enable the development of infrastructure that supports and promotes scholarship by FCSM faculty and students

5.1.1   Continue to develop the FCSM Advisory Board and other partners from industry, government and business

Desired Outcome(s):

• Dynamic collaborations with regional industry, business, government, K-12, and tertiary education partners
• Consistently host national research programs such as the REU in the FCSM
• Establish core facilities and centers with state-of-the-art instrumentation and technologies
• Lead the region in applied science and technology research and programs
• Match faculty with regional industry, government and business partners
• Serve as a portal for regional industry, government and business to access experts in science and technology
• Intern TU students at area laboratories, technology companies, and manufacturing facilities

Performance Measures:

• Increase number of grants for state-of-the-art equipment, instrumentation and technologies available for research and instruction in the FCSM
• Increase visibility of TU-public and private sector partnerships
• Increase number of joint research projects with regional industry, business, government, K-12, and tertiary education partners
• Increase the number of STEM secondary education majors trained at the FCSM

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

5.1.2   Improve FCSM-based fund raising and devote efforts to cultivating donors.

Desired Outcome(s):

• Encourage University Advancement to assign a person to the college
• Have a staffed FCSM research office that helps faculty identify and pursue public and private funds, collaborations and expertise for research projects
• Serve as the repository of opportunities for collaborations/partnerships for faculty with regional partners
• Identify and cultivate Alumni donors

Performance Measures:

• Annual review of Foundation accounts with information on number and size of donations from alumni
• Number and size of major gifts
• Number, size, and success rates of proposals to corporations and foundations via the Division of University Advancement

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

5.1.3   Work with CGSR and OURS to increase external funding from grants and contracts

Desired Outcome(s):

• Increase number of active research programs funded by federal agencies (NSF, NIH)
• Increase contracts with regional science and technology partners

Performance Measures:

• Number and funding levels of extramural grants and contracts
• Number of patents and publications by FCSM faculty and students

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goalss

Target 2013:s

Target 2016:s

5.2   Work with Academic Affairs centrally to improve critical resources for academic programs

5.2.1   Seek to increase faculty and program resources.

Desired Outcome(s):

• Comparable start-up funds for faculty to peer institutions
• Appropriate library resources to support new and existing programs
• Comparable T/TT faculty salary to peer institutions
• Ensure FCSM gets appropriate number of FT TT faculty lines
• Decrease number of PT faculty
• Encourage flexibility for OTS computer/hardware/software policies

Performance Measures:

• Compare start-up funds with those of peer institutions
• Compare faculty salary with those of peer institutions
• Compare library resources with those of peer institutions
• Determine percentage of FT TT faculty lines awarded to FCSM
• Determine percentage of PT faculty used by department

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals; establish a baseline inventory of available equipment and computational resources in FCSM

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

5.2.2   Seek to increase the number of centrally funded teaching and research assistantships as well as the dollar amount of graduate stipends.

Desired Outcome(s):

• Increase number of centrally funded TAs
• Increase stipend award
• Develop several fully-funded competitive teaching assistantships across the college
• Encourage support for "endowed" teaching and research assistantships on the Fisher chair model?

Performance Measures:

• Number of CGSR-funded TAs and RAs
• Stipend amount
• Increase enrollment in the graduate programs
• Greater contribution and visibility of graduate students in the FCSM

2010 Baseline: CGSR provides 2 20-hour RAs at $10,000 stipend; 11 10-hour RAs at $5,000 stipend; 10-hour GAs at $2,500; 3 10 hours TAs at $4,000; 13 20-hour TAs at $8,000, and 2 20 hour GAs at $5,000 for a total of $251,000 in stipend money and up to about $220,000 in tuition remission

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

5.2.3   Seek university and extramural support for graduate student travel, to be at least at a level comparable to that available for undergraduate student travel

Desired Outcome(s):

• Graduate students competitively apply to an FCSM or university committee for travel funding

Performance Measures:

• Graduate students sponsored to attend conferences to present research

2010 Baseline: Determine the current status and use data to develop future target goals

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

Strategic Priority 6 - Metropolitan: Develop collaborations with community, industry and government; create and disseminate knowledge and novel solutions to problems.

6.1   Create opportunities for FCSM's faculty and student work—scholarly and applied—in the metropolitan area

6.1.1   Develop and expand our community outreach programs in STEM education.

Desired Outcome(s):

• Support and maintain our existing programs.
• For programs that are intended to be permanent, identify long-term stable funding mechanisms.
• Encourage new programs, especially in those disciplines that are under-represented.

Performance Measures:

• What are our outreach programs?
• How many students / faculty / teachers / institutions do they reach?
• For programs intended to be permanent, classify their funding status- one-time money (e.g. a single grant or gift), transient sources of money (e.g. sequence of grants), or a permanent source.
• How many new programs were proposed?

2010 Baseline:

1. Existing programs include
   1. Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science
   2. Middle Grades Partnership - Civitas / Towson Project
   3. Watson-King Planetarium Shows (Smith Hall, permanent facility)
   4. Project ASTRO
   5. Blinded by the Light Portable Planetarium
   6. Promoting Engineering Education in Elementary Schools and Clubs
   7. PhysTEC Project
   8. STEM — Teaching Community Project
   9. Project Learning Tree
   10. CoSMiC Scholars Program
   11. Towson Opportunities in STEM — TOPS
   12. TUCSE-Towson University's Center for STEM Excellence
       1. Bioscience Education and Outreach Program
       2. Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) Project
2. Which are permanent (Hackerman; BEOP, Watson-King Planetarium)? How are they funded?
3. Note that some departments are underrepresented in the existing list- COSC, Chemistry

Target 2013: Maintain broad diversity and quality of programs to satisfy community and faculty needs and interests.

Target 2016: Maintain broad diversity and quality of programs to satisfy community and faculty needs and interests.

6.1.2   Target specific local industries and agencies with which to develop strong collaborative programs and use these as incubators for potential expansion regionally, nationally and globally

Desired Outcome(s):

• Create and keep a record of corporate and government contacts for use by faculty & staff in the college.
• Collaborate with Corporate Relations and with DECO to identify potential external partners.
• Continue to grow the size and effectiveness of the FCSM Advisory Board

Performance Measures:

• Track external contacts made by FCSM administrative staff & department chairs.
• FCSM Advisory Board minutes

2010 Baseline:

1. Number of faculty-industry partnerships
2. Advisory Board membership and activities

Target 2013:

Target 2016:

6.2   Highlight the FCSM's metropolitan work and develop an internal and external education campaign that will increase public understanding of FCSM's contributions to the scientific and technological challenges and issues of the 21st century

Desired Outcome(s):

• Increase the number of articles highlighting work by FCSM faculty in the media.
• Develop a close working relationship with University Relations.
• Better integrate the News component of the FCSM web page with the university Newsroom portal.
• Highlight publications by and about FCSM faculty that appear in the media.

Performance Measures:

• Track the number of submissions made to University Relations for public release that highlight work by FCSM faculty
• Track the publications describing FCSM faculty that appear in the media.

2010 Baseline:

1. FCSM has a web page "News" with information about FCSM faculty.
2. Do we track internally the state of FCSM in the media? (e.g. in the same way that we track grant applications)

Target 2013: For discussion

Target 2016: For discussion

6.3   Evaluate and respond with academic programs, where appropriate, to metropolitan workforce needs

Desired Outcome(s):

• Work with appropriate internal bodies (e.g. DECO, FCSM Advisory Board, President and Provost) to track metropolitan workforce needs.
• Attend appropriate external events to become & remain cognizant of developing trends for workforce needs.
• Maintain the ability to create academic programs that meet workforce needs, especially interdisciplinary programs.

Performance Measures:

• Identify the people responsible for evaluating external workforce needs; ensure that this task is formally part of their list of responsibilities.

2010 Baseline: Have we identified people responsible for evaluating external workforce needs?

Target 2013: For discussion - School of Emerging Technologies

Target 2016: For discussion

The Jess and Mildred Fisher
College of Science and Mathematics
Smith Hall, Room 312 (campus map)
Phone: 410-704-2121
Fax: 410-704-2604
E-mail: fcsm@towson.edu