Year-Four Strategies

Person responsible for implementation: Jill Arensdorf

Implementation team members:

Patti Griffin, Muhammad Chishty, Jeff Briggs, Grady Dixon, Dan Blankenship, and Paul Adams (additional members as needed)

Action Steps:

By end of year 4 in May 2023, what shows success?

• Cross-training occurs for current and incoming professional advisors.
• Faculty mentoring role created and implemented in Workday.
• Create student success plan utilizing Blackboard Analytics and other communication processes with Academic and Student Affairs.
• Revise the performance review for professional advisors.
• Design a robust training and development program for professional advisors.
• Develop leading indicator plan connected to NISS goal and University Goal/Strategy 2.1

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

FY22 budget request: $275,000

Person Responsible for Implementation: Andrew Feldstein & Taylor Kriley

Implementation Team Members: 

Magdalene Moy, Shanshan Ma, Nathan Riedel, Danielle Reilley

Action Steps:

1. Develop game mechanics and AI to provide meaningful and timely formative feedback for students throughout their course experience.
2. Develop Blackboard Learning Analytic Dashboards available for learner activity and engagement, instructional activity and presence, and learner performance and grades.
3. Develop AI-based feedback mechanisms to support their teaching in written assignments, discussions, and group interactions.

By end of year 4 in May 2023, what shows success?

1. By Jan. 2023 all available leaning platform analytics will be surfaced, refined, and made available for faculty use.
   1. Interactive Tutorials will be developed and disseminated
2. By Jan. 2023 Blackboard Learning Analytic Dashboards will be created and made available in the following areas:
   1. Learner activity and engagement (August 2022)
   2. Instructional activity and presence (Jan. 2023)
   3. Learner performance and grades (October 2022)
3. By May 2023 development of use cases and pathways to facilitate instructor adoption of AI-based feedback mechanisms to their teaching in the areas of:
   1. written assignments (Automated Feedback)
   2. discussions (Packback, Blackboard Ultra Experience)
   3. group interactions (TBA)

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

% Increase in NSSE HIP Measures

FY23 budget request: Graduate Assistant $10,000 and BB Analytics annual $56,000 per year.

Person Responsible for Implementation: Andrew Feldstein & Taylor Kriley

Implementation Team Members: 

Magdalene Moy, Nathan Riedel, Zhongrui Yao, Danielle Reilley, May Yu-Harper

Action Steps:

1. Grow and promote the practice of Regular and Substantive Interaction and use of formal and informal online learning communities both within courses and outside of courses to increase connections among students and a sense of belonging.
2. Promote Student Experience and Social Belonging Workshop.
3. Promote online student retention and implement Circles of Support.

By end of year 4 in May 2023, what shows success?

1. By 2023 increased adoption of Tiger-2-Tiger Student Community with:
   1. Increased number of structured community events including Virtual Student Orientation activities
   2. Add useful resources for direct access to community
   3. Integrate InSpace (synchronous meeting platform) to allow for informal real-time connections
   4. Enable (ROSI)- AI-based chatbot
2. By 2023 development of use cases and pathways to facilitate instructor adoption of strategies and platforms that support Regular and substantive interaction through the creation of course-based, formal or informal learning communities (Inscribe, InSpace, Yellowdig, Feedback Fruits, Packback, Blackboard Ultra Experience)
3. By May 2023 100 faculty participate in TILT belonging focused workshop

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

% Increase in NSSE HIP Measures

FY23 budget request: Tiger-2-Tiger annual $35,000 per year; $10,000 for online retention/Circles of Support.

Person Responsible for Implementation: Andrew Feldstein & Taylor Kriley

Implementation Team Members: 

Seung Gutsch, Zhongrui Yao, Shanshan Ma, Magdalene Moy, Nicole Frank, and Latisha Haag

Action Steps:

1. Develop Collaborative Assignments and Projects to promote learning as a community activity.
2. Engage faculty in performing an OSCQR course review focusing on Regular Substantive Interaction Standards.
3. Provide opportunities for faculty to redesign courses to include community building activities such as collaborative assignments and projects.

By end of year 4 in May 2023, what shows success?

1. By October 2022 all TILT Instructional Designers will have participated in formal OSCQR training through the Online Learning Consortium
2. By 2023 launch a pilot cohort training faculty will perform an OSCQR course review focusing on Regular Substantive Interaction standards
3. By 2023 100 number of courses will be redesigned to include elements representative of increased student-to-student interactions, including collaborative assignments and projects

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

% Increase in NSSE HIP Measures

FY23 budget request: no additional resources

Person responsible for implementation: Dennis King

Implementation Team Members:

• Dr. Grady Dixon
• Dr. Stacey Smith
• Dr. Kevin Splichal
• Dr. Seth Kastle
• Dr. Karmen Porter
• Dr. Keith Bremer
• Ms. Kristi Mills
• Mrs. Shannon Lindsey
• Ms. Kristin Herl
• Mr. Jon Armstrong
• Ms. Kathleen Cook
• Ms. Erica Fisher
• Mr. Derek Johnson

Action Steps:

• Expand the Computer Science Bachelors of Science: Over the past three years, the university’s fastest-growing program has been the undergraduate Computer Science. As growth continues, this Strategic Enrollment Plan provides funding for two new faculty positions and a professional advisor over the lifetime of the plan.
• New Computer Science Masters of Science: Leveraging our undergraduate population, and meeting market demands, FHSU will begin offering an online Computer Science graduate program.This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds a faculty position to support the launch of the program.
• New online History Bachelors of Arts: Develop the remaining course needed to offer the program online. A faculty position was funded for FY2022.
• Expand the RN to BSN Program: This Strategic Enrollment Plan added a profession support staff position who will assist in recruitment and retention to one of the high-demand, high-need areas for the region.
• New Online Bachelor of Social Work: BSW launched in the fall of 2020. An additional faculty position was funded for Fall 2021.
• New Masters of Social Work Program: The online MSW was launched in Fall 2020 with an additional faculty member funded for Fall 2021.
• FHSU Online – Competitive Scholarships: This Strategic Enrollment Plan provides funding to assist FHSU Online in recruiting new students to FHSU.
• FHSU Online – TAGGS: This Strategic Enrollment Plan is a recruiting strategy for graduate students from the armed services. This plan covers the gap between military tuition assistance and the cost of graduate credit.
• SLPA Certification Program: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds adjuncts salary and a future faculty position, pending enrollment for a national certification from the American Speech-Language Association
• Special Ed Limited Apprentice License: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds a faculty position to continue to growth in the Special Education programs.
• MPS Medical Imaging: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds marketing and a faculty position to support a new master’s program.
• Shooting Sports: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds a coaching transition and the development of Junior Varsity shooting team.
• Clinical Psychology: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds marketing and adjunct salary for a new master's level psychologist licensure program.
• MS in Counseling: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds a new faculty position to help grow enrollments and to meet faculty-to-student accreditation requirements.
• Exploration of Women’s Wrestling: Provide funds to conduct research and begin preparation for a possible fall 2024 launch of a women’s wrestling program.
• Online MS in General Psychology: Provide funds for marketing and adjuncts, (if needed) to launch an online/hybrid Clinical MS in Psychology program.
• APF Graduate School: Provide an engagement/recruitment position for graduate applicants to follow up on application packages and nurture leads.
• AEP Partnership Advisor: Provide an Advisor position to help student management for the College’s growing number of school district partnerships.
• Sias Recruitment: Provide a stipend for a faculty member to hold recruitment sessions and work as a point of contact for Sias students interested in taking courses on the FHSU main campus.
• Unibuddy: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds communication technology that will allow international students and staff to communicate one-on-one with prospective international students.
• Hays Academy of Hair Partnership: Offer 1 credit hour courses to HAHD students.
• Regional Rate: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds expanding the in-state on-campus tuition rate to 13 states in the region and adding Admissions Counselors to support the new program.
• California/Florida State Scholarship: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds transition our current Special Out of State scholarships (SOS) from states now a part of the Regional Rate and Virginia to California and Florida.
• Online Marketing Initiatives: This Strategic Enrollment Plan funds partnering with a marketing firm to plan and execute campaigns for enrollment growth.

Evaluation:

Many of these action steps are well underway heading into year 4. Others are planned to begin in year 4. Certain key milestones are:

• Fall enrollment update
• New plan development for year 5

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Each Action Step has its own set of benchmarks tracked by the Strategic Plan team and ELT.  

FY23 budget: 2.0 million invested

Person responsible for implementation: Jon Armstrong

Implementation Team Members:

Vanessa Flipse; Angela Delzeit; Dennis King 

Action Steps:

• Evaluate student response by market segmentation to the net price offer.
• Assess the impact of non-financial variables (academic program offering, location, etc.).
• Establish the financial aid strategy.
• Evaluate the strategy through regular tracking of admit pool composition, student response to aid offers, aid offered to admitted students vs. aid committed to deposited students, etc.

Evaluation: 

• Launched an enhanced scholarship program based on a matrix of ACT and high school GPA.
• Grow the university on-campus freshmen and transfer class.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Under development

FY23 budget:  $64,500

Person responsible for implementation: Grady Dixon and Teresa Clounch

Action Steps:

By end of year 4 in May 2023, what shows success? (e.g. on 5.3 environmental scan is complete for Carnegie designation):

1. Maintain a higher average candidate pool size compared to 2017–2021. Last year’s average (19) was triple the previous 5-year average (6), and none of the previous years averaged more than 8. Our goal for 2023 is to average at least 10 candidates per job opening. This will reinforce the conclusion that our methods are attracting more candidates to FHSU.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Increased pool sizes are an important benefit of this process. Job searches that appeal to diverse candidates should appeal more to all candidates, so we increase our chances of successful hires. It is possible that the average of 19 in 2022 was due, in part, to fortuitous circumstances or a couple of high-profile searches. However, it seems clear that our efforts played a part. Our 2023 goal is to maintain an average pool size that is clearly better than the previous 5-year (2017– 2021) average of 6. This will require continuation of funding ($500/search) for ad placement to maximize visibility for diverse candidates.

2. In 2022, we hired Hispanic and Black candidates at more than double the rate (15% of hires) of our existing faculty (6%). Our goal for 2023 is to see this number sustained or increased.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Every hire of someone from an underrepresented group is significant at FHSU. Our goal is to start hiring from those groups at a rate that is above their representation across the state. For example, Kansas is ~13% Hispanic, so we should aim for at least 13% of our annual hires to be Hispanic/Latino. We will also lose some faculty from underrepresented groups, so our goal is a net increase of 6 underrepresented faculty each year. Assuming no changes to demographics in the state and no changes to our number of faculty, which are not realistic, we could close our ethnicity gaps within the next decade.

3. Better survey scores from JEDI Advisors regarding how much they improved search processes/outcomes and their perceived effectiveness of departments to recruit and hire diverse faculty.

4. Better survey scores from committee members regarding how much the JEDI Advisors improved the processes/outcomes of the searches.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Long-term success of this effort depends on support of the faculty. In 2022, surveyed faculty who served on search committees (n=40) were generally positive regarding the JEDI Advisors help in recruiting and reducing bias. Respondents were largely supportive of the effort while only 27% reported opposition to using JEDI Advisors in all searches. However, only 25% of respondents thought that the JEDI Advisors helped improve the ultimate search outcome. Likewise, a survey of JEDI Advisors (n=6) showed that they helped with recruiting and minimizing bias, but 5 of the 6 reported being “neutral” on whether their efforts actually improved the final result of the search. Our goal for 2023 is for more committee members and JEDI Advisors to report that this effort positively affected the end results of searches.

FY23 budget: $500/search

Person responsible for implementation: Wesley Wintch / ELT

Implementation team members: 

• Wesley Wintch
• ELT

Action Steps:

• Grow enrollments
• Manage tuition rate increase
• Influence legislative action toward an increase in state appropriated dollars
• Increase financial support from the Fort Hays State Foundation
• Increase grants

Action Steps:

• Tuition rate for FY23 will remain flat as directed by the Governor.
• Enrollment is anticipated to decline in 2023-24 cycle. This will put additional pressure on our tuition revenues and will need to look to other areas to increase revenues.
• Net Change to SGF for FY23 as approved by legislature and KBOR is 4.6 million in ongoing and 9 million in 1x dollars.
• Utilize SEP process to support enrollment growth. Pursue grants, state funding, and federal funding for different projects and programs on campus. We will continue to advocate for private, local, state, and federal dollars to achieve the mission of FHSU.

Discussion:

• Tuition rate for FY23 will remain flat as directed by the Governor.
• Enrollment is anticipated to decline in 2023-24 cycle. This will put additional pressure on our tuition revenues and will need to look to other areas to increase revenues.
• Net Change to SGF for FY23 as approved by legislature and KBOR is 4.6 million in ongoing and 9 million in 1x dollars.
• Utilize SEP process to support enrollment growth. Pursue grants, state funding, and federal funding for different projects and programs on campus. We will continue to advocate for private, local, state, and federal dollars to achieve the mission of FHSU.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Achieve 5% annual overall revenue growth for the next five fiscal years

FY23 budget: $0

Person responsible for implementation: Dana Cunningham

Person responsible for implementation: Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham / Andrew Feldstein

Implementation team members: Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham / Andrew Feldstein

Action Steps:

The architectural firms of SmithGroup + HTK Architects were selected in 2020 to undertake the new Campus Master Plan, replacing the 2013 Master Plan. Efforts were underway in early 2021. Numerous meetings were held with various constituent groups. By early summer, a preliminary draft was ready for review. Further revisions were then completed by July 2021. At that time, a decision was made to incorporate a Digital Master Plan into the physical Master Plan document. In early 2022, a final draft of the physical Master Plan was delivered for review. Efforts were then underway to develop a Digital Master Plan. Working with BlackBoard, FHSU is continuing to development that document through 2022 and is currently scheduled for completion in late 2023. At that time, the completed comprehensive plan will be submitted to the Kansas Board of Regents for their review and approval in late 2023, fulfilling the board policy of updating Master Plans every ten years.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

Create a new master plan which will give planning guidance through 2033

FY23 budget: $23,063

Person responsible for implementation: Dana Cunningham

Person responsible for implementation: Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham

Implementation team members: Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham

Action Steps:

After review of the campus rehabilitation and repair needs, the following projects were rated as a priority in FY 2023.

Educational Building Fund projects for FY 23

1. Cunningham Hall Lower Level Roofing Membrane Replacement – East Side $850,000
2. Cunningham Hall Lower Level Roofing Membrane Replacement – West Side $520,000
3. Stroup Hall Skylight Replacement $80,000
4. Custer Hall Exterior Fire Escape Repairs and Repainting $20,000
5. Akers Energy Center Structural Wall Reinforcement $305,000
6. Albertson Hall South Wing Roofing Membrane Replacement $225,000
7. South Campus Drive Concrete Replacement (parking funds $600,000) $322,000
8. Forsyth Library Renovation $800,000

State General Fund projects for FY 23

1. Beach Hall Precast Building Roofing Membrane Replacement $300,000
2. Cunningham Hall Hot Water Loop and Condensate Line Replacement $975,000
3. Cunningham Hall Wellness Center HVAC Replacement $330,000
4. Cunningham Hall Electrical Equipment Replacements $710,000
5. Fire Alarm Panel Replacements at Malloy, Cunningham and Beach Halls $338,000

State General Fund Match projects for FY 23

1. Gross Coliseum Air Handling and ductwork Replacement, including installation Of Cooling in the Coliseum bowl $2,653,000

ARPA funds provides the remaining $5,000,000 of funding

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks: See and improvement in the overall Facilities Condition
Index.

FY23 budget: $EBF 3,107,500; SGF 2,653,000 plus match; FY23 portion of the $5M coliseum HVAC project

Persons responsible for implementation:  Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham

Implementation team members: Wesley Wintch / Dana Cunningham / Terry Pfeifer / James Helget

Action Steps:

• Make inventory of areas on campus grounds and buildings that are labor intensive and could be eliminated without major impact to the beauty of campus.
• Redesign these areas in ways that will minimize labor hours to maintain.
• Implement the redesign.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

10 Labor hours per week saved by redesign of intensive labor areas on campus

FY23 budget: $30,000

Person responsible for implementation: Melissa Hunsicker-Walburn and Jason Zeller, Department of Informatics

Implementation team members: As determined by Department of Informatics

Action Steps:

FHSU Tech Incubator Action Steps (year 1 = FY23):

FY23 budget: $500,000 Legislative appropriation

Person responsible for implementation: Tisa Mason

Implementation team members: Melissa Hunsicker-Walburn, Jason Zellar, Brett Zollinger

Action Steps by May 2023:

• Establish annual process and timeline
• Establish base line data for the tech incubator to include
  • Local affiliates and partnerships
  • Research/Grants
  • Companies Attracted
  • New Businesses and Jobs Created
  • Capital Investment-Businesses and Infrastructure
  • Talent Pipeline Development and Retention

Person responsible for implementation: Co-chairs Donnette Noble and Brittney Squire

Implementation team members:

1. Proposed team members for Leadership for both Public Purpose and Community Engaged Carnegie Classifications submitted to Provost for review.

Action Steps (by end of year 4 in May 2023):

1. Continue data collection of community engaged teaching research, and service activities. A Qualtrics tool has been developed and will be made available to the campus community and community partners via the Civic Learning and Engagement webpage (in development) on the FHSU website.
2. Continue to identify and evaluate community-based initiatives in teaching, research, and service.
3. Internationalization and Strategic Initiatives research team established to define “engaged global citizen-leaders” and integrate with assessment practices.
4. Standardize reporting processes for course tagging related to civic and community engagement and assessment to have unified and readily accessible data.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks

FY23 budget request: $20,000 for Global Learning Specialist (TEMP999)

Person responsible for implementation: Co-chairs Donnette Noble and Brittney Squire

Implementation team members:

1. Experiential Learning Committee
2. Service-Learning Fellow(s)
3. Campus partners as needed
4. Civic Learning & Engagement Board

Action Steps:

1. Host Community Engaged Teaching, Research and Service mini-conference
   • 2-day event to include sessions that are open to campus and community and targeted work session with select groups.
   • Virtual programming also included.
2. Participate in TRES II Framework pilot
   • Designed for all members of a community-campus relationship including students, community organizations (and residents), faculty, staff, and administrators.
   • This framework is a critical reflection tool with an embedded 10-item scale including domains of relationships, e.g., power, conflict, and communication, etc. where campus and community partners make meaning of the various components of their relationship.
3. Meet with all academic departments and campus units to share information about experiential learning opportunities and available funding.
4. Reimagine the work and impact of the FHSU Civic Learning and Engagement Advisory Board (inaugural board announced Spring 2021) to facilitate campus and community partnerships.
   • Current 2022 members include Chair, Brittney Squire (Forsyth Library); Erica Berges (United Way); Aaron Cunningham (Asst Ellis Co Attorney); Brian Gribben (Forsyth Library); Jayne Inlow (Hays Med Foundation); Mendi Anschutz (NCK Tech Collage); Nikki Pfannenstiel (Sunflower Electric); April Terry (FHSU Criminal Justice Dept); Janna Wilkinson (FHSU Foundation); and David Clingan (Grow Hays).

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

FY23 budget request(s): Re: Action Step 1) $4,356 (estimated total)

Person responsible for implementation: Co-chairs Donnette Noble, Brittney Squire, and Justin Greenleaf

Implementation team members:

1. Proposed team members for Leadership for both Public Purpose and Community Engaged Carnegie Classifications submitted to Provost for review.

Action Steps (by end of year 4 in May 2023):

1. Pursue the elective classification through the Carnegie Foundation, Leadership for a Public Purpose for submission in 2023 cycle.
   
   • Effective leadership for public purpose transcends functional or instrumental leadership (i.e., personal career or political gain; or narrow business or organization outcomes), in pursuit of collective public goods like justice, equity, diversity, and liberty. Leadership for public purpose can be manifest in all realms of social life -- private business, public and nonprofit institutions, neighborhood and community life, professional associations, civil and government institutions, religious institutions, etc. Institutions earning the classification will demonstrate a commitment to leadership for a public purpose through their investments in leader development; development of ethical and moral judgement; and development of the critical thinking necessary to understand systemic and cultural aspects of power and privilege within which all leadership resides.
   • Campuses that are committed to leadership for public purpose enhance the learning, teaching, and research mission of their institution by: developing leadership abilities in all institutional stakeholders; contributing to the public scholarly understanding of leadership as a public good, and understanding of the sociopolitical contexts, systems, and practices within which all leadership resides; and preparing students for lives of public leadership for public purpose in their careers, communities, and the broader society.
   • Initiate application by between August 2022 and July 1, 2023.
   • Submit final application by December 1, 2023.
2. Delay Community Engaged Classification until 2026 cycle (application due 2025).
3. Host virtual Carnegie panels of best practices.

Desired Outcome Baseline and Benchmarks:

FY23 budget request: None. Pilot institutions’ fees for the inaugural application cycle are waived.