Frequently Asked Questions

What was the process for creating Boise State University strategic plan?
The planning process for Charting the Course: A Strategic Vision for Boise State University began in January 2005. From February through April, 600 plus Boise State University faculty, staff and students participated in over thirty focus groups and provided input via the web. Our purpose and activities were to collectively define our operational vision of Boise State University as a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction.
With this vision clearly defined, our planning work continued into the fall of 2005 with the Charting the Course Planning Team. This forty-plus person team, representative of university faculty, staff and administrators collected data to assess our current situation, understand the gap between our vision and where we are now, and develop goals and strategies to attain our vision. Using hundreds of interviews, Web input, focus groups, and quantitative data analysis, we outlined the strengths and challenges of the university and identified potential opportunities.
These analyses resulted in five key areas the University needs to focus on if we are to achieve our vision; areas that define the background on which to chart our course. From knowing where to place our focus we developed ten goals that would broadly define accomplishments, conditions, or results to be achieved in order for the university to accomplish its mission and achieve our vision.
From January through April 2006, the Planning Team worked to refine the goals and develop strategies. It is the expectation that divisions, colleges, departments and units will create their own action plans and projects in support of the strategies and goals of the plan.
How is the plan related to budget decisions the university will make?
Charting the Course provides divisions, colleges, departments, and units with a strategic direction for their work. It serves as a guide for unit and university allocations and reallocations of resources. On an annual basis each division will be requested to identify goals and strategies from Charting the Course that their proposed work supports. These plans will be incorporated in the existing university�s annual budget planning process and information will be provided on the resources deployed and needed to achieve these plans. Budget decisions will be made to support the goals and strategies of Charting the Course.
Does Charting the Course constitute a new direction for Boise State University?
No, Boise State University has been constantly evolving since its inception in 1932. In fact, within the last ten years the words, "Metropolitan," and "Research" have appeared in all university plans. Charting the Course is about continuing Boise State�s trajectory to become a leader in higher education. Our planning process enabled us to develop a framework to bridge the gap between where we are now and attaining our vision of a Metropolitan Research University of distinction.
How will we engage the public in this strategic plan?
We will develop and implement a communication plan that fosters public engagement as a two-way interchange. Our advisory committees, external partners, government agencies and leaders will be vital to our realizing our goal.
Where do students fit into this plan?
The plan is all about students. Students are the central focus of our strategic plan. It is also the case where students at Boise State University also have strong tradition of assisting the university in achieving its goals. Student government and organizations, provide a vehicle for students to become involved in the work of the University and the plan.
Does becoming a research university mean that less value will be placed on excellence in teaching?
Excellence in teaching is key to recognition as a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. Our core mission is one of teaching, research and service. All of these, in concert, are building blocks for a great university. As defined in our milestones, we believe that one of the distinctions of Boise State University will be to achieve this by integrating research and creative activities with teaching and learning in high quality programs.
How will we find the time and resources to do this work?
The plan is not designed to add more work. It is a decision making tool. Its purpose is to focus our work on goals and strategies that will make Boise State University a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. In some cases, this is the work we are already doing. In other cases we will need to make choices on what we do not do in order to make progress on our vision.
The plan refers often to "research." What does that mean?
Faculty are responsible for four basic tasks: discovering, integrating, applying, and representing the knowledge in their scholarly fields. These four areas encompass teaching, service, and research. Our use of the term research encompasses the broad categories of scholarship and creative activity. It is the discovery, application and integration of new knowledge that generates new ideas or new products. It is disseminated to others via publications, performances, exhibitions, or discourse. The University recognizes that the traditional forms of research in one discipline may different from those in another.
How will we know when we have made progress on the plan?
We will monitor progress on the plan through the key measures that are tied to our goals. In addition, it is the expectation of the colleges and departments will complete action plans that tie into the Strategic Plan. The University will issue an Annual Report Card to track and report our progress.
There are things we do as a University that are not in the plan. Are they not important? Will we stop doing them?
Charting the Course represents what we must have in place in order to be a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. Universities are complex organizations that have many operations and processes that manage their every day work. We will of course continue to provide those functions necessary to operate the university while at the same time being purposeful in creating and stimulating actions that will make a difference to move us toward our vision.
Who is doing the work?
There is much work to be done and in order for us to make progress this work needs to be the work of "many." Every unit in the university can contribute to the plan in some way.