The UB Post

If the University of Baltimore Strategic Plan reaches all of the broad goals it sets forth, students may never have to explain "No, it's not UMBC" ever again. UB is in the process of finalizing its 2008–2012 Strategic Plan; priorities in the 13-page document include increasing the university's profile, growing enrollment and expanding course offerings.

"When we're more prominent in the community, your degree becomes more valuable," said Peter Toran, strategic planning committee co-chair and vice president of Planning and University Relations.

The plan, entitled "Expanding the Shared Vision," focuses on four key elements going forward: achieving national ranking in select programs, growing student enrollment to 8,000, enhancing the "learning experience" using graduation and retention rates to gauge success, and securing resources to implement the university's vision.

"It's not a blueprint, it's a direction," Toran said of the document, which aims to guide expansion at UB—the University System of Maryland's (USM) fastest-growing institution.

Student enrollment at the school increased by over nine percent from 2006 to 2007, even excluding the first freshmen class in 32 years.

Managing the growth of higher education statewide will be essential as USM anticipates a 30 percent jump in enrollment over the next decade.

The plan quotes USM Chancellor William E. Kirwan: "We are literally adding the student-population equivalent of a Frostburg, Salisbury or University of Maryland Eastern Shore—4,000 or more students— every two years."

Several physical campus improvements are called for in the plan, including a Center for Teaching and Learning to promote professional development among staff and incorporate more technology into instruction. The document also mentions a new Law School building and student housing. In January, the State Legislature approved $4 million for planning the new law building.

By growing enrollment from 5,415 to 8,000, the university hopes to capitalize on economies of scale-advantages obtained by expansion. The increased headcount would allow for more classes and more section offerings to abate the problem of annual offerings of required classes. That enrollment level would also permit the eventual offering of minors within degree programs and the possibility of new majors altogether.

In regard to enrollment growth, "The goal is not to wave a magic wand and get 8,000 people," said Marguerite Weber, director of the first- and second-year program. "We want to offer programs that meet people's needs."

Among existing programs at UB, the document calls to break the School of Law into the top 100 laws schools as measured by national rankings, as well as attaining recognition for the entrepreneurship program in the Business School and a number of programs within the College of Liberal Arts.

The intended audience for the Strategic Plan includes not only the UB community, but also legislators, donors and other colleges in the USM. As a result, the university invited input from a number of groups when drafting the plan.

Toran hopes the inclusive nature of the process will lessen growing pains as the school expands. "Implementation will always be easier if people feel they had a part in creating that vision."

The Strategic Plan is a five-year effort to focus on UB's mission, vision and goals. Administration received input from hundreds of community members, including faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors and Kirwan through focus groups, interviews, online surveys and open campus forums.

Susan Luchey, director of the Center for Student Involvement, is excited about the emphasis the plan places on co-curricular activities- experiences outside the classroom, such as community service and club membership, that enhance and complement the in-class experiences.

"The university is going to value what [CSI does] as a learning environment," Luchey said. "It's tied the co-curricular experience to the academic experience—that's huge."

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travis.lockhart@ubalt.edu

2008–2012 Strategic Plan
web– www.ubalt.edu/downloads/Strategic-Plan_revised-Mar08. pdf

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