Group Gathers to Talk Strategic Plan Progress

Many of the faculty and staff members who sat on the Arkansas Tech University strategic planning committee during the 2015-16 academic year reconvened at Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, to discuss progress on the plan so far.

Developed through a faculty-led process, the Arkansas Tech strategic plan was adopted by the ATU Board of Trustees on May 19, 2016. The plan includes a series of objectives listed under four over-arching goals: human core, academic coherence, operations excellence and citizens of the region, state and world.

The meeting on Feb. 27 included a greeting from Dr. Robin E. Bowen, ATU president, and a review of the process that led to the creation of the strategic plan by Dr. Jason Warnick, who served as chair of the strategic planning committee.

Dr. Mary Gunter, interim chief of staff in the Office of the President, and Dr. Christine Austin, director of assessment and institutional effectiveness, provided a report on accomplishments, strategies and activities that played out at ATU in 2016-17 in relation to the strategic plan.

Group discussions followed and centered on suggesting targets the university might set in pursuing the goals outlined in the strategic plan during the 2018-19 academic year.

Increased retention rates, the development of a student success center, additional stackable degree opportunities and the creation of a campus master plan are some of the highlights from the recently published update on strategic plan progress at Arkansas Tech University.

A full report on the progress that ATU has made in implementing its strategic plan is available at www.atu.edu/strategicplanning/progress.php.