(THIS IS AN ARCHIVE OF DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION FROM THE 2008-10 “POSITIONING THE UNIVERSITY FOR THE FUTURE” INITIATIVES. IT REMAINS ONLINE AS REFERENCE MATERIAL ONLY)

To: MTSU Faculty, Staff and Students

From: Sidney A. McPhee, President

By now, you are all aware of the economic challenges that we are facing here at MTSU. As President, I am committed to working with the University community in approaching this challenge as an opportunity to position us for continued success and forward progress. During two recent campus-wide forums, I introduced an initiative designed to help us address the budgetary issues that are impacting the University. This initiative, which began in the spring of 2008, will require the participation and support of the entire MTSU community.

As indicated, I have convened a steering committee to coordinate the overall activities of this initiative and to provide direction to the working groups that will provide me with recommendations that will help address the critical issues that have resulted from the significant reductions in our budget. This web site has been created as a means of keeping you informed of the progress that we are making and to ensure a continuous process of open, honest and on-going dialogue with members of the MTSU community.

I encourage you to visit this site often and to make a commitment to play an active role in helping MTSU meet the challenges that we are currently facing. With your help, we can successfully move beyond these difficult times and position ourselves for an even brighter future.

STRATEGIC WORK GROUPS

1. Work Group for External Resource Development

As state appropriation continues to decline, the university must put greater focus on generating financial resources to help support the mission of the university. Make recommendations and suggestions regarding generating new revenue and enhancements. In addition, recommendations for increasing extramural funding to support research services, scholarship/creative activities and outreach activities would be welcomed. Emphasis should be placed on interdisciplinary initiatives.

2. Work Group for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Initiatives

A. Make recommendations regarding how the institution may improve conservation of its energy and other physical resources that will lead to cost effectiveness and efficiencies.

B. Make recommendations on ways to improve internal processes that will lead to the elimination of unnecessary duplication of efforts. Another area of focus should be on coordination of work issues among divisions and units, effective intra- and inter-communication among divisions, work flow processes, and customer service issues.

3. Work Group For Realignment, Restructuring, Consolidation or Elimination of Non-Academic Support Units

Conduct a thorough review and analysis of the University's non-academic administrative units to assess efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity and relevance to the institution's mission. Review and make recommendations regarding the realignment, restructuring, consolidation and/or elimination, of non-academic units of the university.

4. Work Group for Academic and Instructional Review

Conduct a thorough review and analysis of the University's academic and instructional programs, personnel, and activities to assess efficiency, effectiveness, productivity and relevance to the institutional mission.

A. Review and make recommendations regarding academic unit/program realignment, restructuring, consolidation and/or elimination to enhance effectiveness.

B. Make recommendations concerning innovative academic course scheduling with emphasis on non-traditional class scheduling and program offerings.

Suggestions may include alternate class scheduling, i.e. MW/TR/FS, web assisted classes, online classes, weekend classes, cohort programs and classes and degree program offerings of varying lengths of the semester.

Another area of focus may include review and recommendations of off-site instruction and program offerings, explore opportunities to develop program offerings at off-campus sites with demonstrated need in cooperation with selected strategic partners.

C. Make recommendations concerning leveraging university faculty, staff, and administrative personnel to enhance efficiencies and productivity

The focus of this effort would be on reviewing and recommending ways to enhance the productivity of university personnel. These areas of emphasis might be on faculty and staff/administrators.

On the faculty side, areas to review may include use of non-tenured track faculty, the use of faculty and administrative reassigned time, and the use of graduate assistants in support of teaching, research/creative service mission of the university.

On the staff/administrative side, the focus may include recommendations of how to effectively use staff and administrators to be more productive in support of the academic mission.