College of Arts and Sciences

Values and Priorities for a Next-Generation Land-Grant College of Arts and Sciences

DRAFT - April 4, 2023 (slightly revised March, 2024)

We have been working on establishing fundamental priorities that will:

  • build on the strengths of the college
  • begin to address current concerns
  • establish a foundation for the future 
  • allow flexibility for further articulation of a vision and strategic plan for the college under a permanent dean and after development of a university strategic plan.

These reflect the ongoing conversation among college faculty and staff over the course of the 2022-2023 academic year. For more about the process and some of the input, view the Vision Groundwork Process pdf document. This is a DRAFT meant to elicit feedback and input from the faculty and staff of the College of Arts & Sciences. Please review the identified core commitments and drafted priorities below. Your feedback will be requested via a survey that will be emailed to you. Your input will help us continue to progress as we plan for the future. There will be more chances for input and working in groups in the coming year as we develop a vision and strategic plan. Thank you.

Core Commitments
Discussions across the college elicited some core commitments. These will center us as we move through planning and change.

  • We prepare students for a lifetime of responsibility and success in diverse careers and in their communities.
  • We serve as the center of the university for foundational research and teaching, serving the needs of students across colleges and collaborating across disciplines in teaching, research, and service.
  • We contribute to the betterment of society and the advancement of knowledge through accessible, high-quality instruction, innovative basic and applied research and creative activity, and active engagement with the community.
  • We are people-centered, valuing our students, faculty and staff, and acting responsibly with attention to diversity, justice, and a broad sense of sustainability.
  • We address the global challenges that face our world through interdisciplinarity in instruction, research and creative activity, and engagement.

Evolving Priorities
To lead as a “next-gen land-grant College of Arts & Sciences” and thrive in the new landscape of higher education, we will have to establish priorities to guide our work. From input across the college, we have identified five areas for focus for the college that reflect institutional priorities and coincide with our own core commitments, and five foundational areas of needed development. We expect these, after revisions from further input, to serve as a guide for action as we develop a specific vision and strategic plan in the coming year.

Mission-related priorities: We should provide, support, and foster...

  1. Value-added, Quality Instruction: high quality instruction connected with our research and disciplinary expertise and our land-grant mission, delivered with a commitment to the possibility of student growth.
  2. Modern, Continually Improved Programs: curricula that are cutting edge, dynamic, and responsive to demands of the field, that promote interdisciplinary learning and high-impact student experiences, and that prepare students for a lifetime of responsible citizenry and of flexibility and success in their professional lives.
  3. Student Success: the academic and personal success of our students, with engaged advising and mentoring, broad access to education, and a welcoming and inclusive community of scholars and learners who are respectful of one another.
  4. Impactful Research and Creative Activity: research and creative activity that is relevant, cutting edge, and interdisciplinary, that contributes to the advancement of our disciplines and connects with our land-grant missions of accessible education, public engagement, economic development, and betterment of society.
  5. Engagement: active engagement with our expertise through broad access to our programs, community outreach and involvement, and economic development, serving as a resource for both Kansans and the global community.

Foundational priorities: To accomplish these, we must build on and develop...

  1. Workforce: recruitment, support, retention, and professional development opportunities for a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive community engaged in the College mission--we value at our core our faculty and staff and must take care of them.
  2. Budget: transparent, mission-driven budget policies that stress accountability and incentivize excellence across our priorities, and ensure responsible fiscal management of the College, combined with diversified funding streams and alternative resource development to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the College.
  3. Organization: structure and policies that establish clear roles and responsibilities, and that lead to efficient and effective instruction, broader cost savings, ability to collaborate within and across colleges, and a capacity to innovate and adapt to change
  4. Recruitment and Marketing: productive outcome-focused outreach and marketing for the College and its units, including for transfer students and a broadened learner base.
  5. Facilities/Infrastructure: quality instructional and research facilities, modern technology, responsive maintenance, and efficient use of space.