The Seahawk

Issue date: 10/14/09 Section: News

The ability to provide students with an enriched education is the foundation of any university. UNCW's seven strategic goals strive to hold the university to the highest standards and work to strengthen its foundation.

Every facet of the university actively pursues these goals, according to Dr. Ken Spackman, the director of University Planning. The goals guide budgets, resource allocations, new program development, services and activities, and even guide decisions about what is preserved in times of budget cutbacks.

Goal one, to "create the most powerful learning experience possible for our students," is paramount among the seven in ensuring that all UNCW students receive an enriched education. The six other strategic goals are arranged in a manner that they act as support for goal one.

Although the idea behind goal one is broad and encompassing, the university has defined the hallmarks of what it means.

"Above all," Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo explained, "it means making learning active rather than passive."

The university takes several measures to strive to make learning active. By creating smaller classrooms and constantly working to reduce student-teacher ratios, students are provided with a more focused and engaging learning experience.

Making learning active also requires venturing outside of the classroom. The university strives to make sure that as many students as possible are involved in service learning programs, as well as having an international experience.

Another purpose of the seven strategic goals is to provide students with guidelines on how the university intends to provide them with a quality education and prepare them for the future. This, according to Chancellor DePaolo, creates an environment where students want to succeed.

"If you create an environment where students know that it matters to the university whether or not they meet the challenges they have been given, then students are much more likely to succeed," Chancellor DePaolo said.

According to Chancellor DePaolo, in order to ensure the success of the goals, progress reports for the goals are presented at University Planning meetings to inform university committees on how to update or modify the goals to meet maximum potential.

"The goals are written in such a way that [the university] must continually strive to improve," Dr. Spackman said.

By placing a constant focus on maintaining the strategic goals, every aspect of the university, from the academic departments to student affairs and academic affairs, tie their initiatives into the success of the strategic goals.

As Dr. Spackman explained, "Everything the university does is in pursuit of the seven goals."

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