There is a broad consensus that our future as a national university hinges on the establishment of a distinctive, JMU blend of liberal arts, research and professional education.

Create innovative academic programming and strengthen inclusive academic supports to encourage exploration, enhance student success and academic excellence, and prepare students to contribute to a dynamic society.

1-1. Develop and sustain new, high quality academic offerings (majors, minors and certificates) at the undergraduate and graduate levels that meet commonwealth needs and serve student interests.

1-2. Ensure Academic Program Reviews (APR) align with stated learning outcomes and include plans for improvement.

1-3. Develop infrastructure, policies and expertise to provide a range of options for degree completion for undergraduate and graduate students, e.g. flexible scheduling, varieties of course modality.

1-4. Build a sustainable advising framework and systems that strengthen transfer student support, first-year transitions, and exploratory and pre-professional pathways.

1-5. Develop an Early Success / Early Alerts program to increase retention, engagement and degree completion for all students.

1-6. Develop comprehensive student mentoring, academic coaching and other academic supports for undergraduate and graduate students.

1-7. Expand internship, cooperative/early career and class offerings for undergraduate and graduate students to increase workforce readiness.

1. In AY 2022-23:

   1. We began requiring employability metrics at the earliest stage of submission for new programs (rather than the latter stages as in the past) to ensure new offerings are meeting the needs of the commonwealth and serving the interests of students.

   2. Faculty Affairs and Curriculum gathered benchmark data on the median time it takes for a curriculum proposal to move from Provost Leadership Team review to Board of Visitors approval.

2. By the end of AY 2023-24, a second SCHEV liaison will be trained to ensure we are efficiently processing curriculum proposals.

3. By the end of the AY 2023-24, we will:

   1. Adjust our APR guidance document to instruct programs to reflect more deeply on learning outcomes.

   2. Develop a summative report that documents plans for improvement and attention to learning outcomes across all APRs.

4. Optimize the student to advisor ratio by college and program type measuring from a baseline of 2021-22.

Source: University Data

5. Optimize the student to advisor ratio by advisor type (primary and faculty) measuring from a baseline of 2021-22.    

Source: University Data

6. Increase the first-year retention rate for all students and identified student groups measuring from a baseline of 2021-22. 

Source: PAIR Data

7. Increase graduation rates for all students and identified student groups measuring from a baseline of 2021-22.

Source: PAIR Data

8. The Internship Task Force formed by the provost in Fall 2022 supports and guides the efforts of Academic Affairs to expand internship, cooperative/early career and class offerings that increase workforce readiness.

   1. During the fall 2022 semester, the ITF:

      1. Established subgroups to address its primary tasks:

         1. Defining and identifying existing work-based learning experiences at JMU.

         2. Interviewing students about their internship needs and experiences.

         3. Interfacing with employers about internships within their organizations.

         4. Contacting other institutions about how they define and support work-based learning experiences.

         5. Applying for grant support.

      2. Members of the ITF also presented on internships and the activities of the task force at the Board of Visitors meeting in November 2022. 

   2. During the spring 2023 semester, the ITF:

      1. Tested and revised the new definition.

      2. Finalized information about JMU work-based learning experiences (WBLE) practices.

      3. Completed interviews and compiled information about peer institutions’ practices.

      4. Launched a snapshot survey to JMU students.

      5. Submitted a SCHEV VTOP grant application.

      6. Was renamed the “Work-based Learning Experience Task Force.”

   3. During the 2023-24 AY, the Work-based Learning Experience Task Force will:

      1. Analyze the data gathered in the 22-23 AY more closely. Rank the institutions we have interviewed by various factors and see what can be learned by drilling down by size, public/private, etc. Draw any conclusions or identify patterns from demographic information (comparing public/private institutions, different sizes, different regions, etc.).

      2. Investigate Handshake Experiences module to see if a software system can be found or created that meets our process and reporting needs.

      3. Devise a single comprehensive annual survey to integrate practices used at institutions that see high response rates.

      4. Anticipate funding needs to support increased staff in Career Center and Office of the Registrar; increased student support for unpaid internship opportunities; compensation for coordinators across Academic Affairs.

      5. Develop a system or committee for updating WBLE for-credit list for curricular accuracy.

      6. Develop communications campaign including workflows for employers, alumni, WBLE coordinators, faculty and staff, students.

      7. Develop a curriculum to teach students to connect what they are learning and doing in each class, each semester, to broaden skills and competencies and articulate this in their own language in conversations, emails, cover letters, etc.

Go to Strategic Goal 1, Objective 2

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Printable Academic Affairs Strategic Plan - Full Document