While the University of Connecticut
is one of the state's greatest resources, it also represents a significant
expenditure of public funds. The success of the University depends
on developing an active, mutually supportive partnership with the
state. The University must be a leader in meeting the state's educational,
economic and social needs, and the state must support the University's
efforts to excel. The University's already substantial contributions
-- in supplying an educated citizenry, in economic development,
social outreach, the arts, and scientific advances, among others
-- must be made known. The University also must seek new ways
in which it can serve the state's needs, and must develop ongoing,
positive relationships with state officials, legislators and Connecticut
residents. The largest single factor in determining the impact
of the University is its fiscal and regulatory relationship with
the state.
| Objective
8.1 Develop relationships, support mechanisms and programs such
that the University becomes a central element in the state's
economic development, job creation, social progress and quality
of life. |
|
Action Item
|
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.1 a |
Develop an ongoing relationship with
legislators that encourages use of University
expertise and programs for problem solving.
|
1* |
I,E |
0 |
| 8.1b |
Prepare and widely disseminate
a catalog of University resources, programs and
expertise available to the citizens of this state modeled
after the University's "The
State's Partner in Economic Development" report. (Action Item
7.1d) |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.1c |
Provide a mechanism for prompt
responses to information requests. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.1d |
Expand outreach programs to enhance
the University's ability to assist the state in economic
development, job creation, social progress and quality
of life. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| |
| Objective
8.2 With the state, develop a fiscal plan that specifies income
and expenditure targets (operating and capital) on a multi-year
continuum. This plan shall include accountability measures to
demonstrate that investment in the University yields specified
outcomes. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.2a |
Seek legislation that requires
the Governor and the General Assembly to adopt
budgetary goals for the University that extend the
University's operating budget two years beyond the biennial budget
and establishes a ten-year capital plan. Include performance goal
requirements to demonstrate accountability and financial responsibility
by the University. |
1* |
E |
0 |
| |
| Objective
8.3 With the state, establish mutually agreed to guidelines for
state funding (operating and capital) of the University. These
guidelines shall be the foundation for fiscal planning at the
University and state levels. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.3a |
The University will continuously
develop and update its Strategic Plan. The Plan
will serve as a guide for capital and operational budget
planning for the General Assembly and executive branch. |
1* |
I |
0 |
| 8.3b |
Seek legislation that provides
additional autonomy to manage University construction
projects and charge design costs to bond funds. (Action
Item 3.3b) |
- |
- |
- |
| |
| Objective
8.4 Develop state funded incentives for the University to develop
supplemental funding sources, e.g., challenge grants, state-backed
self-liquidating bonds, state match for major equipment purchases,
seed monies for new initiatives with significant payback potential. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.4a |
Seek a commitment from legislators
that efforts to increase private donations will
not result in decrease in state support. |
1* |
E |
0 |
| 8.4b |
Consider creating, through legislation,
a University of Connecticut Infrastructure Renewal
and Development program including privately raised
matching funds. |
1 |
E |
0 |
| 8.4c |
Seek a funding source to match
the federal Perkins Loan Program to support a
cost-effective revolving loan program. |
1 |
E |
$ |
| |
8.4d Consider seeking legislation
to establish a higher education equipment leasing fund. |
1 |
E |
$ |
| 8.4e |
Consider seeking legislation
that will establish a revolving loan program
to support a University Student Emergency Loan Program. |
1 |
E |
$ |
| |
| Objective
8.5 Evaluate and develop the use of the regional campuses as centers
that meet the needs of traditional and non-traditional students,
part-time students and the community for degree-oriented programs,
continuing education and as centers for delivering University
programs. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.5a |
Recognizing that the regional
campuses are an integral part of the University, initiate
a market study to determine:
Regional
Campuses
--Factors influencing choice of preferred campus.
--Incentives for choosing a regional campus (e.g., fee waiver).
--Regional campus enhancements needed to serve students.
--Programmatic
changes to meet demand at all campuses.
--Course scheduling considerations
(what?, when?).
--Potential student populations (traditional, non-traditional,
full-time, part-time) at each campus given the established admission
standards.
--Opportunities for non-credit programming.
Statewide
--Identification
of program needs of non-traditional and adult learners and companies
(degree-oriented, non- degree).
--Identification of appropriate
sites to serve adult and non- traditional learners (home, office,
central locations).
--Opportunities for non-credit programming
direct to companies or the home. |
1* |
I |
$ |
| 8.5b |
Ensure the University provides
opportunities at the regional campuses that
are of comparable quality to those offered at the Storrs
campus. (Action Item 2.1b) |
1 |
I |
$$ |
| 8.5c |
Expand and adjust course offerings
and non-credit programming at the regional
campuses in accordance with their missions and student
demand. |
1 |
I,E |
$$ |
| 8.5d |
Conduct a thorough assessment
of the feasibility of appointing all new tenure-track
faculty on the basis of University-wide tenure and
eliminating campus-specific tenure by the year 2000. |
1 |
I,E |
0 |
| 8.5e |
Fully implement University-wide
course scheduling, registration, add/drop, and
payment processes. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.5f |
Unify all administrative policies
and procedures into a University-wide system. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.5g |
Conduct a thorough assessment
of feasibility of converting all administrative
and support staff positions to a University-wide basis. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.5h |
Through the optimal use of technology,
utilize the expertise at each campus of the University
to deliver educational programs. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| |
| Objective
8.6 Aggressively market the University's capabilities and make
full use of distance learning and technological innovation to
provide access to the University throughout the state and interconnec
tion with the world for teaching, research and service purposes. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.6a |
Take a leadership role in establishing
a state-wide interactive distance learning
network, including data/video interconnections. Develop
a distance learning business plan to deliver specific courseware
throughout the University and the state. |
1* |
I,E |
$ |
| 8.6b |
Offer a representative subset
of courses and programs (credit, non-credit,
public service) at regional campuses and Storrs via
distance learning. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.6c |
Work with other state agencies
on statewide efforts to provide public access
to information. |
1 |
I,E |
0 |
| 8.6d |
Initiate a program to identify,
encourage and train faculty in the use of technology,
including distance learning, within their teaching
responsibilities. Support staff such as instructional designers,
computer specialists, and producers shall be hired. |
1 |
I |
$$ |
| 8.6e |
Expand the offering of courses
and programs via distance learning to and from
regional campuses in response to student needs. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.6f |
Evaluate the educational effectiveness
of the courses using distance learning with the
goal of determining the most appropriate methods of
teaching. Fully utilize technology to the delivery of programs
throughout the state and at a level of quality equal to or greater
than on-site delivery. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.6g |
Establish clear University policies
and incentives regarding the issues of intellectual
property rights, compensation and evaluation raised
by the promotion of distance learning as a teaching methodology. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.6h |
Seek legislation that authorizes
the University to independently negotiate services
and contracts with telecommunication carriers. |
1 |
I,E |
0 |
| 8.6i |
Develop a program that encourages
Connecticut cable operators to interconnect
their systems to support state-wide delivery of courseware
to homes. Identify incentives to foster cooperation and mutual
support. |
1 |
I,E |
0 |
| 8.6j |
Identify faculty members with
international reputations, having the potential
to attract widespread interest in their topics, and
produce and market high quality learning programs with them for
an international audience. |
1 |
I |
$$ |
|
|
| Objective
8.7 Ensure that graduates are sufficiently computer literate
and technologically aware to be successful in competitive
employment markets or advanced degree programs. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.7a |
Encourage all students, faculty
and staff to regularly use computer-based technology
in their learning, teaching, research and service activities. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.7b |
Improve support to students,
faculty and staff so that they may make effective
use of the computing and computing-based information
facilities for learning, teaching, research, and service
functions. |
1* |
I |
$$ |
| |
| Objective
8.8 Organize and improve programs of interaction with external
constituencies focusing on transfer of knowledge to the community
(University, state, national, global). |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.8a |
Establish an External Advisory
Board that includes state, industry and University
participants to advise the Provost in coordinating
the focus of research and service efforts. (Action Item 1.7a) |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8b |
The Provost will conduct an in-depth
study of UConn's research and commercialization
potential. (Objective 1.7 and Action Items 1.10d, 8.8d,
8.8e) |
1* |
I |
0 |
| 8.8c |
Implement a Statement of Policy
for University-Industry Interaction. (The current
draft must be updated to increase attention to commercialization
of intellectual properties and encourage industrial
and other off-campus researchers to use the University's faculty
expertise and facilities). |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8d |
Expand efforts to educate faculty
and students on the process and opportunities
for commercialization of intellectual property. (Action
Item 8.8b) |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8e |
Integrate the goals of the Connecticut
Technology Park with those of the University
to ensure that they complement each other while retaining
independence. (Action Item 8.8b) |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8f |
Develop policies that encourage
outreach activities that benefit external audiences,
e.g. faculty compensation and evaluation incentives. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8g |
Disseminate information on faculty
expertise to business and industry through vehicles
such as the Best/North America Database. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8h |
Develop and continue service
and research centers that serve external constituencies
(For example, IMS, ERI, PMC, Photonics Research Center,
CONN/STEP, etc.). These centers should encourage both faculty and
student participation. Each center should have a mission, budget
and results that are reviewed annually. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8i |
Examine ways in which the University
can assist the service and research centers in responding
to their external constituencies. |
1 |
I |
0 |
| 8.8j |
Expand the current Office of
Technology Transfer, including expertise in the
areas of engineering, physical sciences, business start-ups
and interaction with the investment community. The
purpose is to more effectively promote the commercialization
of research results through both technology licensing
and the formation of new businesses to assure that
the University optimizes its financial return on its assets. |
1 |
I |
$ |
| 8.8k |
Provide seed funding to test
new ideas. (Action item 1.11b) |
- |
- |
- |
| |
| Objective 8.9 Coordinate
academic offerings. |
| Action
Item |
|
Prior. |
Action |
Funds |
| 8.9a |
The Provost's
Office will work with the State Department of Higher Education
to develop a computerized listing of common, transferable courses. |
1* |
I,E |
0 |
| |
