University Strategic Goals

Access, Excellence and Catholic Identity

Access | Excellence | Catholic Identity
Approved by the Board of Trustees May 4, 2006

"The University of St. Thomas has arrived at a critical moment in its history. We are poised to make a tremendous leap forward."
- Rev. Dennis Dease, President, Convocation Address 9/6/05

St. Thomas has a unique identity as a Catholic, diocesan, teaching university, located in a large metropolitan area. Our mission is "to educate morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good."
- UST Mission Statement

Our vision for the future is to become "a recognized leader in Catholic higher education that excels in effective teaching, active learning, scholarly research and responsible engagement with the local community as well as with the national and global communities in which we live."
- UST Vision Statement

In these strategic priorities we seek to implement our mission and vision by addressing three critical challenges that are key to making the next steps forward in our history:

to contain the effects of a national trend of ever-increasing costs in higher education and to insure that education for all qualified students is affordable;
to make new breakthroughs in effective teaching and active learning that foster a holistic approach to education;
to deepen our identity as a faith-based, Catholic university where the integration of faith and reason develops leaders who are committed to the common good.

As we continue to move forward, we set forth our goals under three themes: Access, Excellence, and Catholic Identity.

Access

The University of St. Thomas is committed to improved access to its graduate, undergraduate and community outreach programs. St. Thomas’ history and its self-understanding as a Catholic institution call for service to a wide range of students. As a diocesan university, in and of the city, it seeks to find ways of being educationally relevant and responsive to the changing needs of our community and its members. While it is impossible to be all things to all people, there are important reasons to support and enhance access for all qualified students.

First, it is a matter of social justice. A second and equally compelling reason is the need to further develop a learning community in which students grow and thrive as a result of contact with others of differing backgrounds, experiences and characteristics.

Rationale:
A diverse university community creates a rich learning environment that better reflects the larger world in which we live. Without legitimate and genuine diversity, members of our community are deprived of perspectives that contribute to the pursuit of truth.

"The Catholic Church, which embraces men and women of every nation, race, people and tongue (Rev 7:9), is called to be, in a world marked by ideological, ethnic, economic and cultural divisions, the living sign of the unity of the human family."
- Pope John Paul II: Ecclesia in America, #32.

Because we respect the dignity of each person and value the unique contributions of everyone, we strive to create a vibrant diverse community in which, together, we work for a more just and inclusive society. (UST Convictions: #4, 5)

Strategic Priority 1:

As a Catholic university which seeks "to advance the common good," St. Thomas will provide resources to recruit and develop a talented and diverse community of faculty, staff and students who are committed to leadership and service in society.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

Scholarships are directed toward students who give evidence of an interest and ability to be community leaders
Participation in community-based learning and research is increased
Cultural understanding and community service are hallmarks of a St. Thomas education
Institutional practices and policies foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, and collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and administrators

Strategic Priority 2:

The University will attract and retain a highly talented and diverse student body at the undergraduate and graduate levels by reducing financial barriers and improving the environment for under-represented groups on campus.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

Scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students are increased to
reduce financial barriers
Percentage of students of color, international, first-generation, and
students of other under-represented groups increases
Retention of historically underrepresented students maintains approximate parity with other groups on campus
Higher ratings are evident on climate surveys
Without compromising the essence of the core requirements, the transferprocess for undergraduates is simplified and access for adult students is enhanced
Technology enables student services to be more accessible and effective
Outreach, recruitment and support programs for first-generation college students and new immigrants are successful
Ongoing professional development opportunities on the value of learning and working in a diverse community are available to faculty, staff and students and are well-attended

Excellence

The University of St. Thomas, as a "teaching university," manifests a commitment to excellence on the part of faculty, staff and administration in educating students who "think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good." In our undergraduate and graduate programs, we cultivate life-long learning through the practice of active learning strategies that promote intellectual curiosity and combine the analytical skills of a liberal arts education with the practical skills that are part of career preparation.

We acknowledge that development of the St. Thomas learning community requires students, faculty, staff and alumni/ae to be fully dedicated to the highest quality education at every level, and the creation of an educational experience at the undergraduate level
that is infused with active learning techniques, and is integrative of campus and community.

Rationale:

"We value intellectual inquiry as a life-long habit, the unfettered and impartial pursuit of truth in all its forms. . . .
We create a culture among faculty, students and staff that recognizes the power of ideas and rewards rigorous thinking."
- UST Convictions, #1,2

As it pertains to students, excellence is defined in terms of their ability to meet the challenges of academic rigor and intellectual inquiry as modeled by the faculty.

Students, faculty and staff ought to engage in intellectual discourse within and outside the classroom "in such a way that there results a growth in [their] ability to wonder, to understand, to contemplate, to make personal judgments, and to develop a religious, moral, and social sense."
- Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Section 23

Strategic Priority 1

The University of St. Thomas will further develop a campus environment wherein all students are challenged to develop intellectually, personally and spiritually to remain life-long learners and morally responsible citizens.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

St. Thomas undergraduate students are highly competitive for admission to the best graduate and professional programs
Graduate programs are recognized locally, regionally, and nationally as leaders in their respective fields
Student engagement with the campus and local community as well as with the national and global communities significantly increases
Graduate and undergraduate students are increasingly successful in competing for desirable, post-graduation employment and promotions
Facilities and equipment necessary for a rich learning and healthy living environment are in evidence throughout the institution
Technology makes learning opportunities more varied and available
Faculty partnerships with staff create a seamless curricular/co-curricular experience for students
Surveys, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement, indicate significant increase in the quality of relationships formed among students, faculty and staff, and in understanding and interactions among people of different backgrounds
Active engagement of parents in campus community life is increased
Alumni/ae will be actively engaged through contributions of time, talent and resources in the life of the university
Curricular and co-curricular activities will enrich our students' spirituality and understanding of their chosen profession as an expression of vocation or "calling."

Strategic Priority 2

We will develop and execute a comprehensive plan for the fostering of academic excellence for all students at the University of St. Thomas.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

St. Thomas is recognized as a leader in active and community-based learning
Surveys, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement, indicate significant increase in the level of academic challenge, in active and collaborative learning, and in enriching educational experiences for undergraduate students
Curricula and teaching are continually updated and enhanced to respond to external needs as evidenced by successful outside reviews and accreditation
Student retention and graduation rates increase across all programs
Integration of curriculum and collaboration across disciplines is prized and enhanced
Personal attention to students is fostered in the classroom, and through mentorship and individualized faculty and staff attention outside the classroom
The quality of scholarship in the broad sense: scholarship of discovery,
integration, application, and teaching, is enhanced and enriches classroom learning

Strategic Priority 3

The University will hire and retain a diverse faculty and staff of the highest quality in order to enrich the teaching and work environment and to provide appropriate mentors and role models for all students.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

Percentage of historically underrepresented groups among faculty, staff, administration and members of the board of trustees is significantly increased
Turnover among persons of color and other multicultural faculty and staff is reduced
Faculty, staff, alumni/ae and professional community members will be actively engaged in supporting and mentoring students as they progress toward their degrees
Leadership is cultivated from within; opportunities for development and advancement at St. Thomas are readily available

Strategic Priority 4

We will improve academic and administrative processes, systems, and policies to enhance effectiveness and eliminate waste and duplication; and develop budget and resource allocation strategies that reward progress toward institutional goals and priorities.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

Human, fiscal, technological and physical resources are focused to support the institution’s emphasis on excellence and its strategic plan
High performance is rewarded, the competitiveness of compensation at St. Thomas with the market enhanced, and the quality of the work environment and services is improved
Academic programs are continuously enhanced and programs that no longer meet institutional needs are eliminated.

Catholic Identity

The Catholic identity of the University of St. Thomas is manifested in various ways. It can be seen through the University’s continuing examination and engagement with the Catholic intellectual, social and spiritual tradition; through its embracing of the richness and complexity of the meaning of Catholicism; through the dedication of all members of the University to active exploration of the contributions they might make to the education of morally responsible leaders who are committed to the advancement of the common good; and through its unique mission as a university in and of the city.

Rationale:

The North Central Association Self-Study Report called for "further discussion of the Catholic nature of the mission (of the University) and (to) seek consensus on common goals of the undergraduate and graduate programs" (p. 34). Input from various academic and administrative units has stressed the need to discuss and better understand the Catholic identity of the University and to "infuse" that understanding into our curriculum.

UST Conviction #3 regarding "Faith and Reason" states:
"We actively engage Catholic intellectual tradition, which values the fundamental compatibility of faith and reason and fosters meaningful dialogue directed toward the flourishing of human culture."

"Essential to a (university’s) genuine catholicity . . .
is the promotion of justice and the Gospel’s 'option
of preference for the poor.'"
- Archbishop J. Michael Miller, Secretary, Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, Origins, 35:17, p. 451

Strategic Priority 1

The University of St. Thomas will further engage its Catholic identity by exploring the meaning and heightening the understanding of Catholic intellectual tradition throughout its curricular and co-curricular activities.

Indicators of Achievement of this Priority:

Faculty, staff and students participate in various educational forums that seek to understand the meaning of Catholic tradition, its implications for diversity, and the nexus between faith and reason
In curricular and co-curricular activities, evidence of the integration of Catholic tradition, ethics, and social justice is prized
New employee and student orientations include information on Catholic identity with special emphasis on ethics and social justice
Co- and extra-curricular activities provide students with opportunities to explore the intellectual, spiritual and cultural traditions of the Catholic Church
Search committees provide information on the Catholic identity and mission of the University to candidates and consider their potential contributions to the mission of the University

Strategic Priority 2

The University of St. Thomas will give witness to the social teaching of the Church in its communal life, and will integrate principles of social justice across the curriculum and in co-curricular activities in order to educate students "to be morally responsible leaders."

Indicators of Achievement of this Priority:

Faculty, staff and administration evaluate decisions from the perspective of Catholic social justice in order to express in our university life what we profess and teach
Academic programs and departments, as part of their mission and goals, assess how they educate "morally responsible leaders"
The "common good," as understood in Catholic social thought, is a key consideration in each curricular discipline

Strategic Priority 3

The University of St. Thomas will foster an academic community that is known for civil and respectful dialogue that both honors its Catholic tradition and is open to learn from those of other traditions and viewpoints.

Indicators of achievement of this priority:

Hospitality and respect mark the St. Thomas work environment and educational experience
Students, faculty and staff are skilled in engaging controversy in a way that advances dialogue and the pursuit of truth
Opportunities for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, understanding, and respect are fostered