Strategic Plan, 2008-2013

The Strategic Plan of Macon State College
2008-2013

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal One:  Renew excellence in undergraduate education to meet students’ 21st century educational needs.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 1-A: Macon State College will focus on excellence in meeting the educational needs of the 21st century workforce in the Information Age.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Macon State College is uniquely positioned in Central Georgia to meet the needs of the 21st century student and to fuel the regional economy by producing top-quality graduates who will be successful in 21st century careers.  Many baccalaureate programs at Macon State focus on careers in greatest demand regionally and nationally:  business, information technology, nursing and healthcare, and teacher education.  These careers require leaders with both the critical reasoning skills achieved through a quality liberal education and the career-specific skills that will enable them to be competitive upon entry into the workforce.

• Action:  The institution will expand professional baccalaureate programs tailored to the workforce needs of Central Georgia while continuing to serve as a point of access to the University System.
• Action:  Macon State will re-define the scope and mission of Continuing Education to position the College as a recognized center for corporate education and life-long learning for working adults.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 1-B: Recognizing its unique status as both an access institution and a baccalaureate degree-granting institution, Macon State College will be a distinctive college community that actively recruits and subsequently nurtures success in students of all educational backgrounds.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

The typical 21st century student in the Macon State College service area may be: a recent high school graduate or an older, single mother preparing to enter the workforce; from a prestigious private high school or from a struggling inner-city high school; a life-long resident of Central Georgia or a military dependent who has lived all over the world; and of any racial, ethnic, and cultural background.  The 21st century educational needs of students are as varied as the students themselves.

• Action:  The College will create an organizational structure and climate that stimulates further improvement in student success.
• Action:  The institution will reinforce the public’s perception of the College as a baccalaureate degree-granting institution, attractive to high ability students seeking four-year degrees.
• Action:  The College will increase recruitment efforts for international education.
• Action:  The College will restructure Enrollment Services to be more efficient and effective in enrolling traditional, non-traditional, learning support, and high ability students.
• Action:  The College will continue to build a highly talented and diverse faculty and staff.
• Action: The College will enhance the quality of student life and the range of activities and services available to students.
• Action:  Macon State College will create an attractive, safe, and comfortable campus environment that is technologically supportive of learning.

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal Two:  Create enrollment capacity to meet the needs of 100,000 additional students by 2020.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 2-A: Macon State College will continue to increase enrollment capacity by actively recruiting and subsequently promoting the success of students of all educational and economic backgrounds.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Macon State College’s physical locations in Macon, in Warner Robins, and at the Robins Resident Center provide accessibility to a wide variety of students from surrounding counties.  By forging partnerships with local entities, Macon State College will increase enrollment diversity while also increasing overall enrollment.

• Action:  The College will increase diversity of enrollment and close gaps for under-represented groups.
• Action:  The College will increase use of access institutions.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 2-B:  Macon State College will increase capacity by offering more online courses.

• Action: The School of Information Technology will offer an online program in informatics.
• Action: The College will continue to explore and expand its degree program offerings at the baccalaureate and masters levels.

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal Three:  Increase the University System of Georgia’s participation in research and economic development to the benefit of a global Georgia.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 3-A:  Macon State College will build strength through educational and applied research partnerships with business and government in order to further the knowledge base and economic development of Central Georgia.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Macon State College’s faculty members come from a variety of backgrounds.  Faculty members enrich students’ educational experience by sharing their unique observations. Scholarly pursuits are encouraged with emphasis on applied research related to regional issues, the College's core disciplines, and institutional effectiveness.  By supporting the faculty in their scholarly endeavors, the College retains faculty members who have honed their intellectual skills, and the students benefit from the faculty members’ knowledge and experience.

There is a growing need for health professionals throughout the country.  Macon State College is committed to providing programs of study that will increase the number of health profession graduates who will, in turn, serve residents of surrounding communities.

Economic outreach and community engagement are accomplished through an extensive program of continuing and professional education.  The College’s Institution for Business and Information Management serves as a primary economic development resource for Central Georgia.  The Institute responds to the unique and complex educational needs of Robins Air Force Base and its associated aerospace firms.

• Action: The College will create an environment that supports research efforts and rewards results while maintaining Macon State’s core mission.
• Action:  The institution will increase the number of health profession graduates from Macon State.
• Action:  The College will create a comprehensive program plan that aligns the institution’s instruction with the state’s economic development strategies.

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal Four:  Strengthen the USG’s partnerships with the state’s other education agencies.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 4-A:  Macon State College will strengthen its educational partnerships with other regional institutions and agencies.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Macon State College is not only committed to increasing its partnerships with local school boards and Technical College System of Georgia institutions but also with other government agencies, with area businesses, with other USG institutions, and with its own Foundation.  All these entities must collaborate to drive the economic and cultural vitality which the College envisions.

• Action:  The College will formalize its partnership with RESA and the Educational Technology Center by creating the Middle Georgia Education Consortium.
• Action:  The College will work to increase postsecondary enrollment of minority, underserved, and at-risk students in the Central Georgia area.
• Action:  The College will work to increase teacher quality and retention in the Central Georgia area by collaborating with regional school systems to develop a new teacher induction and mentorship program.
• Action:  The College will work to increase student success in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) postsecondary degree programs.
• Action:  The College will enhance its value as the State’s most practical site for educational and other meetings and conferences through completing construction of a new state-of-the-art conference center.

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal Five:  Maintain affordability so that money is not a barrier to participation in the benefits of higher education.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 5-A:  Macon State College will be a distinctive college community that actively recruits and subsequently nurtures success in students of all economic backgrounds by maintaining and promoting affordability.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Maintaining affordability is imperative in meeting the educational needs of Macon State College’s diverse student body because many of the residents in the area live below the poverty level.  At current rates, students may complete the bachelor’s degree at Macon State for approximately $10,000 in tuition and mandatory fees, making the College one of the most affordable quality institutions in Georgia.

• Action:  The College will maintain a high degree of affordability and continue to ensure appropriate use of mandatory fees.
• Action:  The institution will maintain and expand community outreach programs that educate prospective students and their families about the affordability of Macon State College and about financial aid resources and also target low income constituents who are often underserved.
• Action:  Macon State College will streamline the financial aid process and offer proactive, student-centered customer service.

University System of Georgia (USG) Strategic Goal Six:  Increase efficiency, working as a System.

Macon State College Strategic Goal 6-A:   Macon State College will expand and enhance its success in customer service and process improvement initiatives.

Alignment with USG Strategic Plan:

Objectives of the USG Strategic Goal Six include increasing the efficiency of business functions, developing a leadership culture and engaging the workforce in process improvement, and establishing accountability metrics for the System.  The Macon State College “Excellence in Customer Service” initiative is a training program for staff that aims to increase the efficiency of business functions, advance the culture of process improvement, and enhance the experiences of all customers, both external and internal, of Macon State.  This initiative also aims to assist Macon State employees in understanding and appreciating the goals of higher education in the development of   human potential and the transformation of lives.

• Action:  Macon State will emphasize Customer Service in both external and internal relationships.
• Action:  Macon State College will enable at least six employees to become Green Belts in Lean Six Sigma.
• Action:  Macon State College will improve its business process in at least four areas using the principles of Lean Six Sigma, including the areas of graduation audits, financial aid, green scheduling, and computer shutdown.
• Action:  The College will share its successes in customer service program improvement and business process improvement with other USG institutions and will continue to emphasize the College’s participation in quarterly reporting requirements within the University System of Georgia.