Strategic plan already producing lower costs, better services

Strategic plan already producing lower costs, better services

University Park, Pa. -- Just seven months after its launch, Penn State's strategic plan is already making headway in a number of key areas identified for improvement.

Rodney Erickson, executive vice president and provost, said leaders of some of the plan's strategies have provided a mid-year progress report that includes details of progress in several targeted activities, including assessing student success; reorganizing program administration; expanding the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center's reach in Centre County; improving research opportunities for undergraduates; and finding the appropriate balance between centralized and dispersed support services, to name a few.

"We are moving forward on a number of levels and working to expand access to Penn State programs through technology," Erickson said. "We are looking at faculty and staff productivity and looking for ways to reduce the rate of increase in our health care costs."

Recently adopted, the strategic plan, at http://strategicplan.psu.edu/index.php online, outlines seven goals that will guide the University community over the next five years and beyond. Thirty-eight strategies have been established as a way to reach these overarching goals.

The goals and some of the progress reported to date follow:

Enhance student success -- A student transitions steering committee has been formed to study how the student transition process can be made seamless. Additional activities include increasing information to Penn State students changing campuses or other transfers to University Park. A University Park visitation day is being planned for April for students in their first year at the campuses who intend to enroll at University Park for their junior year.

Advance academic excellence and research prominence -- The College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey Medical Center have several major initiatives to increase research and clinical capabilities: the Regional Medical Campus planned for University Park, the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute and the Northern Appalachia Cancer Network, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, scheduled to begin construction in 2010, Penn State Hershey Rehabilitation Hospital, currently under construction, and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, implemented by the College of Medicine in partnership with colleges and institutes at University Park.

Realize potential as a global university -- The University Office of Global Programs has been restructured and new student exchange programs have been approved in four countries, with six more possible new programs under review.

Maintain access and affordability and enhance diversity -- Since June 2009 more than $17 million in additional funds have been raised toward the “Ensuring Student Opportunity” component of the capital campaign.

Serve the Commonwealth and beyond -- Outreach is establishing a Video Based Learning Network to better serve adult learners. The network will aggregate students across the campus system and leverage faculty capacity to serve learners across the Commonwealth. Eleven campus locations have been identified, with a goal of having five campus locations readied during the first half of 2010.

Use technology to expand access and opportunities -- Efforts continue to increase World Campus enrollment. A common set of course delivery standards have been established to ensure a consistent look, feel and functionality across all online courses. One centralized Student Technical Support (Help) Desk has been created; the number of budgetary and revenue sharing models is being decreased to reduce complexity and to increase transparency for participating campuses and colleges; and new online programs are being identified.

Control costs and generate efficiencies -- Penn State Hershey will open a new clinical practice site in Centre County in 2010. This practice will increase the number of providers in the region and enable Penn State to offer an increasingly robust set of wellness and prevention benefits to its community. The increase of future University health care costs will be reduced through changes to employee benefits that continue into retirement for those hired starting in January 2010.

"We are looking to be more productive and looking for ways we can remain sustainable financially, environmentally and in every way," Erickson said. "We need to be able to advance knowledge, keep up with expectations for a high-quality educational experience and control costs."

Faculty and staff who have suggestions about how we can be more efficient, cut costs and maintain quality are encouraged to submit their ideas at http://www.psu.edu/president/pia/strategic_planning/efficiencies/ online.

Implementation of the strategies in the current plan has just begun. Progress reports will continue to be shared with the University community, according to Erickson. For more information on progress, go to http://www.psu.edu/president/pia/features/Issue126.html online.