Overarching Themes in Responses to the Strategic Planning Online Survey

The following is an effort to synthesize comments received from an online strategic planning survey.

Goal 4: Build mutually beneficial partnerships with the public sector, industry, professional groups, institutions, and the communities surrounding our campus communities.

• I. Involve business and industry in university activities by
  • A. Hosting professional organization conferences and seminars and providing continuing education training opportunities for leaders of business and industry.
  • B. Including representatives of business and industry on advisory committees and listening to their input.
  • C. Increasing internships and other cooperative education and experiential experiences for our students.
  • D. Sponsoring more business-to-business activities.
  • E. Hosting job fairs in Ellensburg and at the centers.
• II. Increase involvement of students and employees in and with the community, by
  • A. Providing campus-wide community service days or providing one day of paid "community service" leave.
  • B. Offering talents of students to local businesses.
  • C. Providing training and assistance for faculty and staff to develop and promote beneficial partnerships and rewarding those who do.
  • D. Training faculty about how to leverage important partnerships into peer-reviewed publications.
  • E. Promoting research in the public interest.
  • F. Encouraging university employees and students to shop locally.
  • G. Enhancing and marketing service learning and civic engagement.
  • H. Increasing involvement of university leaders with the community.
• III. Improving the university's image with alumni, employers, and diverse communities by
  • A. Hosting activities with leaders of diverse groups in the state and create a home within CWU for members of diverse communities to congregate.
  • B. Continuing to seek grants that extend higher education privilege to those who are underserved.
  • C. Marketing
    • 1. The role of the university in providing a well-trained workforce.
    • 2. The good work of the university and its graduates.
    • 3. Current service learning and civic engagement activities of students and employees.
    • 4. Resources that could be leveraged into partnerships.
  • D. Taking advantage of local events, e.g., Jazz in the Valley, to build relationships.
  • E. Strengthening ties with alumni.
• IV. Strengthen the voice of higher education within the state by
  • A. Strengthening collaboration with the state's community colleges.
  • B. Seeking consensus within the public higher education system on issues of importance to higher education and our students.
• V. Increase opportunities for the public to participate in the life of the university by
  • A. Hosting periodic open houses that showcase programs of distinction
  • B. Hosting receptions that highlight the CWU/community relationship
  • C. Offering occasional one-night, free to the public, classes
  • D. Hosting outdoor recreation activities for the community.
  • E. Using the arts to build bridges to outside sectors.