Summary of Objectives & Goals
In its Mission Statement, Statement of Purpose, and introductory
material to this plan, The College of Wooster articulates its intention
to be a college of excellence:
- Wooster’s academic program offers a "rigorous and comprehensive
education to students with the capacity and motivation to become educated
leaders in a complex society." (Mission Statement)
- "Wooster’s fundamental purpose is to stimulate undergraduates
to reach the highest standard of intellectual achievement, one that will
support their development as independent, responsible, and creative human
beings." (Statement of Purpose)
- The College of Wooster defines itself as a "residential liberal
arts college of the highest caliber and national standing, with a special
emphasis on independent learning." ("Wooster in the New Century")
Important advances have been made in many areas of the College in recent
years, particularly during the last planning period, in raising the quality
of the student body and gaining recognition for the Independent Study Program.
The College has the opportunity over the next five years to strengthen
and solidify its position as an institution meeting national standards
of excellence.
A student body with both the ability required to create a rigorous intellectual
environment and the diversity required to produce educated leaders in a
complex society is essential to excellence. Also essential to excellence
is a faculty of high quality, in accordance with the College’s belief
that "a strong teaching faculty is Wooster’s paramount asset" (Catalogue
2003-04, p. 15). Therefore, goals for the student body and for the
faculty are prominent in this plan.
Goals for 2004-2008. The 22 goals for 2004-08 lie in six areas:
the student body, the teaching
environment, information technology,
the physical environment, student
support/campus climate, and human resources.
These 22 goals are established in the context of a set of "prerequisites" for
the student body and a set of planning assumptions, or "baseline requirements," for
Wooster’s financial and institutional health:
- Maintaining the academic quality and size of the student body, as
listed as prerequisites in the following section, The Student Body;
- Meeting the "baseline requirements" for the College’s
financial health, as listed at the end of this document.
Among the 22 goals, a small number of goals of highest priority are identified;
the remaining goals are to be pursued as time and resources allow. The
goals of highest priority are:
- Meeting a minimum percentage of minority students and international
students [Goals 1 and 2];
- Revaluing teaching credit for I.S. and improving the student-faculty
ratio to 11.5:1 [Goal 4];
- Making major new investments in information technology [Goals 12-14];
- Increasing investment in facilities maintenance, especially residence
hall maintenance [Goal 15]; and
- Strengthening the Office of Human Resources [Goal 22].
|
