II. Responses to 2003 MSA Suggestions

The College received no formal recommendations from MSA in its 2003 review, but the College has acted in response to several suggestions from the visiting team. In its February 2007 provisional inclusion of the online distance education Master of Science program in Nutrition and Dietetics in the College's accreditation, MSA requested that this Periodic Review Report document the College's process for assessing student learning and provide an update on enrollment and staffing for the program. The requested update on the program is included in chapter V, section B, subsection 5, of this report.

The 2003 MSA team report and institutional self-study contained a number of valuable suggestions, which can be grouped under three general headings:

A. Planning and Assessment

The College implemented the visiting team's suggestion for "additional support for assessment and planning" by creating the position of Associate Provost for Institutional Assessment and Effectiveness. Beginning in November 2007, the position will provide key leadership in academic planning and assessment and College-wide leadership in developing and advancing a model of institutional effectiveness.  Multi-year planning for each division, as suggested, has been assured through changes to the format of divisional annual reports, and the Comprehensive College Plan has been linked more closely to the revised SUNY Memorandum of Understanding. Periodic environmental scans are shared with the Institutional Research Council, Strategic Planning Advisory Group, President's Cabinet, College Senate, and other groups. As suggested, the College has made more resources available for faculty development directed toward the assessment of learning outcomes, including a web site specifically related to assessment at the College.

B. Academic Planning and Program Development

In response to the suggestion that Oneonta "study in depth the kinds of programs and experiences that will be necessary to attract and retain students of this caliber [SUNY Group II]," the College has incorporated student engagement as a goal area in the CCP, provided faculty development opportunities specifically related to engaging stronger students, and undertaken several related initiatives in various areas of the campus. Consistent with the suggestion to "allocate permanent faculty lines over time to departments in order to ensure an adequate core to support the program offered," the College has added 48 additional new FTE faculty lines, distributed among programs with high demand, since its decennial review. In regard to suggestions about faculty development, the College has made a pool of $75,000 in new faculty-development funds available annually to all faculty through the Provost's Office; increased funding for faculty and student research; developed annual days to showcase student and faculty research; and established the Student Travel for Excellence Program to promote student travel to professional meetings. Consistent with MSA suggestions, the College has a process for identifying specialized equipment needs in teaching and research laboratories and implementing new technologies during the design of facilities renovations. In line with the suggestion regarding graduate programs, the College has re-organized the administrative structure of the graduate area and moved the academic graduate programs into the purview of the appropriate academic deans.

C. Equity, Inclusion, and Pluralism

In line with MSA suggestions regarding administrative development opportunities for women, gender diversity, and pluralism, the College has taken a number of actions. The College convened a Diversity Advisory Council in 2003, now known as the President's Council on Diversity, which developed a Diversity Statement that was adopted by the President's Cabinet. In 2005, the council conducted a campuswide survey on the Campus Climate for Diversity. In 2006, the College established the Office of Equity and Inclusion, managed by a Director who reports to the President. The Office of Equity and Inclusion is responsible for communicating and implementing the campus vision for equity, diversity, and inclusion, and the Director also serves as the College's Affirmative Action Officer. The College revised the related CCP goal for diversity and inclusion and developed a Strategic Action Plan on Equity Diversity (See www.oneonta.edu/admin/oei/strategicplan/executivesummary.pdf) and Inclusion consistent with the CCP through a broad-based group coordinated by the Office of Equity and Inclusion. In line with suggestions related to women in leadership roles, the College developed a pilot Leadership Program through which two female faculty members served as the first administrative interns in 2006 and a third was selected in 2007. The position of Assistant to the President for External Affairs has been elevated to the Vice President for Community Relations to reflect the College's commitment to service.