Our major initiatives, developed annually for the academic year, represent areas of growth, change or improvement which will require focus and collaboration across the colleges and units that comprise Academic Affairs. We simultaneously remain engaged with many other initiatives at the course, program, college and university level. Our initiatives and planning efforts are directly supportive of our Ferris State University's mission to "prepare our students for successful careers, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning."
Our major initiatives for the 2012-2013 academic year include:
Academic Leadership Team Development
The 2011-2012 academic year was marked by the selection of five new deans: Dean Stephen
Durst (College of Pharmacy), Dean Scott Garrison (FLITE), Dean J.K. Yates (College
of Engineering Technology), Dean Rick Kurtz (College of Arts and Sciences), and Dean
Matthew Adeyanju (College of Health Professions). We continue our dean search for
the Michigan College of Optometry. Establishing these permanent deans in our colleges,
along with the implementation of changes in the Office of Academic Affairs, are critical
components in the development of a leadership team for Academic Affairs for the foreseeable
future.
Partnership Development: An Institute Model
Our colleges have been presented with numerous requests to engage in health care,
manufacturing and K-12 partnership opportunities. Academic Affairs views many of
these opportunities as beneficial for our students as they can provide enhanced academic
and career opportunities while simultaneously creating positive relationships between
our colleges/University and community organizations. In 2012-2013, Academic Affairs
will develop a comprehensive and coordinated effort to manage these partnerships.
An “Institute Model” will be written and implemented so that our engagement in these
partnerships is both organized and unified.
Student Success and Student Debt
We remain engaged in efforts to retain and graduate our students while increasing
our focus on reducing student debt. In 2010-2011, recommendations were produced by
the Ferris Academic Affairs Graduation Group that identified a series of activities
designed to promote increases in retention and thereby increases in graduation. For
2012-2013, the central efforts of Academic Affairs are to help students successfully
move from one semester to the next, one academic year to the next and on to graduation.
Each college within Academic Affairs will focus on their roles in promoting high academic
standards by consistently using data on critical quality indicators to ensure that
graduates have the skills to substantiate our claims of offering relevant, rigorous
and career-oriented education. Colleges will also focus on providing students with
engaged experiences and keeping students on track toward graduation and beyond while
simultaneously developing models for reducing time to degree. The overall goals of
these efforts are to create a unified approach toward and investment in increasing
student retention and graduation while reducing overall student debt.
Focused College of Engineering Technology Strategic Planning
The College of Engineering Technology has engaged in first steps toward a strategic
plan for the college and its programs. At the end of the 2011-2012 academic year,
with direction from Academic Affairs, the college implemented a temporary organizational
structure to position the college to engage in greater levels of external industry
partnerships with increased autonomy at the school and program level. Academic Affairs
will focus strong efforts to support this college and their new dean as they continue
to engage in strategic planning for their future success.
Implementation of Diversity Initiative: Center for Latino Studies
Bringing greater levels of diversity to our campus community continues to be a critical
priority for Academic Affairs. For 2012-2013, Academic Affairs will support the development
of a Center for Latino Studies. In March 2012, Ferris faculty, administrators and
students came together with local community members and panelists from around the
state of Michigan for a Latino Studies Initiative Retreat. During the retreat, discussion
ensued regarding how to identify a way for the university to provide its students
with educational, social engagement and leadership-development opportunities within
the growing and vibrant Latino community. These meetings culminated in the idea of
the Center for Latino Studies. Embracing and embodying Ferris’ core values, the Center
for Latino Studies will support collaboration, diversity, ethical community, excellence, and learning. It also will provide meaningful opportunities for cultural interaction as diverse Latino and Latin American cultural heritages
and traditions are explored, celebrated and engaged by Ferris and local communities.
Establishing a Center for Latino Studies is an intentional effort on the part of Academic
Affairs to enhance diverse relationships at Ferris.
Download our 2012-2013 Major Initiatives Document
Labeled a "working draft," our 2011-2014 planning document reflects our ongoing priorities and goals through 2014.
Download our 2011-2014 Planning Document
Browse through the documents below to gain a better understanding of our planning history. You can also call our office at 231-591-2300 for more information regarding division and college planning.
LEADERSHIP
COLLEGES
OFFICES AND UNITS
ACCREDITATION
