Innovation

The university experience is predicated on a blend of a number of intellectual and organizational enterprises. Northern must reinvigorate the standards and processes that will sustain successful programs, create new ones, eliminate programs with declining enrollment and reflect the creativity of campus talents. The curriculum must remain relevant and meaningful, and our teaching must be contemporary and effective.

 

A. Goal: An academic curriculum that balances successful programs with new offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level to meet the needs of students, as well as improve student career opportunities after graduation.


Priorities:

  1. Integrate global engagement and diversity learning experiences throughout the academic curriculum.
  2. Consolidate and/or reduce the number of undergraduate majors and streamline baccalaureate programs to enhance quality and efficiency.
  3. Continue implementation of the faculty-mix model and faculty enhancement positions.
  4. Explore and act upon opportunities to expand programs in nursing and allied health to meet the growing demand for professionals in health care and related fields.
  5. Explore and act upon graduate programming (certificate, master's, doctoral) in areas of recognized strengths, needs and opportunities.
  6. Develop new applied programs in computing and IT-related majors.
  7. Develop a specific Road Map for certificate, one-year and two-year programs.
  8. Increase employee access to baccalaureate and graduate study to enhance professional development, as well as to improve service to NMU students and constituencies.

B. Goal: A new professional development program for faculty and staff that rewards innovative practices and encourages interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaboration.

 

Priorities:

  1. Implement the Wildcat Incentive Fund to support innovative practices by faculty and staff that will help to achieve Road Map priorities.
  2. Provide new support mechanisms to enhance faculty and staff engagement in scholarship.
  3. Develop new opportunities for faculty and staff who wish to focus specified time on a project to advance Road Map goals and priorities.
  4. Realign policies and procedures to better support students and reward faculty and staff contributions to achieving university goals.

C. Goal: A growing portfolio of corporate collaborations that exploit NMU's technical expertise, enhance academic programs and facilitate global engagement for students and faculty both on campus and abroad.

 

Priorities:

  1. Utilize corporate partners to promote additional international opportunities.
  2. Work with strategic technology and telecommunication partners to enhance the teaching, learning and working environment.
  3. Utilize corporate partners to increase internship opportunities for students.
  4. Utilize alternative energy plans to seed academic and research programs in energy and energy management.

D. Goal: Develop the financial resources to support innovation and student success.

 

Priorities:

  1. Develop and implement a plan for substantially increasing federal, state and private grants to NMU.
  2. Implement a framework for integration and collaboration between the NMU Foundation, the Alumni Relations Office and the Academic Affairs Division to support academic innovation and student success.
  3. Work with the NMU Foundation to double the size of its current endowment fund.
  4. Work with the NMU Foundation to develop a comprehensive corporate gift plan.