Friday, December 8, 2023

University provides March update on strategic initiatives

University provides March update on strategic initiatives

(March 23, 2018) -- In an email sent today to UTSA faculty and staff, President Taylor Eighmy announced new town hall meetings for the UTSA community to learn more about the UTSA Presidential Initiatives. Additionally, Eighmy provided updates on the presidential, strategic, tactical and operational initiatives underway to support the university’s strategic vision.

Upcoming Town Halls

Next week, the UTSA community will have more opportunities to learn about the progress of Presidential Initiatives. Open to all students, faculty and staff, these sessions will kick off with updates from the task force chairs, followed by open dialogue and questions. Light refreshments will be served.

Strategic Enrollment Initiative
Monday, March 26 | 3 – 4:30 p.m. | Student Union Retama Auditorium (SU 2.02.02) | Main Campus           

Finance and Budget Modeling Initiative
Tuesday, March 27 | 1:30 – 3 p.m. | Student Union Retama Auditorium, (SU 2.02.02) | Main Campus                               
Wednesday, March 28 | 3 – 4:30 p.m. | Frio Street Building (FS 1.512) | Downtown Campus                          

Student Success Task Force

On February 27 and 28, the Student Success Task Force hosted four sessions of Leading Change, a workshop facilitated by consultants from EAB. More than 70 staff, faculty and administrators participated in the workshops. While on campus, the consultants met with key personnel who oversee various technology systems to better understand how UTSA might enhance its real-time data access. The aim is to help UTSA administrators make data-informed daily decisions in support of student success efforts. EAB shared their recommendations with the Department Chairs Council on March 21.

Strategic Enrollment Task Force

The Strategic Enrollment Planning Task Force is currently developing action plans for initial strategies that were identified during the situational analysis and diagnostic by UTSA’s consultant Ruffalo Noel-Levitz. Recent task force meetings focused on action planning for ASAP improvements, university-wide recruitment coordination, strategic course management, prospect and inquiry management, and scholarship/fellowship management. Action planning will continue through May as the task force works toward meeting the objective of producing the first university-wide comprehensive strategic enrollment plan.

Finance and Budget Modeling Task Force

The Finance and Budget Modeling Task Force continues to collect feedback to inform the selection of a new university budget model. The new model will be used in parallel with the existing budget model in FY 2019 as a transition year, with full implementation in FY 2020. On March 22, consultants from Huron met with the UTSA’s senior leadership team and deans to gather input on the various budget models under consideration. More stakeholder meetings with deans and other administrators will be taking place over the next three months to inform decisions.

Strategic Communications Task Force

The Strategic Communications Task Force met on March 9 to kick off its project with a review of the results and analysis of the perceptual survey research conducted by Stamats, a leading higher education integrated marketing firm. The task force’s discussion focused on the development of and evidence for UTSA’s brand promise, brand pillars and brand character. To explore the activation of this brand positioning, the task force reviewed and provided input on brand and advertising concepts. The group’s next meeting will include discussions about strategic brand messaging, the evolution of the look and feel of the brand campaign, and campus activation.

Weighted Student Credit Hour Optimization Committee

The Weighted Student Credit Hour (WSCH) Optimization Committee presented its Phase 1 report to the Senior Leadership Team on March 5.  The report is currently under review to determine next steps for Phase 2 implementation. 

SACSCOC 2020 – Racing to Reaccreditation

UTSA SACSCOC 2020 team members have reviewed the revised SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation and reassessed the action items identified in the fall. Team members will be addressing all outstanding action items over the next few weeks and months based on these revised requirements. Recommendations may include policy revisions, process clarifications or changes in practices. The date for the SACSCOC onsite peer review has been set for March 16-19, 2020.

National Security Collaboration Center 

Partnerships for the National Security Collaboration Center have advanced through securing of letters of intent and commitment from government partners, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the US Secret Service (USSS). Formalized industry partnerships include Noblis, LGS Innovations, Raytheon and LokiLabs, all of which have provided letters of intent for co-location within the NSCC. UTSA continues to build NSCC partnership momentum through the hosting of government agencies in March and April, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Intelligence Advanced Research Project Activity (IARAP) and the US Cyber Command.

Dreamers Center 

The search for a full-time Dreamers Center Program Manager is in progress. Courtney Balderas-Jacob, assistant director for international student services, is serving as the Center’s interim program manager. Located in the Student Union (SU 2.01.04), the Center is actively providing education, advocacy and awareness of Dreamers and Dreamer-related issues to the campus community. At the end of February, UT System Chancellor William McRaven published a letter to students after the Supreme Court declined to take up the DACA case, which included a link to UTSA’s Dreamers Center website as an additional resource for students system-wide. 

Behavior Intervention Team

Finalist interviews for the Behavior Intervention Specialist position will take place next week. The BIT team recommended the full-time position—which will report to Lieutenant Tom Calucci in the UTSA Police Department—to support a team of volunteers from across campus employing a self-developed case management system. Procurement of new software to help the BIT team with case management is in the works. The software will allow for cross-campus collaboration and dissemination of information pertinent to faculty, staff and student behaviors.

Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Task Force

Jessica Muniz
is UTSA’s new Director and Prevention Coordinator in the Title IX Services department, and will oversee the resources needed to address sexual misconduct prevention and victim advocacy. A search is underway for the second position in the Title IX department, a Confidential Advocate. Both positions were created at the recommendation of the Sexual Violence Prevention Support Task Force. Reporting to Institutional Compliance & Risk Services, the Title IX Services department is located on the fifth floor of the North Paseo Building.


Learn more about the UTSA strategic plan.

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