In spring 2021, five large Coordination Councils were to assist with planning during the IUP NextGen transition. Each Council was made up of 25 members and six leaders drawn from students, faculty, staff, and administrator volunteers. Council rosters were designed to match volunteers with their areas of interest and expertise and also to ensure that each division of the university had a voice on all five councils.
The NextGen Transitional Coordination Councils were given specific charges by then-Provost Tim Moerland. These charges focused on longer-term integration issues and initiatives to align with the new IUP strategic plan. Councils were asked to gather data and issue draft recommendations in the form of a white paper by the end of fall 2021. All five Coordination Councils met this deadline.
Consultation with the University Community
In September 2021, a NextGen planning event was held to solicit ideas and feedback from the entire university community. University leaders spoke at a live-streamed headline event while council leaders and members met with students, faculty, and staff in the Oak Grove as well as in small focus groups and through outreach in the dining halls of campus.
Following this event, IUP’s University Senate leadership identified the standing Senate Committees whose areas of responsibility overlapped with the charges given to the five NextGen Coordinating Committees and whose elected members were also serving on the relevant Coordination Council. These council members were asked to communicate with their designated Senate committee and organize a meeting in which feedback on draft action items and recommendations could be shared. Senate Committee meetings occurred in November and December of 2021, prior to the completion of Coordination Council white papers.
Coordination Councils 1 and 4 sent their recommendations to the University Senate on December 7 while Coordination Councils 2, 3, and 5 sent their recommendations to the University Senate on February 1. Senate members were given the opportunity to respond and share their thoughts about each slate of recommendations via a Qualtrics Survey. All five white papers along with the full reports of University Senate feedback will be shared with the President’s Cabinet in mid-February. Cabinet members will then review and prioritize the white paper recommendations and ensure that they align with the University’s Strategic Plan.
Council Charges, White Papers, and Senate Feedback Summaries
1 – Student Support
Charge: Explore new ways of supporting all IUP students with academic, social, and other challenges; create a unified plan to utilize the University College and other resources to support at-risk students; recommend a “One-stop Shopping” model for students, identifying both a physical campus location and a matching virtual platform; craft more effective methods of reaching students in need of support, especially after pandemic.
Council 1 White Paper Recommendations (PDF, login required)
Council 1 Senate Feedback (PDF, login required)
2 – NextGen Campus
Charge: Survey the community to determine current and future space needs of NextGen colleges, units, and departments; analyze current space usage, inclusivity, and needs for future modality transitions with a focus on opportunities for growth and equity.
Council 2 White Paper Recommendations (PDF, login required)
Council 2 Senate Feedback (PDF, login required)
3 – Budget Planning
Charge: Deal with the immediate issues raised by NextGen realignment of colleges, departments, and programs; recommend a transparent and equitable method for distribution of academic resources among the realigned units; refer longer-term recommendations to UBAC and UPC for further consideration.
Council 3 White Paper Recommendations (PDF, login required)
Council 3 Senate Feedback (PDF, login required)
4 – Core Curriculum
Charge: Rename IUP’s undergraduate educational core to reduce confusion for prospective students and parents; redesign our core curriculum to enhance both the personal and professional growth of our students, with a stronger focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; streamline undergraduate learning outcomes to promote meaningful assessment.
Council 4 White Paper Recommendations (PDF, login required)
Council 4 Senate Feedback (PDF, login required)
5 – Future Initiatives
Charge: Determine what innovative programs and/or research initiatives IUP can offer using our current faculty and facilities; build on the Strategic Enrollment Plan to identify areas of greatest opportunity for growth; collaborate with University Advancement to build relationships and partnerships in alignment with IUP’s new strategic plan; identify ways that IUP’s research strengths can be maintained, strategically expanded, and leveraged in teaching, grantsmanship, and system-wide collaborations; consider how graduate programs might incorporate DEI initiatives through courses or other experiences.
Council 5 White Paper Recommendations (PDF, login required)
Council 5 Senate Feedback (PDF, login required)