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CSULB was again named among "America's Best Universities" by U.S. News and World Reports for 2004-05. This continuing recognition is the result of sustained efforts on the part of many people across the campus working to improve retention and graduation rates, the quality of the student experience, support for faculty, our technological infrastructure and our physical campus.

With a Vision for Excellence, CSULB now aims to achieve still greater distinction with four strategic priorities: student success, academic quality, service excellence, and campus environment.

1. Student Success: CSULB's core purpose is "to graduate students with highly valued degrees." The campus works toward continuous improvement in the quality of the student experience and the campus offers opportunities for student engagement that foster learning in and out of the classroom. The campus encourages "Beach Pride" among students, staff, faculty and alumni. By 2008, CSULB aims to raise already-improving graduation rates to a leading position among comparable universities in California and in the nation.

2. Academic Quality: CSULB is a "teaching-intensive, research-driven" university. While teaching is the core of the campus mission, excellence in research and creative activities permeate the academic programs, adding high value to CSULB degrees. CSULB uses evidence about student learning to continuously improve academic curricula and pedagogies. The campus emphasizes student engagement through undergraduate and graduate student research, artistic and creative expression, service learning, and international opportunities. In a move to further strengthen quality, CSULB aims to expand external support for faculty scholarship and creative activity through the "Edge of Excellence" initiative.

3. Service Excellence: CSULB seeks to deliver "Excellence Every Day" in services through skillful deployment of technology and through the concerted efforts of staff. CSULB aims to continue leading among CSU campuses in the quality of services delivered and in the implementation and effective use of the Common Management System.

4. Campus Environment: CSULB's distinctly beautiful campus creates an excellent environment for student learning that is admired by visitors and is a source of pride for those who work at the University. Generations of campus leaders have wisely maintained this beauty. The campus recently undertook a "Master Planning" process to determine future growth for the campus. As this Master Plan is implemented over one or two decades, CSULB aims to enhance its distinct beauty and preserve the quality of the physical environment.

CSULB will pursue these distinctions amid continuing state budget problems. The CSU and CSULB shared in significant budget reductions for the past three years. The Governor's January 2005 budget proposal fulfills terms of the "Compact" with the CSU scheduled to begin in 2005-06, which includes increased funds for additional enrollment as well as general increases in compensation. CSULB goals and recovery plans depend upon the endorsement by the state legislature of the terms of the Compact.

CSULB is now prepared to launch a major capital campaign under leadership from our new president. CSULB's Vision for Excellence, recognized achievement, large alumni base and excellent relationships with donors have positioned the campus to be very successful with a major campaign in the coming years.

CSULB Goals identify all-university priorities for the upcoming three-year planning period and shape annual budget decisions toward achieving the campus mission. Each campus division also pursues goals that help contribute to fulfilling the campus mission. Goals are revised each year by the Provost, the vice presidents for Administration and Finance, Student Services, and University Relations and Development, the Chair of Staff Council, and the Chair of the Academic Senate. The Director of Strategic Planning facilitates.

Over the past several years, a great many campus goals have been fully achieved. At the end of this document is a listing of goals from last year that have been achieved. Previously achieved goals and additional information are available on CSULB's strategic planning web site .

Campus Goals for 2006-2009 address these areas of planning:

1. Enrollment
2. Student Retention and Graduation
3. Physical Facilities and Environment
4. Resources and Quality Improvement
5. Information Technology
6. External Support and Partnerships

Enrollment

The rapidly growing attractiveness of "The Beach" has made careful enrollment management essential. The campus has developed an array of enrollment tools to manage to the assigned target, thereby matching the number of students to the available resources. CSULB's guiding principles for enrollment planning are: (1) Maintain access to the extent possible. (2) Maintain quality of instruction and student services. (3) Give priority consideration to local community consistent with CSU policy. (4) Maintain diversity. (5) Balance enrollments of freshmen, upper division transfer, credential and graduate students.

CSULB utilizes several enrollment management tools such as selective admissions for freshmen, transfers and many majors. With these tools, CSULB has been and expects to continue to be successful in managing enrollment close to assigned target. Based on the Compact agreement with the Governor, CSULB has resumed its long-term growth trend. For 2006-07, CSULB is likely to receive about 2.5% enrollment growth funding.

Goals

1. Selectively increase the size of CSULB's graduate programs.
2. Through CSULB's "Pre-collegiate Council" and other outreach programs, work with local high schools and community colleges to promote university participation and maintain campus diversity.
3. Effectively implement the new system-wide policies providing priority admissions for community college transfers who complete specified lower-division course patterns.
4. Begin implementation of enrollment growth strategies outlined in the 2004 campus Master Planning framework.
5. Consistent with CSU system policy, continue to increase the proportion of enrollment during the summer.

Student Retention and Graduation

CSULB has posted a substantial increase in graduation rates in recent years. This improvement was a key factor in the U.S. News and World Reports recognition of the campus as among "America's Best." However, we are not yet satisfied that we have done all we can to support students to graduation. The campus aims to improve freshman and transfer graduation rates by an additional 8% over a three-year period.

Goals

6. Implement a very strong plan for student success in response to the twenty-two initiatives promulgated by the CSU Board of Trustees* .
7. Initiate an informational campaign to enhance awareness of student success issues in the campus community.*
8. Implement an effective program to assist students nearing graduation in resolving any remaining barriers*.
9. Implement effectively the new system-wide Lower Division Transfer Pattern admission plan starting in fall 2007*.
10. Personalize freshman advising in the fall and add a spring semester advising opportunity.
11. Incorporate analyses of academic quality and analyses of student retention and graduation into academic program review*.
12. Develop and effectively use department and college level data on progress to degree, retention and graduation.
13. Rewrite University curriculum documents including the catalog to improve clarity for students.
14. Effectively use the Degree Progress Summary to improve progress to degree.
15. Implement and use effectively roadmaps to degree for each academic program, including general education.

Physical Facilities and Environment

CSULB has a beautiful and safe campus and we are committed to maintaining it. The campus has many older buildings which are in substantial need of renovation or replacement. CSULB launched a "Master Planning" process to examine long-range enrollment and the campus physical plan over a 10-20 year horizon. Based on the work of faculty and staff task forces, the Resource Planning Process Committee assembled a "Master Plan Framework" recommending growth to 31,000 full time equivalent students and outlining stipulations for growth. In the Spring of 2004, this framework was endorsed by the Academic Senate and the President. The framework creates stipulations related to the quality of instruction; parking and traffic; green space; the quality of student experience; resources; diversity; tenure density; student retention and graduation rates; and program balance. Additional information about the "Master Plan Framework" can be found on the strategic planning website:
http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/planning_enrollment/#masterplan
Within the Master Plan, the campus is interested in exploring the prospect of consolidating locations of most services to students in a central location to foster synergy among service operations and improve convenience to students.

Goals

16. Using the Master Plan Framework, update the campus Master Plan to reflect changing needs for enrollment capacity, instructional environments, student housing, technology, faculty office and specialized space, while maintaining green space, parking, and vehicle and pedestrian access.
17. Complete campus physical master plan, including campus and community consultation, an Environmental Impact Report, and finalize presentation materials for Board of Trustees approval.
18. Complete parking structure and Library capital projects.
19. Finalize construction documents for the Peterson Hall 3 Replacement and begin construction, contingent upon funding.
20. Finalize feasibility study for the Liberal Arts Projects (replacement of Peterson Halls 1 and 2) and submit to Board of Trustees for funding*.
21. Complete feasibility studies for the campus utility infrastructure upgrade and the Housing Master Plan*.
22. Develop a plan for a centrally located student-centered services complex to incorporate most advising and support services provided to students by the campus*.

Resources and Quality Improvement

The campus is committed to excellent instruction and services for faculty, staff and students. Our use of quality improvement tools, such as student success measures, academic assessment, program review, and balanced scorecard continues to create a culture of evidence that provides meaningful, timely feedback on our most important change agendas. Campus community input and use of model practices are key elements in our ongoing efforts to provide a quality experience for students and employees.

Goals

23. Begin preparations for WASC with special attention to student outcomes assessment and complete a proposal for review in October 2006.
24. Develop a routine practice of systematically gathering best practices from around the CSU and implementing those at CSULB*.
25. Effectively implement the strengthened academic program review policy including provisions for specific resources and results*.
26. Continue to address the lack of competitiveness in faculty and staff salaries through the use of compensation adjustments where warranted and permitted by system policy and collective bargaining agreements*.
27. Develop a CSULB Business Recovery Plan (BRP) in compliance with the CSU Emergency Management Program (Executive Order No. 921) for all critical University functions which enable the campus to restore institutional capacity and resume operations within 30 days following "Emergency Recovery" from a major campus disaster*.
28. Utilize student and customer input to develop and deliver quality services and instruction*.
29. Provide multiple curricular, extracurricular and research opportunities to foster and enhance global perspectives among CSULB students, faculty, and staff*.
30. Fully implement the Resource Planning Process budget recovery plan through direct resource allocations that restore University services to pre-budget-cut years and assure the effectiveness of this allocation strategy in improving the quality of our services.
31. Ensure that each academic unit has a critical mass of permanent faculty sufficient to maintain program quality, viability and continuity.
32. Ensure that each service unit has the critical mass of personnel sufficient to maintain quality service.
33. Obtain the broadest possible pools of diverse applicants for all faculty and staff positions.

Information Technology

Information technology is now central to all aspects of campus life from administration to services to instruction. The campus is the system-wide leader in implementing the Common Management System. Our online learning management system, BeachBoard, is now widely used by faculty throughout the curriculum. The campus has adopted a strategic approach to technology planning with the creation of the Campus Information Technology Committee specifically focused on major strategy issues. Major issues include ensuring access for all students, including those with disabilities, and ensuring the safety of confidential electronic information.

Goals

34. Develop campus web site policy, incorporating the principle that web pages are a component of the entire CSULB web site and promoting campus-wide standards of accessibility and consistency*.
35. Monitor and evaluate success of new Academic Technology organization*.
36. Fully implement State Controller's Office replacement payroll system (21st Century Project) by the end of year 2008, replacing the legacy system and successfully interfacing with the new state system*.
37. Execute the PeopleSoft upgrade (8.9 HR/SA/Fin) and data warehouse project and plan for significant effort on the first major upgrade under the new Oracle architecture (Fusion) requiring extensive training*.
38. Establish security standards for the campus (including all machines joined to the campus domain) and secure licensing for all desktop computers based on a successful pilot that includes desktop encryption, anti-virus, and anti-spyware on all workstations.*.
39. Improve coordination, planning and organization of campus information resources.
40. Build on the success of BeachBoard to continue to integrate technology into instruction.
41. Establish an operational Information Security program which includes mission, organizational structure and staffing, strategic initiatives such as training and awareness, and performance measurements.
42. Ensure that all official University web sites, BeachBoard and MyCSULB and all University publications are accessible under ADA requirements.

External Support and Partnerships

Under leadership of CSULB's new president, expeditious planning and execution of the campus' first major capital campaign is a coming imperative in order to obtain needed support to accomplish many of the Campus Goals set out in this document. CSULB is extremely well branded. Its alumni base of 200,000, the majority of whom are in close geographical proximity, is a source of strength. CSULB continues to achieve success in increasing its external funding to supplement state resources as well as to broaden its reputation as a university of choice among students, faculty and other significant audiences. The division of University Relations and Development (URD) and the office of Research and External Support serve the University through donor and alumni cultivation and fundraising, targeted communications and marketing activities and by assisting faculty members in securing and managing grants and contracts. CSULB will continually expand cultivation and stewardship activity for major donor and planned giving prospects through college-based, university-wide, fundraising efforts.

The campus has a very able group of faculty and other members of the University community, many recruited within the last decade, who are very capable of successfully competing for grants and contracts. The University's highly regarded collaborations with educational and governmental agencies and businesses provide mutually beneficial academic opportunities for faculty and students, as well as research and training for partner organizations. In a time of scarce state revenues, the campus must pursue available opportunities for external funding that are aligned with our mission and with faculty interests and expertise.

Goals

43. Successfully launch a major capital campaign, the first in the history of CSULB, incorporating the "Edge of Excellence" endowment campaign aimed at increasing funding in support of faculty scholarly and creative activities*.
44. Initiate a "technology transfer think tank" to identify strategic opportunities for technology transfer projects*.
45. Improve coordination of University communications and develop a plan to more effectively utilize special University assets including print, web-based, and broadcast resources, as well as campus venues.
46. Obtain external funding to support campus work with local high schools and community colleges to promote access and diversity.
47. Increase the numbers of faculty active in externally funded programs from approximately 10% to at least 20% of faculty.
48. Increase sponsored program dollar levels from approximately $40M annually to $60M annually, while focusing on an increase in our indirect rate.
49. Secure identification as a Hispanic Serving Institution in order to qualify for additional federal funding.
50. Expand the research and collection of all types of constituent information on our alumni to directly assist in building relationships and better identify major donor and Planned Giving prospects.

Key Achievements of Prior Goals

The goals below have now been achieved. In addition, goals that were established and achieved in earlier years are reported in prior Campus Goals documents available on the Strategic Planning web site.

1. Develop and use enrollment tools to manage to the assigned enrollment target.
2. In each University division, effectively adapt planning and budgetary processes to an era of limited growth.
3. Effectively use the Campus Goals Committee and the Resource Planning (RPP) Task Force to adjust to the immediate budget reductions and future era of limited growth.
4. Expand the level of giving opportunities offered to alumni and others through general and targeted publications, programs, on-line information, and direct contact.
5. Finalize a decision regarding how much the campus should grow over the coming two decades.
6. Use the summer schedule strategically to offer key general education and major bottleneck courses.
7. Upgrade the CMS Finance to version 8.4 by FY 2005/06.
8. Develop a more responsive and facilitative infrastructure to support faculty scholarship and ensure that each college and divisional unit is aware of opportunities for external funding through systematic information processes.
9. Plan and execute campus upgrades to CMS on an ongoing basis to successfully remain current with regular vendor software version releases as well as CMS baseline modifications.
10. Effectively utilize CMS and internet systems to provide accurate, timely web-based self-help services to students, faculty and staff.
11. Ensure that the CMS Student Administration System provides facilities and tools to improve institutional student satisfaction and to support the objective of the CSULB "Retention Plan".

The goals below are substantially underway but not yet fully achieved.

1. Increase the level of Estate Planning/Planned Giving activities in order to generate endowment-directed gifts.
2. Expand efforts to improve the programs and services with approaches appropriate to respective divisions (e.g., academic assessment, balanced scorecard, quality measures, tracking key indicators, and program review).
3. Balance admissions among freshmen, transfers, post-baccalaureate and graduate students and maintain campus diversity.
4. Adequately accommodate students' needs for classes with diminished resources.
5. Effectively utilize the new Student Administration system to achieve efficient course scheduling and student advisement.
6. Maintain a schedule of class offerings that enables orderly progress toward degrees for students.
7. Safeguard sensitive information with improvements in infrastructure and new policies.
8. Make all electronic publications of the University accessible to all through the use of templates.
9. Expand use of technology based instruction, including "hybrid," online and distance course offerings to make efficient use of facilities and best serve students.
10. Support faculty involvement in high quality instruction enhanced by technology.
11. Successfully complete the technology infrastructure project to enhance support for campus learning and teaching, administrative productivity, and quality student services.
12. Complete the endowment objective for the President's Scholars Program.
13. Broaden the base of alumni support to the Annual Fund.