In my last column, I attempted to highlight the top 10 \u2013 OK, 11 \u2013 FHSU accomplishments in 2019. I am so happy with our progress. As I turn my attention to a new year, I am brimming with optimism and excitement for what our university is destined to achieve in 2020. As the young novelist Josiyah Martin says, \u201cThe magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.\u201d To me, the \u201cmagic\u201d of this new beginning is found in a wonderful mixture of talented people, plans, resilience and opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am particularly excited by the progress on the implementation of our strategic plan. I like to think of the strategic plan as the \u201cmagnetic north\u201d where magic happens. A dedicated community embarks on a journey of discovery and creates initiatives aimed at achieving our mission: \u201cProvide accessible quality education to Kansas, the nation and the world through an innovative community of teacher-scholars and professionals to develop engaged global citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our strategic plan is designed around\nfive goals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Goal 1: <\/strong>Academic Excellence \u2013\nfoster evidence-based best practices in teaching and learning supported by\nscholarly<\/strong> activities and\nprofessional development. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goal 2: <\/strong>Student Success \u00ad\u2013 create opportunities for all students and empower them to identify, evaluate and achieve their goals while becoming engaged global citizens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goal 3: <\/strong>Strategic Growth \u2013 design and implement a plan\nfor sustainable university growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goal 4: <\/strong>Resources and\nInfrastructure \u2013 maintain and improve infrastructure and resources to keep\npace with growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goal 5: <\/strong>Community and Global\nEngagement \u2013 cultivate impactful partnerships, internally, locally, nationally and\nglobally.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the dedication of the more than 100 faculty and staff driving the\nwork of the strategic plan, we enter 2020 with strong progress on each of these\ngoals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The year 2020 also raises the question\n\u2013 will we achieve a 20th consecutive fall enrollment record? Of course, each\nyear that goal becomes even more challenging as the higher education landscape\nbecomes both more competitive and complex. Despite the trends of enrollment\ndeclines in higher education, I have great faith in our community and a deep\nbelief that the unmatched affordability and\naccessibility and the quality of the educational experience we offer\nwill propel us to new records. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Fort Hays State University, we don\u2019t\nrest on our laurels. With our new strategic\nplan, we are taking a more data-driven and strategic approach to enrollment\nmanagement from first contact through graduation. Our goal is to grow our online and on-campus\nstudent populations by leveraging our current strengths, regional workforce needs\nand emerging career opportunities.\n<\/strong>During the past four months, we undertook three major initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, we identified academic programs to expand and new programs to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, we introduced a\nrevised and more inclusive scholarship program that is based on an easy-to-understand matrix of GPA and SAT\/ACT\nscores. Our improved scholarship program also puts a greater emphasis on promoting\nstudent success by making more of our scholarships renewable\neach year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, third,\nfocusing on our goal to be a valued resource for students considering college,\nwe developed systems that will deliver more timely\nand personalized communications with prospective students at each stage\nof their college decision process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The New Year\nalso signals the kick-off of our annual Scholarship Recognition Program,\ndesigned to recognize high\nschool and transfer students who have been awarded FHSU scholarships for the\nnext academic year. I am eager to join our faculty and staff on our 2020 marathon\nacross three-states and in 12 cities as we meet and celebrate our newest Tigers. This year\nwe have more scholarships to present thanks to the generosity of our donors who\nbelieve so deeply in an FHSU education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I love this quote from Nido Qubein,\npresident of High Point University, North Carolina, and a successful\nbusinessman and motivational speaker: \u201cYour present circumstances don\u2019t determine where you can go. They merely\ndetermine where you start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am\ninspired by our strong starting position in this new year. I am renewed, as always, by the energy and\naspirations of the people of Fort Hays State \u2013 its students, faculty and staff \u2013 and by the wonderful support we\nreceive from our alumni and friends, from our home community of Hays, and from\nthe citizens of Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Welcome, 2020. We embrace you with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tisa Mason is president of Fort Hays State University.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In my last column, I attempted to highlight the top 10 \u2013 OK, 11 \u2013 FHSU accomplishments in 2019. 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