Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015
Dixie State University's strategic plan, Dixie 2020: Status to Stature, is formally in the implementation stage.
In a presentation Wednesday, Dixie State President Richard B. Williams shared the strategic goals, desired outcomes, and detailed strategies that Dixie State University students, faculty and staff as well as members of the St. George community formulated. To prepare the strategic ready for implementation, the entire Dixie State University community underwent a nearly yearlong process of collecting ideas, setting goals and formulating the plan's strategies.
"I am so proud of the plan we produced — not only does it lay out a bright future for Dixie State University, but it also is a great example of what can be achieved when the entire community works together," Williams said. "Dixie 2020 is not my strategic plan; it is the entire community's vision for the future of our university."
The presentation also included a couple exciting announcements regarding the future of the institution. Williams announced that Dixie State is partnering with the University of Utah and Dixie Regional Medical Center to offer a Physician Assistant Program on the DSU campus. Set to welcome the first cohort of students in May 2018, the master's program will be managed by the U for the first 10 years and then turned over to Dixie to operate going forward.
Williams also announced the formulation of the Craig and Maureen Booth Honors Program, which will provide an intensive and rigorous curriculum to exceptional students. The program will deliver in-class and extracurricular academic experiences that provide a distinctive learning environment for selected students. Successful participants will receive honors designations with their bachelor's degrees.
As Williams described the plans for the future of Dixie State University, he outlined the six goals of Dixie 2020, which target specific areas of growth the institution will work on for the next five years.
The first goal is to promote student success and increase retention and completion rates at all degree levels. To reach this goal, Dixie will develop academically focused recruitment approaches, increase faculty members' roles in student retention, and create processes that provide students with access to more educational opportunities.
The second goal is to broaden and enhance academic programs to facilitate growth. This will be accomplished by developing new areas of study, creating the School of Interdisciplinary Innovation to promote excellence, and improving the quality and method of course delivery.
The third goal is to invest in faculty and staff recruitment, retention, and development. The university will accomplish this in part by maximizing professional development opportunities.
The fourth goal is to promote the success of underrepresented faculty, staff, and students by enhancing support for inclusion and equity. The university will provide accessible and equitable educational opportunities and resources to underrepresented students and provide yearly workshops and training opportunities to faculty, staff, and administration.
The fifth goal is to engage with the southern Utah region to strengthen civic, cultural, and economic life. Dixie State will create an entity that will oversee all of the university's community service efforts, take stock of our efforts, identify ways to better serve the community, and host an annual community service fair.
The sixth and final goal is to establish a strong brand and identity for the university. This will be accomplished by highlighting the unique aspects of the university's academic programs and location, strengthening the athletics program and forging more alliances with businesses, alumni, and community members.
For more information about Dixie State University's strategic plan, Dixie 2020: Status to Stature, and to read the document in its entirety, visit www.utahtech.edu/strategicplanning.
