Overview

On November 6, 1998, the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees adopted a new mission statement for Eastern Connecticut State University that defines the institution as the state's public liberal arts university.

The mission statement represents the culmination of the University's efforts over the past decade to distinguish itself among the four universities in the Connecticut State University System and to become a more focused and effective institution. Eastern is going through the process of laying a strong foundation to become a primarily residential liberal arts institution that prepares students for graduate study and professional careers.

An ambitious program of capital projects that added a new classroom building, an impressive library, three residence halls, an admissions building, a widely admired baseball stadium, new intramural and women's field hockey facilities, and numerous physical campus improvements underscored the new emphasis on Eastern's identity as a residential, undergraduate institution.

Eastern is also on the leading industry edge with respect to computer technology and library electronic infrastructure. During the past decade, Eastern has obtained these facilities and other resources to improve the teaching, learning, research, and public service activities of the University and to increase student enrollment. Between 1990 and 1999, full-time undergraduate enrollment increased by 25.7 percent, and total enrollment increased by 11.4 percent.

New academic programs, modifications in existing programs, and a focus on those undergraduate programs where the University has particular strengths, have solidified the University's emphasis on undergraduate liberal arts education. New undergraduate and graduate programs were introduced in response to students' interests and the needs of society. The faculty and administration share a commitment to emphasize and develop programs only when they support the University mission. Additions to extracurricular activities, including sports teams, and an emphasis on providing activities that enhance the campus climate for our diverse student population, have advanced Eastern's goal to be a place where students live and learn.

Eastern's new mission poses challenges, some of which have been more clearly defined by the process of preparing the Self-Study. While the mission is generally accepted across campus, there is still some ambiguity about what it means to be a liberal arts institution, specifically as it relates to the public status of the University, its history, and its programs. While the new mission and factors external to the University may call for the development of new programs, especially interdisciplinary programs, the development of such programs would require greater collaboration across programs and disciplines, and greater responsiveness to the needs of students. The development of such program would also require a willingness and commitment to reduce organizational and structural impediments to the continued transformation of the University.

The matters of selectivity in admissions, academic rigor, and the recruitment and retention of talented faculty who are committed to the institutional mission are equally important. There is also the issue of how Eastern can equip its students with the advanced skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing, technological world under the philosophical umbrella of liberal arts education.

Issues faced by other universities are also challenging Eastern. The current shortage of qualified applications in some disciplines presents a challenge in the area of recruitment and retention of tenure-track faculty. Diligent efforts must be made to recruit talented faculty across the University, with extra attention being given to areas of acute shortage of applicants. However, issues of compensation and workloads that also impact on recruitment and retention of faculty fall in the realm of the collective bargaining process.

An additional challenge is posed by the need to provide appropriate courses and experiences for incoming students. Comprehensive testing and appropriate placement in courses is key to meeting students' needs and helping students succeed. In recent years, Eastern increased the number of developmental courses in response to students' needs. The University is committed to decreasing the need for these courses by recruiting better-prepared students, and by finding ways to fit necessary courses into offerings of academic departments. For instance, the mathematics and writing developmental curriculum is being radically transformed. New rigorous courses are being introduced to better prepare students.

Eastern today is in many ways a different institution from what it was a decade ago. More than half of the instructional faculty members were hired in the past decade. Faculty and staff with strong credentials and from a variety of backgrounds have enriched the institution greatly. Eastern enjoys the status of being the most diversified public university in the state in terms of its students and employees.

In the NEASC report from the 1990 reaccreditation visit, four issues were identified as matters of concern: (1) mission and planning, (2) communication and governance, (3) student retention, and (4) financial constraints/restructuring. Following a focused visit in 1993, a NEASC evaluation team found that significant progress had been made in addressing all four issues, although a few items were still marked for attention. These include the need to develop more comprehensive data and planning documents for Student Affairs, and the need for additional opportunities for student input to Student Life, for additional communication from the administration regarding decision making, and for improvement in advising and extracurricular programs and activities.

Since 1993, significant progress has been made in mission and planning. The Office of Institutional Research gathers and analyzes data and prepares and distributes reports. Communication has improved. The University Senate is a forum of communication and a catalyst for activity with full participation by constituencies across campus. At times, the faculty union has exercised its right to challenge University policies, such as those related to the hiring process, but has always done so within its contractual authority, and with the due respect and support of the administration.

Student retention has not changed significantly. First-to-second-year retention averaged 72 percent from Fall 1985 through Fall 1990, and remains at that level. These figures, which may be comparable to similar institutions, still warrant attention as we move in the direction of implementing the new mission. Specific new measures have been taken to improve retention and graduation rates. Facilities, amenities and extracurricular opportunities have been greatly enhanced and a multi dimensional first-year program has been developed and piloted but is pending final approval and full implementation. Revisions to advisement procedures are ongoing, and the Office of Student Affairs continues to evaluate its operations.

The areas for opportunity identified in 1990 have comprehensively been addressed. Communication, student retention, advising, and student services, while improved, will remain areas in which we continually emphasize quality and enhancement. As new challenges outlined in the Self-Study come into greater focus, we are poised to take appropriate action to maintain our organizational vitality and propel the University into the next phase of its development. With experienced and long-serving faculty members and administrators, outstanding physical facilities, and stable governance, Eastern Connecticut State University is well equipped to seek solutions to the new challenges posed by our refined mission and by external pressures, and to implement solutions.