Ozark Campus Announces Continued Progress on Strategic Planning Goals

The Ozark Campus faculty and staff continue to work together to assess and implement the strategic planning goals set forth by the campus in Fall 2008.

The faculty and staff developed the following goals:

1. Deliver high quality educational programs with appropriate facilities and equipment
2. Develop and implement an enrollment management plan (recruitment, retention, graduation, placement and alumni relations)
3. Enhance external relations including development of private funding
4. Improve internal and external communication

Progress on these goals was highlighted recently in a campus-wide communication and includes these updates:

1. The planned and managed growth of academic and technical programs, including the successful addition and accreditation of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program and the Viticulture and Enology program.
2. The addition of an Office of Public Safety to ensure campus security.
3. The completion of the Student Services and Conference Center and the planned renovation of the Alvin Vest Student Union, both projects which enhance student life and retention on the Ozark Campus.
4. The development of a comprehensive marketing plan that emphasizes the benefits of technical education and reinforces our mission in the communities we serve.
5. A revitalized Business and Industry program that provides area businesses with employee training and retention opportunities.
6. A continued focus on community engagement and involvement, which is highlighted in the Ozark Campus’s recent selection as the recipient of a “Sustainable Communities’ Grant” from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
7. The strong ties established within the region to participate directly in economic development and employability efforts.

Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, Chancellor, states “Our collaborative planning process ensures benefits for our students and the communities we serve.  We focus on our mission, but these Strategic Planning goals provide us with direction.  We are, first and foremost, a learning institution, and strategic planning helps us learn from our stakeholders, and, in doing so, make the very best use of our resources.  The purpose of the process is to ensure an excellent return for the students and communities we serve, and this return should translate into employability in our service area.”