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The College of Arts & Sciences

Mission

The College of Arts and Sciences is the intellectual core of New Mexico State University, providing cutting-edge academic programs supported by active research and creative activities. The College provides the foundational education for every NMSU student and a wide array of degrees preparing students to be life-long learners, knowledgeable and responsible citizens of our world.

Vision

By 2025, the College of Arts and Sciences will excel in promoting academic success and social mobility for a diverse student population, sustain the university-wide vision of achieving the highest Carnegie research status (R1) through exceptional research programs and creative activities, and contribute to the social and economic development of communities locally, state-wide, and nation-wide.

Values

Central to the College of Arts and Sciences land-grant mission our core values are:

  • Rigor & Excellence: We believe the best education is rigorous, challenging, and demands perseverance. We believe that the best creative and scholarly work demands the same efforts. Those who excel in these endeavors should be recognized, cultivated, rewarded, and celebrated.
  • Exploring and Discovery: We value and strive for excellence in research, scholarship and creative activities, positioning the College to be a leader in discovery and innovation, meeting the challenges of modern society and improving lives.
  • Accessibility: We value being accessible to the diverse people of New Mexico and beyond. We value education and research that is inclusive, available, and affordable. We recognize diversity as a strength and an opportunity for excellence and success. We are the gateway to learning for all students, which provide us both an opportunity and responsibility to impact their learning experience in a positive way, developing a sense of inclusion, belonging and respect. We value serving the citizens of New Mexico, achieving a sustainable existence in the environment we occupy and integrating ourselves into the community and region of the border Southwest.
  • Learning and Knowledge: We value learning and knowledge for their own sake, and creating broadly educated members of society who can think critically and improve their communities. We strive to model a love of learning and to instill a desire for a lifetime of learning. We value providing advanced education and scholarship through strong graduate and undergraduate program.

Arts & Sciences Plan

Tactics 2021-2022

     

Goal 1: Enhance Student Success and Social Mobility

Goal 1 objectives and leads
Lead
Fall 21
Spring 22
Fall 22
Objective 1: Increase, Diversify and Optimize Undergraduate Enrollment
Coordinate Departmental High School Recruitment Alexis
Align recruitment activities of College with Central Recruitment, attend recruitment meetings Alexis
Explore departmental involvement with AWO Alexis
Develop recruitment fliers (physical, digital, landing pages) for departments Amanda
Create Dean's Ambassadors, identify candidates, introduce 1-credit course, provide financial support Amanda
Identify and support degree programs to be offered through NMSU-O Joe and Enrico
Revise BIS to serve as NMSU-O Enrico + Fellow
Revise BAS to serve as NMSU-O Enrico + Fellow
Coordinate with NMSU-O on the online offerings of Gen Ed Courses Joe
Develop proposals for Differential Tuitions Enrico + Jim
Pilot centralized Gen Ed scheduling Joe
Objective 2: Increase, Diversity and Optimize Graduate Enrollment
Develop regional recruitment network for graduate programs Alexis
Expand use of MAP in the College, identify courses, develop training, create central repository, create student presentations Joe
Identify and support degree programs to be offered through NMSU-O Joe + Enrico
Shepherd proposal for PhD in Border Studies Joe + Enrico
Lead cross-campus discussion on financial support fro graduate recruitment Jim
Improve international graduate students recruitment Enrico + Alexis
Objective 3: Increase student learning, retention, degree attainment
Enhance relationship with career services for student placement Depts
Expand Pete Pathfinder mentoring program Amanda
Make roadmaps more accessible to students and advance notice of courses available Joe
Participate and expand role of A&S in Aggie Accelerate Amanda + Enrico
Explore relaunching Aggie JumpStart Enrico
Identify "what can we do better" from students Amanda
Develop A&S workshops for at-risk students Amanda + Alexis
Explore a community-based Aid Program Enrico + Deans Council
Objective 4: Develop a sense of belonging to the College
Create student/alumni networking events Amanda + Sheri
Create A&S Day and Starry Night Amanda + Sheri + Enrico
Reconnect with Giles and expand marketing Sheri + Enrico
Objective 5: Strengthen career pathways, experiential learning and research engagement
Support Discovery Scholars Jim + Enrico
Create A&S National Advisory Board Enrico + Sheri
Create alumni mentoring program Jim + Enrico + Sheri

Goal 2: Elevate Research and Creative Activities

Goal 2 objectives and leads
Lead
Fall 21
Spring 22
Fall 22
Objective 1: Contribute to Research and Creative Activities
Develop an internal proposal red-team review Jim
Develop a reward program for highly competitive awards Jim
Explore/investigate pilot program for seed funding for proposal teams Jim
Objective 2: Promote integration of research/creative activities and education
Coordinate design of PhD in Border Studies Joe + Enrico
Objective 3: Grow humanities, social sciences and creative arts
Identify programs that intersect STEM and non-STEM areas and support groups Jim
Expand participation in funding opportunities from Foundations Jim
Objective 4: Amplify impact of research on society and economy
Explore development of entrepreneurship workshops Enrico

Goal 3: Amplify Extension and Outreach

Goal 3 objectives and leads
Lead
Fall 21
Spring 22
Fall 22
Objective 1: Be a leader in innovation, economic and community development
Assemble task force and develop roadmap for entrepreneurship Enrico
Objective 2: PK-20 outreach, professional development, continuing education
Support development of micro-credentials Enrico
Participate in K-12 activities/organizations (e.g., MESA) Enrico
Objective 3: Improve PK-20 STEM education
Catalog departmental initiative and promote leveraging and collaborations Depts + Enrico
Coordinate conversations about transfer programs with community colleges Enrico
Objective 4: Strengthen and elevate public-private engagement
Explore creation of a National Advisory Board Enrico + Sheri

Goal 4: Build a Robust College of Arts and Sciences

Goal 4 objectives and leads
Lead
Fall 21
Spring 22
Fall 22
Objective 1: Value and support inclusion and diversity
Appoint a Faculty Fellow for DEI Enrico
Create a standing DEI committee for the college Enrico + Fellow
Expand DEI workshops and seminars Explore departmental involvement with AWO Amanda + Fellow
Organize at least one training event for faculty and graduate students on DEI Enrico + Fellow
Enhance recruitment procedures of the College Enrico + Fellow
Develop recognition program for activities in DEI Jim + Enrico
Objective 2: Cultivate and reward faculty and staff excellence
Develop training programs for DHs Sheri + Enrico
Develop training programs for P&T committees Enrico + Sheri
Grow junior faculty professional development opportunities Enrico + Jim + Joe
Objective 3: Establish operational excellence through metric-driven and service-oriented approaches
Implement regular departmental summaries based on Gray, AA and other data sources Enrico + Jim + Joe
Complete work with college taskforce on college metrics and scorecards Sheri
Continue reorganization of Dean's Office Enrico/Jim/Joe/Sheri
Complete Phase I of College Business Center Lucille
Establish and sustain community of Administrative Assistants Lucille + Sheri
Objective 4: College-wide strategic priorities for fundraising
Ensure scholarships are awarded and spent in a timely manner Joe + Jessica
Work with the Foundation to redesign fundraising goals Enrico + Jim + Patrick
Establish departmental priorities, roles, and expectations for fundraising Enrico + DHs