Introduction Central State University is pleased serve as a pioneer institution in the Standard Pathway program process for maintaining accreditation. On March 7, 2017, the University will observe Charter Day, celebrating 130 years of academic excellence and embracing new opportunities for service as the nation’s newest 1890 Land-Grant Institution. As the University charts its future, it is grounded in its traditions and guided by the Tenets, Service...Protocol...Civility®. Service is our commitment to our institution and the greater community; Protocol is our adherence to the value of best practices for accomplishing our goals; and Civility is demonstrating an active respect for one another, our past, our present, and our future. Adherence to these tenets at every level of the University promotes graduates who are prepared with the skills, dispositions, and knowledge for careers in their chosen fields, graduate studies, and service globally. Dedicated faculty, concerned staff, and partnerships with institutions and the business community all focused on student success provide opportunity for students through scholarly research (i.e. prostate cancer, water conservation), international study-abroad programs, community service, and internships leading to careers. Thirty-five majors are offered across the University's four colleges: Education, Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, Business, and Science & Engineering. Additionally, as an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, the University promotes science, technology, engineering, mathematics and agriculture (STEM-Ag) education and serves counties across Ohio through education, extension, and support for local farmers and under-served communities. We are proud of our graduates who are educators, scientists, engineers, community leaders, CEOs, accomplished artists, and entertainers, and we work diligently to continue to be an aspirant institution for those seeking to obtain a quality education. As our vision states, Central State University aspires to be a premier institution of excellence in teaching and learning that embraces diversity and produces graduates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to make valuable contributions in a global society. The University’s future includes growth in undergraduate research opportunities; new undergraduate and graduate degree programs in STEM-Ag; global exchange opportunities for students and faculty with international partner institutions; an expanding footprint both physically and online; extension services and training to local farmers; and working with local business communities to offer professional development services to meet the needs of an ever-changing workforce. Central State University has always been identified as a “transformative” institution, changing the lives of students, families, and communities. We will continue to have a strong transformative impact as we seek ways to internally challenge ourselves to improve every aspect of teaching and learning for effective outcomes. We seek every opportunity to improve efficiency toward healthy sustain ability, and in the course of improvements, we will provide quality assurances to all our stakeholders. Central State University - OH - Assurance Argument - 2/5/2017 1 - Mission The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations. 1.A - Core Component 1.A The institution’s mission is broadly understood within the institution and guides its operations. 1. The mission statement is developed through a process suited to the nature and culture of the institution and is adopted by the governing board. 2. The institution’s academic programs, student support services, and enrollment profile are consistent with its stated mission. 3. The institution’s planning and budgeting priorities align with and support the mission. (This sub-component may be addressed by reference to the response to Criterion 5.C.1.) Argument When President Barack Obama signed the Agricultural Act of 2014 into law on February 7, 2014, CSU became the nation's most recently authorized 1890 land-grant institution. Following its land- grant authorization, CSU adopted a revised mission and new strategic plan. The revised mission and new strategic plan were developed through the University's shared governance processes and formally approved by the CSU Board of Trustees in November 2014, and by the HLC in December 2015. While extending CSU’s one-hundred and thirty year tradition of providing access and opportunity to students of wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences, the new mission includes a focus on preparing students for advanced studies and incorporates the University’s land-grant status: Central State University, an 1890 land-grant institution, prepares students with diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research, and service. The University fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a strong liberal arts foundation leading to professional careers and advanced studies. In conjunction with the new mission, CSU announced a vision affirming the University’s aspiration to excellence through continuous improvement and its commitment to preparing graduates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be successful in their personal, professional, and public lives: Central State University aspires to be a premier institution of excellence in teaching and learning that embraces diversity and produces graduates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to make valuable contributions in a global society. Development of the new mission and strategic plan was led by a 22-member Values Committee and involved many stakeholders including: the CSU Board of Trustees; the President and her cabinet; students, faculty, and staff; representatives of local governments, businesses, and schools; alumni; and others who attended Town Hall meetings. Two converging forces motivated CSU’s expanded vision and mission. The first of these is serving Page 2 Central State University - OH - Assurance Argument - 2/5/2017 the public good. As an 1890 Land-Grant institution, CSU is extending its role to offer additional academic programs, conduct research, and engage in agricultural extension activities. Through its land-grant initiatives, CSU will help address numerous conservation issues faced by small and minority farmers in the Midwest, provide new science-based knowledge to resolve many food and agricultural issues related to human health and well-being, and offer educational programs to improve the lives of Ohio's under-served, under-represented, and socially disadvantage groups and communities. Examples of initiatives undertaken so far include: New degrees: B.S. Sustainable Agriculture approved in 2015 and applications for approval of degrees in Exercise Science and Agricultural Education are submitted. "Farming Our Communities Using Sustainable Practices" (FOCUS): a conference focused on women, minority, and small farmers. Seed to Bloom: a recurring summer outreach program for sixth through eighth grade students that promotes awareness of and interest in agriculture. Land Grant Extension Stakeholders Event: In November 2016, CSU showcased its land grant-related research activities at the Ohio statehouse during an event that included representatives from the Ohio legislature, Ohio Farm Bureau, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Numerous other land grant related projects and activities are underway or in development focused on the goals of increasing the recruitment and retention of African Americans and minorities into agriculture- related STEM majors at CSU; developing a pipeline of graduates with the appropriate technical and professional skills to fulfill the employment requirements for USDA, NIFA, and agriculture-related businesses in the nation; enhancing STEM-AG career awareness and interest in 6-12 and college students providing agricultural extension in cooperation with The Ohio State University. The second motivation for the University's new mission and vision is equally important because the ultimate success of the institution depends on it; CSU must establish a business model that positions it for excellence in the 21st Century. For many years, CSU has persevered despite existing on a fiscal razor’s edge, struggling to increase enrollment and improve key academic indicators amidst difficult recruiting environments and declining funding. In recent years, the University has worked closely with the State of Ohio to develop and implement strategies to place the University on a more stable fiscal footing. The first major jointly developed initiative is described in the document “Achieving Optimal Growth and Academic Quality: The Strategic Academic and Enrollment Management Plan, 2006 – 2016.” This plan, known as “Speed to Scale,” focused on increasing the University’s enrollment as a primary strategy to ameliorate CSU's fiscal and academic challenges. However, the State and the University concluded that a more comprehensive approach was needed. The next major joint initiative, “Honoring Ohio’s Historically Black University: A Plan for Advancing Progress at Central State University”, known as “The Chancellor’s Plan,” was completed in 2011. Attaining land-grant status and implementing targeted enrollment strategies to increase the percentage of academically-prepared students are two key elements among the many recommendations from the Chancellor's Plan that are embodied in the current vision and mission and reflected in the six compelling