Metropolitan State University 2010 Systems Portfolio Systems Portfolio 2010 Overview Metropolitan State University is a comprehensive, urban, public, non-profit state university with a mission to serve the diverse and growing population of the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities) metropolitan area. Metropolitan State was established in 1971 to serve what were then nontraditional students-adults whose educational needs were not being met by other higher education institutions in the metropolitan area. This mission meant that the university's student population would be dominated by working adults whose formal education had been interrupted by job and/or family responsibilities. To meet the needs of this special clientele, Metropolitan State developed innovative and individualized approaches to educational programming that have earned it a national reputation for quality and accessibility. During the nearly 40 years since its founding, the university has grown significantly. It has a much larger student clientele and a corresponding expansion of its educational mission and program offerings. In recent years, Metropolitan State has been called upon by state and local leaders to increase its services and programming even further to meet the dramatically increasing needs for accessible higher education in the Twin Cities. In response, Metropolitan State instituted a plan of rapid development, consisting of the introduction of a number of new baccalaureate, master's, and applied doctoral degree programs; the creation of new and enhanced community and student services; and the addition of enhanced university classrooms, administrative facilities and technological resources. Metropolitan State is the urban university of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system, which consists of seven state universities and 25 two-year community and technical colleges on a total of 53 campuses. By founding statute, Metropolitan State's "campus" is the seven-county metropolitan area. Its service region extends to the 13-county Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), one of the fastest growing MSAs in the nation. The university's mission, which was reaffirmed by the university community in spring 2006, focuses on the varied needs of the diverse metropolitan area population. This population includes both adult and younger students, working and mid-career adults, students of color, recent immigrants, international students, and increasing numbers of financially disadvantaged students. Throughout this period of change and growth, Metropolitan State has sustained its focus on accessibility to underserved populations while reaching a significantly enlarged and more diverse student body and taking strong initiatives to enhance its well-established community partnership role. Metropolitan State's strategic vision is to grow significantly by 2020, with special focuses on baccalaureate degree completion, graduate education, and online students. In 2009-2010, Metropolitan State enrolled more than 10,000 students. Those students ranged in age from 16 to 70, with an average age of 31. Approximately 59 percent of the students were women. Twenty-nine percent of all students were people of color, and enrollment of people of color is continuing to grow. Approximately 91 percent of students were undergraduates. Part-timers constituted 64 percent of students. The university has more than 28,000 alumni. Some 79 percent reside in Minnesota, and 71 percent reside in the metropolitan area. Metropolitan State's academic programming is organized into six units: the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the College of Management, and the First College, which houses individualized interdisciplinary degree programs. Other programs and services include applied research and collaborative education efforts with neighborhoods and community organizations; Advance IT Minnesota, a center of excellence dedicated to engaging employers, educators, and learners to develop a more robust IT Workforce in Minnesota; and professional development assistance to business, government, and the nonprofit sector. All of these components reflect the university's response to a significantly enlarged and more diverse student clientele, as well as its commitment to civic engagement as a fully integrated component of the university's expanded mission. Metropolitan State has four major campuses: the St. Paul main campus, the Minneapolis campus (co-located with Minneapolis Community and Technical College), the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Education Center (co-located with Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park), and the Midway campus, which is our largest classroom location. We offer courses in 11 other locations, many of which are on the metropolitan area campuses of MnSCU's two-year colleges. In addition, one in every three fall 2010 students is enrolled in at least one completely online course. Metropolitan State University's total 2010-2011 budget is slightly more than $80 million, with an operating budget of nearly $57 million. The Metropolitan State University Foundation Board of Trustees, which has 16 members, spearheads fundraising efforts and advocates for the university with the Minnesota State Legislature, the MnSCU system, and the community at large. In addition, more than 350 alumni and other friends of the university provide volunteer support annually. Vision Statement "Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State College and University System, will be the premier urban, public, comprehensive System university in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and will provide high-quality, affordable educational programs and services in a student-centered environment. The faculty, staff, and students of Metropolitan State will reflect the area's rich diversity, build an anti-racist learning community, and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to civic engagement." Mission Statement "Metropolitan State University is a comprehensive urban university committed to meeting the higher education needs of the Twin Cities and greater metropolitan population. The university will provide accessible, high-quality liberal arts, professional, and graduate education to the citizens and communities of the metropolitan area, with continued emphasis on underserved groups, including adults and communities of color. Within the context of lifelong learning, the university will build on its national reputation for innovative student-centered programs that enable students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational goals. The university is committed to academic excellence and community partnerships through curriculum, teaching, scholarship and services designed to support an urban mission." Item 1 What are your goals for student learning and shaping an academic climate? What are your key credit and non-credit instructional programs, and educational systems, services, and technologies that directly support them? The common student learning outcomes, known on campus as the General Education and Liberal Studies (GELS) outcomes, were updated in March 2009 to conform to the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, which establishes 10 general education goal areas for all Minnesota public colleges and universities. The outcomes are: Communication: the ability to use the English language effectively; the ability to read, write, speak and listen critically; and the ability to communicate effectively through visual means. 3 Metropolitan State University, October 2010 Critical Thinking: the ability to unify factual, creative, rational, and value-sensitive modes of thought. Natural Sciences: an understanding of natural science principles and of the methods of scientific inquiry, i.e., the ways in which scientists investigate natural science phenomena. Mathematics/Logical Reasoning: knowledge of and ability to apply mathematical and logical modes of thinking. History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences: knowledge of how historians and social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. The Humanities and Fine Arts: knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behavior, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought. Human Diversity: an understanding of individual and group differences (e.g., race, gender, class) and knowledge of the traditions and values of various groups in the United States. Global Perspective: an understanding of the growing interdependence of nations and peoples and the ability to apply a comparative perspective to cross-cultural social, economic, and political experiences. Ethical and Civic Responsibility: the capacity to identify, discuss, and reflect upon the ethical dimensions of political, social, and personal life and to understand the ways to exercise responsible and productive citizenship. People and the Environment: an understanding of complex environmental challenges and the interrelatedness of human society and the natural environment. The values that shape the academic environment are quoted from the Values Task Force in Table O1-1 below. Table O1-1 Core Values Core Value Dimensions of the Core Value High quality educational experiences, pedagogical and technological innovation, scholarly work linking theory Excellence and practice, intellectual