Academic Affairs Office Goals

Academic Affairs Offices Goals

• Academic Opportunity Program / Higher Education Opportunity
  • Enrollment. Enroll appropriate number of students into AOP/HEOP each year who are consistent with the profile established by the New York State Education Department for HEOP—academically and economically disadvantaged.
  • Graduation and retention rates. Graduate and retain AOP/HEOP students at rates equal to or exceeding the rates for general admission students.
  • Support services. Provide a variety of support services to AOP/HEOP students based on evolving student needs. This includes a pre-first-year Summer Program, tutoring, peer mentoring, education on finance management, and being assigned an AOP advisor.
• Advising

  The primary mission of the advising program is to help students explore the Union College curriculum in a way that allows them to find their passions and pursue them while maximizing their academic experience and to give faculty/staff advisers the tools to encourage their students to reach these goals.

  To achieve this mission, the following goals will be met:

  1. To provide accurate, timely information to students and their faculty/staff advisers with regards to course offerings, graduation requirements, and academic policies
  2. To help students with transferring credits from AP courses, courses taken at partner institutions, and courses taken at other institutions
  3. To liaison with (as an ex-officio member of) the Common Curriculum Board to stay up to date with changes to the graduation requirements.
  4. To help departments and programs articulate their major or minor requirements in a manner that gives students a clear understanding of the requirements and the most effective way to complete those requirements.
  5. To work with the Dean of Studies to improve 4 year graduation rates and retention rates by making sure that students have the information and guidance needed to help them get the most of their Union education in a timely manner.
• Assessment
  1. To provide and maintain a formal assessment plan for the college, including a statement of the college’s objectives at various levels and a system of regularly reporting the extent to which they are being achieved.
  2. To provide a system by which units of the college will regularly assess their own performance, and assist unit directors in reporting as needed.
  3. To integrate assessment with planning, both at the level of the strategic plan and the level of departments, programs, and offices of the college.
  4. To maintain expertise in methods of assessment and provide that expertise to other units of the college requesting it.
• College Grants & Sponsored Programs
  1. Bolster resources for academic department-level curricular and co-curricular innovation, faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity
  2. Facilitate short- and long-range resource planning to prioritize, develop, pilot, implement, and sustain presidential projects, academic initiatives, and college-wide programs.
  3. Ensure prudent stewardship of grant funds and compliance with federal grant regulations, sponsor terms, conditions, and reporting requirements, institutional policies, and professional practices.
• Faculty Development
  1. In conjunction with the LDDI Director and the Maker Space Director: support and promote College efforts to increase effective teaching and innovative instructional design, and help faculty adjust to changing teaching environments.
  2. In conjunction with the Grants Office and the DADP: support and promote faculty scholarly activities, including writing, conducting research, presenting at conferences, publications, and grant writing.
  3. Support the development of early career faculty (ECF) through orientation programs, workshops, and mentoring opportunities.
  4. Support the development of mid-career faculty through workshops and mentoring opportunities.
• General Education

  Through the Common Curriculum, students will develop the breadth of knowledge and flexibility of mind needed to participate in meaningful academic, community, and global conversations informed by the Liberal Arts. They will do so by achieving these learning outcomes:

  1. Communicate Critical and Analytical Thinking. Students will examine and evaluate evidence, data, artifacts, arguments, and theories according to the diverse analytical traditions of the Liberal Arts; students will communicate clearly and persuasively the results of such analysis.
  2. Make Original Connections or Contributions. Students will make original connections or contributions to academic, community, or global questions through their writings, theories, designs, objects of art, or other innovative projects.
  3. Reflective Learning. Students will demonstrate the ability to link their experiences in the Common Curriculum with their intellectual development as lifelong learners.
• Health Professions

  Goal #1 To support students interested in a health profession and provide them with information and advice on how they can best meet their professional school goals
  Students will be able to access information and advising services on various program requirements, application procedures, and ways to tailor their academic and extracurricular plans in light of their interests.

  Goal #2 To engage students interested in a health profession in opportunities for personal and professional development
  Students will be able to engage in opportunities for career exploration, standardized test preparation, interview skills development, community based learning and clinical outreach.

  Goal #3 To support students with the professional school application process by offering a credential file service, providing feedback on strengths and weaknesses prior to professional school application, and preparing/submitting support letters on applicants’ behalf.
  Students will be able to prepare an electronic credential file that captures their strengths and documents their accomplishments, and they will be able to have a committee packet prepared and sent on their behalf in support of their professional school applications.

• Interdisciplinary Studies (IS)
  1. Develop connections with individual program directors and admissions at Union College to attract students to IS programs by spotlighting the novelty and utility of IS majors/minors
  2. Develop administrative structures that reflect equity among departmental and IS majors/minors and facilitate intentional pathways within the Common Curriculum that emphasize IS majors/minors.
  3. Develop progressive budgetary policies that facilitate IS programs’ ability to obtain budgets that support both the recurring needs and important but less frequent needs of IS programs.
  4. Build a hiring culture and develop hiring practices that provide institutional emphasis on IS program connections that support the evolution of institutional hiring within departments and programs.
• International Programs

  Goals for global education

  To achieve a sense of global connectedness in our scholarly community, we will work toward the following goals for providing opportunities:

  1. Increase the range of opportunities for students studying abroad.
  2. Provide a meaningful and rigorous academic experience abroad.
  3. Foster a greater understanding and appreciation of other cultures and promote awareness of cultural diversity and sensitivity to cultural differences among the Union community.

  International Programs Student Learning Outcomes

  Students who participate in an international program will significantly increase their:

  1. Understanding of the host culture, of cultural differences in general, and of the world as a linked global enterprise.
  2. Language proficiency (where applicable).
  3. Ability to apply analytical skills to conducting research projects (where applicable).
• Institutional Research Goals
  1. Coordinate data collection and methods to provide timely and accurate external reporting for the purposes of accreditation, college guides, and state and federal compliance
  2. Influence internal decision-making, planning, and effectiveness with data driven analysis with interactive and customizable reports and dashboards
  3. Reform and/or establish institutional methods for data storage, retrieval, and self-service
• Leadership in Medicine

  Goal 1: Union College LIM students will matriculate into Albany Medical College (AMC). Target: a minimum 80% of each entering LIM class will matriculate to AMC at graduation from Union.

  Goal 2: LIM students will achieve academic success at AMC. Target: No more than 10% of students in either their first or the second years at AMC will be flagged with a “Promotion Committee Action”.

  Goal 3: LIM students will meet AMC’s non-academic expectations in terms of experiential activities and personal qualities. Target: 100% of students will meet the target by December of the senior year at Union.

• Learning Design & Digital Innovation (LDDI)
  1. Goal 1: Strengthen Faculty Development for Effective, Student-Centered Teaching: Collaborate with faculty development leaders to design and implement strategic, evidence-based professional development opportunities that empower faculty to adapt to evolving pedagogical practices.
     1. Objective 1: Increase faculty engagement in structured programs that emphasize student-centered, research-informed teaching approaches.
     2. Objective 2: Support faculty in applying sound pedagogical strategies to create meaningful learning experiences that promote deep understanding and enable all students to independently transfer and apply knowledge in novel contexts.
  2. Goal 2: Ensure an Effective Learning Technology Infrastructure That is Stable, Accessible, and Supports Innovation: Work in partnership with key campus stakeholders and academic support units to maintain and expand a reliable, accessible, and inclusive learning technology ecosystem.
     1. Objective 1: Ensure faculty and students have access to secure, well-maintained technology that supports learning.
     2. Objective 2: Resolve learning technology issues efficiently, minimizing disruptions to teaching and learning.
     3. Objective 3: Align technology resources and policies with institutional accessibility and inclusion priorities.
     4. Objective 4: Regularly assess and integrate new and emerging technologies where appropriate.
  3. Goal 3: Empower Faculty to Effectively Use Learning Technologies: Provide faculty with training and support to integrate learning technologies effectively into teaching, assessment, and student engagement.
     1. Objective 1: Increase faculty participation in structured training and support opportunities on effective technology use.
     2. Objective 2: Support faculty in successfully integrating appropriate learning technologies into their courses and assessments.
• Library
  1. Collections Goal: We build collections that reveal the story of the College’s past, remove limits on current research endeavors and create the foundation upon which its future will be built.
  2. Facilities Goal: We design and create a welcoming space that stimulates creativity, encourages critical inquiry and fosters thoughtful reflection and research.
  3. Processes Goal: We develop and improve library processes and roles and responsibilities make visible what we do, encourage collaboration, highlight what we are doing well and help us focus on where we need to improve and build effective working relationships among library staff and the campus community.
  4. Services Goal: We cultivate an environment that places every user’s experience at the center of our work.
  5. Work Environment Goal: We build an inclusive community of diverse, knowledgeable and engaged staff who work together to enrich the user experience and to act as agents of change in a dynamic cultural landscape.
• Maker Web
  • Goal 1: Culture and Integration: Promote the maker culture at Union College by engaging faculty and students and assisting with the integration of making and Maker Web tools and resources into courses and research.
  • Goal 2: Labs and Facilities: Manage, maintain and improve distributed campus Maker Web Labs including maintaining and enhancing user support for students, faculty and staff along with hiring, training and supervising an interdisciplinary group of students who oversee daily operations of the different Labs.
  • Goal 3: Community Engagement: Establish community connections and partnerships and develop STEM/STEAM programming that leverages the knowledge, tools and resources in the Maker Web.
• Fellowships and Doctoral Pathways
  1. Cultivate the office’s reputation as a welcoming and supportive space which provides valuable, high-quality advising that inspires students of all backgrounds and identities to explore, connect, and path-find while nurturing the essential skills of self-reflection, planning, and communication.
  2. Maintain a steady pool of applicants for well-regarded but attainable core awards that appeal to broad groups of students while also building awareness of niche awards and doctoral programs that will only interest, support, or be feasible for very specific students.
  3. Develop applicants’ abilities to craft strong applications and perform well in interviews. Specifically, applicants should be able to understand eligibility criteria, write relevant personal statements in their own voice, develop and present cogent proposals, select strong supporting documentation, present their ideas in a convincing manner, and understand the relevance of the award or doctoral program to their future goals.
  4. Introduce students, especially those unfamiliar with postgraduate education options, to doctoral programs as a potentially valuable component of many career pathways, and for students who decide to pursue doctorates, ensure they learn how to prepare for the challenges of doctoral programs and help them navigate the application process.
• Registrar
  1. Maintain accurate and up-to-date academic records and provide transcripts, when requested, to current and former students in a timely fashion.
  2. Produce a conflict free final exam schedule with the fewest number of exams in one day for each student, while making special accommodations for faculty at their request.
  3. Respond to requests for ad hoc reports on student or course information at the request of chairs, program directors and administrators.
  4. Provide students with the tools necessary to help them monitor their progress towards completion of their degree requirements, including scheduling a “senior audit” to ensure they are on track to graduate.
  5. Establish web registration procedures to assist students in registering for their courses online in an efficient and effective manner.
  6. Monitor the processing of end of term grades from faculty, including late submission and changes, so as to report them to students in a timely fashion.
  7. Assemble course offerings each term and publish a document that students can utilize in consultation with their advisers to plan their upcoming class schedule.
  8. Oversee the publication of the annual online Academic Catalog, ensuring that it provides accurate and up to date information in an accessible format.
• Scholars
  1. Recruit the best students to Union College, and retain them in the Scholars Program.
  2. Scholars should be able to identify opportunities for intellectual growth, articulate their personal goals, and select opportunities that will help them achieve those goals.
• Student Success
  1. To provide academic support to students looking to develop new skills and strategies to enhance their academic success.
  2. To assist first year students in adapting to the college environment, to promote student success and encourage use of academic resources through effective peer mentoring.
  3. To maintain high levels of participation in the Supplemental Instruction program and assist students in successfully completing historically challenging courses, as measured by grades of C- or better.
• Templeton Institute
  1. Promote integration of technical and liberal education through support of interdisciplinary courses and projects
  2. Promote integration of technical and liberal education through high profile signature events that involve the entire College community, and the community at large
• Undergraduate Research
  1. To provide opportunities for students to do hands-on research mentored by Union faculty and staff.
  2. To support the completion of research projects for academic credit, and the presentation of student research at local, national, and international conferences.
  3. To produce and promote the annual Steinmetz Symposium celebrating undergraduate research at Union across all academic disciplines.
  4. To help ensure that undergraduate research experiences are available and accessible for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• Union College Academy for Lifelong Learning (UCALL)

  Goal 1: Provide a series of non-credit courses and special events that are intellectual in nature

  Goal 2: Engage participants in the development of UCALL programs and provide them with opportunities to share their knowledge and leadership skills

  Goal 3: Ensure that the UCALL program is financially sustainable

  Goal 4: Integrate UCALL activities with the broader community

  Goal 5: Provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who want to learn

• Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
  1. Write for different audiences, purposes, and contexts
  2. Employ flexible writing processes
  3. Understand and analyze discipline-specific writing conventions, research practices, and ways of knowing
  4. Compose in multiple environments
• Writing Center

  Through the Writing Center, we seek:

  1. To sustain the writing of students across their academic careers. Though not our only objective, we seek to increase the amount and frequency of student writing, as well as offer students more sustained instruction in writing, in more courses, spread out over their academic careers.
  2. To increase student engagement with learning. Results from the National Survey of Student Engagement show significant correlation between extensive writing and both higher order thinking and integrative learning. Union’s Office of Writing Programs offers increased attention and support for student writing in the belief that such attention will lead to further engagement with course content and increased retention.
  3. To increase student writing proficiency. Writers become more proficient as they write across a wide range of rhetorical situations, genres, purposes, and discourse communities, and compose using a range of media. At Union, the Office of Writing Programs creates opportunities for this range of writing experiences across student’s academic career.
  4. To create a campus culture that supports writing. The Office of Writing Programs seeks to promote a cultural shift in how writing is perceived and valued at Union. We seek to sponsor speaker series, faculty and student writing retreats and workshops, and other platforms to highlight writing as an intellectual activity that is core to the liberal arts tradition at Union College.
  5. To create a community of faculty around teaching and student writing. The Office of Writing Programs seeks to highlight common ground in academic disciplines through its focus on teaching and learning, often accomplished through cross-disciplinary faculty development programming.