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Strategic Plan 2026-2031

Priority Area #1. Academic Excellence and Student Success

Goal 1: Enhance Curriculum and Accreditation

Key Initiatives:

1. Maintain ACS accreditation and explore additional degree accreditations
2. Continue to develop our curriculum to remain at the forefront of Chemistry and Biochemistry professions
3. Support and enhance undergraduate degree programs

Goal 2: Increase Student Success in the Classroom and Beyond

Key Initiatives:

1. Promote student success in classrooms and laboratories by participating in university and department initiatives
2. Enhance student readiness for their career beyond ³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ

Priority Area #2. Research and Scholarly Activity

Goal 1: Promote Research Excellence and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Key Initiatives:

1. Encourage consistent pursuit of research funding
2. Encourage collaborations by facilitating interactions with other departments, institutions, and local companies
3. Evaluate the development and expansion of master’s programs with institutional support
4. Cultivate increased research output in the department (e.g. peer-reviewed publications, research presentations, patent applications, and grant applications)

Goal 2: Enhance Research Infrastructure

Key Initiatives:

1. Acquire and maintain state-of-the-art instrumentation, software, and equipment
2. Advocate for infrastructure improvements to support research and scholarly activities

Goal 3: Increase Student Research Participation

Key Initiatives:

1. Expand experiential learning
2. Reward students for participating in research
3. Reward faculty for mentoring research students

Priority Area #3. Faculty and Staff Success

Goal 1: Assess and Communicate Personnel Needs for Department Growth

Key Initiatives:

1. Expand faculty to meet the needs of a growing department and university (e.g., differential teaching loads)
2. Expand staff to meet the needs of a growing department and university, ensuring adequate support for all departmental functions

Goal 2: Foster Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance

Key Initiatives:

1. Encourage a healthy lifestyle and supportive professional work environment
2. Explore ways to streamline university tasks and service responsibilities
3. Promote a sense of community with team building events

Goal 3: Support Professional Development

Key Initiatives:

1. Invest in the professional development of faculty and staff promoting continuous learning and growth within the department
2. Promote opportunities for formal and informal interactions with other departments, administrators, and sponsored research
3. Communicate the success of faculty/staff

Priority Area #4. Infrastructure and Resources

Goal 1: Improve Departmental Infrastructure and Technology

Key Initiatives:

1. Enhance computer technology and software available in the department to support academic and research activities in consultation with Information Technology Services
2. Advocate for expanding and improving the department's physical and digital infrastructure to meet growing demands

Goal 2: Strengthen Safety Awareness and Practices

Key Initiatives:

1. Support an environment that prioritizes safety in all departmental activities and facilities in consultation with Environmental Health and Safety
2. Maintain, test, repair, and replace safety infrastructure regularly in collaboration with Physical Facilities.

Priority Area #5. Community Engagement and Outreach

Goal 1: Strengthen Student Engagement

Key Initiatives:

1. Develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain majors in our programs
2. Improve the sense of belonging for chemistry and biochemistry majors

Goal 2: Support and Expand Community Outreach

Key Initiative:

1. Develop programs and partnerships that engage the broader community, including local schools, businesses, and organizations

Goal 3: Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Key Initiative:

1. Foster collaborations with other departments and interdisciplinary programs to enhance the department's impact within and beyond the university