Academic Plan 2011-2015 (PDF 524kB) - SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College: Academic Plan 2011 - 2015 17Goal A2: Establish a Thematic Approach to Academic PlanningObjective A2.1: Create a framework for guiding the academic direction of the collegeIn constructing a framework for an academic direction for the college, the academic plan seeks topreserve the integrity of the college’s existing programmatic structure while guiding the college towardthe achievement of important new goals. Traditional academic disciplines assume definition andcharacter from an accumulation of knowledge, meaning and perspectives in a context of environmentaland societal conditions and trends. Disciplines also influence, and are influenced by, other disciplineswith which they align, whether circumstantially or fundamentally. The academic plan acknowledgesthese principles of academic life and seeks to build on them.The college’s academic plan envisions a future rooted in the premise that the effectiveness of thecollege rests on maximizing the complementariness of disciplines – that is, the extent to which wediscover common ground among our disciplines and areas of study when collaboration is necessary tomeet the evolving needs of our students. The proposed themes are not meant to eliminate or supplantthe college’s existing areas of study. Rather, a thematic approach is meant to complement our currentareas of study and provide creative new perspectives to enhance academic planning for the future.Thus, the academic plan proposes a thematic approach to academic planning. Themes encompassand interweave among disciplinary, programmatic, center and area of study domains and may bedefined as cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary topics which reflect the educational needs andprofessional interests of our students, which emanate from growth sectors of the economy ortrends of societal importance, and which allow the college to capitalize on faculty expertise andpreserve core college values.The eight themes identified by the task force may constitute or influence the subject matter of collegestudies and courses, promote cross-disciplinary initiatives, serve as the basis of program development,enable the college to promote areas of distinction, encourage research initiatives, and provideguidance on organizing the future composition of college faculty. They are intended to build upon andstrengthen the outstanding work performed by our college faculty and staff. The themes include:• Initiatives in Human Services• Globalization• Environmental Sustainability• Communication, Media and The Arts• Business in the 21st Century• Initiatives in Health Care• Technology, Information and Society• Adult Learning and EducationFor ease of review, abbreviated descriptions of each theme follow. The complete discussion of eachtheme, including the rationale for the theme’s inclusion in this plan as well as programs and initiativesassociated with the theme, appears in Appendix A.