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Increase participation in higher education for Portland’s diverse population
Enhance student engagement with the community
Strengthen the research profile of the Wome's Studies program
Increase outreach and retention efforts
Participate in collaboration on interdisciplinary initiative to found a new school within CLAS

Title: Increase participation in higher education for Portland’s diverse population
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Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:14 — Sally McWilliams
School/College: 
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Department: 
Women's Studies
Planning Year: 
2009
Institutional Themes: 
Improve Students Success
Achieve Global Excellence
Enhance Educational Opportunities
Institutional Academic Initiatives: 
Improve retention/graduation rates
Unit initiative Description: 
To develop and expand outreach efforts to attract a more culturally, racially, and ethnically diverse student population to the Women's Studies program.
Time Frame: 
2 years
Desired outcomes: 
•document faculty involvement in community activities to then draw on those strengths for outreach programs; •evaluate and recommend curricular revisions to enhance the study of intersectionality (race, ethnicity, and culture with gender, class, and sexuality) in WS core courses with the aim to expand all students’ knowledge and to attract and retain students of color to the major/minors •explore feasibility of outreach to international students
How initiative supports overall unit or school/college plans: 
This initiative supports our efforts to explore partnerships in research and teaching with CHLA, BST, & NAS. It also supports the WS focus on diversifying the student population who majors in Women's Studies.
Measure of progress and success for this unit initiative: 
•prepare updated curriculum on intersectionality; •analysis of participation of students of color in the program; •documentation of community partnerships

Title: Enhance student engagement with the community
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Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:30 — Sally McWilliams
School/College: 
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Department: 
Women's Studies
Planning Year: 
2009
Institutional Themes: 
Provide Civic Leadership through Partnerships
Institutional Academic Initiatives: 
Increase enrollment in community based learning courses
Unit initiative Description: 
Increase academic component of the Women's Studies practica experiences; provide more student leadership opportunities within the local/regional community.
Time Frame: 
2 years
Desired outcomes: 
evaluate academic components of WS practicum course; explore online academic component to complement practicum experience plan student practicum conference for Spring 2011
How initiative supports overall unit or school/college plans: 
This initiative dovetails with the WS program’s focus on activism. It will allow us to develop more student leadership opportunities. A student-led conference on practicum experiences will not only honor our community partners, but build the intellectual knowledge connecting theory and activism for our student-scholars/activists.
Measure of progress and success for this unit initiative: 
revised course content and delivery method for WS411 Service learning (w/ practicum); establish learning agreements (among stakeholders: student, community supervisor, and faculty mentor) for each practicum; create implementation plan for student contributions to program’s research-activist agenda through activist conference.

Title: Strengthen the research profile of the Wome's Studies program
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Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:36 — Sally McWilliams
School/College: 
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Department: 
Women's Studies
Planning Year: 
2009
Institutional Themes: 
Expand Resources and Improve Effectiveness
Institutional Academic Initiatives: 
Increase externally sponsored activities/industry start ups/intellectual property management
Unit initiative Description: 
Enhance student research opportunities to work with WS faculty (including WS affiliated faculty, if appropriate); support faculty research projects, initiatives, and activities in the areas of feminist/queer studies and pedagogies; examine opportunities for cross-departmental faculty research seminars and workshops.
Time Frame: 
3 years
Desired outcomes: 
develop portfolio of faculty research interests/projects to share with upper-division WS students (esp. but not limited to WS majors); create brochure/online information about student-faculty research opportunities. seek outside funding for cross-departmental faculty research seminars and/or workshops.
How initiative supports overall unit or school/college plans: 
This initiative supports the newly created research agenda for the WS program as well as aiding in the professionalization of our WS majors/minors.
Measure of progress and success for this unit initiative: 
published portfolio of faculty research interests (online); dissemination of student-research opportunity information to WS students. strategic plan to obtain outside funding for research seminars and workshops.

Title: Increase outreach and retention efforts
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Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:55 — Sally McWilliams
School/College: 
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Department: 
Women's Studies
Planning Year: 
2009
Institutional Themes: 
Improve Students Success
Institutional Academic Initiatives: 
Improve retention/graduation rates
Unit initiative Description: 
develop and implement advising plan for the program; increase the visibility of the WS program to PSU classes, area high schools, community colleges, and overseas students; prepare to survey students in WS classes regarding retention issues; expand publicity on curriculum and career possibilities associated with WS; explore opportunities for contribution to the PSU Challenge and LINK programs, as well as connections with communities overseas.
Time Frame: 
2 years
Desired outcomes: 
• Increased participation at orientations and other recruitment opportunities involvement of WS students in outreach efforts; development and administration of student survey to assess obstacles to academic studies; development and implementation of direct outreach campaign to targeted high schools and community colleges; collaborate with PSU Challenge and/or LINK; develop brochure and online information about careers in Women's Studies.
How initiative supports overall unit or school/college plans: 
This initiative connects with our intention to better assist prospective and current students in their study of the complexities of contemporary feminist/queer scholarship, pedagogy, and activism while excelling in their college careers. It provides them with current information on graduate and professional opportunities with a WS degree.
Measure of progress and success for this unit initiative: 
new course evaluation designed and administered to locate impediments to student success; mandatory advising plan in place for Fall 2010; continued contributions to recruitment and retention efforts through Student Steering Committee; renewed participation by faculty in outreach efforts including to select area high schools and community colleges; establish working relations with Challenge and LINK programs; monitor recruitment activities for new pathways of enrollment; 10-15% increase in retention and graduation rates(using 09-10 as base year); sponsor career-focused activities.

Title: Participate in collaboration on interdisciplinary initiative to found a new school within CLAS
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Fri, 10/09/2009 - 12:02 — Sally McWilliams
School/College: 
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Department: 
Women's Studies
Planning Year: 
2009
New Academic Program Proposal: 
yes
Academic Program Proposal Status: 
In preliminary/preapproval stage
Institutional Themes: 
Enhance Educational Opportunities
Expand Resources and Improve Effectiveness
Institutional Academic Initiatives: 
Increase externally sponsored activities/industry start ups/intellectual property management
Unit initiative Description: 
establish a collaborative relationship with the Chicano/a Studies program, Dept of Black Studies, and Native American Studies program to explore the feasibility of creating an interdisciplinary school of study within CLAS. In doing so, we will also work with appropriate community constituencies.
Time Frame: 
2 years
Desired outcomes: 
produce feasibility study for creating and launching a new school; strengthen research profiles of each participating unit; prepare report on need for increased tenure-track lines
How initiative supports overall unit or school/college plans: 
This initiative is aimed at producing an interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary opportunity for students while also strengthening the WS program and its research profile.
Measure of progress and success for this unit initiative: 
completion of report on feasibility for the new school; plan for locating and securing external funding sources for research seminars/workshops, student leadership opportunities, and/or student scholarships