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Efforts
to Keep the Public Informed of the University's Institutional and Educational
Goals
The
University's mission and goals are shared on an on-going basis with everyone
on campus and the larger community through the presence of the strategic
plan, and much other information, on the World Wide Web. Anyone accessing
UNI's homepage (http://www.uni.edu) will
find easy access to the current strategic plan. Also, during the drafting
of a new strategic plan, faculty, staff, and students were encouraged
and given ample opportunity to review the progress and offer input. Similarly
those outside the University had the opportunity to check the progress,
as well.
Another method of sharing the University's mission and goals involves
the Constituency Relations Management Group that was formed in Fall 1995.
Chaired by the Director of Public Relations, with membership from outreach-oriented
offices such as Admissions, Alumni Relations, Development, Placement,
and Continuing Education, this group assists the University in its efforts
to develop coordinated, comprehensive and consistent communications enhancing
the awareness of UNI, both on and off campus.
Members of the University community, including the President, Cabinet
members, faculty, staff, and students, have been conducting a comprehensive
and consistent "Community Visitation" program for the past several
years. This effort brings an energetic and well-rounded University presence
to selected communities for a day, focusing on community connections to
UNI, such as current students and alumni from the local area, and on local
service activities. While these experiences provide the opportunity to
share with local residents information about the University's mission,
goals, and activities, they are also valuable in terms of getting input
from the residents regarding their perceptions of the University and how
it could better serve them.
In another major initiative, led by President Koob and the Office of Public
Relations, the University embarked in 1998 on a series of "Envisioning
Education" presentations throughout the State. By both invitation
and initiation, the President and senior-level representatives from throughout
the academic and administrative divisions made thought-provoking presentations
to service groups, guided by mutually developed PowerPoint slides and
other visual aids. The presentations focused on both the future of higher
education in general and the University's role in that future.
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