Pensacola State College, serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties and surrounding Alabama communities, was established as Florida’s first public State college by the state legislature in 1947. Classes were first offered in 1948 to 136 students; Pensacola State College now serves more than 20,000 students annually.
The development of the Pensacola State College Strategic Plan included the creation of a new vision statement, mission statement, and the establishment of a process for planning that includes overall institutional goals and objectives assigned to the appropriate functional units and administrative offices of the College.
By participating in customer satisfaction surveys and an in-depth S.W.O.T. analysis, thousands of the College’s stakeholders, both on campus and in the community, played a direct role in the development of this plan. The Strategic Planning Committee was made up of a broad cross section of institutional representation, including student, instructional and business affairs personnel. Through a series of retreats, the District Board of Trustees and college administrators provided guidance and wise counsel.
Pensacola State College educates students through a dynamic and supportive learning environment that develops all students intellectually, culturally, and socially, preparing them to succeed within the global community.
Pensacola State College, under the governance of a local Board of Trustees, is committed to providing quality, affordable, and accessible educational opportunities through a variety of delivery methods.
The College, a member of the Florida College System, offers baccalaureate and associate degrees, workforce certificates, business and industry training, non-credit continuing education, community outreach, and cultural enrichment opportunities for students and the community.
Pensacola State College values continuously creating and improving opportunities for success in an atmosphere of concern, respect, integrity, and responsibility for students, employees, and members of the community and places high importance on the following priorities:
1. Seek and implement business, industry, government, and educational partnerships to better serve students and the community.
2. Invest in people:
a) Utilize evaluation processes for professional development, campus climate, job satisfaction, and student experience;
b) Provide professional development and training opportunities;
c) Conduct employee reward and recognition programs; and
d) Formally celebrate employee achievement and productivity.
3. Enhance the quality of instructional programs and services:
a) Measure student learning;
b) Measure student retention;
c) Measure satisfaction in all aspects of the student experience; and
d) Provide access to instructional programs and services through
• Implementing new technologies; and
• Maintain a physical presence in strategic locations throughout the College’s service area;
e) Evaluate the effectiveness of space assignment and usage to optimize use of space.
4. Manage resources effectively through competent and innovative business practices.
5. Acquire financial resources to maintain and upgrade existing facilities and construct new facilities to better serve students and the community.
6. Seek increased diversity that promotes a campus climate where the principle of affirmative action and equal opportunity are valued.
7. Continuously improve student services, campus safety, College grounds and facilities, use of technology, institutional effectiveness processes, internal communication, and enrollment management processes.
8. Market the College and the programs of the College through current and emerging media conduits.
9. Maintain institutional regional acceleration and national program accreditations to ensure industry standards and institutional and program quality.
10. Seek local, state and national funding through grants, organizations, gifts, and donations to support the mission of the College.
11. Grow awareness of College opportunities for student and community involvement in campus life and events such as the visual arts, performing arts, athletics, the Lyceum Series, and other College hosted special events and activities.
- INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE
GOAL 1: Foster a College culture characterized by constancy of purpose in support of our mission and philosophy through the enhancement of diversity, entrepreneurialism, and recognition.
Objectives
1.1 Develop, strengthen, and maintain a unified Pensacola State College identity across our multiple locations.
1.2 Maintain and enhance a pleasant, friendly, caring, and supportive work environment, where individuals can be fulfilled and grow personally and professionally, and contributions of faculty and staff are valued and recognized.
1.2.1 Improve evaluation processes and professional development opportunities.
1.2.2 Improve reward and recognition systems.
1.2.3 Celebrate achievement and productivity.
1.3 Promote, develop, and strengthen awareness and embrace diversity at Pensacola State College.
1.4 Promote a culture of continuous improvement and entrepreneurialism.
1.5 Increase student and client satisfaction by focusing on customer service.
1.6 Maximize individual and team contributions to the College mission through appropriate human resource policies and procedures (e.g., Lean Office)
- RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
GOAL 2: Utilize strategic resource management in order to maintain a strong financial infrastructure.
Objectives
2.1 Manage resources in support of teaching and learning.
2.2 Maintain stability in finances.
- FACILITIES
GOAL 3: Maintain and update College facilities to support mission and programs.
Objectives
3.1 New Construction/Major Renovations
3.2 Minor Renovations
3.3 Grounds/Landscaping
3.4 Energy Management
3.5 Strengthen emergency response planning and campus safety.
3.6 Evaluate space assignment for optimum utilization.
- EXTERNAL FUNDING
GOAL 4: Expand external funding through fundraising and the writing of grants and contracts.
Objectives
4.1 Fundraising
4.1.1 Increase private giving to benefit College initiatives, professional development, and support for students.
4.1.2 Conduct a capital campaign.
4.2 Grants
4.2.1 Increase grant writing and contracts to benefit college initiatives, professional development, and support for students.
- PARTNERSHIPS
GOAL 5: Partner with appropriate educational, government, and business institutions to enhance economic and student development.
Objectives
5.1 Enhance collaborative efforts with secondary schools, colleges and universities, local government, military, and business and industry.
5.2 Develop and maintain university and secondary school articulation agreements.
5.3 Provide leadership in area economic development.
- INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE
GOAL 6: Provide quality instruction through effective curriculum development, accessible delivery, and criterion-based assessment according to a common set of academic standards for each discipline.
Objectives
6.1 Instructional Standards
6.1.1 Maintain and enhance quality instruction.
6.1.2 Focus on excellence.
6.1.3 Continue Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) activities and prepare for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Colleges (SACSCOC) five-year interim review.
6.1.4 Diversity
6.1.5 Evaluate and revise courses and programs according to community needs.
6.2 Continuing Education and Workforce Training
6.2.1 Enhance Continuing Education for greater service, visibility, and revenue.
6.2.2 Enhance Workforce Training for greater service, visibility, and revenue.
6.3 Workforce Programs
6.3.1 Identify present and future workforce needs with special focus on high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage technical programs.
6.3.2 Create instructional programs based upon identified workforce needs and environmental scan of community.
6.3.3 Continually update and enhance technical programs through purchase of up-to-date training equipment, according to requests from instructors and recommendations from advisory committees.
6.4 Program and Curriculum Review and Development
6.4.1 Maintain and strengthen transitional education.
6.4.2 Assess needs for full-time faculty in university transfer courses at all locations.
6.4.3 Offer critical life-skills training in addition to subject expertise.
6.4.4 Assess course offerings to optimize flexibility of delivery modes.
6.5 Distance Education
6.5.1 Strengthen distance learning and other educational technologies.
6.6 Learning Resources
6.6.1 Collaborate with instructors, staff, and students to build information skills as an integral, embedded part of course work.
6.6.2 Market the Library to the College and to the community.
6.7 Implement baccalaureate degrees approved by the State Board of Education and SACSCOC.
- STUDENT SUCCESS
GOAL 7: Improve student success through improved advising, providing an orientation course, and seeking ways to expand the retention and completion rates for all students.
Objectives
7.1 Improve advising and processes
7.1.1 Enhance availability of advisors at all locations.
7.1.2 Provide professional development for faculty and staff on advising students.
7.1.3 Ensure the College remains equipped to handle growing population of students with disabilities.
7.2 Expand student activities for all locations by providing additional space, equipment, and cultural activities.
7.2.1 Build a collegiate atmosphere by reviewing student center use on all campuses, considering options, and implementing best practices.
7.3 Strengthen an outreach connection to individuals considered to be at risk for not optimizing their educational opportunities and equip these individuals with a detailed educational plan, support, and service.
7.3.1 Strengthen outreach to underserved and at-risk populations.
7.3.2 Offer exposure to a variety of career fields as early as middle school.
7.3.3 Develop strategic partnerships with area school leaders.
7.3.4 Form partnerships with high schools in service area with the goal of encouraging high school students to complete admission to Pensacola State College by the time of high school graduation.
7.3.5 Positively affect the drop-out rate through collaboration with area school districts to develop and implement appropriate drop-out prevention programs.
7.3.6 Target non-traditional students.
7.3.7 Strengthen dual enrollment.
7.3.8 Meet or exceed expected outcomes in each of the College’s restricted fund programs (e.g., TRIO)
- MARKETING
GOAL 8: Maintain a focus on our stakeholders and their needs, with the sincere desire and intent to create, communicate, and deliver education and training that has value for our students, customers, clients, partners, and our community.
Objectives
8.1 Obtain market research and communicate with instructional leaders for relevant, market-driven program development.
8.2 Utilize a team approach involving Instruction, Student Services, Recruitment, and Marketing professionals to institute comprehensive Enrollment Management.
8.3 Develop and implement a comprehensive Marketing strategy, including internal and external communication, College publications, and advertising.
8.4 Continuously improve the College website for image and usability.
