University Goals and Initiatives

President Jolene Koester initially presented these goals and initiatives for California State University, Northridge at her first annual convocation address in 2001. They have continued to serve as the basis and cornerstone of her presidency and of most subsequent campus initiatives. See President Koester's subsequent convocation addresses for updates on these goals and initiatives; click here for a printer-friendly version of this document in Adobe Reader PDF format.

I. Student Achievement

1. Increase graduation rates (including undergraduate, graduate, credential students).
2. Enhance quality of the baccalaureate degree (including review of GE and advisement).
3. Enhance quality of the graduate degree and credential (including review of advisement).
4. Increase the level of student preparedness/decrease the need for remediation.
5. Focus student learning/assessment criteria in curricular and co-curricular arenas.

II. Campus Environment

1. Develop user-friendly academic, business, and personnel processes for students, staff, and visitors.
2. Enhance internal communications.
3. Enhance physical environment (including safety issues, buildings, parking, signage).
4. Develop a campus culture that promotes personal engagement in communities, thereby fostering excellence in all faculty, staff, and student endeavors
5. Develop greater pride in the University.
6. Enhance support for diversity in all areas of campus life.

III. Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement

1. Provide support for research, scholarship, and creative achievement for all within the campus community.
2. Focus on and promote outcomes: instructional innovations, publications, presentations, creative work.
3. Enhance faculty, administrative, and staff development.
4. Honor professional recognition and distinction.

IV. Resources/Institutional Effectiveness

1. Establish budget priorities to support excellence in educational programs.
2. Increase external funding (including grants and scholarships).
3. Increase sources and levels of financial aid.
4. Enhance information technology and technology in general.
5. Maximize effectiveness of facilities utilization.

V. Serving External Community

1. Serve as intellectual, cultural, and artistic resource for the community.
2. Develop and enhance partnerships in service to the community.
3. Enhance external communications to promote knowledge of the University's contributions to the community.
4. Attend to areas of special state need.

Site created September 2005