Oct. 28, 2022
Dear Faculty and Staff,
As we embark on the next 20 years of our story here at Channel Islands, the core of our institutional identity will be shaped by our academic programs. As you know, the process for updating our Academic Master Plan (AMP) is underway; it is due to the Chancellor’s Office by January 6 for Board of Trustees approval in March. AVP Lina Neto, working with Academic Planning and Policy Committee (APPC) co-chairs Ruben Alarcon and Mary Adler, has outlined the process for updating the AMP in an email which you can find here. New program proposals will be reviewed by APPC and by the academic Deans and Provost; they will then be presented to the Senate for deliberation and recommendation to the President for consideration.
In light of our current challenges and the critical importance of this work, we are writing to establish high-level priorities for the campus. These priorities are at the core of our academic mission and reflect our common vision for serving our region, providing a quality education for our students, and, in so doing, facilitating social mobility for our graduates – and oftentimes, for their extended families, as well.
Priority I:Degrees in CSU Compact that match statewide workforce needs
In May 2022, the CSU entered into a multi-year funding compact with Governor Newsom. That compact includes an explicit goal for the CSU to increase by 25% the number of students enrolled in the following disciplines: STEM (especially engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, and health sciences); Education, including K-12 and early education; social work and related credential programs; climate action; and technology. At a minimum, the CSUCI academic plan should reflect a commitment to these priorities.
Priority II:Degrees that meet regional workforce needs
Core to our mission is enhancing our regional workforce and promoting a high quality of life for the residents of our region. Our academic plan must include degrees that prepare students for successful careers in our region and the promise of positive post-graduate outcomes. Data on regional workforce demands can be found here. Examples of degrees that meet regional demands include graduate programs in education, social work, counseling, health sciences, cyber security, and data sciences.
Priority III: Degrees that mirror student demand
New academic programs will drive enrollment growth. Many students in our region choose majors that are not offered at CSUCI, so to pursue these degrees they must move out of the area. Gap analyses conducted by Charting Our Course (COC) teams identified many opportunities for creating new academic programs that align with student demand. For example, some community college Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) have no pathway to a baccalaureate here at CSUCI, including criminal justice, journalism, kinesiology, and accounting. Our Academic Master Plan, due to the Chancellor’s office by January 6, 2023, will determine our future enrollment trajectory for the next 10 to 20 years.
Priority IV:Degrees that reflect CSUCI’s core values and mission
The faculty and staff of this campus are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), as well as to sustainability and climate action. As we collectively determine our future as a campus, our shared values and commitments must be reflected in our academic programs. Examples of academic programs that reflect these priorities include Asian American Studies, Native American Indigenous Studies, and Gender Studies.
This year’s AMP process will not be the last time the campus will consider new academic programs, but it is an important milestone for the campus. We invite your participation and engagement and look forward to working with you to establish a vision for the future of CSUCI that meets the needs of our students and our region.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact Lina Neto, AVP for Academic Programs & Continuous Improvement at francelina.neto@csuci.edu.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President
Mitch Avila, Ph.D.
Provost