Strategic Plan for Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies

Mission

Creating and sustaining a community of scholar-activists who: understand systems of gender and sexuality; generate and apply intersectional feminist and queer perspectives; challenge structural inequalities; and work for social justice.

Vision

The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department will be a community of excellent faculty and students who share a vision of diverse gender justice, providing a theory-based and broadly engaged curriculum that focuses on transforming the campus and the larger community through rigorous scholarship as a foundation for teaching, learning, vocation, and civic life.

Value Statement

Building communities that ensure gender justice
Interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research
Liberal education and academic excellence in learning, teaching, and research
Rigorous scholarship by faculty and students as a foundation for teaching, learning, vocation, and civic life
Diverse, innovative and effective teaching
Assessment as a means to evaluate and improve student learning
Culture of collegiality and collaboration
Diversity, civic discourse, and democratic communities
Experiential and high-impact learning
International perspectives and experiences

Strategic Priorities, outcomes, and key objectives

Strategic Priority Area 1: Actively engage learners at all levels.

Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.

Objective 1.A.1

By graduation, 25% of all WGS majors, WGS minors, and LGBTQ minors will have engaged in WGS related research outside of the core curriculum in independent or collaborative scholarly and creative endeavors.

Baseline

To be collected.

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
60% of graduating WGS majors, WGS minors, and LGBTQ minors who responded to the exit survey indicated that that had engaged in WGS research outside of the core curriculum.

2018 Status
Achieved
This number has increased since 2017.

Objective 1.A.2

30% of WGS majors students will participate in professional development opportunities.

Baseline

To be collected

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
Professional development remains a component the WGS Capstone course. WGS also works with our partners in Career Services to provide workshops for WGS majors, minors and LGBTQ minors.

2018 Status
Achieved
Professional development has been incorporated in the Capstone course. WGS also works with our partners in Career Services to provide workshops for all WGS majors, minors and LGBTQ minors.

Objective 1.A.3

Investigate the development of a WGS MA program.

Baseline

none.

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
The WGS faculty has placed the development of a WGS MA program on hold.

2017 Status
Achieved
We have decided to put this objective on hold for the current period.

Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.

Objective 1.B.1

Graduation rates for first generation WGS students will be equal to or greater than that of Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Baseline

To be collected.

Progress

2019 Status
Minimal Progress
As GVSU has identified KPI the Brooks College Data is now available. WGS data has not yet been collected.

2018 Status
Not Yet Initiated
We have not yet collected this data.

Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.

Objective 1.C.1

WGS maintains communication with at least 85% of WGS alumni.

Baseline

To be collected.

Progress

2019 Status
Substantial Progress
As part of the WGS Anniversary Celebration in March 2019 WGS worked with the appropriate GV departments (Alumni and Development) to refine our contact lists. We also used social media to reach out to alumni to encourage them to be in contact with us and to update their information.

2018 Status
Minimal Progress
The WGS Office Coordinator has been active in reaching out to alumni through social media but we still do not have accurate numbers of alums who interact with us in this way.

Objective 1.C.2

50% of WGS faculty will engage in community engagement partnerships through service learning, study abroad, student internships, project based coursework, and faculty connections through research.

Baseline

Currently WGS has one targeted relationship with SHAWCO in South Africa as well as relationships with community partners arranged by the Women's Center for the Women's Community Collaborative.

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
100% (6 of 6) WGS faculty engage in community partnerships through service learning, study abroad, student internships, project based coursework, and faculty connections through research.

2018 Status
Achieved
100% (6 of 6) WGS faculty engage in community partnerships through service learning, study abroad, student internships, project based coursework, and faculty connections through research.

Strategic Priority Area 2: Further develop exceptional personnel.

Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.

Objective 2.A.1

Faculty teaching cross-listed courses will adopt at least one interdisciplinary WGS specific learning objective.

Baseline

To be collected

Progress

2019 Status
Not Yet Initiated
While this remains an important issue for an interdisciplinary major WGS has not initiated any course of action to develop WGS learning objectives for cross-listed courses.

2018 Status
Not Yet Initiated
Not yet initiated.

Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.

Objective 2.C.1

The WGS department will develop external relationships/connections with programs and faculty in field, especially at MA and PHD granting institutions.

Baseline

to be determined.

Progress

2019 Status
Substantive Progress
Two-thirds of the WGS faculty attended the 2019 National Women's Studies Association Conference which includes networking with colleagues from MA and PHD granting institutions.

2018 Status
Substantive Progress
In March 2018 three WGS faculty were invited to present at the WGS program at the University of Notre Dame.

Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.

Objective 2.D.1

100% of WGS core faculty will be trained for online/hybrid instruction.

Baseline

50% of WGS core faculty are currently certified for online/hybrid instruction.

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
All WGS core faculty are trained for online/hybrid instruction.

2018 Status
Achieved
All WGS faculty are trained and 5 of 6 have successfully taught online.

Strategic Priority Area 3: Ensure the alignment of institutional structures and functions.

Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.

Objective 3.D.1

Increase the WGS online/hybrid course delivery to three sections per year.

Baseline

Currently we offer zero courses in online/hybrid delivery.

Progress

2019 Status
Achieved
N/A

2018 Status
Achieved
In 2018 WGS increased online offerings to 9. We also increased the variety of courses offered online.

Outcome E: Grand Valley strategically allocates its fiscal, human, and other institutional resources.

Objective 3.E.1

Explore opportunities and existing resources to develop connection and curriculum related to gender and health.

Baseline

None.

Progress

2019 Status
Substantive Progress
While the certificate is on hold WGS has increased the number and type of WGS 335 Women, Health and Environment offerings to include online courses in Winter and Spring Semesters.

2018 Status
Minimal Progress
Initial meetings have lead us to put this initiative on hold until 2020.

Strategic Priority Area 4: Enhance the institution's image and reputation.

Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.

Objective 4.C.1

WGS faculty will be recognized as leaders/experts in region and on campus.

Baseline

to be determined

Progress

2019 Status
Substantial Progress
All six faculty are engaged in community and university level service related to gender and LGBT issues.

2018 Status
Achieved
All six faculty are engaged in community and university level service related to gender and LGBT issues.

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