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Overview
Commission Purpose: UTEP’s Centennial Commission was charged with developing a vision for the University in 2014, UTEP’s 100th anniversary, from the perspective of external stakeholders—alumni, friends and supporters in this region and elsewhere.
Description: The Commission consisted of 100 individuals divided into 10 committees of 10 members each. Each committee was supported by three UTEP faculty or staff members who provided institutional context, identified university resources that may have been helpful in understanding the issues under consideration, and assisted in preparing the Committee report.
Centennial Committees: Each of the ten committees had a specific focus, as follows:
Responsibilities: Each committee was asked to review and evaluate, within its assigned area, the opportunities and challenges associated with UTEP’s future development. Each committee recommended long-range goals and, where possible, strategies to achieve them. The final Centennial Commission publication includes a chapter report containing the recommendations of each of the committees.
Timeline: The Commission was launched at an event on October 6, 2004. The 10 committees worked through the 2004-2005 academic year. The initial draft report from each committee was submitted to the Commission staff in April 2005. The final draft of each committee report was submitted to the UTEP President’s Office in June 2005. The final report was released in November 2005.
Three Internal Task Forces complemented the work of the Centennial Commission:
1. Research. This Task Force, consisting of UTEP faculty members and administrators, responded to the recommendations in the Washington Advisory Group (WAG) report. It was divided into two major subcommittees: Strategic Research Directions (Roadmap to Research-Extensive and Top-Tier Status); and Research Enhancement Mechanisms and Strategies (Organization/ Policies/ Procedures).
2. Campus Climate. This Task Force, consisting of UTEP students, faculty and staff, reviewed a broad range of issues associated with their experiences on the UTEP campus, including: physical infrastructure (parking and traffic, technology, student housing, recreational facilities); student/faculty/staff development opportunities; diversity agenda; and institutional image.
3. Student Success. This Task Force, consisting of UTEP faculty, staff, and students, sought to identify those factors that either contribute to or impede students’ progress toward degree completion at the undergraduate level. Members of this Task Force also served on the committee charged with developing UTEP’s Quality Enhancement Plan, in conjunction with re-accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). |