Strategic Plan

Objectives

• Promote faculty success

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Increase staff: faculty ratios Increase faculty diversity Grow endowed funding for SoS initiatives Increase research funds for faculty	CNAS has 19 endowed chairs across 7 departments, and 4 new established funds for graduate student support in FY25: Mi Doctora Student Support Endowed Fund (UG/Grad) The McKibben Economic Geology Graduate Student Endowed Fund (Grad) UCR Geographer’s Scholarship for Global Change Science and Sustainability Endowed Fund (UG/Grad) Ta-Li Kuan Graduate Student Support Endowed Fund in MPP (Grad)
  Expand and improve teaching facilities
  Support ongoing renovation of research facilities	The shell space build out was completed in February 2024, including three growth rooms. One existing and one new faculty member from Entomology are scheduled for move in, and the CNAS Dean's Office occupies Webber Hall.
  Multi-college interdisciplinary collaboration	Faculty confronting challenges of the agriculture industry

• Promote staff success

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Frequently assess work environment (remote/in-person/hybrid) Promote professional development Increase staff diversity	Supported emerging leaders by funding their attendance cost for the UC AMP conference
  Provide budgeting and forecasting tools to units	Invested in Caspio software that allows us to streamline the most complex processes, such as academic administrative appointment tracking, summer salary and start up commitments
  Invest in strategic hiring	Launched a dynamic C&G Training Program designed to enhance collaboration and elevate success of our staff by identifying high-potential candidates and training them before they work directly in the departments

• Create robust financial support

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Increase number of graduate student training grants Increase number of graduate fellowships	2 Awards granted for the first time: Campbell Grad Student Dissertation Support Endowed Fund (Grad) Campbell Family Endowed Fellowships in CNAS Fund (Grad) 5 new funds established for student support in FY25: The Al and Barbara Baumstark Endowed Award for Undergraduate Research in Chemistry or Biology (UG) Ning Moeller Memorial Endowed Scholarship for Biology Fund (UG) Summer Travel Program in CNAS Endowed Fund (UG) Leonard Family Foundation RISE Scholars Fund (UG) Mi Doctora Student Support Endowed Fund (UG/Grad)
  Grow extramural funding	Awarded 5 DOE GAANN grants (Entomology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Neuroscience) - 9 applied Monthly newsletter with research development resources
  Increase summer session offerings and enrollment

• Increase number of MS students

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Increase number of students in MS programs Increase number of MS programs, including 4+1 BS/MS programs Create work-flexible MS programs (e.g., remote, PT, weekends)

• Increase number of PhD students and support success

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Engage faculty in recruitment, admissions best practices Support best practices in mentoring and networking	134% increase in SIR=Yes numbers over Fall 2024

• Improve graduation rates and time to degree

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Build advising capacity Course offerings facilitate degree progression	Student to advisor ratio reduced from 497:1 in FY21-22 to 375:1 in 2024 7 additional peer advisors added with focus on intake and transition advising

• Improve student success and persistence in STEM

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Expand high impact experiences Integrate inclusive practices and pedagogies Improve retention in CNAS majors	Partnership with RCC for transfer to research pipeline (20 sponsored students per year). Creation of 1 week summer research experience with RCC (24 sponsored students in 2024). Summer residential research experience for community college students (6 students through DAF). Continued faculty partnerships with RISE program for REU's (CNAS/BCOE/SOE).

• Enhance student diversity

  INITIATIVES	PROGRESS
  Identify and reduce barriers and equity gaps  Grow NR enrollment  Pipelines for transfer students	Transfer success unit involved in 13 on-campus transfer orientation and recruitment events. Transfer outreach visits to 8 feeder community college partners. 10 transfer peer mentors working continually with transfer students, sponsoring 5-6 events per quarter with alumni and faculty speakers.