Goal 8: Embracing Best Practices

American universities are living laboratories for developing not only innovative curricula and teaching techniques, but also the means and methods for attracting and retaining students and faculty. Yet all too often, the best practices in higher education dispense slowly and incompletely. First in 2009 takes an assertive approach toward learning from other successful institutions, making every department, program, and office responsible for evaluating its own practice and assessing and implementing the best practices found elsewhere.

Accomplishments

• Departmental Benchmarking Effort Accomplished - Beginning shortly after the inception of First in 2009, every academic and administrative unit at Miami embarked on an ambitious benchmarking exercise. Each unit was required to identify three peer programs, similar in size, strength, and reputation, as well as three aspirational programs that could set the standards for growth and development. Once these programs were identified, departments began a program of assessment, comparison, and planning for improved outcomes. As we move toward 2009, the benchmarking process will become the measure by which program progress is determined.
• First in 2009 Campus-Wide Conversations Held – In 2003-2004, the First in 2009 Coordinating Council facilitated over 50 discussions with over 500 faculty, staff and students on a future vision of Miami University as an academically excellent and fully inclusive community. The ideas generated at these conversations has guided our strategic planning for the past two years.
• University Re-Accreditation Secured - In 2005, Miami was re-accredited by the Higher Learning Commission for the next ten years. The Commission reviewers called Miami's self-study and its process of self-evaluation a "model for other institutions to emulate."
• Assessment Initiatives Begun - Constituted in 2004, the Assessment Task Force has already spearheaded a number of initiatives to help our faculty assess the quality of our students' education. The data gathered will help us to improve our teaching so that we are appropriately challenging our students and preparing them for a successful life beyond Miami.