Presented to and accepted by the Board of Trustees on January 24, 2005

Foundational Goals

1. Improve quality of education in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
2. Recruit and retain diverse, highly qualified faculty and staff.
3. Improve university service and outreach.
4. Recruit and retain a diverse and highly qualified student body.
5. Increase financial support for the University
6. Preserve and improve the historical character and physical environment of the campus.

University Planning Objectives

Educational Quality:

1. Promote and reward excellence in teaching as the primary purpose of the University.
2. Ensure that the great preponderance of the curriculum is developed and delivered by qualified full time continuing faculty with terminal degrees in the disciplines they teach.
3. Ensure a learning environment in which oral and written communication, scholarly research, and collaborative educational relationships among faculty and students are encouraged.
4. Increase the opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to study languages and cultures abroad.
5. Continue university-wide assessment of student learning and academic programs so that students leave the University well-prepared, liberally educated, competent men and women.
6. Encourage learning experience such as internships, study abroad, or community service, which enhance classroom learning with out of classroom experience.
7. Strive to maintain and improve Eastern’s national reputation as a traditional, residential university of high academic standing.
8. Develop and sustain rigorous, high quality graduate programs that complement undergraduate education.
9. Continue to support programs and living environments within the residence halls that enhance student academic success.
10. Continue to promote the interrelationships among academic activities and campus services.
11. Secure and maintain state of the art technology, equipment and systems in support of the University’s mission and planning initiatives.
12. Improve and expand library holdings and services suitable for high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs.

Personnel:

1. Promote a diverse faculty and staff who embrace cultural differences.
2. Retain and attract exemplary faculty and staff dedicated to student development.
3. Increase Eastern's salaries to competitive levels.
4. Integrate the best practices in collegial, shared governance, seeking continuous improvement throughout the campus.
5. Improve and expand support for research and creative activities.
6. Encourage and support professional-development activities for all faculty and staff.

Service and Outreach:

1. Expand the University's visibility as a cultural center by maintaining and developing unique, widely recognized programs in the arts.
2. Serve external communities by providing expanded opportunities for continuing education, professional services, and other outreach programs.

Student Body:

1. Remain a predominantly residential undergraduate institution.
2. Strive to maintain an on-campus enrollment of approximately 10,000-10,800 students.
3. Increase admission standards until Eastern has a student body profile academically comparable to that of outstanding public and private institutions of equivalent scope.
4. Promote a campus environment in which students embrace diversity.

Resources:

1. Encourage a strong Alumni Association that supports University initiatives.
2. Continue to establish and promote initiatives that engage the entire University and its friends in increasing appropriated funds.
3. Increase University resources through strategic development activities.
4. Promote and recognize activities which improve services and/or reduce costs without compromising quality.

Facilities:

1. Build upon the traditional beauty of the campus by supporting programs to correct deferred maintenance and renovate selected buildings.
2. Enhance facilities to provide an environment that enriches the quality of academic and student life.
3. Maintain and improve physical facilities to enhance faculty and staff comfort and productivity on the campus.