Message From the Provost
Fall, 2007

The Office of Academic Affairs remains focused on the major elements of Sacramento State’s mission – access, diversity, quality, and the fullest university experience for our students. The desire to improve upon what we do regarding each of these elements drives our agenda this year. And we pursue improvement with a commitment to accountability and assessment. During this academic year, we will

• Remain engaged with the Strategic Planning Council and the larger University community to produce strategic planning priorities that truly inform our decisions.
• Continue our partnership with the Office of Student Affairs in recruiting and retaining our students.
• Seek to expand support for faculty scholarly and creative activity.
• Assess and build upon our undergraduate academic strengths and examine ways to improve graduate education at Sacramento State.
• Focus on quality, responsiveness, ingenuity, and multiple modalities in the delivery of our curricula.
• Assess and respond more systematically to needs in the area of instructional equipment.
• Focus development efforts more clearly on broader college-level themes.
• Assess and build upon the strengths of our many centers and institutes.
• Strengthen our commitment to international education, especially in providing more opportunities for our students to study abroad.

In sum, our goal is to improve in ways that provide our students with the best in a university education. Resources matter, of course. So also do ingenuity and practicality, the use of the considerable intellectual talent that characterizes our University. We in Academic Affairs look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to provide an excellent education for today’s students and the next generation.

Joseph F. Sheley
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs