Message From the Provost
Fall, 2008

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

• Move forward with implementation of our campus’s new Strategic Plan. The Plan contains five strategic priorities, and Academic Affairs will be heavily involved in planning and implementing each one.
• In line with Strategic Plan priorities, continue our partnership with the Office of Student Affairs in recruiting and retaining our students. Our major focus this year is upon responsiveness to students on or at risk of academic probation.
• Seek to expand support for faculty scholarly and creative activity.
• Examine the role of graduate education at Sacramento State and plan more systematically to strengthen that role and support our graduate programs.
• Focus on quality, responsiveness, ingenuity, and multiple modalities in the delivery of our curricula.
• Continue to assess and respond more systematically to needs in the area of instructional equipment.
• Clarify policies and provide more structure for our many centers and institutes.
• Continue to 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