Winona State University

Office of Assessment

The team identified the following strengths:

1. Winona State University is fortunate to have strong support from the Minnesota State University System yet experiences appropriate local autonomy. The University enjoys very positive community relationships and the town-gown interactions have never been stronger. The cultural and athletic contributions of WSU's fine and performing arts are much appreciated in the region.

2. Winona State University has a dynamic, new president and an academic vice president who form and effective administrative team that have developed trust and confidence with the faculty. The president has expanded the vision and brought innovative ideas to the University. He has also challenged the whole MSU system to change.

3. Faculty salaries and fringe benefits are excellent and place the University in a strong competitive position in recruiting and retaining quality faculty.

4. The Division of Student Affairs provides an excellent and well organized program of student services. The well-prepared staff in the various programs such as counseling, health services, financial aids, placement, housing, and cultural diversity recognize their roles in supporting students directly, and faculty indirectly in achievement of the educational mission of the University. The campus security force composed entirely of students helps to establish a positive climate on campus and is cost effective.

5. WSU has an academically-committed student body proud of the institution and supportive of its goals.

6. WSU's program initiative in cultural diversity is characterized by the multiplicity of its approaches to cultural and ethnic issues on the campus. It has specific goals and has the potential to be of great service to the campus, to the larger community, and to the students it serves.

7. The Rochester Center of WSU is judged by the team to be a significant programmatic strength based upon the following: 1) enrollments in programs are robust and meeting a clearly-defined need, especially for a non-traditional student population; 2) the M.S. in Elementary Education Cooperative Graduate Induction program with the Rochester city schools is on the cutting edge of recommended teacher education reform; 3) the Interactive Television Network is being used to good advantage; 4) faculty at the Rochester Center feel well integrated with their home departments on the Winona campus; 5) instructional support systems for students and faculty are very good; 6) the Center is not a financial liability; 7) the Center is well managed; 8) effective participation as a principal partner in the Center enhances the visibility, reputation and influence of Winona State University.

8. The collaborative and service linkages that WSU has forged with regional businesses, industries, communities, and the public schools are highly commendable. Examples of these partnerships and service linkages include the IBM University Partners Program, the Small Business Development Center, the Small Business Consulting Internship experience for MBA students, a corporate-sponsored Software Testing Laboratory, a Composite Materials Technology Center (Testing Facility) a Geological and Analytical Services Laboratory, the Rochester Center Consortium, and public schools collaborative projects.