Next Chapter Grants and ASF Special Initiative Awards

Winona State University’s “Next Chapter” is the opportunity for us as a community to create collaboratively the vision and foundation for our future.  We have a chance to determine what we value, what qualities will continue to make us distinctive, and how we will move those ideas forward.  We are creating a roadmap for the journey ahead and “The Next Chapter” will be our guide.

As a part of this initiative,  a framework to support innovative projects that guide the fulfillment of our mission has been created. With this announcement, WSU seeks proposals for innovation projects, based on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Next Chapter Areas of Interest, HLC Accreditation Criteria, and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Strategic Framework, which will add distinctiveness to the academic enterprise and contribute to student life.  

Purpose:

To support projects related to the areas of interest that emerged in various fall 2011 meetings held while preparing “The Next Chapter,” the final section of the HLC accreditation self-study report.

Proposals should address, but are not limited to, projects involving the following HLC Next Chapter Areas of Interest:

Students:  Life-long learning

This refers to skills and abilities that students will use/need throughout life, regardless of career choice (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, civic awareness, advocacy).

Students:  Career/job readiness

This refers to advising, resources/information, and contacts that help students prepare not only to enter the workforce in general but also to enter jobs in their chosen field/career.

University:  Campus and community

This refers to the collaborative relationships that WSU has with its respective Winona and Rochester communities (e.g., general connectivity, cultural opportunities, positive relationships).

Department and Program:  External partnerships/collaborations

This refers to connections that WSU’s academic departments and programs have with external constituencies—some might involve student activity and others might not (e.g., professional speakers, consulting, travel study opportunities, project or curricular collaborations, global awareness, internships).

Students:  Community engagement/service learning

This refers to course projects or volunteer opportunities established to give students the ability to participate in engaged learning and/or community service and the understanding of why such service is important.

Technology:  Educational support

This refers to applications of technology for pedagogical purposes as well as for course delivery, course support, operations, tutoring, etc.

Students: Higher expectations

This refers to any call for students to be held to higher standards of practice in the classroom and lab or other academic settings as well as higher standards of conduct within and outside the WSU community.

Students: Leadership opportunities

This refers to any program that does, or could, give students active practice in taking leadership roles and developing leadership skills (both within and outside the classroom).

Outreach:  Non-traditional students

This refers to the growing need for WSU to recruit and better serve non-traditional students, as well as to support outreach programs already in place.

Department and Program: Interdisciplinary

Projects should either support what is unique and effective at WSU, or create new points of distinction for us as a community of learners.  The most powerful proposals will be those that find the intersections between and among areas of interests.  Collaborative, cross-unit/department/college, and/or cross-disciplinary projects are encouraged.