Extended Studies Mission

• Education is empowering, and we embrace the State Board of Education’s charge to ensure access and opportunities for individuals to continue their education regardless of their location, age and job responsibilities.
• Through dynamic partnerships we span boundaries, extending university programs to new locations and audiences as well as introducing innovative practices, business models and technologies to campus.
• We uphold the university’s Shared Values (academic excellence, caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness) as well as those principles vital to educational outreach – being enterprising, responsive and agile.

To advance the university’s Strategic Plan, we will pursue the following goals and strategies from FY23-28. Each area within Extended Studies will annually develop specific action plans with metrics and timelines to implement these strategies.

Improve Educational Access and Student Success

• Increase educational access by expanding in-demand online programs that incorporate best practices.
• Address equity gaps within our programs as directed in SERP.
• Implement best practices in enrollment management to market programs and to recruit, retain and graduate an increasing number of distance students.
• Utilize Extended Studies programming such as Summer Sessions, Concurrent Enrollment, online courses for campus-based students and Credit for Prior Learning to strategically advance student success and timely graduation.
• Develop lifelong relationships with learners and help them flow in and out of different educational opportunities as their lives and circumstances evolve.

Trailblaze partnerships and programs that address important student and workforce needs and strengthen communities.

• Strengthen our connections with employers, community colleges, the military and Idaho communities to increase enrollment and fulfill workforce needs.
• Internally, be the preferred, expert partner of the university’s academic areas for developing and delivering their online, off-campus, professional development and lifelong learning offerings.

Foster a Thriving Community

• Develop and implement plans aimed at the recruitment, development, support and well-being of our employees, especially in the context of moving to a model providing more remote and hybrid work options.
• Be advocates for nontraditional students and for designing a university that is inclusive of all.

Innovate for Institutional Impact

• Lead the university’s implementation of the Future of Online Programs Work Group recommendations, which collectively will transform the university into a more modern, responsive university extending access to thousands more individuals through robust fully online programs.
• Increase engagement with faculty to cultivate a culture of excellence in online teaching and learning. Advance research, emerging technologies and innovation in the online sphere.
• Introduce entrepreneurial business models that advance sustainable, quality programming.
• Advocate for and leverage advanced administrative systems which improve, quicken and personalize services. Utilize system data to inform continuous improvement.
• Initiate programming which harnesses the institution’s excess capacity during the summer expanse to advance university goals.