PRESQUE ISLE – Officials at the University of Maine at Presque Isle have taken further steps to assure that students get more from their education than simply a degree with the launch Friday of a five-year strategic plan that focuses on streamlining the institution.

The streamlining is intended to allow students to get the most out of their academic experiences, become more invested in the campus and develop stronger connections with the community, Dr. Michael Sonntag, vice president of academic affairs, said Friday.

During an afternoon press conference, Sonntag and UMPI President Dr. Don Zillman discussed the comprehensive plan, titled “2008-2013: Engaging the Campus, Connecting with the Community.”

The plan is organized into two major strategic goals: student success and institutional sustainability.

“This plan is really about three things: doing everything we can to encourage student success on our campus, ensuring that our internal systems are operating smoothly so we can better deliver campus services to our students and, as we focus on these two areas, taking every opportunity to develop and strengthen connections between our campus and the community,” Sonntag said during the press conference.

As part of the student success goal, university officials will review UMPI’s professional and liberal arts programs and align them with student interest, employment opportunities and community needs. Sonntag said focus also would be put on student affairs programming in order to help students develop a sense of personal identity and social responsibility and encourage them to get involved in campus life.

Officials also will work to establish more student service-learning projects and additional opportunities for fieldwork and undergraduate research.

To accomplish institutional sustainability, the university will focus on customer service, sound financial management and efficient administrative functions. One of the major initial changes students will see as a result of this is a new academic structure.

In the past, UMPI divided its academic programs into six schools, including the School of Business and International Studies and the School of English and Fine Arts. Now, those schools will be replaced by four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Professional Programs and College of University Programs.

Students will see the realignment of these programs on the university’s Web site by the end of the month, according to Sonntag, adding that the move would help simplify the organization of the university’s academic programs and create stronger links between administration and faculty.

Other initiatives under the second major goal include creating new student social spaces with attention to the needs of nontraditional and commuter students, improving and updating teacher facilities and providing more customer service themed training opportunities for faculty and staff.

The university will use bond money to conduct some of that work, said Sonntag.

Zillman said he was “delighted” with the plan and how promptly it was put together. It took approximately a year to develop the report, which will be implemented over five years.

Sonntag said officials would take time out each year to assess how well they are meeting their goals.

jlbdn@ainop.com

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