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The Division of Undergraduate Education's Strategic Plan

The Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) plays a vital role in supporting the academic success and well-being of UC San Diego’s undergraduate students. The DUE oversees the eight Undergraduate Colleges and the Undergraduate Colleges Business Office (UCBO), the Academic Integrity Office (AIO), the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), and the Triton Testing Center (TTC), and works with schools, departments, and other campus partners to create a supportive and enriching academic environment.

The DUE is pleased to share a draft of our first DUE Strategic Plan, a roadmap designed to guide our efforts over the next several years. The development of this plan began in February 2024 and has been a collaborative effort, bringing together representatives from across DUE, students and our campus partners. 

MISSION & VISION

Our Mission Statement articulates our purpose while our Vision Statement defines our overarching goal for undergraduate education. 

MISSION

To advance a transformative undergraduate student education enhanced by a unique college system and the opportunities of a world class public research university.

VISION

An innovative and inclusive teaching and learning community where every student achieves their academic goals with integrity and discovers their path to make a meaningful difference in the world.

CORE VALUES

Our core values serve as the guiding principles for our strategic plan, shaping our efforts to enhance the undergraduate experience and foster a thriving academic community.

Working Together

We value teamwork both within our units and across the campus, and strive to create a culture of collaboration, respect, and transparency, where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.

Achieving Results

We are committed to excellence and accountability in making a difference in the lives of students, faculty, and staff.

Doing What’s Right

We act authentically and with integrity, holding ourselves and those we work with to the highest academic, professional and ethical standards.

Creating and Innovating

We encourage new perspectives and approaches and we support challenging the status quo for the advancement of undergraduate education.

Promoting Well-Being

We honor individuals in the fullness of their identities, expertise, and experiences. We demonstrate care, acknowledge contributions, promote agency, and embed fun and joy in our interactions and support of others.

DIVISIONAL GOALS & THEMES

The goals outlined here define what needs to be achieved to move us toward our vision. We have engaged in a collaborative process to identify and refine these goals, gathering input from across our Division and beyond. This includes contributions from our internal units, college provosts, close campus partners, student representatives, student focus groups, student council meetings, surveys conducted by the Council on Undergraduate Education, and our advisory board.

While goals identify what we aim to achieve, strategies will define how we achieve them, and plans will detail the specific initiatives that will bring each strategy to fruition. We are currently gathering feedback on our goals and beginning to draft strategies and plans within our teams. Our next steps will focus on refining these elements, with the final strategic plan targeted for completion later this academic year.

Theme 1: Advance Transformative Instruction and Pedagogy

  1. Work with departments and Colleges to reduce academic equity gaps in courses across the disciplines.
  2. In partnership with the Teaching and Learning Commons and faculty, increase the number of courses in all Schools and in the Colleges that use evidence-based, student-centered teaching practices.
  3. In collaboration with departments, Colleges and DUE units, establish practices where Faculty, Staff, and Administrators use data to assess and improve student learning.  
  4. In collaboration with campus partners increase the number of students participating in research, experiential learning, and community-based learning, and ensure that participation is representative of the campus population. 
  5. Support the Colleges, in collaboration with Housing, Dining and Hospitality, in developing and expanding meaningful co-curricular programs that promote learning through residential life experiences.

Theme 2: Establish Infrastructures and Processes to Support Undergraduate Education

  1. In partnership with Institutional Research, develop a data request and delivery process to provide faculty, administrators and staff with easy access to course level, departmental, College, and institutional data for institutional improvement, assessment and academic planning purposes.
  2. Coordinate and streamline campus wide efforts related to Program Review, Assessment and Accreditation through an office within the DUE.
  3. Explicitly link assessment and program review with the Strategic Accountability Process for Inclusive Excellence.
  4. Expand the Triton Testing Center’s on-campus services by establishing a dedicated  testing center and advocating for the creation of a statewide network of cooperating testing centers.
  5. Streamline administrative processes used by students, faculty, and staff that affect undergraduate education.

Theme 3: Elevate DUE's Impact Through Engagement, Collaboration, and Enhanced Visibility

  1. In collaboration with campus partners, contribute to a student-centered culture by developing a comprehensive ecosystem of academic advising and student support services across Colleges, majors and minors.
  2. Engage students, staff, and instructors more meaningfully with academic support services in DUE, including the Academic Integrity Office, the Office for Students with Disabilities, the Triton Testing Center, and the College and Department advisors.
  3. Increase partnerships between faculty and the Colleges to support students in personal development, academic learning, and experiential and community-engaged learning.
  4. In collaboration with campus partners, enhance the visibility of the work of undergraduate students, faculty, and staff.
  5. Develop clear, transparent and unified messaging and communication from DUE across the campus and within our teams.

Theme 4: Promote an Educational Community Rooted in a Culture of Care and Respect

  1. Promote a culture that centers wellness and balance for staff, faculty, and students.
  2. Establish expectations around faculty-student interactions and student support in the classroom.
  3. Increase visibility and accessibility of resources that support students’ mental health to enhance their academic success and overall well-being. 
  4. Establish an environment where all DUE staff and partners feel that they are valued for their contribution and treated with respect.
  5. Embed equity in hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development, and evaluation practices across all DUE units.

Seeking Your Input

To ensure that our plan represents the interests of the full campus surrounding undergraduate student education, we invite you to leave your feedback on our goals in this survey.