Arkansas State University

Centennial Celebration

Master Plan

Centennial Mission:  To utilize the university’s centennial anniversary to assist in achieving institutional priorities.

Institutional Priorities:

1.      Enhance the university’s reputation, visibility, and influence.

2.      Enhance learning by focusing on the institution’s priorities—teaching, research, and service.

3.      Develop a cohesive campus community based on strong shared-governance, excellent communication, and mutual respect.

4.      Develop a culture of assessment to enhance institutional outcomes.

5.      Increase enrollment, retention rate and graduation rate of both undergraduate and graduate students.

6.      Enhance the diversity and inclusiveness of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum.

7.      Increase resources to the university.

8.      Strategically manage resources among divisions and colleges based on institutional priorities.

Centennial Goals:

1. To develop and implement special projects and events that will enhance the university’s reputation, visibility and influence in the region, the state, and the nation.
2. To develop and implement special projects and events that will assist in building a cohesive university community through commemoration of our shared past.
3. To recognize the university’s heritage and past successes as a bridge to future achievements in teaching, research, and service.
4. To establish new legacies and traditions for the university’s second century of teaching, research, and service.

Centennial Organization

Centennial Commission:  This commission will include administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community representatives and will meet quarterly to guide the overall Centennial Celebration and ensure that projects, events, and activities contribute to achievement of institutional priorities. 

Steering Committee:  This committee shall consist of the Centennial staff, appropriate University Advancement staff, ASU Webmaster, and chairs of each of the task forces.  The committee will meet at least monthly, and more often as necessary, to ensure that the work of the task forces is moved along in a timely manner. 

Task Forces:

1.      Academic:  Members are responsible for identifying, creating and incorporating ways to highlight the ASU academic and scholarly community.

2.      Student:  Members serve as facilitators between the Centennial Commission and organized student groups to engage those groups in visible Centennial Celebration projects.

3.      Staff:  Members are responsible for ensuring that all levels of the university are addressed and involved in Centennial Celebration projects and activities

4.      Alumni:  Members will work with the Alumni office and Alumni groups and chapters to incorporate the Centennial theme into Homecoming and other alumni activities

5.      Community:  Members will plan and implement activities to ensure that the community is involved in the Centennial, including coordination with the 150^th anniversary of Jonesboro’s founding in 1859.

6.      Special Events: Members will plan and execute high profile events that have potential to draw attention to the university’s Centennial Celebration and convey specific message-driven themes.

7.      Special Projects:  Members will plan and execute projects that will highlight the university’s heritage and/or create lasting legacies and traditions

8.      Awards and Recognitions:  Members will develop and implement plans for recognition of various groups/individuals important to the university’s heritage, as well as possible implementation of new Awards/Recognition programs that will carry into the university’s next century.

Campus and Community Involvement:  An internal web site and other opportunities will be provided together ideas from the general campus and the community and to ensure that the celebration is all-inclusive.