Moving from Good to Great
Johnson C. Smith's 13th President, Dr. Ronald L. Carter, has issued a challenge to faculty, staff, students, staff, alumni, trustees and friends. He has envisioned a path to move JCSU from good to great on the educational landscape so that we may live on our growing edge.
In his vision, he has six priorities that will outline the way we move forward:
Academic Excellence – Shift the weight between quantity and quality in the University’s policies and procedures that currently lean toward quantity, which in effect has led to inconsistent levels of Smith’s programs, faculty and students;
- The university has reorganized the Division of Freshman-Sophomore Learning into the Biddle Memorial Institute comprised of: students who have not declared their majors, Biddle Cohort Students, Honors College students and Advanced Freshmen
- In fall of 2009 the university admitted its strongest academic freshman class ever
- A $38,000 Mellon Grant has allowed the school to plan a new career-preparatory degree in the performing arts
Operational Performance – Develop a focused University strategy that is based on a comprehensive management information system and measureable outcomes;
- JCSU secured $5.1 million in federal funds during the 2008-2009 academic year, funds which have been used for various initiatives and projects on an institutional level
- JCSU successfully raised funds from alumni and utilized Title III government funds to build and install 13 Smart Classrooms
Advising Research Mastery – Attract, hire, and maintain a differential faculty of teacher-advisers, teacher scholars, and applied researchers;
- JCSU created four Centers of Excellence that make up the Smith Institute for Applied Research: Center for Excellence in Diversity and Business Workforce Development; Center of Excellence in Global Education; Center of Excellence in Homeland Security-Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; and the Center of Excellence in Minority Health
- A two-year $111,000 UNCF/Ford Action Grant has been awarded to the school for faculty development
Diversity – Attract a critical mass of highly motivated, high achieving students across racial, ethnic, and national boundaries;
- The class of 2013 is a highly-motivated and talented group who are also geographically diverse, hailing from over 23 different states including Alabama, Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington. These scholars have been educated in London, the Virgin Islands and Jamaica
Distinctive Student Experience – Accelerate the University’s scheduled maintenance plan, especially in the classrooms and dormitories;
- The Biddle Institute began a unique three-week freshman academic/social boot camp experience which allows freshmen to immediately become familiar with their chosen major
- The institution has overhauled the student cafeteria to a more modern facility
- The university is also working to overhaul the lower level of the student union into The Bullpen, a student "sports bar" where scholars will be able to relax and engage each other in a relaxed environment
- The school continues to renovate classrooms into "smart classroom" featuring state-of-the art multimedia capabilities
- JCSU plans on having 40 "smart classrooms" by the end of 2010 with the addition of eight more by the end of the 2009 fall semester with the ultimate goal of having every classroom as a "smart classroom"
Community Engagement – Lead sustained and actionable conversations with the City and coalitions of developers concerning the revitalization of the Urban Distinct that is Johnson C. Smith’s front door.
- The university has successfully garnered more than $7 million in private grants, including over $900,000 in alumni giving pledges to help the institution and the Duke Endowment and Belk Foundation have given the school signature support
- Through the Center for Applied Leadership and Community Development, the university implemented its first Carolina Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools summer enrichment program that encourages students to develop a love of reading