Frostburg Forward

It has been a busy spring 2024 at Frostburg State University, and one of the things that has kept us so busy is our ongoing reaccreditation process. Every eight years, FSU engages in a thorough self-study as we seek university reaccreditation through one of the federally recognized regional accredited organizations, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). I’d like to note that the President of MSCHE, Dr. Heather Perfetti '95, is an FSU alumna! 

In today’s environment with national challenges to the value of higher education and the changes in education following the Covid pandemic, it is crucial that FSU take the time to reaffirm and, if necessary, adjust its mission, vision, and values. That process leads to strategies that guide the future of FSU. 

The university community has reaffirmed FSU’s mission. In fact, there was a sentiment to strengthen our commitments to “offer students a distinctive and distinguished baccalaureate education” and “prepare future leaders to meet the challenges of a complex and changing global society.” 

This mission statement guided the development of FSU’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. That plan featured 12 strategic action items with specified outcomes, and FSU is finalizing its report on the progress of those action items. There were clear successes in terms of enhancing student retention through both technology and added personnel to support student advising and interventions. FSU has created a Research Foundation and expanded its industry connections through the FSU Innovation Park. To support inclusion on campus and within the community, FSU opened the Adams-Wyche Multicultural Center at the Lincoln School.  Look for the final report this summer on our website. 

Moving forward, FSU has decided to concentrate on two strategic initiatives to lead us through December 2026. Given the uncertainties and turbulence in higher education, a laser-focused approach was taken rather than developing a full 5-year strategic plan. The first of these initiatives focuses on enrollment. 

FSU has a strategic enrollment plan that has been endorsed by the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents.  It is multi-focused and includes more online offerings, especially at the graduate level for working adults, building on our successes in the MBA program and the RN-to-BSN degree. We have created the Bobcat Academy for talented regional high school students who complete their high school senior year on FSU’s campus earning college credits. 

The second initiative focuses on the internal campus community and our external messaging. In a post-pandemic world, work-life balance has undergone challenges. The instructional environment with hybrid learning has impacted higher education. We need to better understand faculty and staff needs and remain committed to the sense of family and community at FSU that has been one of our hallmarks. Lastly, we need to communicate to the public the value of FSU and why an FSU education is so special. A working group began tackling this initiative in spring 2024. 

I believe these two initiatives, enrollment and sense of community, will provide us with the direction necessary to lead us over the next two years. All of this brings me back to reaccreditation and our self-study. The self-study report, which is due in spring 2025, will ultimately help us refine and inform those two initiatives as we live our FSU mission. 

I hope you stay tuned and follow this important work knowing that the University community is committed to FSU’s future.