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Strengths
Helpful to achieving the objective - Internal origin
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Weakness
Harmful to achieving the objective - Internal origin
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- Nationaly Recognized for providing high quality education at a low cost
- Excellent reputation in Engineering and Science
- Consistent National Rankings
- Reputation for high quality programs, faculty, and research
- Only TBR institution whose "Tech" name reflects its STEM-oriented mission
- Produce knowledgeable graduates from rural areas with high earning power
- Entering class has high GPA/ACT scores
- Tech has highest retention rates in TBR system
- Student Life activities, peer mentoring, library restructuring, living-learning villages, etc. are part of increased efforts to improve retention
- Instructional Leadership graduated program is cost effective and popular
- Strong distance learning program
- Ph.D. program in Exceptional Learning is cost effective and productive
- Engineering program has strong reputation for producing high quality students and its enrollment is 2nd largest in Tennessee
- Workforce has a commitment to quality, dedication, positive morale, and work ethic
- TTU students, faculty, and staff are committed to university and community
- Faculty are recognized nationaly and internationally for research and leadership in respective fields
- TTU is located in an area of natural beauty that offers many outdoor recreational opportunities
- Campus is attractive
- Close proximity to Oak Ridge, TN
- Three Reasearch Centers of Excellence
- TTU students and employees have skills to enhance economic and industrial development in the Upper Cumberland
- Tech's alumni base is loyal but somewhat encultivated with respect to development
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- Lack of name recognition outside of TN and The Upper Cumberland region
- Lack of clear vision and mission
- Too many identities
- Lack of minority and international student attraction
- Lack of targeted advertisements to students out-of-state or out-of-region
- Need for more personal relationships between students and professors, and students and advisors
- Under-qualified part-time faculty teaching graduate level courses due to shifts in enrollment growth and inadequate fund allocation
- Inability to adjust educational environment to fit needs of students
- Not enough graduate degrees
- Too many high-cost programs
- Over-reliance on traditional programs for continuing enrollment growth and research
- Lack of merit-based system or incentive/reward system for employees
- Too many TTU faculty and staff who are resistant to change and fear of competition
- Lack of diversity
- Lack of consistent enforcement of policies and procedures
- Geographically distant from a large urban area
- Infrastructures and labs need extensive maintenance and renovating with little funds to do so
- Possibly over-extended financially on STEM Center and Prescott School
- Relative lack of political clout at Statehouse and TBR
- Tech is not well connected politically
- Not strong enough economic impact on the Upper Cumberland in areas of cutting edge technology
- Inefficiencies in time and expenditures in processes across campus
- Lack of political or industrial financial support base
- An endowment that isn't proportional to Tech's academic standing
- Poorly or inadequately funded programs
- Failure to reward programs that are income producing
- Failure to find sufficient alternative sources of revenue
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Opportunities
Helpful to achieving the objective - External origin
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Threats
Harmful to achieving the objective - External origin |
- Drastic changes in TN higher education allows Tech to redefine its image and mission, and further differentiate itself from other TN institutions
- Increase national and regional recognition
- Expand partnerships w/ P-16 partners, k-12, and other higher education institutions
- Capitalize on enrollment of transfer and adult students
- Possibility to increase retention through programs housed in the living - learning villages
- Communication with students and communication about student performance within departments
- Growing demand for graduate programs in teaching could lead to Masters/Specialist programs that appeal to teachers at variety of levels and expertise
- Build on Exceptional Learning program by adding a STEM concentration
- Use STEM center to develop publicly recognized strength for K-12 STEM education
- Expansion of engineering, online, 2+2, and online MS programs
- Tech should strive to use one-time funding opportunities, when presented, to address facilities across campus.
- A state of TN initiative to pass a major bond issue for laboratories across the state
- Expand on square-footage in years to come
- Local state representative, is an up-and-comer willing to promote Tech’s interests
- Proposed new funding formula
- Involve more faculty members in research through incentives. Increased external funding is an opportunity to increase revenue through indirect cost recovery
- Work collaboratively with UTK, ORNL, Oak Ridge in research and selective program development
- Opportunity to maximize on potential of Centers of Excellence
- Partner with community agencies
- Establish stronger relationships with automotive industry in areas of automotive engineering
- Further impact economic development in local region
- Use budget crisis as a way to become more innovative, eliminate non-essential elements in order to become more productive at essential functions
- Increase fundraising efforts and alumni understanding of funds needed as a vital importance to future success of TTU
- Make sure lack of funds does not cause Tech to give into lowering standards and having less qualified professors in their field of study
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- The public perception of TTU becoming primarily an institution for the Upper Cumberland region
- Lack of publicity in areas of TTU excellence, value and quality
- Increased budget cuts, tuition, and various costs reduces affordability of college for students
- Upper Cumberland population growth has leveled off
- Improving retention rates by lowering academic standards which leads to decreased institutional value, reputation, and negative perception from the community
- Instructional Leadership Masters and Specialist degree program is being reshaped by TN Dept. of Education. Outcomes could reduce a large amount of revenue for TTU
- Any elimination of redundant programs across the state could impact Tech negatively or positively
- TBR fails to recognize difference between constituent institutions
- Budget crisis makes faculty recruitment difficult because of job security fears
- Faculty recruitment suffers due to more emphasis on teaching than research and TTU’s small town location
- Low employee morale due to budget cuts and job loss
- Lack of state funding of capital improvements
- Tech will be threatened with building standards issues, life safety code issues, ADA complaints, etc. because of inadequate funding for major maintenance
- Continued reductions in state funding to the University
- Political and funding formula threats to Graduate programs, research, and various programs
- Political climate emphasizes general education at community colleges
- Threats to TTU Centers of Excellence if we are not viewed by TN as a research institution
- Competition and inefficiency among TBR and UT System campuses
- Continual reduction in state funding
- Internal competition for limited funding
- Decrease in faculty and staff morale due to job security and Tech’s threatened reputation for quality
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