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THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS THE ENGAGED RESEARCH UNIVERSITY:

Extending the Agenda2002–2007

Message From the President:Message From the President:

When I arrived at UNLV in 1995, I quickly learned that

members of the university community were eager to discover and artic-

ulate shared goals and purposes. In order to facilitate that process, I

encouraged the campus to engage in a series of exciting and fruitful dis-

cussions. That dialogue led to the creation of a campus planning

document, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Premier Urban University: A

Public Agenda for the Decade 1996-2005, that laid out a vision for the

decade and a series of goals to fulfill that vision. The goals and vision

have become an integral part of UNLV’s planning and its language.

Because of the dynamic nature and rapid development of the institution, it became necessary to

revise the document before the decade had passed. The original document outlined a series of

institutional aspirations; this revised version celebrates the achievements of the past six years,

updates the previous document, and provides an ambitious agenda for UNLV as it moves toward

its 50th anniversary in 2007-2008.

The revision of UNLV’s planning document coincides with a major effort by the University and

Community College System of Nevada that has led to the creation of a system master plan. As

a part of that plan, UNLV and the other institutions have been requested to revise their mas-

ter plans in an effort to achieve mission differentiation. UNLV has undertaken an extensive

campus–wide discussion of its present and future research strengths that has led to the creation

of a series of institutional Macrothemes. Those Macrothemes are included in this document

along with the system’s goals that are outlined in the UCCSN Master Plan. UNLV will work

to ensure that its planning document and Macrothemes coincide with the goals outlined in the

UCCSN Master Plan.

This document cannot anticipate all of the growth and changes that will occur at UNLV in the

future. The institution often has to respond to unexpected, dramatic opportunities. The text

does, however, provide a general framework that can be adapted and built upon.

UNLV has come a long way since 1995. I believe that this document will play a crucial role in help-

ing UNLV become an even better institution. As President, I look forward to working with the

members of the campus community to achieve the goals and agenda outlined in this document,

University of Nevada, Las Vegas The Engaged Research University: Extending the Agenda, 2002-2007.

Extending the Agenda • i

Table of ContentsThe University of Nevada, Las Vegas The Engaged Research University: Extending the Agenda, 2002-2007

Table of Contents

University of Nevada, Las Vegas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Planning for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Planning Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Premier Metropolitan Research University . . . . . 6

Goals for UNLV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

UNLV Research Macrothemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Building Nevada’s Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Planning Council Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATEMENTIt has been and will continue to be the policy of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to be an equalopportunity institution. All decisions of admissions and employment are based on objective standards thatwill further the goals of equal opportunity. The University is committed to ensuring that all programs andactivities are readily accessible to all eligible persons without regard to their race, color, religion, gender,national origin, ancestry, age, disability, Vietnam-era and/or disabled veteran status, any protected classunder relevant state and federal laws, and, in accordance with University policy, sexual orientation.

© 2002 This publication was designed and published by Publications/Reprographics. Photography courtesyof Jack Krawczyk, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Photo Services and UNLV Publications Archives.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS THE ENGAGED RESEARCH UNIVERSITY:

Extending the Agenda2002–2007

About Our Cover:As UNLV emerges as an engaged research

university, it affirms its commitment to

academic discovery, excellent teaching, artistic

expression, and community outreach. In the

sciences and the arts, the classroom and the

community, UNLV is truly becoming a premier

metropolitan research university.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS:THE ENGAGED RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

Extending the Agenda • 1

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is a premier metropolitan

research university. UNLV demonstrates how the traditional values of

higher education can be adapted to conditions and needs of individuals

and communities in the 21st century. The university concentrates its

resources on instructional and research programs that are student-

centered; demonstrably excellent and responsive to the needs of local,

regional, national, and international communities.

UNLV’s faculty and staff have created an educational environment that

encourages the full personal and professional development of those it

serves and those who serve the university. UNLV assists students in

learning about and meeting the intellectual and ethical challenges of

responsible citizenship and a full and productive life through opportuni-

ties to acquire the knowledge and experiences that enhance critical

thinking, leadership skills, aesthetic sensitivity, and social integrity.

The university provides traditional and professional academic programs

for a diverse student body and encourages innovative and interdiscipli-

nary approaches to teaching, learning, and scholarship. Recognizing the

individuality of each student, UNLV simultaneously engenders collegial

relationships and a sense of community among its members. UNLV

embraces the interdependence of quality instruction, scholarly pursuits,

and substantive involvements in campus and community life.

The university offers artistic, cultural, and technical resources and

opportunities to the broadest possible community. It promotes research

programs and creative activities by students and faculty that respond to

the needs of an urban community in a desert environment.

UNLV has developed a synergy between professional and liberal studies,

undergraduate and graduate programs, and excellent teaching and supe-

rior research. UNLV increasingly is a dynamic resource for, and partner

with, the community, state, region, and nation it serves. The university

is working to become a major source and impetus in the economic and

social development of the state.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

THE ENGAGED RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

2 • University of Nevada, Las Vegas

In its brief 45year history, theUniversity ofNevada, Las Vegas(UNLV) has evolvedfrom a smallregional institutionwith 41 students,three faculty, andone building tothe state’s largestcomprehensivedoctoral-degree-

granting institution with 25,000 students; more than 2,300 employees,including 800 faculty members; and over 70 buildings. UNLV isexpanding beyond the boundaries of the current campus to create satel-lite campuses and research parks. UNLV’s commitment to serving theLas Vegas metropolitan area is reflected in itsmembership and activities in national andinternational organizations such as TheCoalition of Urban and MetropolitanUniversities, an organization of 60 universitieslocated in urban areas with populations ofmore than 250,000 people.

Although it has grown and evolved into anationally and internationally recognized edu-cational institution, the university continuesto adhere to its original mission of creating acenter of academic excellence in southernNevada. As southern Nevada and the univer-sity have grown, however, UNLV hasexpanded its mission to include a broad arrayof opportunities for students who come to LasVegas from every state in the nation and nearly 100 countries through-out the world.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

UNLV’s entrepreneurial spirit has led to suchdistinctive accomplishments as a world-classprogram in hotel administration and tourism,innovative desert environmental programs,expanding international educational opportu-nities, and numerous interdisciplinary offeringsand research centers. In recent years, the uni-versity has created, developed, and wonprovisional accreditation for a law school;assisted in the development of a public ele-mentary school on campus to train teachers;and built an international gaming institute, anew music building, and a magnificent newlibrary that has become the intellectual centerof the university as well as serving as a symbolof the university’s commitment to academicexcellence. In the future, UNLV plans to builda new Science, Engineering, and TechnologyComplex and partner with the University of

Nevada, Reno in anAcademic MedicalCenter that includes thenew UNLV DentalSchool, a jointUNR/UNLV PharmacySchool, UNLV’s CancerInstitute, and a variety ofbiomedically related pro-grams and research. Atthe same time, UNLVwill work to enhanceprograms in all collegesacross the university.The institution willadapt to unexpected,dramatic opportunities

while at the same time consciously attemptingto shape its future according to the goals out-lined in this document.

…it has grownand evolved intoa nationally andinternationallyrecognizededucationalinstitution…


Since 1996, the university has undergone major changes that arereflected in the integration of the goals and language of the planningdocument into the university’s culture. The acceptance of the docu-ment is apparent: When faculty or staff members apply for grants orawards, they use the language of the planning document to supportthe ideas in their proposals; individuals who apply for positions oncampus will often include the language into their applications; andunits undertaking hiring will provide prospective employees withcopies of the document.

Many of the action items in the former planning document’s goals havebeen achieved since they were originally formulated in 1995. This briefsummary illustrates how those goals have been met.

BECOME MORE STUDENT FOCUSED: Faculty and staff con-tinue to work toward the goal of being student focused. The goal hasbeen supported through the creation of a new student orientationprocess, more flexible class schedules, advising centers in many of thecolleges, and the increased use of technology to enhance student learn-ing and retention. The university has also enriched the quality ofstudent life by adding more programs, organizations, activities, andresources designed to integrate students into college life.

HIRE, MOTIVATE, AND REWARD SUPERIOR FACULTY: Inrecent years, the university has hired more than 500 highly qualifiednew faculty members who received their degrees from some of the finestinstitutions in the world. These individuals, in conjunction with thecontinuing faculty, have significantly influenced the attainment of theuniversity’s research goals and its national reputation.

The university has addressed its goal of enhancing faculty supportthrough an improved orientation program for new faculty and throughthe creation of the Teaching Learning Center to provide training andencouragement for faculty in their teaching. UNLV has created areward structure that encourages and motivates faculty to achieve thehighest level of scholarship, instruction, and service.

PLANNING SUCCESSPLANNING SUCCESS

In 1995, Dr. Carol Harter became the sev-enth president of UNLV. She instituted ayear-long, campus-wide planning process inwhich faculty, students, staff, alumni, andmembers of the community participated. Inthose discussions, the phrase “premierurban university” emerged as the corner-stone of the university’s strategic plan. Theplanning process also defined how UNLVwould be distinguished by its ongoing com-mitment to being student-centered whileincreasing its research emphasis, its excel-lence in both liberal studies andprofessional education, its emphasis onboth traditional values and global citizen-ship, and its attention to both local needsand international concerns.

Each year since 1995, there has been anannual campus-wide retreat to evaluate theuniversity’s goals and to suggest changes andadditions. In order to emphasize the impor-tance of and need for continuous planning,the campus created the University PlanningCouncil, chaired by a member of thePresident’s staff, to coordinate the univer-sity’s strategic planning effort.

That process led to the creation of a plan-ning document that outlined the university’sgoals for the decade, 1996-2005. Becausemany of the goals have been achieved beforethe end of the decade, the Planning Councilhas undertaken a significant revision andupdating of the document.

INCREASE RESEARCH, SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY, ANDNATIONAL RECOGNITION: In 2001, the university opened thearchitecturally award-winning, technologically advanced, yet accessible300,000-square-foot Lied Library. The library quickly became an aca-demic symbol for the campus while providing increased opportunities forresearch for faculty and students. Since 1995, the faculty has raised itsscholarly production through increased research grants, actively involv-ing students in research, and the creation of new graduate programs.

GROW SELECTIVELY, SERVE THE REGION, AND ACHIEVEDISTINCTION: Since 1995, the university has revised its undergrad-uate curriculum and its core curriculum to provide better and moremeaningful learning experiences for students. In order to serve students,the university hired an Associate Vice President for EnrollmentManagement to oversee and coordinate issues relating to recruitment,admission, and retention. UNLV continues to work toward its goal ofbecoming more selective at the undergraduate and graduate levels andhas been granted approval to increase admissions requirements in 2006and again in 2010.

CREATE AN INCLUSIVE AND JUST CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT:The university has worked to achieve an inclusive and just campus envi-ronment by creating a task force on diversity; hiring and retaining morewomen and minority faculty and staff members; raising awareness of therights and responsibilities inherent in free expression among faculty, staff,and students; and meeting issues concerned with public safety through thecreation of a community policing model on campus.

DEVELOP A SERVICE-ORIENTED,RESPONSIVE, ACCOUNTABLEADMINISTRATION: The university hassought to create a responsive administrationthrough an ongoing planning process, a reor-ganization of academic and administrativeunits, and the creation of a common under-standing of the concept of shared governance.

COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATEMORE EFFECTIVELY: UNLV has worked tocommunicate its goals, challenges, and achieve-ments to the public and to members of theuniversity community. As a symbol of the impor-tance of communication to internal and externalconstituencies, UNLV has enhanced the office ofthe Vice President for University andCommunity Relations through the addition ofnew staff and has created new publications tocommunicate with the university’s various con-stituencies. In order to advance its connections tothe community, UNLV has created the positionof Vice Provost for Outreach and CooperativePrograms to enhance the university’s ExtendedStudies programs. The President has created theCouncil for University and CommunityCollaborations, a group whose goal is to helpincrease UNLV’s links to the community and toenhance the university’s role in the metropolitanarea. The council is composed of universityadministrators, faculty, and staff as well as promi-nent members of the community.

The university has successfully collaborated withthe Legislature, Clark County School District,other UCCSN institutions, the business commu-nity, and federal and state agencies on a variety ofissues and tasks. UNLV is becoming particularlyrelevant to the work of the Nevada DevelopmentAuthority as it partners with business leadershipto create new avenues for professional workforcedevelopment and the creation of new economicopportunities. UNLV’s Downtown Center hasmade a significant contribution to the develop-ment of downtown Las Vegas.


Brian Greenspun and Bill Clinton greet audience membersbefore Clinton’s lecture at UNLV.


METROPOLITAN

PREMIERPREMIERBy promoting quality as a central value, UNLV will become a premiermetropolitan research university. UNLV has demonstrated its commit-ment to quality by recruiting and retaining excellent students; offeringfirst-rate academic programs, continuing professional education and co-curricular programs; hiring and retaining talented professional andclassified staff who embody the institution’s goals; and recruiting andretaining outstanding faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching,scholarship, and service. The creation and dissemination of new knowl-edge by faculty and students will enhance the university’s reputationwhile at the same time improving the lives of the citizens of Nevadaand the nation. While stressing quality in all areas, fiscal realities dic-tate that UNLV will give priority to carefully selected initiatives drawnfrom many, often competing, options. Because quality is an elusive con-cept, UNLV’s decision to become a “premier” institution will requirecarefully crafted assessment tools that establish benchmarks for measur-ing progress toward the attainment of excellence in all endeavors.

In the most literal sense, UNLV is an urban university existing in arapidly growing metropolitan area whose population now exceeds 1.5million; it is an integral part of the Las Vegas community. In additionto its educational offerings, the university plays a vital role in theeconomic development of the community and assumes a major role inidentifying and solving many of the region’s social and environmentalproblems. The university offers stimulating intellectual activities,diverse cultural and arts experiences, and exciting athletic competition,all of which invite community participation.

As an urban university, UNLV must blend its aspirations with thedynamic metropolitan area in which it exists. As a member of TheCoalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, UNLV illustrateshow the creation, interpretation, dissemination, and application ofknowledge are at the core of the institution; accepts responsibility forapplying that knowledge to help identify and solve problems in the LasVegas metropolitan region; and commits itself to being responsive tothe needs of the community by seeking new ways of providing leader-ship in addressing problems through teaching, research, and service.

UNLV will advance its mission by acknowledging and responding tothe nature and needs of its students, promoting programs, scholarship,and service that address local, state, and regional needs; meeting state

METROPOLITAN

A university is an intellectual community inwhich a diverse student body, faculty, andstaff engage in thoughtful debate and rigorousscholarship; it includes multiple entities uni-fied by a shared purpose: the search forknowledge. UNLV provides educational expe-riences grounded in the liberal and fine artsand the sciences that encourage students tomeet intellectual and ethical challenges andto lead full and productive lives.

UNLV attempts to enhance student lives andlearning in many areas. The university offersexcellent programs in athletics and otherextracurricular activities for men and womenthat complement the institution’s academicmission. In athletics, UNLV will offer com-petitive programs in all sponsored sports whilemodeling the positive values of the NCAAand the Mountain West Athletic Conference.

As a public university and a member of theUniversity and Community College System ofNevada, UNLV will advance its mission byadopting policies and procedures that encour-age the participation of Nevada’s citizens inhigher education and invite involvement incampus life through public events, culturalopportunities, and collaborative endeavors.

UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH

and regional higher educa-tion and work force needs

in direct and demonstrableways; and developing syner-

gistic, collaborativerelationships with individuals andentities from the surrounding com-munity.

Rapid growth, a desert, an urbanenvironment, and the gamingindustry bring with them bothsignificant rewards and daunting

challenges. Those challengesinclude meeting the need for more

classroom teachers, water resourcemanagers, architects, and healthcare professionals while continuingto educate hotel administrators,

gaming managers, and transportation engineers. In response, the uni-versity’s programs will address carefully identified community needs,and UNLV’s faculty and students will engage in research and servicethat focus on enhancing the quality of life of the residents of the stateand improving the economy of the state, region, and nation.

UNLV will continue to advance as a research institution by increasingthe number of nationally known academic programs, focusing the skillsof the current faculty and hiring additional faculty in areas selected forresearch emphasis, responding to opportunities and needs, and under-taking research that will serve the community, the state, and thenation. Much of that research will be interdisciplinary in nature. UNLVwill encourage faculty and staff to seek external funding and will createa research infrastructure that will support that effort, including aresearch foundation under the auspices of the UNLV Foundation. TheUNLV Research Foundation will contribute to economic developmentand diversification by applying faculty and student creative work inpartnerships with various entities in the public and private sectors.

The institution recognizes that the type of scholarship and researchexpectations will vary from discipline to discipline. That differencemust be recognized by the university reward structure, in facultyassignments, and in support for excellent programs across all collegesin the institution.

RESEARCH

UNIVERSITY


Nobel Prize-winning facultymember Wole Soyinka


To continue to fulfill the mission of apremier metropolitan research university,UNLV will pursue the following goals:

Goal #1: Create andSustain a Student-Centered LearningEnvironment

All members of the university communitywill focus on, and be committed to, studenteducation and development by creating anenvironment in which learning takes place inmany forms and by diverse means in interac-tions with students.

This student-centered culture will focus onundergraduate, graduate and professionalstudents’ needs as lifelong learners. In thislearning environment, students will beempowered to be responsible for, andinvolved in, their education as active playersin the academic learning enterprise in orderto meet their educational objectives.

GOALS FOR UNLVGOALS FOR UNLV

In order to demonstrate its commitment to creating a student-centered learning environment, UNLV will:

• Foster and sustain an environment that nurtures students’personal growth and supports student learning.

• Develop support systems and provide opportunities, bothcurricular and co-curricular, that emphasize learning and helpstudents realize their potential by applying what they havelearned in the classroom.

• Establish administrative procedures that provide convenient,seamless, high-quality accessible services with sufficient staffingto provide those services.

• Create opportunities for students that result in personalexperiences that enhance the connection of the student andthe campus community.

• Provide service-learning opportunities that develop leadershipskills, service orientation, and responsibility among students.

• Enhance technological resources to allow students a maximumnumber of choices as to when, where, and how classes,programs, and services are accessed.

• Assess and address student needs to develop appropriateprograms, activities, and services that will enhance retentionand academic success for all students (including student athletesand other individuals involved in university-sponsoredactivities).

• Respond to the challenge to provide learning any time,anywhere.

• Create and facilitate activities and services for students thatsupport positive and rewarding academic, social, and culturallearning experiences.

• Assess and respond to the physical and mental health andwellness needs of students.

• Encourage students to broaden their educational experiencethrough participation in international educational programs.

• Provide learning opportunities, both curricular and co-curricular(including athletics), appropriate for and focused on students.


Goal #2: Hire,Motivate, and RewardSuperior Faculty,Professional Staff, andClassified Staff

UNLV will hire, reward, and retain faculty,professional staff, and classified staff memberswho advance the mission of the university bysuccessfully integrating teaching, scholarship,and service in a manner that supports studentlearning and the creation of knowledge.

To encourage this integration, the university will:

• Encourage the broadest possible recruitment for vacant facultyand professional staff positions in order to attract the bestpossible candidates for positions.

• Ensure a sufficient, dedicated budget for recruitment of facultyand professional staff positions.

• Create mechanisms to ensure continued gains in diversity offaculty and staff.

• When appropriate positions are available, be flexible in hiringsuch as giving consideration for qualified spousal and partner hires.

• Clearly articulate guidelines for receiving merit and otherrewards at all levels of the institution.

• Create clear guidelines and expectations for faculty and staff.

• Provide mentoring programs that focus on retention anddevelopment of faculty and staff.

• Provide employees with access to services and resources theyneed in order to meet their goals for success.

• Provide new employees with a departmental/unit orientation anda university-wide orientation soon after their arrival at UNLV.

• Create a career development path for current employees toincrease the possibility of their advancement.

• Conduct exit interviews with faculty, professional staff, andclassified staff who leave the university as a means of collectingmeaningful data to help in improving retention.

• Initiate climate interviews or surveys with faculty, professionalstaff, and classified staff at specific points in their terms at UNLV.

• Be more competitive in recruiting and compensating graduatestudents.

This student-centered culture

will focus on undergraduate,

graduate, and professional

students’ needs…


In order to become a nationally recognized research university,

UNLV will:

• Improve the infrastructure (labs, equipment, and computing

facilities) by following recommendations from the American

Association for the Advancement of Science review team that

visited the campus in 2000.

• Identify and emphasize areas of research strengths.

• Build a campus culture that values research and creative work

produced by individuals as well as by disciplinary and multi-

disciplinary teams.

• Encourage innovative interdisciplinary research when possible.

• Expand research-related support staffing.

• Enhance the journal holdings in the library to adequately

support an expanded research and scholarly mission.

• Create a climate that is supportive of research and scholarship

by rewarding (both monetarily and otherwise) faculty engaged

in those activities.

• Hire additional senior faculty to work in conjunction with

current faculty to serve as mentors for new faculty.

• Support new faculty by providing strong start-up packages

and reassigned time from teaching so they can establish

research programs.

• Increase involvement of students in research at both the

undergraduate and graduate levels.

• Increase external support to build programs and centers

of distinction.

Goal #3: Continue toIncrease Research,Scholarly Activities toBecome a NationallyRecognized ResearchUniversity

UNLV will be distinguished by the quality andquantity of scholarship produced by its faculty,staff, and students; this scholarship willenhance the reputation and visibility of theuniversity while enhancing the quality of edu-cation experienced by UNLV’s students andthe quality of life of the citizens of Nevada.

Create a climate that is

supportive of research

and scholarship…


Goal #4: GrowSelectively, Serve theRegion, and AchieveDistinction

The university is developing growth andenrollment strategies that attract an increas-ingly diverse, talented, and academicallyprepared pool of applicants and is encouragingprograms that serve regional needs andachieve national distinction. These studentsand programs will enhance teaching andresearch and will allow for increased collabo-ration between faculty and students.

To attract top students and encourage program development, theuniversity will:

• Become a Doctoral/Research-Extensive institution by 2010.

• Educate the “whole person” while preparing students for theworld of work.

• Ensure that the undergraduate education offered at UNLVinvolves a well-rounded curriculum based in the liberal andfine arts as well as the sciences with unique opportunities foradvancement in a variety of areas such as graduate studies,unique job opportunities for certain disciplines, etc.

• Continue to review and revise the core curriculum whenappropriate.

• Provide programs that facilitate a career change for adultstudents or programs that assist students with furthering theircareer development.

• Develop administrative structures that encourageinterdisciplinary efforts.

• Continue to actively support the growth and development of theHonors College and work to provide all students an educationalexperience similar to that provided by the Honors College.

• Expand international education opportunities for studentsand faculty.

• Expand services that support the hiring of, and provideassistance to, international scholars and students.

• Implement increasingly rigorous admission standards at boththe undergraduate and graduate levels.

• Develop graduate and advanced professional programs thatmeet local, state, and regional needs.

• Continue to engage in a meaningful and systematic process ofprogram review.

• Implement workload expectations and other resources equal tothose of comparable institutions.

Ensure that the

undergraduate education

offered at UNLV involves a

well-rounded curriculum…


Goal #5: Continue toFoster a CampusEnvironment thatRespects Diversity andFree Expression

UNLV will be characterized by a civil, inclu-sive campus climate that demonstrates arespect for individual differences and a com-mitment to equity and free expression. Thatclimate will create an environment wheremembers of the campus community haveincreased awareness of diversity and theopportunity it presents.

In order to create an inclusive campus that respects diversity andfreedom of expression, UNLV will:

• When possible, expand the Target of Opportunity program toinclude the recruitment of professional employees.

• Continue to promote diversity within the Department ofPublic Safety by hiring more females and ethnic minorities,emphasizing continuing diversity education programs, andencouraging alliances with other campus departments.

• Evaluate the accomplishments of campus units relative todiversity, inclusiveness, justice, and civility and use the resultsto help allocate resources and in program planning.

• Design a means of undertaking an institutional conversationintended to clarify the meaning of diversity and its respectivegoals for UNLV, to provide examples of best practices, and tocreate an institutional statement of understanding about diversity.

• Ensure that UNLV continues to focus on diversity ininstitutional planning, campus events, and retention programsas a result of the university’s commitment to the idea thatdiversity is an integral part of the university community.

• Honor and reward outstanding contributions by members ofthe campus community in promoting diversity on campus.

• Ensure that the institution is deliberate in efforts to educateUNLV students about the importance and value of diversity, toset expectations for tolerant and civil interactions, and topromote understanding about the rights and responsibilitiesinherent in free expression.

• Create and recommend a universal statement for syllabi thatexpresses the institution’s commitment to diversity, civility,tolerance, and freedom of expression.

• Sponsor a series of interdisciplinary discussions and lecturesdesigned to educate the campus community about the rightsand responsibilities inherent in free expression.

• Redesign physical spaces to invite informal conversationsamong members of the university community.

Ensure that the institution is

deliberate in efforts to educate

UNLV students about the

importance and value of diversity…


Goal #6: Develop aService-Oriented,Responsive,AccountableAdministrativeInfrastructure

UNLV will develop administrative operationsand infrastructure that further the university’sgoals and provide service-oriented, responsiveinteractions in support of the academic mis-sion of the institution.

To support the university’s programs and improve internalcommunications, UNLV will:

• Encourage the planning that this document outlines that mightlead to a responsive administration.

• Conduct a series of campus environment surveys to assess theeffectiveness of administrative services in order to solve problems.

• Create effective training programs open to all faculty and staff.

• When appropriate, conduct meetings, forums, retreats, lectures,and other forms of discussion to include members of thecampus in the decision-making process.

• Discover and analyze problems in internal communication andcreate solutions to those problems.

• Analyze the university’s infrastructure to identify bottlenecks,eliminate duplication, and streamline processes.

• Create a mission statement for each campus unit. Units withexisting documents should evaluate and update them.

• Produce materials that will help faculty, staff, and studentsunderstand and negotiate the university’s administrativeprocesses.

• Create a standardized reward system for faculty, staff, andadministration.

• Increase the web presence of administrators as a means ofproviding information both internally and externally.

• Continue to recognize academic and administrative units forbetter service, greater efficiency and cost savings.

• Increase the awareness throughout the campus community ofthe role of athletics in achieving and supporting the academicmission of the institution.

• Create a space and facilities master plan for the campus that helpsimprove the efficiency of campus administration.


To achieve effective internal and external communication andcollaborative activities, the university will:

• Commit staffing and funds to promote a carefully craftedvision and image of the university as defined by the strategicplanning process.

• Plan systematically for interactions with the Legislature, Board ofRegents, alumni, UNLV Foundation, government officials, andother external constituencies.

• Create a plan to communicate UNLV’s values, challenges, andsuccesses to the broadest possible audience.

• Conduct a needs assessment to address real community needsthrough program offerings, service activities, and researchendeavors.

• Develop a regular institutional research cycle that addressesseveral key areas, including the university’s reputation in thecommunity, students’ (traditional and nontraditional) needs,retention concerns, UNLV’s economic impact, and publicinterests/needs the university can fulfill.

• Identify and work to remove barriers to collaboration internallyand externally. Develop and/or promote clear policies andguidelines to minimize uncoordinated and decentralized responsesto major institutional issues.

• Support collaborative efforts that most effectively highlight thestrengths of the university, k-12 schools, other UCCSN institutions,and the business community and government agencies.

• Enhance outreach efforts like the Downtown Center and analyzethe feasibility of developing branch campuses and research parksas needed.

• Identify what policies and practices are in place for partnershipsand internships with the business community and how these canbe maximized.

• Establish a campus intranet portal for employee informationsharing and conducting business on the World Wide Web.

• Seek additional resources, both public and private philanthropicsupport, for activities that reflect and advance institutional goals,with special attention paid to historically ignored infrastructureissues as well as buildings.

• Showcase alumni and programs todemonstrate how university activitiesbenefit Nevadans.

• Showcase athletes and athleticprograms to illustrate the positiveeffects athletics have on the universityand the community.

• Work to increase the communicationwith, and collaboration between,athletics and the community.

• Develop a program to introduce keyand new community leaders to theuniversity by bringing them oncampus for tours and presentations onUNLV that explain how thecommunity can benefit from theexistence of the campus.

• Identify, prepare, and place selectedemployees in key communityorganizations to further gather anddisseminate accurate informationabout the university.

• Establish a campus visitors center thatserves the various roles of centralizingthe recruitment visitations, makingessential business easier to transact,and displaying UNLV’s history andaccomplishments to the public.

• Develop a web-oriented help guidethat provides an outline of theuniversity’s governance systemincluding lists of all college anduniversity committees and theirresponsibilities.

Goal #7: Communicate andCollaborate More Effectively

UNLV will increase effective communication strategies and collaborativeendeavors with members of the campus community, the surrounding com-munity, and external constituents.


In order to support and enhance teaching,research, creative activities, and administrativeservices through the effective management anduse of information technology resources, theuniversity will:

• Develop, maintain, and enhance easy-to-use applications and information systemsthat help create an efficient and adaptableadministrative support infrastructure andmeet the changing and specialized needs ofstudents, faculty, and staff.

• Develop and implement an active,coordinated, and comprehensiveassessment program that evaluates theimpact of computing resources and serviceson teaching, learning, and research andprovides significant user input in planningfor enhanced access to informationresources and computers.

• Develop mechanisms for involvingappropriate campus groups in planning andpolicy development involving informationtechnology and for communicatinginformation about technology issues to thecampus community.

• Create an infrastructure that will allow forthe maximum flexibility in the adoptionand use of technology—create a plan thatallows for innovation and adapts to change.

• Develop services and programs that maximize the innovative andflexible technological infrastructure of the Lied Library and thetechnological experience and expertise of its staff.

• Create policies, procedures, and funding mechanisms that ensure newbuilding projects and major building renovations include provisions forhardware, software, and technological support for the faculty, staff, andstudents in those buildings.

• Develop, maintain, and continuously upgrade a research computingenvironment designed to support the high-speed computational,communication, and educational needs of students and faculty engagedin research and creative activities.

• Secure ongoing funding for support of the information technologyinfrastructure through existing budgets, new resource requests, rechargemechanisms, and other appropriate measures.

• Continue to develop, maintain, and upgrade all campus systems to keeppace with both campus demand and changing hardware and softwaretechnologies.

• Increase access to and support for state-of-the-art computer laboratoriesand computer-based teaching facilities for students and faculty from allacademic disciplines.

• Provide students and faculty state-of-the-art equipment andinstructional technology services to meet their current educationalobjectives, and assist them in incorporating new technologies anddelivery methods into the classroom environment.

• Create plans and secure funding that make it possible to replaceclassroom technology; student, faculty, and staff computers; and networkequipment in a systematic manner.

• Seek ways to upgrade development machines, software, and the supportrequired to keep the Office of Information Technology at the cuttingedge of technologies to support the campus community.

• Appoint a technology officer to oversee technology across campus.

• Develop instructional programs that are less restricted by time and placethan courses and programs delivered by traditional means.

• Provide funding to develop and maintain systems that ensure that thecampus technology infrastructure is secure.

• Hire and retain a flexible, well-trained, service-oriented technology staffequipped with the tools and expertise needed to assist students, faculty,and administrative staff in meeting their technological needs.

• Provide technological resources, training, and services to support theintroduction of technology into the curriculum and the use oftechnology in the preparation and delivery of course materials.

• Coordinate the efforts of all web-based activities on campus to ensureeasy access to electronic information, provide tools for interactive webenvironments, and secure the resources necessary to stay abreast of theincreasing use of the web for academic and administrative functions.

Goal #8: Develop aStrong, Service-Oriented, FlexibleInformationTechnologyInfrastructure

UNLV recognizes the increasingly significant roletechnology plays in the university and is commit-ted to developing a strong, service-oriented,flexible information infrastructure that will sup-port the institution’s mission and goals.


CONCLUSIONThis document provides a broad outline forUNLV’s growth and progress in the comingyears. The document is not meant to be arigid recipe for the future but rather onewith the flexibility to adapt and grow withthe institution. It has carefully extendedthe ideas and goals of the previous planningdocument while adding much that is newto reflect the changes in the institution.The past seven years have been a time oftremendous growth and change on thecampus. UNLV is a far different institutionfrom what it was in 1995. This documentreflects those differences, but it also empha-sizes the core values of the institution, suchas increasing its reputation in scholarshipwhile at the same time working to maintainquality education for both undergraduateand graduate students, serving as a resourceto the community and state, and providingan atmosphere in which students can learnthe skills necessary to be effective citizensin the 21st century.

Drama students received international experi-ence performing on stage in Delphi, Greece.


The University and Community College System of Nevada’s mas-ter plan for higher education includes an improved and discrete missiondifferentiation for its member institutions. As part of that process, aswell as internal planning initiatives, UNLV’s senior leadership has beenworking with a broad and diverse group of approximately 150 facultymembers to identify major research strengths that characterize the con-tribution of UNLV to Nevada and the nation. The UNLV process hasidentified a number of Macrothemes or clusters that effectively describecurrent and emerging academic research strengths on the campus. Manyof those Macrothemes illustrate the interdisciplinary research on campusand the ways that UNLV is working with members of the community.

The process that led to the identification and development of theMacrothemes began during the 2000-2001 academic year whenPresident Harter called a series of “Think-Tank” sessions with facultyand administrators, mainly from the Colleges of Science andEngineering. Those sessions were designed to explore emerging researchopportunities for UNLV. Subsequently, at the Provost’s PlanningRetreat for the Academic Council in the summer of 2001, the conceptof Macrothemes was discussed and the number of themes expanded.Since that time, the Macrothemes have been further defined throughfaculty input and campus discussion. The Macrothemes listed in thisdocument will evolve and may grow in number as the institutionexpands and the research interests of the faculty evolve. The list ofMacrothemes and their descriptions will continue to be a work inprogress in the future.

The following Macrothemes haveemerged from campus discussions:

I . HO S P I TA L I T Y, GA M I N G, TO U R I S M,RE C R E AT I O N A N D EN T E RTA I N M E N T

MA N A G E M E N T analyzes how current and emerging technologiesare used to support operations in hospitality management and the per-forming arts. These activities include efforts in the entertainment

UNLV RESEARCHMACROTHEMES

UNLV RESEARCHMACROTHEMES


industry involving the design and control of lighting systems, roboticsand animatronics; development of control systems; and the use ofvirtual reality to enhance entertainment value. Examples of currentpartnerships with UNLV include the Entertainment DevelopmentCorporation and Citibank’s support of the Professional Film CrewTraining Program and Westwood/Viacom’s support of research in thecreative use of computer technology in the arts and architecture.

II . AR I D LA N D S EN V I R O N M E N TA L SC I E N C E,PO L I C Y A N D EN G I N E E R I N G represents interdisciplinaryresearch that focuses on the Mojave Desert and, by extension, to allarid lands in the world in order to assess the effects of expandingurbanization and increased population on fragile desert environments.Examples of UNLV research efforts include critical analysis of seismicrisk in the Las Vegas Valley, biotechnology programs for experimentalpropagation of exotic plant species, organically produced new chemicaland biological sensors for environmental pollutants, and watershedmanagement as a tool to reduce flood-hazard potential.

III . LA N G U A G E, LI T E R AT U R E A N D

CO M M U N I C AT I O N combines the fundamental elements that formthe basis of human communication, the transmission of knowledge, andthe vehicles through which new knowledge is created and disseminated.This involves exploring the concept of literacy in its many applications;improving the quality of life by encouraging literacy and language flu-ency; promoting literate citizens with the ability to identify, assess,critically evaluate and use information in its various formats; ensuring

the availability and creation of literature;helping individuals understand cultural differ-ences by improving communication; andpreparing professional communicators whoeffectively use a variety of media. Researchand creative activities include programs suchas the International Institute of ModernLetters, the English Language Center, theArnold Shaw Center for Popular Music, theLiteracy Development Program, and televisionand radio productions in the Hank GreenspunSchool of Communication.

IV. SOCIAL AND URBAN

ISSUES: OUTREACH AND

COLLABORATIONS work with and in adiverse community to address critical socialand urban problems. The goal of this effort isto reach out to and collaborate with commu-nity partners to identify and solve social andurban problems, focusing on issues such aschild welfare, provision of health services,urban growth and development, public lead-ership, assessment of public programs andprojects, and criminal justice practices.Examples of UNLV’s efforts in this areainclude the Animal Shelter Program; NevadaInstitute for Children; the Center forIndividual, Couple, and Family Counseling;Metro Mental Health Task Force; and theSafe Communities Partnership.

V. IN F O R M AT I C S focuses on theconvergence of information, data, and com-munications technology. This convergence isevident in integrated personal devices fortelephone and video communication that arereshaping society in electronic communica-tion as well as entertainment, health, andlifestyle changes. New developments aredriven by computing and information scienceand are becoming essential within virtuallyall academic disciplines and sectors of society.Examples of this kind of research and cre-ative activities include the use of computer

graphics in media and film, information overload and data visualiza-tion, electronic journals, information security, synthesis of bio- andinformation technology in smart chips that detect toxic substances, useof geographical information systems (GIS) to improve local andregional planning, remote consultation and diagnosis in medicine anddentistry (telemedicine) enabled by Internet2, and data mining tounravel behaviors so complex that computer processing is the onlymeans to achieve understanding.

VI. TH E AN A LY S I S A N D PR E S E RVAT I O N O F

HI S T O RY, CU LT U R E, A N D SO C I E T Y analyzes and docu-ments social, cultural, economic, and historical patterns enhancing ourability to understand the past, present, and future. These programsemphasize the collection of data and the subsequent management/archiving of that data. Examples of current programs include theWomen’s Research Institute of Nevada; oral history projects about LasVegas, Lake Mead, Nevada Veterans, Nevada Women, and the NevadaTest Site; the Center for Democratic Culture; the Gaming StudiesResearch Center; Nevada Desert Cultures Curriculum; and History ofthe American West, Las Vegas, and the local and regional environment.

VII. SC H O O L IM P R O V E M E N T, AS S E S S M E N T

O F LE A R N I N G, A N D ED U C AT I O N A L RE S E A R C H

provides leadership in understanding the role education and learningplay in individuals throughout their lives. Emphasis will be placed ondeveloping the potential for Nevada’s citizens to be informed and self-sufficient learners living in and contributing to the development ofhealthy learning communities. This effort is based on preserving andenhancing a seamless view of education from preschool through highereducation and from students learning in school to the preparation ofteachers, school leaders, and university faculty. In all of these activities,there is a natural intersection between efforts to improve education

practices, assess learning, and conduct system-atic research and evaluation studies todetermine what makes a difference in teach-ing and learning in a variety of disciplinessuch as science, math, and English.

VIII . B I O M E D I C A L A N D

H E A LT H S C I E N C E S /B I O T E C H N O L O G Y provides a broadarray of research and creative activity intounderstanding the causes, treatments, andcures of human diseases as well as develop-ment of strategies promoting andmaintaining human health. Examples of cur-rent research and creative activity includemechanisms underlying the developmentand treatment of cancer; applications ofbiotechnology to forensic science; innova-tions in prosthesis design, forensic dentistry,and mobile testing of student oral health;environmental toxicology and health; andenvironmental health promotion.

IX. BU S I N E S S A N D

EC O N O M I C DE V E L O P M E N T,DI V E R S I F I C AT I O N, A N D

MA N A G E M E N T evaluates the factors andprocesses within a community that determinejob creation, increase job skills and wageswithin the labor force, and promote develop-ment of regional industries and businesses.Research in this area provides critical analy-sis, business advice, and technologicalexpertise about economic trends and techni-cal needs to local and regional stakeholderssuch as city, county, and state governments;development authorities; enterprise corpora-tions; and area chambers of commerce.Examples of such groups include the Centerfor Energy Research, Center for WorkforceDevelopment and Occupational Research,Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies, CannonCenter for Survey Research, Center forHealth Information Analysis, and the UNLVResearch Foundation.



X. EN E R G Y A N D MAT E R I A L SC I E N C E

A. Renewable Energy and Alternat ive Fuel Sourcesexplores the richness of Nevada’s natural energy resources, includingwind, solar, biomass, and geothermal, that can be used to meet theenergy needs of the region and nation. Research activities and aca-demic programs in this area focus on the development of alternativefuels, energy conservation, energy-efficient transportation systems,enhanced fuel cycles, and environmentally friendly energy production.

B. New Materials and Composites involves experimental, ana-lytical, and theoretical work on the component materials of natural andman-made systems ranging in size from the micro (organic light-emittingdevices, chemically specific sensors, and stockpile and waste-form materi-als) to the macro (construction materials, composites, smart materials,explosives, and geologic formations). This research serves to evaluate fac-tors influencing disposal of hazardous materials, optimize manufacturingpractices, enhance performance of components in industrial processes, andcontribute to Nevada’s economic diversification through the developmentof sophisticated technologies such as nanotechnology.

XI. DE V E L O P M E N T A N D PR O T E C T I O N O F

CO M M U N I T Y IN F R A S T R U C T U R E: EN S U R I N G

HO M E L A N D SE C U R I T Y responds to the national demand forimproved training and research associated with threats to the safety andstability of community infrastructure. This area focuses on multidiscipli-nary approaches to homeland security, including emergency responseand management by fire and police; public transportation; public healthand bioterrorism; engineering and construction; and strategies to ensureefficient interactions of local, regional, and national governments.


BUILDING NEVADA’S FUTURE:A Master Plan for HigherEducation in Nevada

UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SYSTEM OF NEVADA

In 2002, the Regents of the University and Community College Systemof Nevada approved a Master Plan for Higher Education that includedsix interrelated goals that will serve as a framework for higher educationin Nevada in the future. Those goals include:

Goal #1: A Prosperous EconomyThrough instruction, research, and service, higher education in Nevadawill be an essential element in developing and sustaining a strong,dynamic, knowledge-based economy for Nevada.

Goal #2: Quality EducationNevada’s system of higher education will provide consistently excellentlearning experiences for its students through instruction, research, andservice.

Goal #3: Opportunity for AllNevada’s system of higher education will increase the overall participa-tion and success of Nevadans enrolling in higher education at all levelsof education and in all ethnic groups.

Goal #4: Accessible EducationNevada’s system of higher education will provide programs and servicesthat address the unique educational needs of a highly diverse and non-traditional population.

Goal #5: P-16 EducationHigher education will increase its partnerships with the K-12 system toensure the cooperative delivery of education from pre-kindergartenthrough college degrees.

Goal #6: Building Quality of LifeHigher education in Nevada will be instrumental in advancing society’sobjectives and enriching the lives of Nevada’s citizens.

Planning Council Members: 2000-2002


Kathy Adkins, AA III, Educational Psychology

Fred C. Albrecht, VP for Univ. & Community Relations

Raymond W. Alden III, Provost

Catherine A. Angel, Associate Professor, Art

Susan Biery, Head Bibliographer/Reference Librarian

Jeanne M. Brown, Head Architectural Studies Librarian

Stephen W. Carper, Associate Professor, Chemistry

Charles Cavagnaro, Director of Athletics

Mike Ellison, Systems Analyst, Inst. Analysis & Planning

Juanita P. Fain, VP for Administration

Charlotte L. Farr, Director, Distance Education

John W. Filler, Professor, Special Education

Anthony B. Flores, VP for Finance

James H. Frey, Dean, College of Liberal Arts

John Gallagher, VP for Development

Mark A. Guadagnoli, Associate Professor/Chair,

Kinesiology

Gene E. Hall, Dean, College of Education

Carol C. Harter, President

Amy L. Hyams, Coordinator, Continuing Education

Richard J. Jensen, Senior Advisor to the President

Rana Koran, Graduate Student

Mary E. LaFrance, Professor, Boyd School of Law

Tim Lanning, Undergraduate Student

Joel D. Lieberman, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice

Donna A. McAleer, Publications Manager,

Publications/Reprographics

Eileen M. McGarry, Assistant VP for Student Life

Wendy D. Meyers, Associate Athletic Director, Business

Rebecca A. Mills, VP for Student Life

Malcolm F. Nicol, Visiting Professor, Physics

Eric Nystrom, Graduate Student

Lori J. Olafson, Assistant Professor, Curriculum &

Instruction

Schyler M. Richards, Deputy to the President

Kathleen A. Robins, Associate Professor, Chemistry

John Robinson, Director of Athletics

William J. Robinson, Assistant Professor, Economics

Beth C. Rosenberg, Associate Professor, English

Hal K. Rothman, Professor, History

Gail E. Sammons, Assistant Professor, Hotel Management

Harry J. Schiffman, Electrician I, Facilities Maintenance

Christine L. Smith, Associate Dean, Academic and

Student Affairs, Boyd School of Law

Rick Soule, Professor, Music

Larry D. Strate, Associate Professor, Finance

Mohamed B. Trabia, Associate Professor, Mechanical

Engineering

Holly Wainscott, Undergraduate Student

Planning Council Members: 2000-2002

U n i v e r s i t y o f N e v a d a , L a s V e g a sw w w . u n l v . e d u

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