Success Agenda

In an effort to increase the overall educational attainment of Montanans and provide an efficient and effective system of higher education, the Board of Regents adopted a Success Agenda to augment the Strategic Plan and help guide the Montana University System.  The Regents and system administration commit to utilizing data and metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of these systemwide efforts.

1. Resident Student Access:

Develop a unified approach to resident student recruitment, admissions, and financial aid, with the goal of increasing the percentage of MT high school graduates attending the MUS.

  • Leverage and expand the use of Apply Montana central application to create a single-entry point into the MUS.
  • Invest in marketing strategies that increase the awareness of Apply Montana portal and the opportunities in the MUS.
  • Utilize the portal as an avenue to increase financial aid awareness (e.g. FAFSA completion, state funded financial aid, etc.).

2.  Flexible Career & Technical Education:

Expand efforts to effectively deliver flexible career training pathways for Montana awareness, capacity, and opportunities for dual enrollment in Montana.

  • Establish and expand accelerated degree pathways in in-demand fields (“Sprint Degrees”) in partnership with industry.
  • Improve on-ramps to CTE through dual enrollment, enhanced industry collaboration, and work-based learning opportunities.
  • Expand accelerated and stackable CTE credential pathways through the “Year to Career” Initiative.
  • Enhance the System’s ability to deliver, track, and evaluate the quality of non-credit, rapid training opportunities.

3.  Dual Enrollment:

Increase awareness, capacity, and opportunities for dual enrollment in Montana. 

  • Continue the 1-2-Free program (first 6 credits for free).
  • Work to centralize dual enrollment application and registration processes.
  • Focus on maximizing dual enrollment course quality, alignment of dual enrollment courses with industry and university credentials/pathways, and conversion of dual enrollment students to full-time enrollment at MUS institutions.

4.  Retention:

Improve retention and completion rates of students by promoting and employing systemwide strategies.

  • Expand and evaluate the Montana 10 student success intervention to improve retention, completion and time-to-degree among resident students.
  • Continue to use performance funding incentives to encourage campuses to adopt evidence-based strategies to meet and exceed retention and completion targets and narrow equity gaps.
  • Work to build MUS capacity to address student mental health and wellness supports that are prerequisites for retention and completion.

5.  Research:

Expand university research and development, with an aim to enhance Montana’s economy, increase access to high-paying Montana jobs, and address key Montana issues and strengths, such as optics and photonics, fire, precision agriculture, environmental management, and health.

  • Identify nascent research strengths for potential system, state, or federal investment.
  • Improve technology transfer supports and pathways that help innovations move from lab to market.
  • Coordinate across state government and the private sector to build an agenda for technology-led economic development in Montana.

6.  Seamless Education:

Develop tools and resources that broaden and streamline access to the academic offerings of the MUS.

  • Implement key technology upgrades that improve student access and facilitate collaboration, including a single, high-quality learning management system and a shared catalog and registration tool for online coursework.
  • Broaden use of distance and hybrid learning, particularly for collaborative approaches that expand student access to in-demand programs.
  • Continuously evaluate the university system’s program mix, with the aim of reducing unnecessary duplication of academic offerings and addressing student demand through collaboration where possible.

7.  Artificial Intelligence:  

Provide vision, leadership, and coordination of adoption and appropriate use of artificial intelligence tools by MUS institutions.

  • Where appropriate, create common standards that encourage and facilitate the use of AI tools by campus communities.
  • Support faculty in developing and sharing teaching methods and curriculum that appropriately incorporate AI into teaching practice and program learning outcomes.
  • Support campuses in evaluating opportunities for AI to improve campus operations.
  • Coordinate procurement activities to ensure equitable access to AI tools by campus constituencies.

8.  Campus Stewardship:

Enhance systemwide strategies that develop a more centralized approach to the management of MUS infrastructure projects.   

  • Continue to convene the BOR Infrastructure Committee to ensure understanding and approval of the full scope of construction planning and projects in the MUS.
  • Collaborate with campus leadership to conduct needs assessments and develop unique strategic approaches to facilities management to meet each campus’s needs and align with overall MUS goals.
  • Assemble data and key performance indicators for MUS campuses regarding facility condition, quality, and programmatic needs.

9.  Communication & Advocacy:

Build on current communication and marketing efforts to increase support for higher education.

  • Effectively communicate the University System’s “product” to stakeholders. 
  • Devise methods to succinctly articulate the “value proposition” of attaining post-secondary degrees and certificates.

10. Faculty and Staff Support:  

Provide compensation and professional development adequate for recruiting and retaining faculty and staff.

Revised: September 2024

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