BGSU completion plan addresses COVID-19 impact and doubles down on student success

Student success continues to be a cornerstone for Bowling Green State University’s strategies, actions and activities, despite COVID-19’s impact across the community.

The BGSU Board of Trustees on Friday adopted an updated institution-specific strategic completion plan that addressed the University’s work to increase the number of degrees and certificates awarded to students. The report, which was first required by the state in 2014, is provided at least once every two years.

The plan for 2020-22 addressed the effect that COVID-19 had on the University’s planned strategies.

The pandemic “required us to quickly reconfigure our academic schedule, modify course delivery modes, outfit classrooms with additional audio and video technology, and provide development and support opportunities to faculty, staff and students.”

The updated plan also contains information on ongoing initiatives, including an increased academic profile for the incoming first-year student class, continuation of the Falcon Tuition Guarantee, personalized and technology-infused academic advising and intervention and support for students with academic skill deficiencies.

There will also be expansion of degree pathway opportunities for students at BGSU Firelands, degree completion programs, diversity and inclusion programs and programs dedicated to success of students in special populations, including transfer students, post-traditional and military students, College Credit Plus, commuter, online and eCampus, international and pre-professional students.

Programs will continue to link the curriculum and other programming to workforce development, Ohio Means Jobs and JobsOhio industry clusters. 

Information is also included about Life Design, the new, transformative, university-wide commitment to empower students to intentionally design their college experience. The program prepares students to be life- and career-ready upon graduation.

The University also moved a step closer to another student success initiative when the board approved the development of a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) degree, the latest effort within the College of Health and Human Services to address regional workforce needs and support the University’s commitment to public good.

The college earlier this year announced the creation of the School of Nursing, intended to support the growth of the University’s online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program introduced in 2019, as well as lay the groundwork for future academic program expansions.

“This Bachelor of Science in nursing program, approved by the Board, will help BGSU meet the growing demand for nurses in Northwest Ohio and in the nation,” said Dr. Jim Ciesla, dean of the College of Health and Human Services.  

Meeting the needs of the health care workforce of the future is a key goal of the School of Nursing, said its director, Dr. Shelly Bussard.

Registered nursing is listed among the top occupations with projected job growth through 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which estimates a 15% growth in the workforce over the next six years. An estimated 203,700 new RNs will be needed each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses, the bureau estimates.

A BGSU bachelor’s degree in nursing would play a vital role in preparing graduates for in-demand nursing positions. The proposed BSN will now move to the ​Ohio Board of Nursing and Ohio Department of Higher Education for ​potential approval.

In other business, the board approved the naming of the Mucciarone and Moore Connection Corner within the Robert A. and Patricia M. Maurer Center to recognize a gift by BGSU alumna Susan Mucciarone ’79 and her husband, David Moore. She is the executive director of Private Wealth Management at the Glenmede Trust Co. and a member of the Glenmede Management Committee. Moore is owner of Moore Brothers Wine Co. and director of Intrusive Technologies, where he oversees the development of custom cloud platforms.

David O’Brien ’89 was named chair of the board for the 2020-21 term.