The Next University Strategic Plan

  1. Appoint and charge strategic planning committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and administrators to begin work on the university next strategic plan.
    1. Engage all Elon constituencies in considering Elon’s distinctive characteristics, opportunities, challenges and trends, and envisioning the university’s next strategic plan.
    2. Share initial thoughts with constituents, boards, and councils in spring 2019.
    3. Prepare a preliminary working draft of a strategic plan for the October 2019 board of trustees retreat.

An unprecedented university commitment to diversity and global engagement

  1. Continue robust efforts to make Elon a more diverse, inclusive, and culturally skilled community.
    1. Focus fund raising energies, enrollment efforts, and new program support to enhance student socio-economic diversity at Elon (first-generation and high-financial-need).
    2. Increase faculty and staff diversity, benchmarking against peer, aspirant, and national metrics – e.g., from 11.7% faculty of color in 2009 to 18.2% in 2017 and 18.4% to 22.6% in the same time period for staff.
    3. Increase student diversity, benchmarking against peer, aspirant, and national metrics, diversity – e.g., from 11.4% students of color in 2009 to 17.7% in 2017.
    4. Implement a system of programs to develop a national best practice model for promoting intercultural competence for all students.
    5. Implement key objectives from university-wide diversity and global engagement focused efforts (e.g., Hispanic/Latino working group, Black communities presidential task force, global education external review, and LGBTQIA advisory committee).
    6. Increase participation in global experience from 80% toward 85% of graduating undergraduate students as part of goal to achieve 100% access to a global engagement experience either domestically or abroad.

Supporting a world class faculty and staff

  1. Implement programs to support an integrated Teacher-Scholar development model that works across the span of a faculty career and responds to the distinct challenges and opportunities of different career stages.
    1. Implement year-2 of the new post-probationary faculty development support system, including the creation, recruitment, and hiring of four new full-time faculty lines by the fall of 2019.
    2. Execute the plan proposed by the Taskforce on Department Chairs including recommendations to improve writing effective evaluations of teaching faculty (Unit III).
    3. Complete study and implement tactics to assess and document effective, high quality teaching focused on the following faculty handbook definition: “Evidence of effective, high quality teaching may be seen through peer and student assessments related to a variety of possible indicators, as well as goal-driven, evidence-based critical self-assessment.”
  2. Increase professional development offerings through:
    1. Utilizing professional development recommendations from staff evaluations to inform program new offerings, and
    2. Creating a supervisor training series covering human resources topics such as employment law, performance management, and conflict management.

Attaining the highest levels of achievement across our academic programs

  1. Develop School of Law as the nation’s premiere school for experiential legal education.
    1. Undertake strategic planning process for 2019-2024.
    2. Complete year 3 of the longitudinal assessment of the new curriculum with funding from Access Group, and share results.
    3. Enroll 150 students in fall 2019 [with average and median LSAT scores at least one point above those of the class entering in fall 2018].
    4. Meet Academic and Bar Support (ABS) goals for improvement in bar exam support and bar pass rate (year over year improvement in bar pass rate and moving toward at least 80% bar passage rate).
  2. Prepare for successful re-accreditations.
    1. Prepare and submit the fifth-year report for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) by March 15, 2019.  Identify needed improvements in institutional processes and implement appropriate changes.
    2. Submit AACSB self-study report by Thanksgiving and plan for successful AACSB Peer Review team visit in February 2019.

Launching strategic and innovative pathways in undergraduate and graduate education

  1. Prioritize and begin to implement the recommendations of the Student Wellness and Well-being Work Group.
    1. Launch the four-year JED Campus process for comprehensive review of systems, programs, and policies to build upon existing student mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention efforts.
    2. Enhance support for mental health and well-being for students by creating new group counseling opportunities, integrating a new online platform into direct clinical care services, increasing participation in QPR suicide prevention training, disseminating new materials about available resources, and expanding outreach to targeted student populations.
    3. Finalize plans for the renovation of the Koury Center in summer 2019 and begin the process of reimagining the future use of the space for an integrated approach to wellness and well-being to potentially include recreation, wellness, health promotion, health services, counseling services, academic departments, educational and social spaces, etc.
    4. Begin the efforts to implement a new comprehensive model and framework for student wellness and well-being and develop a campaign to communicate important messages and resources to the community.
  2. Continue to implement recommendations from the Presidential Task Force on Social Climate and Out-of-Class Engagement.
    1. Complete the process of developing an institutional vision for the role and relationship of fraternity and sorority life within the broader Elon community as well as a consensus on the way forward with a shared understanding and accountability.
    2. Establish the new Traditions Council to continue to enhance Elon’s most cherished traditions and to strengthen the campus community.
    3. Partner with Planning, Design, and Construction Management to assess and evaluate spaces on campus (indoor and outdoor) for informal student interaction and make recommendations for future needs.
  3. Continue to implement the academic/residential integration necessary to enhance mentoring, relationships, cohorts, and facilities in support of the Living and Learning at Elon initiative.
    1. Develop and implement a new strategy of housing assignments for incoming first-year students, to replace the previous system of preferential assignment by deposit date.
    2. Develop a specific and actionable plan to strengthen existing Living Learning Communities by addressing faculty connections, syllabi, departmental support, programming efforts, assessment, the process to establish new communities, etc.
    3. Establish a building-level faculty affiliate program and harness leadership of student staff and community directors to recruit at least one faculty affiliate for each building in residence hall neighborhoods by Fall 2019.
    4. Open and integrate East Neighborhood into the residential campus.
  4. Implement new programmatic and curricular enhancements.
    1. Develop a vision for an innovation quad that advances interdisciplinary collaborations, cross-programmatic engagement, and student learning and development.
    2. Establish a workgroup to evaluate current higher education trends related to  credentials and develop recommendations regarding future possibilities for Elon students.
    3. Collaborate with campus partners, including the department of world languages and cultures, Global Education Center, and Core Curriculum, to enhance second language study and application of second language skills following recommendations from the taskforce on second language learning at Elon.
    4. Continue to enhance the first-year experience and assess the impact of changes on student satisfaction and retention.
      1. Implement curricular and training enhancements to the Elon 101 program and, in light of current information, review Elon 101 learning outcomes, create new ones, redesign the course with a new number, and incentivize teaching/advising for the new course.
      2. Implement and refine the new communications plan for incoming students, “Elon Bound,” to ensure consistent messaging and a seamless transition from admissions to matriculation.
      3. Identify and highlight themes and goals that apply across onboarding, orientation, and the first year, including developing effective ways to encourage and support shared experiences such as the common reading.
    5. Implement the following curricular programs:
      1. M.S. in Accounting
      2. M.A. in Higher Education
      3. Revised B.A. in Physical Education and Health including Adventure Based Learning as a major.
  5. Enroll students into new 4-year B.S. in Engineering major and begin accreditation process with Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
  6. Enroll 1650 first-year students in fall and 40 in spring reflecting Elon values, especially academic ability, diversity, and a well-rounded high school experience that appropriate for Elon’s style of engaged learning. The majority of these students will fall within a total SAT range of 1160-1300 with an average SAT of 1230 or an ACT of 27.
  7. Enroll new students in each graduate program to meet the following goals:
    • DPT: Enroll 44 students Januarys 2019 & 2020
    • PA: Enroll 36 students Januarys 2019 & 2020
    • M.Ed.: Enroll 21 students summer 2019
    • M.A. Higher Education: Enroll 12 students fall 2019
    • M.A. Interactive Media: Enroll 36 students summer 2018 & 2019
    • MBA:   Enroll 55 students in AY 2018-19
    • M.S. Management: Enroll 15 students fall 2018
    • M.S. Accounting: Enroll 15 students summer 2019.
  8. Implement and assess new cohort programs for first-year students with interests in the following academic and co-curricular areas.
    1. Maroon Sports – 15 students
    2. Health Professions/Pre-health – 15 students
    3. Pre-law – 15 students
    4. Global Pathfinders (Dublin) – 20 students
    5. Change Makers – Civic Engagement – 15 students.
  9. Research and develop proposal and plan for Common Application membership and launch beginning summer 2019 for Class of 2024 applicants.
  10. Continue redefining Elon’s learning assistance built upon deep collaboration among partners in Belk Library and the Koenigsberger Learning Center and conduct an external review of Disabilities Resource to inform effective and efficient approaches to leverage the new KLC location, additional staff, new facilities, and Accommodate management software.
  11. Develop a plan to recruit and support outstanding students who will earn the most prestigious fellowships (e.g., Rhodes, Gates Cambridge, Schwarzman, Knight-Hennessy, Goldwater, Marshall).
  12. Launch an Off-Campus Neighborhood Coalition to address issues of concern in the nearby off-campus neighborhoods.
  13. Launch the new Elon University Speaker Series as part of Elon cultural programs and market the series to regional and statewide audiences.
  14. Create the next generation of the E-net information system, developing functionality that better match’s institutional needs and audience usage patterns.

Stewarding Elon’s commitment to remain a best-value university

  1. Successfully execute the third year of the silent phase in the ELON LEADS campaign and prepare for a spring 2019 public launch.
    1. Progress campaign gifts and pledges to at least $160 million by the public launch date of April 5, 2019.
    2. Progress campaign gifts and pledges from $142 million to at least $170 million by May 31, 2019.
    3. Secure lead naming gift for state of the art Engineering and Physics building to serve as foundation for Elon’s planned innovation quad.
    4. Secure $20 million in commitments for scholarship priorities of the campaign.
    5. Develop messaging for increasing support of annual student scholarships that complements the spring launch of the public phase of the Elon Leads campaign.
  2. Plan and execute an on-campus launch of the ELON LEADS campaign to motivate and inspire the Elon community.
    1. Assemble a creative team anchored by our events production partner to plan and execute the campaign’s public launch in spring 2019.
    2. Strategically identify and invite members of the Elon community to public launch.
    3. Craft a series of engaging and informative events for the days leading up to the launch.
    4. In collaboration with University Communications, develop and begin executing a public phase communication plan that includes a campaign case statement, videos, social media strategy and other strategic communications initiatives.
  3. Coordinate major Elon events with President Book:
    1. Evening for Elon events (Orlando, Boston, Washington, DC, New York City)
    2. Inauguration Events including the Long Maroon Line of alumni
    3. Groundbreaking and dedication events for the Inn at Elon, LaRose Student Commons, Koenigsberger Learning Center, Richard W. Sankey Hall, and the Schar Center
    4. Campaign Public Launch and Spring regional launches.
  4. Reach the following annual fundraising targets in support of the Elon Leads comprehensive campaign:
    1. Raise $2.7 million in Elon’s Greatest Needs.
    2. Raise $3 million in designated annual giving.
    3. Achieve 1,225 members of the Elon Society.
    4. Develop an annual fund raising plan to pursue a goal of $1.5 million in annual funds for the Phoenix Club, and achieve 2,300 donors.
    5. Raise $1,000,050 toward annual scholarships and designated priorities for Elon Law.
    6. Increase the number of alumni donors from 7,100 to 8,000 to achieve 26% alumni giving.
    7. Achieve 34% current undergraduate parent giving.
  5. Improve campus operations:
    1. Create a five-year plan to enable Elon to meet standards for web accessibility and begin implementation with highest priority content.
    2. Develop campus analytics for management effectiveness, including new reports and dashboards.
    3. Develop and implement campus-wide policies and procedures for record retention.
    4. Implement two new Financial Accounting Standards Board accounting standards which are required for FY2019.
    5. In compliance with Elon’s fiduciary responsibility for the retirement plan, conduct a request for proposal for a retirement vendor.
    6. Review and update the current staff manual to include scope, terminology and relevancy of policy.
  6. Introduce new sustainability initiatives:
    1. Expand the ‘Energy Conservation in Action’ program to meet the University’s utility budget while reducing our total greenhouse gas emissions.
    2. Complete the existing utility master plan and phase one of the utilities renewal and expansion plan.
    3. Create a comprehensive master list of all potential energy conservation projects (for gas and electric use) to include initial costs, calculations of simple return of investment (ROI) and estimated net carbon reductions.

Developing innovative alumni programs to advance and support the Elon graduate

  1. Hold a successful sixth annual Elon Day 2019 on March 5 that ensures continued momentum, integrates with the launch of the Elon Leads campaign, and expands engagement of alumni, families and friends across the globe.

Establishing a national tournament tradition of athletics success along with the highest academic standards for Phoenix athletics

  1. Successfully open Schar Center for the University community:
    1. Execute the first -year plan from the Schar Center planning committee:
      1. Work with all constituents to ensure a successful building dedication.
      2. Create a high-quality Schar Center fan experience that includes entertainment, social spaces, meeting spaces, hospitality, safety, parking, and seating strategies.

Significantly enhance Elon’s campus with premier new academic and residential facilities and a commitment to protecting our environment

  1. Design and implement processes to support the construction and operations of the University’s hotel, tentatively named the “Inn at Elon.”
  2. Complete design and planning for following projects:
    1. Assessment of student hangout spaces (part of the Campus Climate report)
    2. Assessment of learning spaces
    3. Koury Center renovation
    4. Moseley 2nd floor renovation
    5. Virginia Hall upgrade
    6. Engineering and Physics Building.
  3. Complete construction for following projects:
    1. New Elon Elementary School
    2. Student Spaces:
      1. South Campus Gym
      2. McEwen Dining Hall renovation and addition
      3. East Neighborhood residence halls
      4. Smith Hall upgrade.
    3. Learning Spaces:
      1. Richard W. Sankey Hall
      2. Koenigsberger Learning Center and Belk Library renovation
      3. Robotics Lab in Duke.
    4. Athletic Spaces:
      1. Schar Center
      2. Varsity Tennis Center.
  4. Start construction for following projects:
    1. LaRose Student Commons
    2. Inn at Elon.

Elon Student Government Association Priorities

Overview

Since the Spring, many members of the executive team and other senators have talked and listened and discussed both formally and informally. The Student Government has taken what we have heard and found five topics of interest/issue concerning the student body heading onto the new year. The following document lists some of the ways we plan to engage with each area.*

*These are not the only areas. We will treat this as a living document. We understand that things change, plans change, and events happen that can redirect our focus. When or If that happens, we’ll adjust accordingly.

Mission of the Elon University Student Government Association: The purpose of the Student Government Association, authorized by the Elon University Administration, shall be to represent the rights and opinions of the student body in a manner consistent with the mission of Elon University, to provide for appropriate student activities, and to join with the faculty and administrators of the university in building a stronger, more effective educational community (Elon University Student Government Association Constitution, 2018, p. 2)

2018-2019 Direction

Walking alone we may go far but not get anything done. Walking together, we may not go as far but we can change a community. This is the goal this year that together, we can do good things to make our community a better place.

We will engage with the community from partnerships to raise awareness of the midterm elections to the Town of Elon and City of Burlington through service, we will become better neighbors of the community we live in. We will work to raise the level of visible school spirit. Whether it’s advocating to lower price for Elon apparel or getting students together at games to support our athletic teams, we will be the most vocal school in the state purely because of our love for Elon.

We will work to support the intellectual and social endeavours of students as well as their physical safety by advocating for an expansion of the BioBus Outer Loop on the weekends to volunteering for Safe Rides. From advocating to the town to add more street lights, continue programs like the Major Fair, making sure that all buildings on this campus are handicap accessible, and supporting those affected by sexual assault. We will try our best to make sure every student feels support and safe.

We will engage on topics around inclusivity, practicing empathy and engaging with others through programs like Inclusivity Week. We will support the overall well-being of students through encouraging self-care, increasing awareness of mental health resources on campus by advocating for a mental health syllabi insert and adding the counseling services number on the back of Phoenix Cards. We will strive to do all of this together. We may not get to all that we set our minds to in the time we have. If we work hard and together, with love and passion in our hearts then together we can, make Elon a place that works for all.

  1. Student Support and Safety
    1. Continue our relationship with Elon Police through safety walks and other initiatives.
    2. Coordinate a group of student government senators volunteer with Safe Rides twice a semester.
    3. Advocate to the Town of Elon for More Street Lights between Danieley Center and The Crest Apartments as the town plans for the future.
    4. Advocate for an expansion of the BioBus Outer Loop between certain, high peak times on Saturday and Sunday for those with limited or no access to cars during the weekend.
    5. Continue the Major Fair, putting an emphasis on  underrepresented majors on campus.
    6. See if buildings on campus effectively serve the students and guests who has a handicap
    7. Work with the Dean of Students to educate the student population on sexual assault resources and support those working to educate others around sexual violence.
  2. Inclusivity
    1. Continue work with the Student Inclusive Campus Committee
      1. Support and enhance Inclusivity Week.
      2. Develop “Meet Me at The Intersection” to be a year-long inclusivity campaign.
    2. Encourage students to have much needed, facilitated conversations on unconscious bias, privilege, and diversity by being a part of the conversation.
    3. Work with the CREDE to see how we can begin to help heal from hate-motivated incidents.
    4. Continue to create awareness and enhance access to the Collaboration and Fun Fund.
  3. Student Well-being
    1. Develop and launch a mental health campaign with an emphasis on self-care.
      1. Support relevant offices as they work to develop a training course, similar to Haven/Diversity EDU, around mental health/mental well-being
      2. Partner with Mental Health-focused organizations to continue to educate students on the resources offered by Elon and mental wellness tips.
    2. Look into holding an Out-of-the-Darkness Walk to support suicide prevention.
    3. Help create and/or enhance more opportunities for students to relax and destress.
      1. Partner with Campus Rec, Club Sports, etc for a Day of Play type event.
    4. Develop a syllabi repository and research possibilities in bringing OER (Open Education Resources) to Elon.
    5. Work with the Academic Relations Council and the Faculty Senate to develop a Mental Health Syllabi statement as well as work with the Phoenix Card Office counselor on-call number on back of Phoenix Card.
  4. School Spirit
    1. Engage with students, the office of Student Involvement, and Phoenix Phanatics to enhance game day atmosphere at athletics events.
    2. Relaunch the #OnePhoenix Campaign by creating videos for Turner Theater to show before weekend movie screenings.
    3. Support the growth and success of Phoenix Phanatics.
      1. Phoenix Phrenzy Partnerships: Provide food mainly during the football season and will revisit steps to move forward before winter break.
      2. Promotion of School Spirit: Connect the leadership of Phoenix Phanatics with university administration and school spirit leaders at other institutions to help develop ideas to increase visible and audible school school spirit at Elon Athletics Games.
    4. Increase and advocate for spaces for student art to be displayed and shared with the community.
    5. Advocate for lowering the prices of Elon Apparel.
    6. Look for ways to enhance the Elon Ball and begin to develop a planning structure for the future.
    7. Continue the Homecoming Royalty and Charity Model.
  5. Community Engagement
    1. Partner with Elon Votes on voter registration/election initiatives.
    2. Partner with the Kernodle Center and Elon Volunteers to create a Day of Service.  Type event
    3. The Student Body President will help with the new Off-Campus Neighborhood Coalition.

Internally

  1. Evaluate the Budget Process to see where we can be more fair in Spring Budget Hearings
  2. Establish SGA Open Houses to attract students to visit the SGA office and break down barriers.
  3. Create the Class Presidents Council to help with external outreach goals and senator support.
  4. Write a State of the Campus Report to be written by Homecoming 2018. This report will look at initiatives done by the student government over the past three years, the status of those initiatives, and the future of the student government and campus moving forward.
  5. Create opportunities for Senators to bond outside of the Student Government required meeting times.
  6. Find ways Executive Members can support Senators and their endeavours.
  7. Work to strengthen all committees that operate under the Student Government Association.
    1. Change committee names and workings for some.
  8. Have Student Government Members to attend Board of Aldermen Meetings.
  9. Creating an accountability system for senators and engaging with their constituents.
  10. Research potential restructuring of the organizational Council

A Note on Greek Life:

According to the Elon University website, approximately 42% of undergraduate students are greek affiliated. We have to acknowledge that Greek Life dominates much of the social scene on campus. We also acknowledge the pressure it can have on students who aren’t greek and the divide it can create. This pressure is not just felt on Elon’s campus but on campuses all across the country. It has had a negative effect on the perception of Greek Life. The Student Government will be committed to working with offices such as Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Student Involvement, teams like the Social Climate Implementation Team, and all greek leaders in the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council to continue to support and create a healthy social climate for all students.