Progress

Theme #1:An unprecedented university commitment to diversity and global engagement

Create campus diversity plan

• Each unit of campus has adopted diversity plans. Those plans can be found, along with a comprehensive overview of achievements under theme one, by clicking here.
• As part of our commitment to diversity and global engagement, the university is adding exciting new dimensions to our community. Since the beginning of the plan, faculty of color have increased from 12.3% to 17.7% and staff of color have increased from 18% to 24%.
• Students who identify as ALANAM (African American/Black, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan Native, and Multiracial) increased by 50% (from 626 to 939) since 2010 (from 12.4% to 15.8%) During this time, total undergraduate enrollment has increased 17.3%.
• Faculty and staff worked together on a plan to internationalize the campus. To read the details of this multifaceted plan click here.

Double need-based financial aid

• Allocating $8 million a year (currently at $56M) for 10 years to strengthen our endowment to increase need-based financial aid and support students with the highest levels of documented financial need. Already funding to support Odyssey scholarships has increased 84% (from $1.0M to $1.9M).
• To extend Elon’s commitment to access and success, the university will make significant annual financial investments to attract and enroll talented students for whom a private education may otherwise not be an option, with special emphasis on increasing the number of Pell Grant-eligible students on campus.
• Donors established 148 endowed scholarships during the Ever Elon Campaign.
• Increased the number of students receiving Odyssey Scholarships from 72 in 2009 to 118 in 2017. Opportunities include some of Elon’s largest scholarships as well as Global Study grants. Including additional endowed funds raised to support the Odyssey program, more than 10 new scholarships are awarded in the First-Year class to provide access to an Elon education.

Re-conceive scholarship programs

• The scholarship programs were re-conceived and introduced in two phases. The three elements of the new scholarship programs include: increases to the amount of the Presidential Scholarship award, the launch of a new scholarship program called Elon Engagement scholarship, and mobilizing remaining funds for need-based aid to address socio-economic need. More than 170 Elon Engagement Scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2019. More than 400 Presidential scholarships and over 200 Elon Engagement Scholarships will be awarded to the Elon Class of 2021.
• Created the Providing Access to Campus Employment (PACE) program to provide employment and institutional work-study funds to students of diverse backgrounds and increased the minimum wage to $9.00/hr.

Provide 100 percent study abroad access

• Raised 84 scholarships to financially support students who desired to study abroad, but faced financial challenges. Elon ranks #1 among Master’s Degree granting universities for the number of students that study abroad. Data compiled through Open Doors, a publication by the Institute of International Education.
• Launched Study USA to recognize the impact of our domestic programs on student development and career success. Created year-round opportunities in NYC and a spring semester program to add to our successful summer program in Los Angeles. Study USA has expanded domestic winter term opportunities, has developed a new summer program in San Francisco, and has plans to develop programs in Nashville and Washington, DC.
• In support of the university commitment to 100% Global Engagement access, Elon has invested more than $500,000 over the last three years to provide transformative cultural educational experiences.
• Expanded study abroad opportunities for student athletes. Of the 17 athletic teams at Elon, nine have traveled around the world to compete and gain international cultural experience.
• Developed plan and secured funding for each athletic team to have a global engagement during their 4-years at Elon.
• Establish a foothold in China with the creation of the of the Elon in Shanghai program, with 16 students in Fall 2015 and 8 students in Fall 2016. The Global Education Center and Love Business School are investigating the possibility of sharing the site with St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
• The Love School of Business partnered with business schools in four well-respected universities in Europe: Reutlingen University in Germany, NEOMA Business School in France, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and the Instituto Católico de Administración y Dirección de Empresas in Spain. The dual-degree programs with the four partner universities allow students to earn a degree from Elon and the partner institution by spending the first two years at the home institution and the second two years studying and working abroad. Students are moving in both directions through these dual-degree programs.

Triple international student enrollment and create a campus community that better reflects the world’s diversity

• The percentage of international students has increased from 3.3% in 2010 to 6.0% in 2016. At the same time, the number of visa holding students has increased from 49 to 131 from 49 countries. In 2014-2015, admissions added Hebe Fuller and Mandy Herrera to focus on international student recruitment and move Elon towards its goal of 147 visa-holding students by fall 2020. The enrollment details are found in the University Fact Books.
• Created International Career Advising Fellow position to service international students and students interested in careers abroad.

Establish Presidential Advisory Council on Diversity

• The work of the Presidential Advisory Council has been revamped as the Inclusive Community Council. More information about the council’s comprehensive work can be found here.
• Created the Provost Inclusive Community Team (PICT) to coordinate Diversity & Inclusion programs at Elon – PICT members work in collaboration to advance the university’s strategic priority of an “unprecedented university commitment to diversity and global engagement.”

Be a national leader in preparing students to succeed in a multicultural world

• The Multicultural Center was recreated as the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education (the CREDE). Dr. Randy Williams was hired as dean of Multicultural Affairs and Director of CREDE to lead this critical program in Elon’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Dr. Williams has moved on to a new role, which includes working on a university wide intercultural competence program and a search is underway for the new leader of the CREDE.
• Enhanced the Winter Term diversity theme to create innovative course registration process for students to engage in multiple diversity related events. More than 70% of first year students attended Anti-Defamation League’s A Campus of Difference workshop in 2015. In 2106 launched Inclusive Community Conversations for first year students and a series of intercultural competence based seminars for students, faculty, and staff.
• Provost Inclusive Community Team (PICT) is coordinating efforts to develop and implement Intercultural Professional Development programs for faculty, staff, and students with pilot programs in 2017.
• Poverty and Social Justice studies minor approved in 2013.
• Created Center for Access and Success at Elon, which houses the It takes a Village project, the Elon Academy, Collegiate Start and the Odyssey program.
• Created Gender and LGBTQIA Center in 2013. Adopted university-wide strategic plan for LGBTQIA inclusion. Increased our Campus-Pride Index to 5 out of 5 stars.
• Elon named a Top 10 LGBTQIA campus by Campus-Pride a national organization that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, and campus groups.

Build a multi-faith center and promote interfaith dialogue

• The Numen Lumen Pavilion, a place for prayer, meditation, and reflection in the heart of campus and was created to help promote interfaith dialogue and understanding, was dedicated on April 30, 2013. The Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society are located in the Pavilion.
• Developed and implemented a Multi-Faith Strategic Planning Committee report to transform the ethos at Elon to the extent that every student who graduates will be more religiously literate than when he or she arrived.
• Established Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society to be housed in Numen Lumen Center and hired new Director.
• Developed and implemented a five-year strategic plan for the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society to foster and promote the interdisciplinary study of religion and to provide research and educational resources on the role of religion in society to the campus.
• Jewish Life Advisory Council established and meeting each semester. Jewish Studies minor implemented in 2012. Hillel Center dedicated and endowment established. Annual fund raising for Jewish life has tripled since 2010.
• With funding from the Teagle Foundation, Elon partnered with the Interfaith Youth Core and Wofford College to develop new approaches to assess student learning/development through a pluralism and worldview engagement rubric, which can be found on the IFYC website.
• Students launched new “Better Together” interfaith organization on campus and create Living Learning Community.
• Created three Associate chaplain positions for Jewish, Protestant and Catholic Life.
• Seek designation as a Vanguard Campus by Interfaith Youth Core.

Develop the Elon Academy as a national model

• Achieved 100 percent college acceptance rate for graduates of the Elon Academy, 100 percent of Elon Academy scholars have honors and/or AP classes on their high school transcripts, and 100 percent of Elon Academy scholars engage in community service.
• Toward a goal of $10 million to fully endow the Elon Academy, donors have contributed more than $4 million in endowed gifts.
• Increased involvement of Elon University students in the Academy through internships, mentoring, and academic coaching.
• Established the Elon Academy Ambassadors Program to provide college access information and inspiration to elementary and middle school students.
• Established a discretionary reserve fund to ensure Elon Academy scholar success.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive assessment plan for the Elon Academy.
• Achieved goal of 100 percent of Academy scholars enrolling in honors and AP classes at their local high schools and being engaged in community service.
• Established “Friends of the Elon Academy” to provide advice and support
• Received a grant from the Burroughs Welcome Foundation to fund a partnership between EA, Environmental Studies, Campus Kitchen, Community Garden and Urban Roots. The focus is on sustainable gardening and nutrition for Elon Academy students and their families.

Theme #2:Supporting a world-class faculty and staff

Accentuate and support Elon’s teacher-scholar model

• Revised and updated faculty and staff search processes in support of enhanced diversity and international recruitment. Increased faculty who identify as ALANAM (African American/Black, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan Native, and Multiracial) by 70% since 2010 from 12.3% to 17.7%.
• Strengthened Elon’s recruiting processes with a revised Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement, diversity understanding for search committees and additional funding for advertising to reach diverse audiences. Increased advertising for Elon’s pre/post-doctoral positions for colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• Increased summer undergraduate research funding to support more faculty-student pairs and to better support and recognize this significant work of the teacher-scholar. National Survey of Student Engagement affirms Elon seniors surpass the top 10 percent in self-reporting “enriching educational experiences.”
• New Faculty Orientation revised to focus more explicitly on balanced goal-setting and evidence-based reflection in support of teacher-scholar development.
• Created the Fulbright-Elon University Scholar Award, a partnership between Elon University and the UK-Fulbright Commission that supports hosting at Elon one or two teacher-scholars from the United Kingdom each year. This is the only teaching-focused Scholars award for UK-Fulbright, giving UK teacher-scholars an opportunity to teach in and learn from a leader in engaged learning. In addition to the direct benefits of faculty, students, and staff, this program raises the international profile of Elon as a leading American institution and helps UK faculty bring innovative, engaged pedagogies back to their home institutions.
• The Center for Research on Global Engagement was created in the Fall of 2015 to facilitate, support and promote scholarship on global engagement.
• Launched PURM: Perspectives in Undergraduate Research Mentoring as a leading national voice in the significant teacher-scholar work of mentoring undergraduate research.
• Developed and produced the third President’s Report featuring and more effectively publishing the scholarly productivity and successes of faculty and staff.
• Assessed Elon’s current systems for mentoring and professional development for faculty and begun offering new mentoring programs reflective of best practices to enhance teacher-scholar development.
• Reaffirming and clarifying commitment to the broad scholarly activity valued within the Elon teacher-scholar model through revisions of departmental peer-reviewed scholarship documents and coordinated annual evaluation workshops.
• Implemented recommendations related to faculty reassigned-time, promotion and tenure, service, and the role of department chairs in support of the teacher-scholar ideal.
• Using Elon’s semester programs in London and Florence, faculty and staff are offered housing in these cities during the summer.
• The Staff Advisory Council has collaborated with the Global Education Center to allow three staff members to accompany global engagement programs away from campus each January. Staff members selected by the Staff Advisory Committee have traveled in January 2015 and January 2016 on programs to Italy, the Dominican Republic, Europe (on the Holocaust program), Ireland, New Zealand and Hawaii. This program has proven successful in building relationships between staff, faculty and students in a setting not otherwise possible and will continue to provide global opportunities to Elon staff.
• Amended The Elon Teacher-Scholar statement to highlight and recognize the value of student research mentoring within the teacher-scholar model.
• In August 2015 Elon implemented a single-source content management technology for the Academic Catalog, Student Handbook and Faculty Handbook. The new catalog system as accessed through the web by campus users and may be revised, reviewed, and approved through an easy to use interface. Information is searchable online, easily viewed with tablet and mobile devices, fully formatted for easy printing, and will include the capability to export data to other university systems.

Fulfill the objectives of the Presidential Task Force on Scholarship

• The Presidential Task Force on Scholarship created nine overall goals with a series of objectives associated with each. A detailed status report as of December 2011 on these nine goals is available here. One will find that the university has made considerable progress through a concerted and strategic plan to create new funds dedicated to support faculty scholarship and release time to complete that work, new grant funds being raised, new hires to support faculty research and grant seeking efforts and to increase public awareness of faculty scholarly accomplishments.
• The Presidential Task Force on Scholarship emphasized the need to advance the supports for mentoring undergraduate research, leading to:
  • An addition to Elon’s Teacher-Scholar statement, which defines the Elon ideal for faculty, that emphasizes mentoring as a key part of the teacher-scholar role,
  • The doubling of the number of funded Summer Undergraduate Research Experience opportunities, from 28 in 2010, as well as a doubling of the student and faculty stipends in support of this work,
  • Continued strong support for students participating in NCUR, keeping the number of Elon students attending each year (about 55) in the top 3% of all participant schools every year,
  • •Continued enhancement of Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, a full day each spring dedicated to student presentations of their research, which now includes over 200 student research posters and presentations, many that have also been delivered at professional organizational meetings in regional, national, and even international venues.
  • This intense focus on and advancement of research and scholarship, in part, has attracted more and more students to Elon who seek an intense intellectual residential environment, leading to a student-driven call to enhance the intellectual climate of the whole of campus. After two years of extensive discussions, study, and planning, Elon launched a five year strategic plan to enhance intellectual climate this spring.

Establish new professional and leadership development programs

• Established Office of Leadership and Professional Development. Hired director and created a cross campus advisory council. Developed series of programming at all levels of employee development. Created new funding support. Click here for more information.
• Provided diversity and inclusion training for all faculty and staff.
• Launched a robust orientation program for all staff at Elon called Joining Elon.
• Research and launch a staff development program dedicated to strategic planning skillsets for emerging leadership on campus.
• Expanded and increased coordination of department chair development, and increased funding supports for chair compensation and professional development.
• Create mentoring program available to all new employees with the goal of establishing multi-level mentoring programs in later years open to all employees.
• Provided new funding to meet individual professional goals.

Accelerate progress on faculty/staff salaries

• Completed three-phase salary enhancement plan for all faculty and staff on June 1, 2015. Upgraded in 2017-2018, over a three-year period, all entry level wages. Increased exempt and non-exempt staff salaries corresponding to proposed changes in FLSA regulations beginning in Dec 2016.
• Created an opportunity fund to better enable Elon to recruit outstanding teacher-scholars who contribute to diversity.
• Additional facilities and enhancements to support faculty and staff, include:
  • McEwen JMC. When complete, this renovation will update the 36,000 square feet in the McEwen JMC Building so that it physically and aesthetically ties to the future Dwight C. Schar Hall. This project includes a new converged student media room, Foley sound studio, an additional TV control room and a new location for the campus radio station.
  • South Campus Office Building is currently being renovated and upgraded for University Advancement expansion.
  • Music Production and Recording Arts. In August 2015, construction of a 3,515 sf addition and a 7,235 sf renovation was completed. This new facility includes eleven faculty offices for faculty from the Department of Music and the MPRA program, three practice rooms, a general classroom and the music technology classroom. Two recording studios allow students to record projects/live performances from the Techtronica/ Seminar room and the sixty-person Live Sound/Ensemble room.
  • Carlton renovation. Renovations of Carlton were completed in the space formerly occupied by the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center. A new forty student engagement space will allow the Foreign Language department to host club activities, events with guest speakers, and foreign film viewing. The ground floor renovations also included an updated lobby, a twenty-two person seminar room, a linguistics lab, and two universal restrooms.
  • Powell renovation. The renovation included 7,600 square feet of the first floor of Powell vacated by Admissions. The office suite is made up of 6 offices that support the Honors, Undergraduate Research, National & International Fellowships office, and Center for Research on Global Engagement and a collaborative space for faculty and students. This renovation included a large executive conference room that seats 22 people.
  • Moseley Center 1st floor. Renovations were completed to the former Octagon and Hearth Lounge areas on the first floor of Moseley Center as part of our commitment to provide more space for student activities. The renovated space includes study areas, student organization meeting spaces, an enclosed kitchen, and a large gathering area that will open to patios overlooking Young Commons and the West Lawn.
  • Moseley 2nd floor renovation. The first phase of a renovation of Moseley second floor was completed. This renovation provided office space for professional staff and collaborative student spaces for CREDE and SGA. The final phase is currently in planning to renovate the remaining spaces with a more open and identifiable environment through glass storefront and signage on the hallway. There are now four identity resource rooms on the second floor of Moseley – the Gender & LGBTQIA Center, the Hispanic/Latinx Resource Room, the African-American Resource Room, and the Asian Resource Room.
  • Center for the Arts renovation. The second floor of Center for the Arts received a facelift this summer with new paint, carpet, blinds, signage and artwork. The space vacated by the move of the existing recording studio to Arts West was renovated into three additional faculty offices for the Departments of Music and Performing Arts. Classroom 161 was also renovated to become a twenty-five-person general classroom.
  • South Campus Gym renovation. The renovation of the South Campus Gym provided long term space for Elon University’s band who had been working out of a storage trailer. The rest of the space was updated for the Outdoor Recreation.
  • Maker Hub. Elon University’s makerspace, the Maker Hub, opened at the start of the fall 2015 semester on the first floor of Colonnades E building. The Maker Hub is a constructionist learning space designed to support students, faculty, and staff as they pursue projects and build objects that interest them. The community in the Maker Hub promotes a Maker Mindset, which includes taking ownership of your learning, developing your intrinsic motivation, and embracing failure as an essential component of your learning process. The Maker Hub’s five areas of focus are mobile app development, 3D printing and design, basic electronics and soldering, micro-computing (Arduinos and Raspberry Pis), and e-textiles (integrating programmable electronics into fabric). The Maker Hub is free to all students, faculty, and staff.
  • Botanical Gardens. In 2004, Elon’s Board of Trustees designated the campus as a botanical garden as an educational, environmental, and aesthetic resource to benefit Elon. Since then, the university has developed a large plant collection, constructed numerous display gardens, conserved significant natural areas through the Elon Forest, and established the Environmental Center (Loy Farm) as a significant educational resource facility.
  • Koury Business Center renovation. The Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership moved to renovated space on the first floor to give it more presence. The Economic Student Research suite relocated to new space along the main corridor. Two classrooms were decommissioned to provide eleven offices for the Love School of Business’ expanding faculty.
  • Global Neighborhood. The three final residential buildings in the Global Neighborhood (total number of students is now 595), with three classrooms and the Global Commons building, which will feature Argo Tea and the Great Hall. The Great Hall is a beautiful large space for students to study and gather in small groups. It will also host a handful of large events during the year. The Global Commons houses the Global Neighborhood office, a computer lab, a 75-seat media room on the first floor, the Core Curriculum office with 12 faculty offices on the second floor, and the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center on the third floor. Global House C is the new home for the Residence Life Office and provides three apartments for full-time and visiting faculty.
  • Mooney Phase III renovation. The third floor of Mooney was renovated for the Center for Access and Success. This renovation also included classroom upgrades and up fit to the CRC.
  • Belk Pavilion renovation. This renovation to the first floor of Belk Pavilion provided collaborative meeting spaces for the Center for Engaged Learning.
  • Archives relocation. The Library Archives moved from Arts West into a new warehouse space on East Haggard Avenue. This relocation doubled the square footage for Archives and puts them in an easily accessible and more protected location.
  • Psychology and Human Service Studies Building Renovation. The 30,000 gsf Barringer Building on south campus has been redesigned to provide classroom, lab and office space for Psychology and Human Service Studies.
  • Scott Studios. Located at Arts West, the 14,000-square-foot Scott Studios includes a black box theatre with seating for 160, six practice rooms, a workshop, dressing rooms, box office, and a 3,200-square-foot rehearsal/dance studio equivalent in size to the main stage in McCrary Theatre. We are grateful to Ellen Scott and the late Don Scott, parents of Teddy Scott ’10, an alumnus of our music theatre program, for making this venue possible.
  • Belk Library. Writing Excellence Center renovation. Phase one of this renovation replaced shelving located opposite the main entry with collaborative work stations for use by the Writing Center. Phase 2 created additional study and collaboration rooms as well as identifiable spaces for the Writing Center.
  • Solar Farm. As part of our Elon Commitment sustainability objectives, a 10-acre Solar Farm at the Elon Environmental Center at Loy Farm was developed. The Solar Farm is scheduled to be in operation by December 2014. It consists of approximately 5,800 solar photovoltaic panels and has a 1.66 megawatt capacity—approximately the amount of energy it takes to power 550 homes for one year. The Solar Farm provides about 2,500 megawatts of electricity to the grid each year, which is the equivalent of removing more than 1,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere or 350 cars from the road. Duke Energy has agreed to purchase the electricity generated at the site. The addition of the Solar Farm will expand and enhance the educational opportunities for our students by enabling them to study the environmental, business, social, and political implications of renewable energy.
  • South Campus: McFarland Gym. The gym serves as the practice facility for varsity cheerleading and dance, as well as club volleyball, and may be reserved student organization meetings (up to 200 people). The gym is also available for retreats and trainings for student-led university programs (e.g., Orientation leaders, RAs), and student activities such as dance practices (e.g., Greek Week, Step Show rehearsals). One room is available for student meetings and group exercise programs. These improvements are part of a plan to convert this facility to a student meeting/activity space.
  • Center for Leadership Building. (Now called the Janice Ratliff Building.) The building vacated by Ellington Health was repurposed for the Center for Leadership, Auxiliary Services, and Student Conduct.
  • Martin Alumni Center. The Alumni Engagement staff moved into the Martin Alumni Center, an attractive new gathering space for alumni made possible following a generous gift from Trustee Chris Martin, a member of Elon’s Class of 1978, and his wife, Nicolette, parents of Nick Martin ’13. The Martin Alumni Center serves as an important home base for alumni visiting campus. The center features outdoor spaces lined with 3,369 bricks inscribed with the names of alumni who participated in the university’s successful “Pave the Way” annual giving campaign as a precursor to our 125th anniversary celebration.
  • Health and Wellness Center. Expanded space for health services and wellness on South Campus on the former Elon School property. The R.N. Ellington Center for Health and Wellness is the new home for Student Health Services, Counseling Services, Faculty/Staff Wellness, and the Office of Student Health and Wellness. At 14,000 square feet, the facility is more than twice the size of the previous health center and faculty/staff wellness centers. We also now partner with Alamance Regional Medical Center, which is part of Cone Health, one of the region’s largest networks of health-care providers. ARMC staff, including a full-time physician and three advanced care clinicians, will provide improved staffing and expanded medical resources for students, faculty, and staff.
  • Hillel House. Blake House was renovated into an identifiable gathering space for the university’s Jewish population. A successful fund raising campaign in 2012 provided a significant renovation and a new name for the facility, The Sklut Hillel Center.
  • Duke Building. This renovation converted the space vacated by Career Services into a new home for Computing Sciences. Math was expand into spaces on the second and third floors vacated by Computing Sciences. The existing spaces occupied by Academic Advising was also renovated to assist in their mission.
  • Expanded Dining Options. The Winter Garden Café, which opened in Lakeside Dining Hall the previous year, will be complete with the additions of Biscuitville and Topio’s. Qdoba opened in Daniel Commons in the Danieley Center residential neighborhood. Chick-fil-A relocated to McEwen Dining Hall.
  • New Bookstore in Town Center. The 22,225 sf facility was completed in August 2011 by a private developer. The lower two floors house a new expanded campus bookstore and restaurants. The upper floor is home to the Pendulum student newspaper and other tenants.

Theme #3:Attaining the highest levels of achievement across our academic programs

Create the nation’s finest General Education program

• New general education domain and goals adopted in 2010-2011.
• Faculty approve changes to first-year experience in spring 2012. The university establishes new position to further support general education, Associate Director of the Core Curriculum
• Adopted QEP on writing across the university. In 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings of nation’s top universities offering high impact practices recognizes Elon University for excellence in writing across the discipline.
• Experiential education oversight committee proposes second requirement in experiential learning and was approved unanimously by faculty in May 2013.
• Elon’s general education program has been substantially revised and reframed over the last several years. The incoming class of students will participate in the Elon Core Curriculum (formerly called General Studies), the First-Year Foundations (not the First-Year Core), COR 110 (not GST 110), Core Forums (not GST pods), a two-unit ELR (not one), and a COR capstone seminar (not a GST seminar) that includes an integrative capstone project. To communicate effectively with students, it is important that we revise our conversational and advising language accordingly.The Elon Core Curriculum office moved to the second floor of the new Global Commons building. The new space houses 11 faculty from across the university who teach COR courses, particularly in the first year (Gatti, Braye, Buckmaster, Gendle, Garcia-Soormally, A. Johnson, Arcaro, Fadaam, Cohen, Hart, and Coker). The second floor of the Global Commons building serves as an incubator for interdisciplinary, global thinking, and integration across the curriculum. There has been much conversation about how to maintain community and collaboration across units as Elon continues to grow. This new office arrangement serves as an important experiment in this regard.

Launch a Center for Engaged Learning

• Elon’s Center for Engaged Learning (CEL), led by Executive Director Peter Felten and Director Jessie Moore, was launched in fall 2013. An international center for research on engaged learning, CEL brings together preeminent leaders in higher education to develop and synthesize rigorous research on central questions surrounding the quality of undergraduate learning and to share best practices nationally and internationally.In support of this work, CEL hosts multi-institutional research on engaged learning through the Elon Research Seminars and sponsors think tanks with leading scholars. The Center for Engaged Learning is making ongoing, significant contributions to improving student learning and to developing best practices in higher education, affirming Elon’s position as a national leader in engaged learning. Since its creation, CEL has funded collaborative research by more than 125 faculty representing scores of institutions in eight countries. This research has resulted in dozens of scholarly publications, including several books, that are influencing teaching practices and research on engaged learning across the world – and on Elon’s campus.CEL’s online resources are widely used by scholars globally; for examples, CEL’s video interviews have been viewed some 45,000 times on YouTube. CEL also has hosted three conferences, including the October 2013 meeting of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) that attracted more than 600 educators from more than 20 countries.

Graduate students with prestigious academic fellowships, including a Rhodes Scholar

• Elon named top producer of U.S. Fulbright students – Elon University ranked #3 on an annual list of American master’s-level institutions whose graduates received Fulbright student awards for 2014-15.
• In recent years, Elon students have been successful in a number of prestigious national fellowship competitions, including those for the Truman Scholarship, Mitchell Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarship, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the Fulbright U.S. Student Grants.
• New associate director for academic fellowships hired in fall 2012.The National and International Fellowships Office (NIFO) helps high-achieving students envision future paths and identify relevant fellowship and scholarship opportunities, apply and integrate their disciplinary knowledge and experiential learning in a competitive application, and embark on future opportunities with confidence and purpose as they move toward their long-term goals.

Advance key programs of national stature (top-100 law school, top-50 undergraduate business school, and others)

• For the fourth year in a row Elon ranks #1 for teaching, innovation and academic excellence in U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 ‘America’s Best Colleges’. With the #1 ranking among 140 Southern universities, Elon joins top schools in three other regions – Providence College of Rhode Island in the North, Creighton University of Nebraska in the Midwest, and Trinity University of Texas in the West.Elon earns its #1 ranking with a 90 percent first-year student retention rate, an 83 percent four-year graduation rate, a 12-to-1 student faculty ratio, and strong student qualifications and alumni giving rate. Elon also has the highest peer reputation score in its category.
• Elon Law School achieved full ABA accreditation in the shortest window possible. The leadership is currently advancing the school toward a top ranking for practical experience/experiential learning based their new ground breaking curriculum.
• Bloomberg Businessweek ranking secured. Love School of Business ranked 43rd in 2012. The LSB is currently ranked #39 on the list of top schools with undergraduate business programs (Poets & Quants).
• Part-time MBA program ranked #1 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2011; up from #6 in 2009. After a change in criteria, the MBA program is currently ranked #19 in the country and top program in North Carolina.
• Created strategic plan to bring the Elon Poll to national recognition.
• Elon is widely recognized as the preeminent university in the country for engaged and experiential learning. Elon earned recognition in all eight of the U.S. News & World Report – 2017 lists of high-impact academic programs that lead to student success in college. The categories were created 13 years ago by U.S. News with the help of education experts, including staff members of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
  1. Elon – 8 out of 8
  2. Michigan – 7 out of 8
  3. Stanford – 6 out of 8
  4. Duke – 5 out of 8
• Hired new director and assistant director of the Elon Poll and launched aggressive polling schedule around the 2012 presidential election, and launched aggressive polling schedule around current issues in politics and government.

Theme #4:Launching strategic and innovative pathways in undergraduate and graduate education

Create innovative 4 + 1, 4 + 2 combination degree programs

• M.A. in interactive media launched as 4+1.
• The MS in Management (MScM) degree has been approved and enrolled its second class of 16 students in August 2016. Concentrations are offered in Organizational Analytics and Corporate Communications (in partnership with the School of Communications). Students in the MSM program take a common set of MBA courses that provide instruction in business fundamentals.
• Courses for both the MBA and MScM programs are being offered both on the main Elon campus and at The Solution Center in Research Triangle Park. Students in both programs have the option of taking courses in either location, and will be able to complete a full degree at either location. In its first semester of operations, 45 students took courses at the Solution Center.
• The School of Education, in collaboration with Elon College, developed a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree. The program leads to North Carolina teacher licensure in Secondary, Middle Grades, and K-12 subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Comprehensive Science, English, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education & Health, and Physics.
• Elon was part of a $1.3M Lumina Foundation Grant to look at how to enhance Elon’s innovative approach to the traditional college transcript, including adding to the current Elon Experiences Transcript (EET) a new Visual Experiential Transcript, a digital-only document presenting the co-curricular dimensions of Elon students in an accessible and aesthetically pleasing format. Over the past 23 years, Elon has been a leader in the nation in recording students out of class experiences on the Elon Experiences Transcript. Elon records all experiences in the five Elon Experiences: Global Engagement, Leadership, Service, Undergraduate Research, and Internship. Students’ participation in these experiences is verified and compiled for students and academic advisors to easily access through OnTrack. Advisors are encouraged to review this information when meeting with students to provide additional information regarding their advisee’s activities as part of planning classes and discussing career goals. Students can order official copies of their Elon Experiences Transcript along with their Academic Transcript through the Registrar’s Office.
• Formal JD/MBA program development in discussion by graduate council.
• In October 2014, the law school adopted a new curricular program with significant and innovative changes to the traditional law school curriculum model. Implementation of that new curriculum started with the arrival of the current first-year class on August 3, 2015. The new curriculum focuses heavily on experiential learning, including a requirement that all Elon Law students participate in a “Practice Residency” (a full-time field placement with a legal office) during their second year in law school. The newly-adopted curriculum also shortens the length of the law school program from 3 years to 2.5 years, and reduces the overall cost of the program by approximately 15%. Response to the new program has been extremely positive, with a 16% increase in applications and a 19% increase in the size of the entering class this year as compared to last year.
• In April of 2013, Elon launched the Writing Excellence Initiative (WEI), recognized by SACS in its review of the Initiative as having the potential to serve as a national model for writing programming in higher education. Elon’s WEI is designed to reach across not only the entirety of the curriculum but also into student life, and even into the space of faculty and staff. The aim is no less than to create a sustained culture of writing across the campus.
  

  The On-Site Reaffirmation Committee believes that Elon’s QEP, as it is realized over the coming years, has the potential to be a national model of how writing can be thoughtfully and intentionally infused into students’ every day curricular and co­curricular experiences to create a strong institutional culture of writing.

• Academic Affairs, Student Life, and Teaching Learning Technologies joined together to pilot a new series for incoming first-year students to raise academic expectations. Called “Are You Ready?,” the series is offered online and allows students to interact with staff from key offices on campus, ask questions, and most importantly hear from other students about life at Elon. The series shows great promise for harnessing student excitement about the upcoming school year and as an opportunity to set stronger academic expectations and deepen intellectual life on campus.
• Established the Leadership Prize to fund undergraduate research projects designed to study and test solutions to significant societal issues. Current projects include the design of new methods to convey sensitive medical information to at-risk youth, the creation of media that counters negative racial messaging, and the development of an active bystander program to support sexual assault victims.

Establish a School of Health Sciences and a physician assistant studies program

• Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies charter class graduated in March 2015 and achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. The program is currently in the process of earning full accreditation and enrolls 38 students each year (from more than 1,300 applicants).
• Expansion of Doctor of Physical Therapy program completed. Enrolled class of 59 in January 2012. After a few years of over enrollment the program now enrolls approximately 46 students each year (from almost 850 applicants).
• School of Health Sciences program approved. New 58,000 square feet Gerald L. Francis Center opened in January 2012 to support expanded Doctor of Physical Therapy program and new Masters in Physician Assistant Studies program. The space is also used for Undergraduate research (Neuroscience Program)

Launch an Elon service experience as part of gap-year program

• Gap semester program approved and fifth cohort of 15 students enrolled fall 2016.
• Developing a first semester abroad academic program in Dublin, Ireland for Elon students to join our campus in spring semester.
• Created the Peace Corps Prep program and established a formal cooperative agreement between Elon University and the Peace Corps. The program is designed to enable students from a variety of majors to use their core curriculum and major courses to obtain training in areas specifically of interest to the Peace Corps and other volunteer organizations.
• A feasibility study committee was charged to explore creation of a Master’s of Higher Education Leadership. The program, approved by the faculty at the December 2016 meeting and slated to begin fall, 2018 pending Board of Trustee approval, is designed for students to be immersed in a campus-wide model of an engaged learning pedagogy and campus life programs as they learn and practice the principles of learning, engagement, development, and leadership. Students will learn from the robust academic and student life integration at Elon as they develop the knowledge and skills that are transferrable to a variety of institutions.
• A feasibility study for 4- or 5-year Engineering programs was completed during the 2013-14 academic year. The report was reviewed by the Dean, Provost, and President. Because of the considerable cost of the program it was decide to develop a plan for enhancing the current 3 + 2 in engineering program in an effort to position it for future growth. With continued growth and support of the 3 + 2 program, engineering may be in a position to transition towards a department/school at some point. The creation of engineering major at Elon should be part of the next strategic plan.
• A Speech-Language feasibility study committee is investigating the fit of this master’s degree program with the DPT and PA programs in the School of Health Sciences, as well as a ‘fit’ with the University mission.

Theme #5:Stewarding Elon’s commitment to remain a best-value university

Successfully complete the Ever Elon Campaign

• Campaign completed on Dec. 31, 2011. Raised $107.3 million in gifts and pledges.

Create a Stewardship Council

• Stewardship Council created and meeting each semester; comprised of academic deans, provost and associate provosts.

Implement a strong, creative financial model

• Monitoring tuition and class size carefully. The University is committed to slow tuition growth and is working to creatively enterprise the system through innovative graduate programs and aggressive fundraising. A tuition increase of 2.87% is planned for 2016-17. The annual audit report details these successes. The annual audit report details these successes.
• Steadily increased annual revenues from philanthropy toward all priorities from $11 million 2009-10 to $21 million in 2014-15.
• In its annual ranking of the top values in higher education, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance ranks Elon a top-50 best value among the nation’s private universities and #18 nationally in lowest total cost. The ranking is the 11th consecutive top-50 best value recognition of Elon by Kiplinger.

At least triple the Elon University endowment

• Since June 30, 2009, endowment has increased from $82 million to $230 million as of December 31, 2016. The Elon Commitment goal is $246 million by 2020. Donors have established 111 new endowed funds during the Elon Commitment, including 40 new endowed scholarships, 26 new study abroad scholarships, 15 new Elon Experience grants and more than two dozen endowed program funds. Sixty-four percent of endowment is designated for scholarships, and scholarships will be the number one priority of Elon’s next comprehensive campaign.

Theme #6:Developing innovative alumni programs to advance and support the Elon graduate

Identify and support the next generation of alumni leadership

• Established a Board of Trustees ad-hoc committee to provide oversight and strategic guidance to the university’s alumni engagement efforts.
• Developed a comprehensive Vibrant Alumni Network strategic plan with phased goals around strengthening alumni philanthropy, engagement, and service to Elon.
• Martin Alumni Center established in the heart of campus thanks to a generous gift from Chris ’78 and Nicollet Martin P’14, and son Nicolas Martin ’19; staffed by the Alumni Engagement team, the “MAC” is a convenient, comfortable, and high-profile gathering point for alumni returning to campus.
• Established the Young Alumni Council to strengthen connections between the university and young alumni (graduates of the past decade) who are invested in helping to secure Elon’s future.
• Restructured the Elon Alumni Board to enhance its effectiveness and to strengthen engagement between these alumni and the university.
• Established the President’s Young Leaders Council to engage alumni by seeing counsel for the unique challenges and opportunities at Elon.
• Through the development of a robust class reunion program, expansion of alumni clubs and chapters, and the development of new engagement opportunities such as social media ambassadors, Elon has grown its number of annual volunteers from 250 in 2009 to 1,800 in 2015.
• Expanded alumni affinity groups and programming for Elon’s Black Alumni Network and LGBTQIA Alumni Network.
• Tripled the number of annual awards to recognize professional accomplishments and service to Elon, including Young Alumni 10 Under 10 Awards and Outstanding Alumni Awards within the academic units.

Create a premier Career Center

• Tom Brinkley hired as new Executive Director of Corporate and Employer Relations – he has developed strategies for engaging recruiters to seek Elon graduates.
• Elon is named the nation’s top university for study abroad and earns recognition in several other categories in the 2016 edition of the Princeton Review college guide, including “best career services.”
  • #14 Best career services
  • #1 Most popular study abroad program
  • #6 Best-run colleges
  • #7 Most beautiful campus
• On campus recruiting by employers doubled
• Graduating class employment outpaced the national average.
• $2 million fund-raised to support Student Professional Development Center.
• New 5,000-square-foot Student Professional Development Center opened in January 2012.
• The Student Professional Development Center continues to make positive strides in creating and delivering progressive programs and initiatives involving student career development. There was a record attendance at the Fall Internship and Career Expo, with over 70 quality organizations drawing almost 1,200 Elon students. In addition, the “First Destination” report indicates that Elon graduates are getting jobs and/or attending graduate school at a very high rate. Based upon the “knowledge rate” of 96%, 81% reported accepting a job and 19% reported acceptance to graduate or professional school. This compares favorably to the national statistics released by NACE for liberal arts undergraduate degree majors, with 64% employed overall and 18% pursuing continued education.

Build a strong transitions program to careers and graduate school

• Four-year student professional development plans are being developed for each department on campus.
• Established in 2012, the Bridges program is a 9-week summer program that assists graduates and interested in launching careers in Los Angeles or New York City.
• Funds raised to roll-out a “know-how” series for graduating seniors. Will cover topics such as personal finance, taxes, negotiating a contract and what graduates need to know about real estate.
• Outcome data on all academic programs featuring where students are employed and where students attend graduate school added to departmental websites and new transition strategies courses added to schedule.

Launch new alumni service, travel and engagement programs

• Expanded alumni chapters and clubs to enhance regional engagement from 12 to 36, including our first international club in London.
• Created and expanded National Networking Series to 42 markets nationwide and in London to provide meaningful annual professional networking opportunities. In 2015, more than 1,200 alumni participated.
• Created annual “Welcome to the City” event series to introduce new graduates to the Elon network in the regions where they relocate after graduation.
• Expanded Evening For Elon as an anchor alumni/parent program series. Participation has more than tripled, with 2,526 attendees during 2014-2015, compared to 732 in 2009-10.
• Rebranded Elon’s historic Founders Day into #ElonDay, reaching thousands of alumni and parents around the world to celebrate Elon’s “birthday” and to demonstrate their belief in Elon. In 2016, 4,299 donors contributed more than $1,075,025, making #ElonDay the single biggest day in giving in Elon history.

Foster a culture of philanthropy and double the alumni giving participation

• Steadily increased alumni annual giving participation from 16% in 2008-2009 (3,814 alumni donors) to 22% in 2014-2015 (6,093 alumni donors).
• Created the 1889 Society to recognize alumni annual donors and to communicate impact of philanthropy at Elon.
• Increased faculty staff annual giving participation from 34% in 2009-2010 to 72% during 2014-2015.
• Through creative programming, have raised the participation in senior class giving during the Elon Commitment from 18% in 2009-10 to 53% in 2014-15.

Service Year Programs

• In fall 2015, four 2015 Elon graduates began the first year of their professional careers in service to the community through a new partnership program with local organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Alamance County residents. Each of these graduates are working with one of four Alamance County agencies: Healthy Alamance, Impact Alamance, the Alamance County Health Department and Alamance Regional Medical Center. Elon University and the four partner agencies are funding the program. In 2016, Elon begins a similar program in the Alamance-Burlington School System, thanks to foundation funding.

Theme #7:Establishing a national tournament tradition of athletics success along with the highest academic standards for Phoenix athletics

Consistently win conference championships in both men’s and women’s sports

• On July 1, 2014, Elon University left the Southern Conference and joined the Colonial Athletic Association. The CAA has a television agreement with NBC Sports Group, including the NBC Sports Network, which reaches 75 million homes nationwide. In addition, Comcast SportsNet and the American Sports Network provide regional broadcast coverage. The continuing CAA member institutions include four of the nation’s top eight largest media markets. The number of television homes in the CAA market exceeds 20 million.
• During its inaugural season with the CAA, Elon’s women’s track and field earned the first conference championship. In spring 2017, Elon women’s basketball team defeated James Madison University to claim the CAA championship; earning Elon’s first NCAA Basketball Tournament bid.
• Southern Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances for two teams in 2010: Softball and Volleyball. Southern Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances for two teams in 2011: Baseball and Men’s Soccer.
• Since the 2010-11 academic year, Elon teams and individuals (cross country and track) have captured a combined 62 conference titles. A total of seven teams have made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2010.
  • 14 All-Americans
  • One Hermann Trophy Semifinalist
  • One NCAA Senior Bowl participant
  • One NFL Draft selection
  • 17 MLB Draft picks
  • Four Major League Soccer draft selections

Fully fund scholarships in all sports

• Began Elon Commitment with 177 of 197 possible scholarships funded. By March 2012, we funded 188 scholarships and added 3 more in 2013, making 191 of 197 possible. In 2015, the NCAA allowable for our 17 sports is 208 scholarships of which we can award 203. We are adding the final allotment for women’s lacrosse this coming year which will make that number 206.
• Phoenix Club growths from 1,512 members in 2010 to 2,125 in 2015. At the same time the annual support grew from $829,359 to $1,200,000. As a result of joining the CAA in 2013, these targets have now become 2500 members and $1.5M per year. As of for FY17, our targets are 2400 members and $1.4M and we expect to achieve them.

Set conference standards in academics and gender equity

• For fall 2015 student athletes had an overall GPA of 3.17 with 15 of 17 teams having 3.0 or higher (men’s tennis 2.9 and football 2.85) Over the past 5 academic years, the overall GPA of the student-athletes has been 3.0 or higher and in each year at least 14 of our 17 programs has had a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. In this timeframe, only football has not accomplished an overall team GPA of 3.0 or higher in an academic year with their highest team GPA being 2.85 in 2015.
• In spring 2016, all Elon sports achieved Academic Performance Rating (APR) above 970, except baseball (966), significantly exceeding NCAA requirements of 930.
• Elon University’s Board of Trustees approves the addition of women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport with competition beginning in 2013-14.
• Major academic achievements – One Lumen Prize Winner; 14 student-athletes inducted into Phi Beta Kappa; 11 programs received NCAA public recognition, at least once, for scoring in the top 10% of APR among all Division I teams in their sport; in 2015, Elon had most teams (8) score in the top 10% of APR for their sport in the CAA; in 2015, men’s basketball received public recognition from the NCAA for being one of 16 teams in Division I that achieved a perfect APR score; Football received FCS Athletics Directors Association award for the highest APR among all CAA football programs, 2015; One NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner; One NCAA Ethnic and Minority Enhancement Scholarship winner; Six Southern Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Winners

Construct new Athletic Advising Center and certify the academic advisors

• Entire staff of athletic academic advisors received national certification in 2011-2012.
• Construction of new athletic advising center completed in August 2011. Facility includes study rooms, small group areas and a computer lab, as well as staff offices and meeting space.
• Facility enhancements since 2010:
  • Alumni Field House construction
  • Hunt Softball Park construction
  • Alumni Gym renovation
  • Latham Park renovation
  • Jeanne and Jerry Robertson Track & Field Complex renovation
  • Jimmy Powell Tennis Center scoreboard renovation and court renovation
  • Rudd Field press box, dugouts and field drainage renovation
  • Academic Support facility at the Koury Athletic Center
  • Koury Fieldhouse renovation
  • Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center
• Elon teams study abroad – Since 2011, a total of 11 teams have studied abroad in Europe, Asia and Central America.

Theme #8:Significantly enhancing Elon’s campus with premier new academic and residential facilities and a commitment to protecting our environment

Expanded academic facilities for science, communications

• Gerald L. Francis Center for School of Health Sciences opened in January 2012.
• Space in McMichael, formerly used by the physical therapy program, was renovated to support engineering and environmental studies. New wing opened in August 2012.
• Expansion of science facilities will be a featured capital priority of Elon’s next comprehensive campaign. A needs assessment has already been completed by the dean and designs are being developed.
• To help fund dramatic expansion of School of Communications, a one-year capital fundraising project was completed in May 2015 with $15.2 million committed from 43 donor families.
• Dwight C. Schar Hall opened in October 2016, along with the Snow Family Grand Atrium that connects Schar Hall to McEwen Building, which itself underwent a major renovation in summer 2016. Steers Pavilion opened for classes in January 2017. A dedication ceremony for the new facilities will take place on March 31, 2017. The final part of the School of Communications expansion will be the spring 2017 renovation of Long Building, which will house sport management and the M.A. in Interactive Media program. The relocation of those programs will clear the second floor of Powell for other university uses. Read the blog following the project.
• Acquired former “The Elon School” facility and renovated the space to support the Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health Studies programs.
• Renovation and construction of new wing at Arts West in 2015 to support the Music department and the Music Production and Recording Arts program.

Transformation of the residential campus including 1,600 additional beds

• Residential campus committee formed and plan adopted to enhance residential life at Elon through the integration of living and learning.
• New Global Neighborhood opened fall 2014. The $100 million complex is the centerpiece of the residential initiative and home to Elon’s Core Curriculum offices and the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center.
• Created new neighborhood, The Station at Mill Point, in 2012 to provide residential housing for upper class students that focuses on personal leadership and career readiness.
• New Colonnades residential quadrangle completed and faculty-in-residence spaces implemented.
• Completed enhancements to Danieley Neighborhood with the addition of community space and a new facility to support wellness and student activities.
• New Lakeside Dining Hall opened in February 2013 with a focus on global meals. The new facility provides conference and meeting rooms on the second floor
• Progress continues with the strategic initiative to transform the campus culture to more deeply engage students of all class years, enhance the integration of academic and residential experiences, and strengthen the university’s inclusive, intellectual, residential communities. More than 800 first-year students were enrolled in 41 residentially-linked Core First-Year Foundations courses and more than 500 students participated in 21 faculty/staff-led theme living-learning communities (LLC’s). There are now more than 120 faculty and staff serving in key roles such as linked course faculty, LLC advisors, neighborhood associations members and leaders, advisory committee members, faculty affiliates (live-out) with residence halls, and faculty-in-residence. Faculty directors include Jennifer Zinchuk (Global), Terry Tomasek, (Colonnades), Colin Donohue (Danieley), Julie Justice (Oaks), and starting in August 2017 will be joined by Max Negin (Historic). In addition, Mark Dalhouse, Alfred Simkin, and Glenn Scott serve as Faculty in Residence and two Career Fellows reside in and have office hours in the Station at Mill Point neighborhood.

5,000-seat convocation center

• Elon parents Dwight and Martha Schar ’15 and ’19 made Elon history when they pledged the largest single gift in school history of $12 million to support construction of the new convocation center and School of Communications expansion projects. The multipurpose facility, to be called the Schar Center, will meet Elon’s longstanding need for a large gathering space that will support major campus events and serve as the home for Phoenix basketball and volleyball programs. As of January 2016, $13 million toward a $20 million goal has been secured.
• Elon University purchased 19.5 acres of property adjacent to its athletics facilities from Kaye and Joseph Murray and their family trust. The land, which is part of the historic Cable family homestead, lies west of Elon’s Hunt Softball Park and parking lot along North Williamson Avenue. The site has been designated by Elon’s board of trustees as the preferred location for the university’s proposed convocation center. The purchase price of the property is being funded by a gift to Elon from alumnus Furman Moseley ’56 and his wife, Susan

1,500-seat auditorium

• In August 2014 the Great Hall opened as part of the Global Commons. The Great Hall serves as a lounge and study space for the Global Neighborhood. The Hall will also serve as a venue for celebrations such as Leaders of the Twenty-First Century, hosting community events, and as one of the rain-plan backup sites for commencement.

Multi-faith center

• In Spring 2013 the university dedicated the newly established multi-faith center, Numen Lumen Pavilion, partially funded by gifts and pledges made during the Ever Elon Campaign. The new space supports the intersection of spiritual and intellectual discovery. The space is home to the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society.

Admissions center

• In the spring of 2015, the university dedicated the new Inman Admissions Welcome Center. The new “front door” to campus, with more than 10,000 visitors each year, is home to admissions and financial aid offices and welcomes students and families to the university. Thanks to a naming gift by Elon parents Bill and Pat Inman, parents of class of 2000 alumna Jackie Inman, and commitments from 17 other families, funds were raised in less than one year.

Career center

• New Student Professional Development Center opened in Moseley in January 2012.
• Additional facilities and enhancements to support a residential campus, include:
  • Danieley breezeways In-fill. The first floor breezeways of the Danieley Center Flats were enclosed to create a common space (360 square feet of conditioned common space) for 1st floor residents to gather. The first floor of Building I was left open for residents to pass through to connect the quad to the bus stop and new PARC building. One shower in each first floor apartment of all three buildings was converted into a laundry room. That allowed the common laundry rooms, once part of the breezeways) to be converted to study rooms.
  • Danieley Recreation building (PARC). The university opened a new 14,850 square foot, fully conditioned, recreational facility for the Danieley Neighborhood. This new space includes a 1,200 square foot fitness room, two offices for recreation department staff and two full size NCAA compliant basketball courts that have the ability to be converted into two NCAA compliant volleyball courts. This facility is equipped with a 100 amp company switch to hold large events and has the ability to hold up to 2,230 people.
  • Daniel Commons. The existing office space in Daniel Commons was converted into the new Einstein Brother’s Bagels. The addition portion of this project added 4,000 square feet of office, classroom and common space. The new classroom and common space are both available to reserve for group functions and both are already in high demand. The space between the addition and existing structure creates a new courtyard area with patio furniture and a view of Lake Verona provide an exterior space for people to eat, hang out and enjoy the outdoors.

Vibrant downtown Elon

• Consultant report completed. Three-story retail building completed. New restaurants and Barnes and Noble opened.
• “Park Place at Elon” on Haggard Avenue opened in August 2016 housing 129 upper class students. The 53,000-square-foot project will also include retail businesses on the first floor.
• Park Place at Elon will be the first major development in compliance with the Town of Elon’s master plan approved in 2014 by the Board of Alderman. The business arrangement is identical to that of the Elon Town Center on Williamson Avenue. Elon University leases the land to the developers who construct and own the building.

Implementation of the Sustainability Master Plan

• Climate Action Plan developed toward goal of carbon neutrality by 2037. Energy consumption per square foot per degree day is down 33% since 2004-2005. Climate Action Plan.
• Completed geothermal system in summer 2011 to provide primary heating and cooling for five residential buildings.
• Solar thermal systems for heating water installed on a dining hall and four residential buildings.
• In 2015 the university turned on its own solar farm at Loy Farm adjacent to campus.
• Board of Trustees established Elon University Forest as a dedicated land preserve and natural area.
• Elon received a STARS Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education for sustainability efforts.
• Alumni Field House awarded LEED Gold certification and New Loy Center houses received LEED for Homes Platinum certification.