The strategic planning committee is charged with consulting widely and forming partnerships with students, faculty, staff, the Board of Trustees, alumni, parents, community partners and other stakeholders to develop the vision and direction of the next strategic plan for Elon University. The committee is further charged with formulating a draft of Elon’s next strategic plan, following a process similar to that used for the creation of Elon’s successful Elon Commitment, Elon Vision, and NewCentury@Elon strategic plans.

The plan should anticipate the overall strategic direction of the University for the next decade. A draft of the plan should be completed by fall 2019 to be shared with campus constituencies and in preparation for the October 2019 Board of Trustees retreat.

The strategic plan should consider and address the challenges and opportunities facing Elon and higher education generally. The following list of topics and questions are not meant to be comprehensive, but are offered as starting points to stimulate our thinking and goals:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • The Elon Commitment prioritized diversity in multiple ways, including enrollment of a more diverse student body, advancement of a multi-faith effort, and advancements in the offices that support students from across diverse groups.
  • What is the vision for the university in regards to diversity, equity, inclusive environment, and intercultural competency in the decade ahead?

Engaged and Experiential Learning

  • The Elon community has stated clearly that engaged learning should remain at the heart of an Elon education. How will Elon continue to advance mastery of engaged learning, and how can Elon remain on the cutting edge of innovative teaching and learning?
  • The Elon Core Curriculum has advanced the university’s graduation and retention rates, sheltered the mission, and provided much of the centerpiece of an Elon education. What innovations are required to continue to advance general education at the university? What is the vision of our general education program for 2030?

Academic Programs

  • On what undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education curricular innovation should we focus?
  • What new academic programs should the University consider adding in the next five to ten years? Should new schools be added?
  • How can we enhance the academic experience for all students? How can we deepen our intellectual climate?
  • What education models should we consider, such as certificates, independent majors and minors, online courses and degrees?
  • STEM training is in high demand in the global workforce. What should Elon do to address this critical need in the future?  How will the addition of a four-year Engineering degree enhance the university’s culture of science, existing science programs, and intersections of science and other fields?
  • How might innovation, design thinking, and entrepreneurship contribute to curricular innovation?
  • How will technology change teaching and learning as well as the preparation students will need after graduation?
  • How does the university support a culture of lifelong learning?
  • What is the vision for our current academic and student life centers in 2030? What new centers, if any should be advanced to support interdisciplinary achievement?

Faculty and Staff

  • What strategies should Elon consider pursuing to attract and retain the highest quality faculty and staff?
  • How can the teacher-scholar-mentor model be furthered and further supported?
  • The workforce now includes four generations of workers. How can Elon best leverage this multi-generational workforce and provide development and resources for our increasingly diverse faculty and staff?
  • Elon is known as a tight-knit community, how do we maintain and advance our community as we continue to advance?

Students

  • How will the college-going population change over the next ten years and how will that change campus resources, structures, programs, and interactions?
  • What will be the characteristics of Elon students in 2030?
  • How can the university attract, retain, and support the Elon student?
  • How can we ensure a diverse student population and further advance our efforts for an inclusive community where all can thrive?
  • How can Elon become a national leader in providing a campus climate of inclusion and well-being?
  • What more can the University do to encourage its top students to pursue prestigious awards such as the Rhodes, Truman, and Marshall fellowships?

Athletics

  • How can the athletics program be strengthened and engaged to strengthen the University’s community?
  • What is the vision for student athletes in 2030?
  • What is the intersection between national reputation and Elon athletics in 2030?

Facilities

  • How specifically should the facilities master plan be updated?
  • What are the University’s most pressing facility needs in the next decade?

Resources and Enrollment

  • What level of endowment should Elon strive to achieve at the end of the new strategic plan?
  • What should be the university’s strategy for growth? In light of changing demographics and increased scrutiny on outcomes, how should Elon manage slow growth and continue to build the infrastructure to support such growth?
  • Is Elon’s tuition priced appropriately against its competition?
  • How do we maintain Elon’s relationship-based culture while also remaining a best value in higher education and continue to provide access to the most deserving students?
  • What more can Elon do to secure corporate and foundation gifts, as well as grants aligned with our education model?
  • What new revenue streams should the University create as part of its effort to reduce its tuition dependency?
  • What is the best case we can make for a transformative gift to the University?
  • How should the University broaden its approach to resource-raising?

Alumni

  • Some have argued that alumni are Elon’s greatest resource, how can we  invest in our alumni across the generations of their lives?
  • In what ways can alumni engage with and enhance the future of the university?
  • What can the University do to more effectively involve alumni in the life of the University?

National and International Awareness, Reputation, and Presence

  • What is the vision for Elon’s position in higher education, what it is known for, and how that intersects with enrollment, faculty/staff contributions, and the advancement of our mission and focus on undergraduate education?
  • How should the University navigate trends such as demographic shifts, enrollment disruptions, technology advancements, generational differences/perspectives on employment, increased costs/student debt, and the changing public view of higher education?
  • What should the university’s role be in helping to advance Elon, Alamance County, Greensboro, Raleigh and North Carolina?
  • How we can more effectively partner with the Town of Elon to create a vibrant town atmosphere for the University, including attracting students, staff, and faculty to the area?
  • How can Elon continue to partner with and strengthen Alamance County and the Alamance-Burlington School System, in which many of the children of our employees are enrolled?
  • Where will Elon have new study abroad and study USA programs?  What is to be the global reach of Elon University?
  • Should Elon establish physical locations in key communities that advance its mission, enrollment and where our alumni live and work. Communities like Los Angeles, New York, or DC, where we have sustained summer and semester programs?
  • What key academic partnerships should be considered in order to advance Elon’s model across new constituencies?