THEME 1: An Unprecedented University Commitment to Diversity and Global Engagement

  1. Continue to increase the number of international students at Elon.
    1. Continue development of the International Fellows program.
    2. Develop the South China University 2+2 program.
    3. Provide training for faculty and staff about working with international students, faculty, and staff.
  2. Support the goal to provide 100 percent access to a global study experience (international study or domestic study away).
    1. Finalize creation of an Office for Domestic Study and develop signature programs.
    2. Support inaugural Elon in LA semester program.
    3. Develop targeted programs for academic departments that have limited participation.
    4. Advance international study opportunities for student-athletes and send men’s and women’s tennis and golf teams abroad.
  3. Monitor and report on diversity and global engagement plans.
    1. Consolidate three existing committees into Inclusive Community Council to oversee inclusion efforts on campus.
    2. Strengthen support for learning around difference through the design and implementation of an Elon 101 pilot focused on understanding self, others, and your university, launch of a winter term diversity theme, and piloting of diversity education portfolio.
  4. Open the Numen Lumen Pavilion and plan for a vibrant multi-faith/interfaith program at Elon.
    1. Develop a Multi-faith Council of representatives from across campus to coordinate and facilitate the mission of the multi-faith center.
    2. Celebrate the dedication and inaugural year of the Numen Lumen Pavilion with specialized programming and a panel of faith leaders for spring 2013 convocation.
    3. Renovate 401 E. College Ave. as Hillel Center and continue fundraising for an expanded Jewish Life program.
    4. Hire a part-time Chaplain for the Muslim community.
    5. Implement, as appropriate, the recommendations of the Interfaith Youth Core report.
    6. Plan for long-term leadership of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society.
  5. Develop a process for academic departments and units to fulfill their commitment to diversity and difference on Elon’s campus.

THEME 2: Supporting a World-Class Faculty and Staff

  1. Advance the university’s goal to reduce part-time faculty to 15% by developing a comprehensive and innovative long-range plan.
  2. Review teaching, research, and service expectations for faculty performance as teacher-scholars
    1. Discuss and, when feasible, implement recommendations from the Academic Council’s task force reports on service, promotion and tenure, reassigned time, and department chair responsibilities.
    2. Finalize revisions of departmental peer-reviewed scholarship statements and submit them to the Provost’s Office.
    3. Assess the pilot program and support expanded practices for faculty mentoring.
  3. Create a committee that will take initial steps to improve data collection, storage and retrieval on campus, including
    1. Creation of a data dictionary to define terms
    2. Completion of a campus audit of shadow databases
    3. Exploration of options for an interface that allows people to enter/share/find/delete data easily
    4. Building of a system that allows accessibility for people in decision-making positions
    5. Work with the Records Management Advisory Committee to develop a university-wide records management plan.
  4. Increase international faculty through faculty exchange programs and opportunities for visiting scholars, and assess local accommodations for visiting guests and curricular opportunities (e.g., Winter Term) for involving them.
  5. Develop a process and create a plan for investing in and replacing technology (including software) that will enhance the teaching/learning and scholarship activities of faculty members.
  6. Conduct successful hiring for administrative positions.
    1. Registrar
    2. Assistant/Associate Provost for Inclusive Community
    3. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs 

THEME 3: Attain the Highest Levels of Achievement across Our Academic Programs

  1. Support the General Studies Council as it works to align the new mission and goals and the GST curriculum, including re-evaluating the ELR (Experiential Learning Requirement), GST Seminars and Foreign Language Requirement.
  2. Advance programs that articulate the critical role of fluency in a second language to being a global citizen and ensure that students have access to a vibrant, innovative foreign language curriculum that connects to their career aspirations.
  3. Complete and submit the SACS (Southern Association for Colleges and Schools) accreditation report. Host a successful SACS visit April 16-18, 2013.
  4. Develop a plan to implement QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan) recommendations on Writing Across the University.
  5. Continue development of the School of Law
    1. Continue application process for AALS (Association of  American Law Schools) membership.
    2. Resolve space issues as law school activities expand.
    3. Recruit a nationally recognized leader in legal scholarship and teaching.
    4. Develop a comprehensive strategic planning process that includes trustees, board of advisor members, alumni, and main campus personnel.
  6. Prepare for or complete successful professional accreditations
    1. SACS (Southern Association for College and Schools) Substantive Change Request for PA program
    2. ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant) initial accreditation
    3. AACSB-I (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International) reaccreditation
  7. Establish the Center for Engaged Learning and its inaugural programs, including preparations to host the October 2013 conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
  8. Develop a proposal and implementation plan for a Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.

THEME 4: Launching Strategic and Innovative Pathways in Undergraduate and Graduate Education

  1. Implement and evaluate the inaugural GAP semester program.
  2. Successfully enroll the first class of Physician Assistant Studies students and provide a rigorous and transformative educational experience.
  3. Explore feasibility of new undergraduate/graduate programs:
    1. 3+2 and 4+1 programs
    2. Full-time master’s degrees (M.A.T., M.Ed., or M.A.) in mathematics education and science education
    3. Language pedagogy
    4. Continue to develop post-professional doctoral degree to prepare physical therapy faculty
    5. Accelerated MBA
    6. Full-time MBA, including provision for JD/MBA and Science MBA
    7. Ph.D. in Communications
  4. Continue development of the School of Education partnership with the Alamance-Burlington School System
    1. Establish a coordinated network of secondary school programs for teacher preparation, professional development, and research.
    2. Provide increased professional development and research in and for elementary and middle-grade partner schools.
    3. Expand the Elon Academy to be a national model of successful college entry and first-year college success.
    4. Create and strengthen the quality of partnerships with local early childhood centers and preschools to serve as internship sites for teacher candidates in the new Early Childhood Education major.
  5. Enhance Elon’s partnerships with ABSS by expanding the University’s credit bank program for area high school students.

THEME 7: Developing Innovative Alumni Programs to Advance and Support The Elon Graduate

  1. Continue with enhancements to the Student Professional Development Center
    1. Hire associate directors for corporate and employer relations for LSB and Elon College.
    2. Design and manage an online job registry software program.
    3. Enhance students’ on-campus job searching with special attention to students in the next phase of the PACE student work study program and first-generation college students.

THEME 8: Significantly Enhance Elon’s Campus with Premier New Academic and Resident Facilities and a Commitment to Protecting Our Environment

  1. Plan for new/expanded space for:
    1. Communications building or expansion of existing site
    2. School of Education expansion
    3. Belk Library storage
    4. Phase I of the Elon Forest Research Station
    5. Performing Arts Expansion at the Francis Center
    6. Elon Homes campus use
  2. Integrate and support structures for Academic Affairs to become a more whole partner in the residential campus plan, including working with the new Residence Life Faculty Fellow to develop and document ways to link academic activities (including an increase in the number of learning communities with first-year course linkages) with residential life in the implementation of housing areas on campus.

SACS Timeline

2011-12

Fall 2011

  • Compliance
  • Submit drafts of compliance answers and all documentation to be scanned
  • QEP
  • Solicit feedback from campus about topic for the QEP
  • Select final QEP topic. Determine leader/team,  assign tasks and propose budget

Spring 2012

  • Submit final compliance responses

Summer 2012

  • Print document. Complete Web work

2012-13

Fall 2012

  • Compliance Report due September 1
  • Submit QEP by end of November

Winter 2013

  • Complete Focus Report Responses

Spring 2013

  • SACS onsite visit April 16-18, 2013