FY 2014 Strategic Action PlanIntroduction -- Grinnell College’s Strategic Plan was conceived to be a flexible, ongoing process. It was born of a campus-wide conversation that outlined six major strategic directions to guide Grinnell’s future decisions. At the end of the 2011 - 2012 planning year, President Raynard Kington described Grinnell’s strategic plan and its implementation: "Many strategic planning processes have failed at the implementation stage. In my observation, this often happened because the initial conversations were allowed to trail off or because no one felt that she/he was responsible for the implementation. In a truly effective planning process there are multiple steps: we need to determine where we want to go; figure out how to get there; do the work; and measure our progress. To avoid the traditional pitfalls, Grinnell needs to employ a process of distributed leadership and shared governance."Through a continuous process of reflection and evaluation, strategic planning and actions help the College set priorities, manage resources, define performance expectations, and ensure integrated actions -- ultimately enhancing the College’s ability to carry out its mission in the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. Grinnell CollegeGC ID-1d59fe63-2fc2-4b31-b57d-3020e7fbe347Raynard KingtonPresident Angela VoosCo-chair of Strategic Implementation; Vice President for Strategic Planning and Chief of Staff, Office of the President David LopattoCo-chair of Strategic Implementation; Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Professor of PsychologyEnrollmentAttract, enrich, and graduate a diverse and talented student community. ID-f9b9f4d2-26cf-4b9c-b5d1-15100c5403d3STRATEGY 1Joe BagnoliStaff Lead -- Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission and Financial AidJack MuttiFaculty Lead -- Professor of EconomicsOffice of Admission and Financial AidThe Office of Admission and Financial Aid will: * Reduce the tuition discount rate by developing a more comprehensive assessment of student financial need resulting in financial aid awards that are more sensitive to total available family resources. * Review all financial aid awarding policies and revise them according to best practices of our national, college comparison group. * Develop the campus visit program to improve applicant-visitor experience. * Revise the College’s Admission Rating Scale. * Develop a strategic communication plan and related correspondence. * Utilize website and web advertising to help close the gap between Grinnell College and other schools in terms of site visits and links to homepage. * Increase net tuition revenue while maintaining a diverse and talented student body.Create a student body that individually and collectively reaches a remarkable record of achievement and that maximizes the interactive learning opportunities for all Grinnell students.Financial Aid PoliciesDevelop financially sustainable admission and financial-aid policies consistent with a mission of academic excellence and educational access. ID-14ebb978-728e-45d3-a0bc-827261f6ce1d1.1Student BodyDevelop Guiding Principles for the Composition of the Student Body. ID-e6b642c5-8ea3-4307-ad6c-25a9b84ef4f01.2Operating BudgetReduce the reliance on the endowment for the operating budget. ID-c9c8e0f3-fac7-4091-bc6b-07c2ab66277c1.3Academic ProfileMaintain the academic profile of the incoming classes of students. ID-64f0bc92-1adb-48ba-89ff-82bc9aed99bc1.4Financial Aid FocusFocus financial aid to provide access to a Grinnell education for academically qualified students with significant financial need or backgrounds that would create an obstacle to earning a college degree. ID-b3d694fa-6cb8-4636-a20a-7a649ac3a3df1.5DiversityIncrease the diversity of the student body to provide a robust learning environment. ID-bfff5502-1aae-4b89-b077-2fdcc75a81c41.6Market PerceptionsUnderstand and positively influence market perceptions of prospective students and their families. ID-bc835bd9-63d9-4bc9-95a5-73d93aa91fa21.7Enrolling StudentsEnroll entering classes of students who are strongly matched to Grinnell and therefore are likely to succeed and graduate. ID-8b3239b9-9514-4e53-80d7-7a2839032cfc1.8Retention & GraduationRetain and graduate students who choose to pursue an education at Grinnell. ID-6e0b2cec-40d8-4647-93b2-ff4d69c393651.9Teaching & LearningRe-envision Grinnell’s commitment to a liberal education and its value in the twenty-first century. ID-595eb6d1-59f4-4e73-aa46-7c778d407b17STRATEGY 2David LopattoStaff Lead -- Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Professor of PsychologyKathryn KampFaculty Lead -- Chair of the Faculty, Earl D. Strong Professor of Social Studies, Professor of AnthropologyDean of the CollegeThe Dean of the College and Chair of the Faculty, with the faculty will: * Form a committee to make recommendations regarding resource allocation and policy for technology-rich teaching and learning. * Led by David Lopatto and Kathy Kamp, will plan for a Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. * Explore alternative academic schedules that accommodate for engagement with alumni, celebrate student research and global experiences, allow more time for assessment, and encourage a range of innovative teaching methods. Among the possibilities being explored are 1) differential start times for courses, 2) incorporating short, intensive blocks of time in some courses, and 3) setting aside days in the semester for College-wide activities. * Create learning outcomes assessment tools that support learning assessment campus-wide, with support from the Office of Analytic Support and Institutional Research.Office of Student AffairsThe Office of Student Affairs will: * Strengthen the Campus Advocates program in collaboration with the campus Title IX officer and the Task Force for Prevention, Safety, & Responsibility. * Enhance programming for first-generation college students. * Grow academic tutoring programs on campus, sponsored by the A.V. Davis Grant. * Develop a robust Group Therapy program in SHACS, in order to address common issues (stress, mindfulness, loss) with a wider circle of students.Create an innovative and evolving student centered, liberal arts curriculum (academic experience) that enables students to be successful in an ever-changing world and informs and enriches the lives of Grinnell graduates.CurriculumCreate an adaptive curriculum and pedagogy that will evolve fluidly, creatively, and intentionally in response to new and sometimes unanticipated challenges. ID-f51e82b3-981a-4fc2-8fb6-3bc92f13c57e2.1StudentsCultivate students who can integrate knowledge across disciplines, who are sophisticated in their writing, analysis, and research, and who understand the social basis and responsibilities of knowledge. ID-e985a271-1629-4ce6-bf8f-bbdd041ba5af2.2Interdisciplinary EnvironmentCreate a flexible environment that allows for creativity and collaboration across disciplines. ID-6c430c99-d1f0-423b-b6f1-4cd485f21f8f2.3Knowledge, Scholarship & MaterialsIncrease the accessibility and sharing of knowledge, scholarship, and primary source materials created at or owned by the College. ID-36750700-8a6b-4b58-967a-72f4edfccf962.4The Grinnell Learning SpaceBuild learning spaces that encourage collaboration, creativity, and inquiry. ID-2fe74836-352a-48a8-991d-e2419c593da2STRATEGY 3John KalkbrennerStaff Lead -- Vice President for College ServicesJim SwartzFaculty Co-Leader -- Professor of Chemistry, Dack Professor of ChemistyErik SimpsonFaculty Co-Leader -- Professor of EnglishOffice of College ServicesThe Office of College Services will: * Develop recommendations for best uses of Carnegie, ARH, Library, and Forum Buildings. a) Complete the conceptual design stage of academic space to support teaching and learning of Social Studies and Humanities. b) Integrate academic space planning findings with earlier studies on student housing and campus/town visitor experience studies. Propose an implementation plan with corresponding costs and financing options. * Complete an update to the Campus Plan for academic spaces. * Create a unified, highly responsive technology support structure for teaching and learning. a) Develop a comprehensive multi-year plan for ITS projects, services, and governance. b) Define an information architecture that will support analytic projects and strategic decision making. * Complete a comprehensive plan for the spaces between campus buildings. a) Create a comprehensive campus landscaping plan to create an appealing and consistent theme for the spaces between the College’s diverse buildings. This will include thoughtful routing of pedestrian traffic and creating distinctive spaces between our buildings.Office of Student AffairsThe Office of Student Affairs will: * Initiate a new Orientation (NSO) program that emphasizes the welcome from and responsibility to the town of Grinnell, with campus and community partners.Design, operate, and support all spaces on the campus to enhance the academic, social, and environmental success of the Grinnell College community.Collaboration, Creativity & InquiryCreate learning spaces that promote collaboration, creativity, and inquiry. ID-ad832672-a45b-4f28-9845-cefb7a103bcf3.1Technology & DataConfigure facilities with the right technology and access to necessary data and primary source material to support emerging forms of inquiry-based learning. ID-6982bf6d-4d73-4576-ba17-178e731c5f253.2Films, Statistics, Databases & Work ProductsDesign spaces to enable faculty to show films, do in-class work on statistics packages, or use databases of images and sounds, and allow students to create different forms of work products. ID-a169c0c0-0c71-4137-a97a-e3c6a7e7bb863.3Materials & ProductsDesign mission-driven architecture that supports the full creative range of original materials and scholarship products generated at Grinnell. ID-db398a82-8dee-4266-93ec-f671b75d4f583.4Summer UsageMake better use of College facilities during the summer. ID-a74ea1ff-ec92-4e48-bc4f-e9c90cca09db3.5Career Development/Post Graduation SuccessInstill an orientation to the future and intentionally connect the Grinnell educational experience to post-graduate endeavors. ID-2dfe8bac-eca2-4abf-a340-dc725aa1f858STRATEGY 4Mark PeltzStaff Lead -- Associate Dean and Director of Career DevelopmentJanet DavisFaculty Lead -- Associate Professor of Computer ScienceCenter for Careers, Life, and ServiceThe Center for Careers, Life, and Service will: * Revamp content for new CLS website. * Finalize recruiting brochure with support from Communications office. * Acquire and implement on-campus recruiting module in PioneerLink (Symplicity). * Implement real-time, student feedback process. * Finalize CLS metrics and student learning goals to drive assessment. * Evaluate GRINNELLLINK Internship program funding model, investigate student interest/market-driven strategy. * Develop and implement CLS social media strategy. * Develop and implement new slate of programming associated with the new Grinnell Careers in Education Professions Program. * Pilot Student/Alumni Mentor Program. * Plan and execute an industry tour to Chicago. * Provide scholarship support to at least 5 students participating in the Booth, Fullbridge, and other bridge program providers. * Conduct feasibility study on the CLS introducing a fall Career Fair. * Pilot “senior series” workshop sequence. * Build “Grinnell Careers in Business” track. * Co-sponsor Business Symposium with Wilson Program. * Pilot expansion of curricular service learning courses to include local paid employment opportunities for students to implement service projects and recommendations. * Plan Fall 2014 Industry Tour to NYC with a focus on Finance & Consulting.Create a curriculum and learning environment that enables and encourages students to pursue and succeed along multiple life paths and careers.Learning ConnectionsProvide opportunities for students to make connections between course experiences and other learning experiences (internships, externships, apprenticeships, fellowships, employment, service opportunities, travel, performances, etc.) ID-77bdd996-e06a-4cd0-8ff3-f3e3f30db3db4.1Learning ExperiencesIncrease learning experiences outside the classroom. ID-9ceb55bb-b65b-43be-aa42-905991ba227b4.2SkillsGuide students to apply, reflect on, and articulate how their skills are applicable to their futures. ID-1c669d96-1e52-40d5-8dd7-1431c1e757364.3Networking & MentoringDevelop programs that facilitate networking and mentoring relationships between students and alumni. ID-33bb5452-6c84-4e21-ae0b-6e11ec2c82b84.4Career DevelopmentExpand career development support to young alumni. ID-e5250521-3f91-40bf-b739-4936ec0a0bf04.5Young AlumniAlumni EngagementFoster life-long learning and contributions of alumni in the College’s intellectual life, service, and mentorship and advising. ID-5e671c2d-58b6-4b5b-8dcd-5f5e9bf65dc2STRATEGY 5Beth HalloranStaff Lead -- Vice President for Development and Alumni RelationsSarah PurcellFaculty Lead -- Professor of History, Director of Rosenfield ProgramOffice of Development and Alumni RelationsThe Office of Development and Alumni Relations will: * Establish ways to capture volunteer engagement across the entire College for a more comprehensive picture of alumni, parents, and friends who are engaging with the College; honor that service in the Annual Report and Honor Roll. * Pilot an alumni-student mentoring project on campus in partnership with the Dean’s Office and the Center for Careers, Life, and Service. For this mentoring project, alumni volunteers from our Black and African American Reunion alumni committee will be partnered with students of color who have self-selected into the mentoring program. This pilot will tentatively impact 30 students. * In partnership with the Athletics and Recreation staff, advance plans for a reimagining of the Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame selection processes and events; launch marketing plan in fall 2013 for a fall 2014 induction ceremony. * Continue to explore feasibility of “Alumni Week” concept by building on commitment to affinity reunion programs. 2013-14 will host the following: o Fall Athletic Weekend (football, tennis, soccer and volleyball); o Swimming and Diving Reunion Weekend; o Cross Country Reunion Weekend; o Languages For Life Reunion Weekend (foreign language and classics’ majors); o African-American and Black Alumni Weekend * Take steps toward the continued enhancements of student programming, most notably the fall 2013 merger of the Student Alumni Association and the Student Philanthropy Committee into a single Student Alumni Council. We look forward to the expansion of this program under the leadership of a new team member, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for Student Programs. * Create stewardship plans to celebrate those who have invested significantly in the College. * Add Reunion and Class Fund Director roles to the Pioneer Fund in order to deepen engagement within classes. * Determine the key indicators of alumni engagement that turn regard for the College and involvement with the College into philanthropic productivity. * Launch comprehensive, streamlined Alumni College “roadshow” with three-year plan for faculty presence in each Tier 1-3 market. * Plan and host ten faculty events in FY2014. * Work with faculty to create opportunities for alumni engagement during professional conference travel. Deliberately structure intellectual engagement around discipline-specific events (e.g. College Art Association Annual Meeting, Women In Computer Science, etc.). * Launch pilot partnership with Grinnell-in-Washington off-campus study program to take advantage of opportunities for alumni support (through internships, mentoring, receptions, and informal gatherings) of students in this program. * Continue to develop regional network infrastructure to empower, engage, and support alumni in the creation of community-building activities to supplement the College’s regional event calendar. * Anticipate effective re-launch of the Grinnell Alumni Travel program with a June 2014 trip to Greece and a 2015 service travel program to Ghana in partnership with 2011 Grinnell Prize winner James Kofi-Annan and his organization, Challenging Heights. Continue summer “adventure” tour of Grinnellians on RAGBRAI. * Develop and support Forum: an electronic platform which builds community in a way that connects alumni back to campus, connects them in their regional areas off campus, and connects them with other regional groups and the world of Grinnellians. * In January 2014, launch online Grinnell College Book Club with the partnership of to-be-identified faculty (recommended by the Dean’s Office) and alumni. Objective is to create intellectual exchange between alumni and faculty, and promote lifetime learning. Design the Grinnell alumni community, the alumni-to-alumni relations, and the College-to-alumni relations by purposefully including alumni in all of the strategies.ServiceActively serve alumni in ways that they deem meaningful. ID-643f1ca3-bc82-4d90-9274-0cda2b043f8c5.1Engagement ActivitiesIncrease the quality and frequency of engagement activities involved with faculty, staff, students, and other alumni. ID-23feb7dd-32d9-457b-bd01-5eccc4edac615.2Faculty Staff Students AlumniRigor, Thinking, Service & MentorshipCreate engagement opportunities that reflect Grinnell’s commitment to academic rigor, independent thinking, service, and mentorship. ID-c7035c36-4512-4127-a11b-5f668472626b5.3AttachmentInstill in each student a strong sense of attachment to the College, its mission, and its community. ID-3f0a3b14-9f1d-4392-8ccb-ff6cdbb31b8d5.4PhilanthropyFoster a culture of philanthropy that recognizes the crucial role of alumni giving and provides alumni with meaningful opportunities to give back to the College community through their time, energy, expertise, and money. ID-0416440c-b08b-402b-8752-0a25dd5ebaaa5.5AlumniHuman & Financial ResourcesTransform administrative practices to maintain continuous, collaborative, and adaptive planning for the College. ID-292a1413-7d6f-4280-94db-8c1424dfebafSTRATEGY 6Angela VoosStaff Co-Leader -- Vice President for Strategic Planning and Chief of StaffKate WalkerStaff Co-Leader -- Vice President for Finance and Treasurer of the CollegeCarlie VanWilligenStaff Co-Leader -- Associate Director of Analytic Support and Institutional ResearchCollege ServicesCollege Services will: * Renovate the JCC to be more appealing to prospective students and their families. * Increase marketing presence in Conference Operations and Events to grow facility rentals and catering services throughout the year. * Develop Grinnell initiated summer programs that will be revenue positive and raise the profile of the college. * College Services will implement an operation and maintenance process and budget that ensure the continual attention to high-quality spaces and plans for future space-related expenses. a) Use facilities maintenance forecasts to help build a comprehensive long-term financial model for the college.Office of CommunicationsCommunications will: * Roll out the new website. * Strengthen social media presence through coordinated and strategic use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social technologies, producing targeted messaging. * Focus media coverage on the College’s most important issues. * Working with Admission, Analytic Support and Institutional Research, and Information Technology Services, will take out strategic ads to bring the College to the attention of its target audiences. * Produce more feature-rich online editions of both the Grinnell Magazine and the Honor Roll of Donors; if approved, will deploy a reader survey to print users of the Grinnell Magazine and Honor Roll of Donors to better understand what the print editions of these publications are accomplishing.Division of Student AffairsThe Division of Student Affairs will create and implement an assessment tool for students who participate in the Student Conduct system.Office of Student AffairsThe Office of Student Affairs with the Office of Communication will develop a comprehensive, campus-wide Emergency Preparedness Plan.Paula SmithPaula Smith, former Dean of the College and current professor of English, will work on refining a business model of enterprise risk management into a mission-based higher education model of enterprise risk management.Treasurer’s OfficeThe Treasurer’s Office will develop a new budget planning process and position planning/approval process.President’s OfficeThe President’s Office, with all offices, will develop a comprehensive, campus-wide policy manual.Student Government AssociationThe Student Government Association (SGA) will strategically allocate the Student Activity Fund to promote healthier social events on campus.Create a fiscally sustainable business model that supports the College’s continuing enhancements and maintains stability through variations in revenue sources and expenditure patterns.Program & FacilitiesInvest strategically in the College’s program and facilities to ensure a high quality educational experience. ID-24a183f9-3f55-44b1-97cd-17bff1fca6d26.1Student DemandMaintain prospective student demand for a Grinnell education. ID-907f37d1-de53-4918-a7c5-25a54f55f76f6.2InnovationDevelop a mechanism to support innovation by faculty, staff, and students that allows for experimenting and developing new programs, courses, and practices. ID-67e65217-1f40-4ff4-b978-a575cdf274966.3Apprenticeship ProgramTest a for-profit apprenticeship program. ID-d0708199-3dd6-4861-81ad-e506014492ab6.3.1Monica ChavezProject ContactMark PeltzProject ContactMelissa StroversProject ContactYear-round, For-profit Apprenticeships in Iowa's Leading Industries -- This project provides a framework for testing a for-profit apprenticeship program. Five students will work year-round with executive leadership in local companies to learn about the organizations, develop new skills, and apply their Grinnell education to meaningful projects for local employers.Collection ManagementDevelop a prototype collection management system (CMS). ID-d49a2f02-f99c-491e-bbb0-e08a2c7ae3356.3.2Lesley WrightProject Contact Richard FyffeProject Contact Julia BauderProject Contact Mike ConnerProject Contact Chris JonesProject Contact Cecilia KnightProject Contact Mark McFateProject Contact Kay Wilson Project Contact Becky YooseProject Contact Faulconer GalleryGrinnell College LibrariesDigital Asset Management -- The Faulconer Gallery, along with the Curricular Technology Specialists and the staff of the Grinnell College Libraries, will develop a prototype collection management system (CMS) as part of Digital Grinnell. The system created for Faulconer Gallery will be developed in such a way that it can be adapted for other collections on campus. An effective CMS created for Digital Grinnell will become the basis for future web based course projects, research on and off campus, and an expanded awareness of and utilization of primary source materials at Grinnell.Innovative CourseworkDesign and implement innovative and technologically-sophisticated coursework. ID-e156ff60-8bef-4be8-bc4e-aad920cb49736.3.3Kathy KampProject ContactData in Courses -- The goal of this project is to simultaneously facilitate the design and implementation of innovative and technologically-sophisticated coursework by Grinnell faculty and to increase Grinnell's visibility by sharing the materials Grinnell has developed via the internet. The funding will support two Data Analysis and Social Inquiry Lab (DASIL) fellowships, one full-time year-long position for a recent graduate and the other to provide a single course release for a faculty member to develop innovative materials for teaching quantitative or qualitative engagement with original data, as well as website development.Interdisciplinary Course[Conduct] a team-taught course in composition, creative writing, and visual art. ID-ce2c8652-16d4-49ba-ba83-c3318cacae8a6.3.4Dean BakopoulosProject ContactJohn RommereimProject Contact Lee RunningProject Contact Music, Art, and English Interdisciplinary Course -- The project makes possible a team-taught course in composition, creative writing, and visual art to be offered in the spring of 2014. The advanced creative writing students, advanced studio art students, and advanced student composers will be developing collaborative projects, and the courses will culminate in a public performance and an exhibition.Mentored Advanced ProjectsInvestigate the impact of Mentored Advanced Projects on student academic, personal, and professional success ID-f339048b-9a4b-407d-a649-1413a250b2436.3.5Keith BrouhleProject ContactBrad GrahamProject Contact The Impact of MAPs on Student Outcomes (pilot project) -- This project will investigate the impact of Mentored Advanced Projects on student academic, personal, and professional success at Grinnell and beyond.Academic RecoveryIntervene with first-year students who have struggled academically in their first semester. ID-9d490dae-a524-4f66-a3de-e2f8c25e7a4e6.3.6Mark SchneiderProject Contact Joe BagnoliProject Contact Narren BrownProject Contact Jim SwartzProject Contact Partners in Education: An Academic Recovery Program for First-Year Students (pilot project) -- This project is designed to intervene with first-year students who have struggled academically in their first semester to build the skills and habits necessary for academic success.Video ProductionCreate a video production studio. ID-88016592-6a89-42df-81ec-f6cbc90318ee6.3.7Mike ConnerProject Contact Ralph HeltProject Contact Caleb SponheimProject Contact Janet CarlProject Contact Instructional Video Production Studio (pilot project) -- This project will create a modest video production studio with appropriate technology and staffing to combine necessary tools, a streamlined workflow, and know ledgeable staff to provide support in two key areas: faculty who wish to explore new technologies for increasing student engagement, and students who produce video essays or films for course work.R&DDevelop a research and development environment in operations, where appropriate. ID-65659c18-bd04-4bd3-8555-b5cefc18c5016.4Planning & Decision-MakingDevelop a culture of continuous planning and evidence-based decision making. ID-265cebb3-fd27-4da6-a2bd-99accd47db926.52013-12-30http://www.grinnell.edu/sites/default/files/documents/Strategic%20Action%20Plan%20FY2014%20BEST.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net