Marist College, School of Graduate and Continuing Education Strategic Plan for 2004-05

Based on Fundamental Principles Drawn From College Strategic Plan (SP) and GCE Mission and Vision Statement

Fundamental Principles

1.1 Assure that GCE becomes the premier school for adult and graduate learners in the Hudson River Valley and beyond.

(GCE Mission and Vision Statements and SP 1.17,7.8 & 7.9)

1.2 Offer adult students dynamic, year-round educational opportunities at the graduate, undergraduate, and professional development levels (GCE Mission Statement and SP 1.8)

1.3 Foster a student-centered learning environment that provides opportunities

for individual and professional growth that serves self and community.

(GCE Mission and SP I.8 and III)

1.4 Develop and implement enrollment strategies that generate new net income

for the College linked to the annual budget process

(SP 6.1 and 6.3)

1.5 Broaden the geographic reach of GCE programs to include national and

international markets (SP 1.18)

1.6 Encourage increased participation by full-time faculty in GCE programs

(SP 1:19)

Corollary Principals

1.7 Strengthen the sense of community among non-traditional students and

alumni, including distance learners (SP 3.1 & 4.4 )

1.8 Promote diversity in recruitment of students, faculty and staff and tolerance

of diversity in all operations (SP 2.2, 2.8 & 2.9)

1.9 Employ technology to enhance access and improve teaching and learning

(SP 4.1 & 4.8)

1.10 Expand outreach to organizations and through strategic partnerships (SP

5.1, 5.4 & 5.5)

1.11 Provide a full array of quality supportive services to all adult, graduate and

special session students (GCE Mission; SP 1.17, 2.1, 2.4, 7.3 & 7.4)

1.1 Assure that GCE becomes the premier school for adult and graduate learners in the Hudson River Valley and beyond.

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Strengthen GEC image, focus and product value	Improve understanding of and enhance image externally	Assess current views of various stakeholder	Level of current opinions of GCE	Cost of developing and administering survey	Fall 2004- develop survey Spring 2005- administer survey Summer 2005 – analyze results
		Develop high profile ads Place in appropriate media	Estimated readership of ads	Difficulty in assessing readership	Place ads and determine impact
		Exploit affiliations with UCEA* and CAEL^ organizations	Number of mentions in organizational outlets	Competition for mentions; staff time	2-3 persons attending and participating in national meetings
	Strengthen Focus on Marist as	Utilize CAEL ALFI** survey to assess GCE and Marist services to adult students	Results of survey in comparison to CAEL benchmarks	Cost of CAEL affiliation and survey; staff time	Arrange ALFI affiliation Fall 2004; Conduct survey and assess results Spring 2005
	Adult-Friendly Institution
		Explore perceived problems with Alumni/Student Focus Group	Problems identified	Staff time	Address the problems identified
	Improve Image with other Schools	Invite Deans and Program Chairs to senior staff meetings	Number of persons attending	Staff time	All Deans and Chairs attend at least one meeting during year
	Improve communications with other Schools and offices	Produce regular (monthly) GCE Report on noteworthy activities	Number of Reports issues	Staff time; cost of production	Launch initial Report in October 2004
	Strengthen Marist image (brand) and Program reputations	Establish integrated marketing plan in collaboration with other offices	Number of proposed integrated marketing activities	Differing objectives; staff scarcities; costs	Explore joint (UG & online Graduate) advertising in NE & NJ
	Improve understanding of potential markets	Launch market research activities	Number of market research undertakings	Cost of market research initiatives	Engage market research firm; survey health care industry

*- University Continuing Education Association

^ - Council on Adult and Experiential Leaning

** - Adult Learning Focused Institution

1.2 Offer adult students dynamic, year-round educational opportunities at the graduate, undergraduate, and professional development levels

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Quality Programs for a Wide Range of Adult Students	Improve Access to on-campus programs for adults as transfer students	Revise transfer rules	Number of revisions accomplished	Current transfer rules and culture	Push for revisions
		Work with community colleges on new and improved articulation agreements	Number of articulation agreements impacted	Staff time; possible distrust by community college staff	3-4 new or improved articulation agreements
		Enhance awareness of programs to potential students	$ value of focused marketing campaign and audience reached	Budgetary limitations	Launch targeted ads using a variety of media in region
	Offer quality degree-completion programs for UG adults	Add more OLC cohorts in existing and new locations	Number of cohorts launched and enrollments generated	Lack of students meeting 60 hour requirement	Establish 1-2 additional OLC cohorts
		Develop online degree completion program	Approval of Proposal by AAC, Faculty , BOT and SED	Approval processes	Attain approval by close of 2004-05
	Improve access to quality graduate programs	Implement inquiry management system	Number of inquiries entered and “managed”	Lack of system or IT capacity to facilitate linkage with College data system	Revise inquiry follow-up process; assess outreach activities
		Improve admissions processes	Faster turn-around and more consistency in response to applicants	Independence of and variability among program Chairs	Push for improvements and faster processing
		Open enrollments to non-matriculated students	Number of non-matriculated students enrolled	Resistance of programs to visiting or temporary students; AACSB rules	Continue to push non-matriculated agenda
	Offer quality professional development opportunities	Collaborate with other schools in establishing new certificate programs	Number of programs developed	Staff time; development costs	1-2 new certificate programs

1.3 Foster a student-centered learning environment that provides opportunities

for individual and professional growth that serves both self and community.

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Maintain Student-Centered Focus and Life/Career Relevant Content in all Operations	Offer Relevant Programs Mixing Liberal Arts and Professional Content	Begin process of periodic “reality checking” to assure relevance of programs	Develop schedule to review all programs in next three years	College Core and Distributive requirements	Complete schedule and review one program before June 2005
	Encourage Interaction in all Courses	Include student engagement strategies in faculty training (especially with adjuncts)	Number of adjuncts trained	Staff time; possible adjunct resistance	Conduct 2-3 adjunct training sessions
	Provide frequent, timely and quality advisement to adult students	Enhance access to GCE advisement and train GCE advisement staff	Number of hours of advisement available; number of students advised	Need to provide advisement in evening hours	Increase in availability of advisors
		Work with non-GCE advisors to enhance access	Number of programs contacted regarding advisement	Resistance to high access for students embedded in traditional culture on campus	Fruitful contact with 4-5 Programs
	Use Student Feedback to Evaluate Programs	Employ student evaluations regularly and feed back to program revisions	Number of feedback instances	Staff time; possible faculty resistance to input from student evaluations	4-5 feedback instances
		Check results from surveys against student opinion from Student/Alumni Focus Group	Number of concurrences	Staff time	2-3 concurrences as feedback

1.4 Develop and implement enrollment strategies that generate new net income for the College linked to the annual budget process

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Improve income generating capacity	Establish systematic budgeting and planning capacity	Centralize budget and planning under Dean and Assistant Dean	Budget proposal revising GCE “buckets”	Resistance to change by CFO	Proposal completed by early Spring 2005
	Develop new revenue generating UG programs	Collaborate with School Deans to establish new UG adult programs	Number of proposals for new programs	Resistance by faculty	1-2 new programs
	Collaborate with School Deans to on new revenue generating Graduate programs	Establish Graduate Planning Group	Number of Group meetings and proposals generated	Scheduling difficulties; possible faculty resistance	At least one new programs
	Consider a new GCE graduate program (analogous to BA in Integrative Studies)	Develop proposal for new program	Proposal	Resistance by other schools to graduate program “owned” by GCE	Completed proposal by Spring 2005
	Revamp Summer and Winter sessions to improve enrollments	Convene College-wide group to brainstorm “out-of-the-box” revisions	Number of revisions proposed	Inertia and resistance to change; staff time	Significant revisions to Summer Session; a few also to Winter Session
	Reconsider pricing in existing programs	Lower Summer Session prices to compete with lower cost providers	Impact on enrollments and revenue	Inertia and possible resistance by CFO	Implement Lower price for Summer 2005
		Propose discount plan for adult students on campus	Completed proposal	Possible resistance by CFO	Implement discounts (10%) in Fall 2005
	Build more vigorous operations in Fishkill & Goshen	Develop new UG and Graduate programs to offer at sites	Enrollment and revenue growth	Staff time; limits on marketing budget; possible resistance from Schools	2-3 % growth over 2003-04 levels
	Eliminate programs with unfavorable revenue/cost ratios	Review all programs annually for ROI	Completed review	Staff protectionism and budget process	Eliminate 1-2 programs with low ROI (make decision by March 3, 2005)

1.5 Broaden the geographic reach of GCE programs to include national and international markets

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Increase online offerings and programs	Improve online course platform	Collaborate with CIO in reviewing Educator and in considering other vendor options	Upgraded platform	IT resistance to change; costs of higher quality vendor	Influence decision on renewal or replacement for EDUCATOR platform
	Increase number of online UG courses	Add general interest UG courses	Number of courses added	Development costs; resistance by some Programs	Increase number of courses by 25%
	Provide UG degree opportunity for online students	Engage in market research to determine greatest subject-area need	Development of market research tool or contract with vendor	Staff or vendor costs	Launch research effort in early Fall
		Establish online UG degree completion program	Development of curriculum and courses	Development costs; demand uncertainties	Curriculum and initial courses developed by late Spring 2005
	Increase online graduate offerings	Collaborate with SOM on additional offerings	Number of courses added	Instructional capacity in SOM	1-2 graduate certificates for Fall 2005
	Collaborate in creation of new online graduate programs	Collaborate with SOM on a health-related Master’s degree (market research needed for exact focus)	Progress on new degree; launch of market research	Faculty workload capacity in SOM; development and market research costs	Substantial progress on degree for launch Fall 2006
		Collaborate with SBS on a new Master’s degree to certify teachers	Progress on new degree	Development costs	Substantial progress on degree for launch Fall 2006
	Explore additional international markets	Conduct research on potential markets	Number of market leads	Increasing competitiveness; lack of Marist exposure in market	Follow-up on 3-4 leads

1.6 Encourage increased participation by full-time faculty in GCE programs

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Larger role in GCE programs by FT faculty	Enhance role of non-GCE FT faculty online UG offerings	Increase efforts to attract FT faculty to teach online courses	Number of FT faculty teaching GCE UG online courses	Faculty workload and demands by departments; resistance to online teaching	Increase numbers by 3-5 compared to previous year
		Involve FT faculty in development of online UG degree completion program	Number of faculty engaged to develop GCE UG online courses	Faculty workload and demands by departments; challenge of online developmental activity	Increase numbers by 2-3 compared to previous year
	Enhance role of non-GCE FT faculty in UG offerings	Increase efforts to attract non-GCE FT faculty to teach courses	Number of faculty assigned to teach UG GCE courses	Faculty workload and demands by departments: resistance to teaching in Integrative Studies or at remote sites	Increase numbers by 3-5 compared to previous year
	Establish and implement ratio of FT GCE faculty to enrollments in OLC and other directly operated GCE programs	Augment numbers of GCE faculty to match ratio	Actual number of faculty compared to number required by ratio	Budget limitations	1-2 new faculty authorized for 2005-06

1.7 Strengthen the sense of community among non-traditional students and

alumni, including distance learners

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Build a more explicit GCE learning community	Promote greater awareness of GCE students, faculty, alumni and staff as a community	Revise Marist web page to improve GCE Visibility	Authorization for continuous but changing GCE “hot button”	Multiple pressures for Web page visibility	Keep hot button up and active
		Revise GCE Web pages to promote community interactions	community activity links (discussion boards, chat rooms, etc.)	Multiple pressures for Web space; staff time	2 or more links implemented by Spring 2005
		Hold more events to celebrate GCE initiatives and successes	Number of events held	Staff time; adult student resistance to social events	2 or more events
		Regularize and improve GCE Newsletter (for all GCE UG and all Graduate students	Quarterly electronic and print Newsletters (Oct., Dec., March, and June)	Staff time; production and mailing costs	Inaugurate quarterly Newsletter in October 2004
	Engender community-building activities in all courses	Conduct workshop on using web-based interactive functions in on-ground courses	Number of faculty participating in workshop	Possible faculty resistance; cost of Workshops	Conduct 2-3 Workshops
		Encourage greater student-student contact in online courses	Number of courses incorporating social interaction features	Possible faculty resistance	Greater interactivity in 3-4 courses
	Develop virtual GCE Student Association	Explore Options with Student/Alumni Focus Group	Consensual Proposal	Staff time	Proposal developed by Spring 2005
	Collaborate with Alumni Affairs on increasing focus on GCE alumni	Work with Student/Alumni Focus Group and Alumni Affairs to create Adult and Graduate Alumni Chapter	Alumni Chapter	Possible resistance to idea by alums; staff time	Create Chapter by Spring 2005

1.8 Promote diversity in recruitment of students, faculty and staff and greater

tolerance of diversity in all operations

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Increase diversity in all GCE operations	Understand current situation	Collaborate with Institutional Research to improve reporting	Improvement in Reports	Data analysis difficulties’ staff time	Significant improvement
	Develop targets for greater diversity in enrolled students, staff, faculty and Advisory Board	Create Diversity Plan with targets for all categories	Quality of Plan	Information scarcity; staff time	Draft Plan by Spring 2005
	Increase sensitivity to and tolerance for diversity in faculty and staff	Conduct periodic workshops	Number of workshops	Staff time; possible resistance by potential attendees	1-2 Workshops

1.9 Employ technology to enhance access and improve teaching and learning

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Increase use of technology in all GCE operations	Increase use of technology in instructional activity	Augment technology used in distance courses	Number of courses augmented	Staff time	2-3 courses augmented
		Engender use of web-based tools in on-ground courses	Number of courses impacted	Staff time; possible faculty resistance	2-3 courses impacted
	Increase use of technology in services to students	Add web-based services	Number of services impacted	IT and staff limitations; Development costs	1-2 services impacted
	Use technology to improve communica-tions with constituent groups	Assist development of virtual GCE Student Association	Quality of web presence	Staff time; Need for IT or vendor assistance	Web presence for SA by Spring 2005
		Assist development of adjunct recruitment and data base tool	Web-based tool linked to data base	Staff time; Need for IT or vendor assistance	Tool available by Spring 2005

1.10 Expand outreach to organizations and through strategic partnerships

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Establish new relationships and partnerships	Increase understanding of organizations in the region	Create thorough map of public, corporate and non-profit organizations	Map of all organizations in region with 50 or more employees	Staff time	Completed by January 2005
	Reach-out to organizations systematically	Create and implement organization contact and follow-up plan	Number of contacts with new organizations	Staff time	4-5 new contacts by January 2005; additional 3-4 by June 2005
	Establish additional relationships	Establish formal relations with several new organizations	Number of relationships	Staff time; competition from other schools	2-3 relationships

1.11 Provide a full array of quality supportive services to all GCE students

GCE Goal	OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES	MEASURABLE OUTCOMES	CONSTRAINTS OR RESOURCE NEEDS	ACTION PLAN FOR NEXT CYCLE
Assure high quality student services that are “adult friendly”	Improve relations and understandings between GCE staff and other staffs	Conduct cross-training sessions with other student service offices	Number of sessions conducted	Staff time; possible staff resistance	1-2 sessions
	Engender “adult friendly” sensitivity in GCE and other staff	Revise recruitment literature and job descriptions appropriately	Number of revisions completed	Staff time; possible resistance by staff offices	Substantial revisions completed
		Conduct “adult friendly” workshops for GCE and other staff	Number of workshops conducted	Staff time; possible staff resistance	1-2 workshops
	Assess adult students’ satisfaction with student services	Survey adult students before and following “adult friendly” reforms	Survey results	Staff time	Conduct survey in Spring 2005