Strategic Plan

BOLSTER STUDENT RETENTION

At the heart of all we do is a drive to foster an exceptional experience that engages students in our welcoming and inclusive environment. Whether they are learning on-campus or online, or in undergraduate, graduate, or other educational programs, they should feel engaged, supported, and valued in an atmosphere that respects and celebrates their differences while meeting their unique needs and expectations. By meeting them where they are, we can be more effective in shaping their success and supporting their journeys toward graduation.

Students and a faculty member participating in an advising session

STRATEGIC ACTION #1

Continue to build upon our solid foundation in advising, retention, and specialized student support programs.

Action Owners
William Cunion and Rodney Dick

Learn More About Student Success

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Stabilize fall-to-fall retention at 72-75% based on this fall’s incoming class size.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
An AI retention model has been developed that can identify those incoming students who may have retention challenges based on a variety of factors using historical data. Based on the model, the characteristics of the fall 2024 entering class suggest a 68% retention for fall 2024 to fall 2025. A fall-to-fall goal to be 3-5% higher than the model has been established, and fall 2024 to Spring 2025 retention came in at 86.5%. Based on the fall-to-spring percentage of 86.5%, the institution is tracking toward 72% retention, surpassing the model within the 3-5% range.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Refine and leverage the Retention Model to track retention trends, identify at-risk groups, and evaluate the effectiveness of retention strategies, and initiate strategic, systematized communications and interventions with students who demonstrate at-risk behavior.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
A persistence score has been created for all students beyond their first year that predicts the likelihood that students will graduate in four years. The score has been integrated into Advise for returning students as the baseline of their risk score.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Leverage the success of the Go-To-Raider program to reduce summer melt and help students transition successfully to college.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
For the fall 2024 cohort, GTRs successfully connected with and scheduled classes for 681 of 732 deposited students (93%). The fall-to-spring retention for this cohort is currently 86.5%.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #5
Continue to implement the advising software, Ellucian Advise, and train advisors on the implementation of early intervention processes.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
Advise training has been built for all new employees, the retention score has been integrated into the risk scoring cards (one measure of a student's level of risk), and area-specific dashboards have been built to monitor specific student groups.

Students hanging out in the kitchen of a townhouse

STRATEGIC ACTION #2

Strengthen the student engagement experience by fostering community, leadership, activity, and belonging in a safe and welcoming environment.

Action Owners
Mark Black and John Frazier

Learn More About Campus Life

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Support an exceptionally large incoming class by restructuring summer Preview and Fall Orientation, and appropriately adjusting engagement opportunities, including organizational involvement and campus activities.

Goal Owner
John Frazier

Fall 2024 Update
A new format for Preview was piloted that shortened the event to a single day, and seven sessions were held, and the feedback regarding the revised format was very positive.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Conduct a satisfaction survey to ensure student safety and the effectiveness of policies and procedures and use the feedback to make actionable change.

Goal Owner
Mark Black

Fall 2024 Update
The institution has partnered with SMW consultants to build a Campus Culture Survey that will be live on campus early in the spring semester.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #5
Track the success of special interest student cohorts and provide communication and enrichment activities.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
Specific intervention plans have been developed for high and moderately at-risk students. Meetings have been held with various campus areas, including athletics and organizational impact, to identify at-risk student-athletes of color who are not registered and perform outreach. In addition, collaboration has also taken place with the director of the Honors Program and the members of the Honors Council to increase the number of first-generation students participating in the Honors Program.

A student meeting with a staff member in the Center for Student Success

STRATEGIC ACTION #3

Foster an inclusive and accessible learning environment that allows students to feel a sense of belonging when engaging with content and learning experiences.

Action Owners
Mark Black and William Cunion

Learn More About Diversity and Inclusion

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Recommit to the fundamentals of quality teaching and learning.

Goal Owner
William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
The Academic Integrity Task Force has completed its review of academic misconduct principles and procedures, and the Faculty Development team hosted a workshop for all faculty teaching in the Integrative Core just before the spring semester to discuss "writing in the age of AI."

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Promote inclusive awareness with the goal of eliminating unconscious bias, inequities, and discrimination within academic content and curriculum.

Goal Owner
Mark Black and William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
The organizational team has gone into classes to discuss and bring awareness to this topic. Early discussions are underway regarding policy and the potential for an audit to assess inclusivity in processes and content goals, with planning focused on reviewing academic policies and handbooks.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Continue to integrate high-impact student support practices in FYS and UMU 100 to help students engage and increase their sense of belonging in the campus community.

Goal Owner
Rodney Dick

Fall 2024 Update
Retention-forward practices in FYS, including a common syllabus, common assignments, and consistent attendance, grading, and AI policies, are being developed and refined. UMU 100, required of all provisionally-admitted students, is being refined, including allowing students to repeat the course for credit, converting the class to "graded" to bolster successful students’ GPAs, and requiring all "Good Academic Standing with Warning" students to take the class in the first half of the second semester of their first year.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Reconnect with our institutional history by creating promotional and educational materials that highlight Mount Union's history as a college dedicated educating all people, videos, and other artifacts that capture Mount Union's commitment as a place for everyone to be educated.

Goal Owner
William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
A NetVUE grant of $39,000 has been secured to develop materials to frame Mount Union's history and identity in light of our current context.