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

2024-2025 Goals
Stabilize fall-to-fall retention at 72-75% based on this fall’s incoming class size.

Regularize and systematize feedback from students about their experiences and use this data to make improvements and streamline resources.

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.

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

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

Learn More About Student Success

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

2024-2025 Goals
Support an exceptionally large incoming class by restructuring summer Preview and Fall Orientation, and appropriately adjusting engagement opportunities, including organizational involvement and campus activities.

Assist the cheer and dance programs through targeted fundraising initiatives.

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

Provide learning and feedback sessions for students related to inclusivity on campus.

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

Learn More About Campus Life

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

2024-2025 Goals
Recommit to the fundamentals of quality teaching and learning.

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

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.

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

Learn More About Diversity and Inclusion