Strategic Plan

GROW ENROLLMENT STRATEGICALLY

Demographic declines, coupled with fierce competition and questions regarding the value of a college degree, continue to impact higher education. We must position ourselves for enrollment stability and planful growth in order to adapt and succeed. This challenging environment demands that we focus on strategic steps that enhance the undergraduate and graduate student experience, whether delivered on campus or online, and rally as a community to actively further our enrollment efforts.

Two students looking at a laptop at an outdoor table

STRATEGIC ACTION #1

Stabilize the institution’s total enrollment and develop a plan for future enrollment growth.

Action Owner
Caitlin Clark and Rodney Dick

Learn More About Admission

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Secure a fall 2025 undergraduate incoming new student class – first-year, transfer, and international – of 645.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark

Fall 2024 Update
As of January 9, 2025, the total number of paid students for the fall of 2025 is currently 156, which is 12% ahead of year-to-date numbers last year. Application volume and visits are comparable to the previous year, and admits are trending ahead. As spring approaches, athletic recruitment, yield, and melt numbers will determine the institution’s ability to meet this goal.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Secure a total graduate enrollment of 275.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark

Fall 2024 Update
Spring enrollment for MBA and M.Ed. are comparable to previous years, and summer enrollment for the PA program is on pace to meet program capacity (40). The PT and MSN programs have begun admitting students and are accepting deposits. The OT program cannot accept applications yet, but marketing efforts are underway to build the inquiry pool.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Refine Preview and Orientation and our other handoffs between admission and services that support new students.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark and John Frazier

Fall 2024 Update
Conversations regarding Preview and Orientation, math placement, student accounts and network support, and the engineering summer bridge program have taken place to identify ways to better support students and refine processes.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #5
Raise the bar with key admission milestones, including search, campus visits, admission acceptance, financial aid awarding, and deposits.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark

Fall 2024 Update
Meetings have been held with prospective search partners and a goal to identify a search partner in February has been set. An aggressive timeline in financial aid packaging was pursued compared to our OAC counterparts.

Two students sitting on a bench alongside the Campus Lakes

STRATEGIC ACTION #2

Make every possible effort to keep a Mount Union education financially and academically accessible to new and returning students of all backgrounds.

Action Owner
Logan Aguiniga, Caitlin Clark, William Cunion, and Patrick Heddleston

Learn More About Tuition and Aid

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Enhance affordability for new students through competitive pricing and financial aid leveraging.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark and Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
The University increased its college-awarded aid by approximately $2,000 per student, resulting in an additional $1.2 million in financial aid packaging. Merit scholarships for international students were increased to match those available to domestic students, and the Hall Scholarship was introduced to provide additional support for international students. The Transfer Pell Opportunity Grant and the Transfer Manzilla Award were established to enhance financial aid opportunities for transfer students. First-year domestic students benefited from a partnership with Say Yes Cleveland and an additional Choose Ohio First grant, which provided scholarship funding for former CCP students pursuing STEM fields. The University also increased grants for Pell-eligible students to fully cover tuition costs and reduced tuition for its Doctor of Physical Therapy program by nearly 10% to improve affordability and competitiveness in the marketplace.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Leverage the 2024-2025 timeline for FAFSA and continue to provide a high level of support for students and families.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark

Fall 2024 Update
The University was strategically the first OAC institution with financial aid offers to families, and evening calls are being made to families to walk them through the offers. Visits have been made to more than 20 local high schools this fall – and several of those schools multiple times – to offer financial aid presentations and FAFSA Nights. A FAFSA completion event was held on campus to allow families to come in for individualized help completing the FAFSA, and the financial aid team has also been utilizing the new Financial Aid Facebook page to educate families on the FAFSA and other financial aid processes.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #3
Focus fundraising efforts on affordability initiatives – endowed scholarships, the Mount Union Fund, the Student Emergency Fund, and the President’s Rescue Fund.

Goal Owner
Logan Aguiniga

Fall 2024 Update
As of December 31, 2024, the Mount Union Fund has raised a total of $726,358 toward its goal. Of this total, the Student Emergency and President's Rescue Funds make up $92,520 for students in dire financial need. A total of $730,437 in cash and pledges for endowed scholarships has been secured this fiscal year, and the Choose Ohio First grant brought in $283,500 for student aid.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Partner with a third party to evaluate purchasing and annually renewing contracts for efficiency and cost savings.

Goal Owner
Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
A third-party partnership with Windfall has been formed to assist in seeking cost savings. Windfall is working through recurring contracts for various areas of campus, including IT, insurance, healthcare, and utilities, to seek opportunities for the University.

A student and professor in a data science class

STRATEGIC ACTION #3

Explore new and elevate existing programs – academic, athletic, and co-curricular – that are relevant, drive enrollment, and ensure success after graduation.

Action Owner
William Cunion, John Frazier, and Michael Parnell

Learn More About Academics

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Advance the institution’s focus on artificial intelligence through faculty development, fundraising for the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and the establishment of guiding principles.

Goal Owner
Logan Aguiniga, William Cunion, and Tina Stuchell

Fall 2024 Update
Leadership met with the Timken Foundation to discuss Mount Union's AI initiatives, receiving positive feedback, and efforts are underway to support academic leadership in potentially establishing an AI Advisory Council. Progress on the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence is on track, with 26 faculty members completing the first phase of an AI development program and many updating courses or program curricula. Outreach efforts include presentations to the Chamber of Commerce to raise awareness of AI initiatives. AI guiding principles for the institution have been developed, with additional input and support from the Student Senate, and the Office of Information Technology is preparing for the early adoption of Microsoft Copilot, including implementation, training, and usage for faculty and staff.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Launch the new Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in the fall of 2024 and the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (OT) in the fall of 2025.

Goal Owner
Caitlin Clark, William Cunion, and Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
Funds have been set aside in the strategic planning budget to assist in hiring new faculty and staff for both programs and provide funds for start-up costs, marketing, and the purchasing of names of potential students for the programs. The MSN program started in the fall with six full-time students and is accepting and enrolling students for both summer and fall 2025. MSN recruitment efforts include an ongoing digital marketing campaign, name buys, and virtual information sessions. The OT program has received HLC approval, which allowed the institution to launch a web page and collect inquiry information. While OT applications cannot yet be accepted, the enrollment team is nurturing leads to build a strong pool. The institution is waiting for official word on HLC and ACOTE approval, but all signs are pointing in the right direction. Two OT faculty members have been hired, and a third is being sought. OT course builds are going well.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #5
Initiate a combined academic and economic review process for all academic programs

Goal Owner
William Cunion

Fall 2024 Update
A site on D2L has been launched that includes program-level data with a dashboard of student numbers, class sizes, instructor loads, and financial worksheets that provide the costs and revenues of programs. Two faculty committees are working with academic departments to work with this information in ways that will inform decision-making.

A student painting a mural on Eells Art Center

STRATEGIC ACTION #4

Enrich the campus, its properties, and its perimeter to provide a modern and engaging experience for all students.

Action Owner
Patrick Heddleston and Lee Smith

Learn More About Campus

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #1
Reopen King Hall for undergraduate student housing for the fall of 2024.

Goal Owner
John Frazier

Fall 2024 Update
King Hall was reopened in the fall of 2024 and is currently housing 105 first-year students.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #2
Explore campus projects and supportive fundraising efforts related to housing and athletic facilities.

Goal Owner
Logan Aguiniga and Patrick Heddleston

Fall 2024 Update
The second phase of a renovation and upgrade to the Hoover-Price Campus Center was completed at a cost of $2 million, which included the dining hall, conference rooms, hallways, and north patio. About $400,000 was spent on the purchase and renovation of the Alpha Chi Omega House, through a lease agreement with the national sorority, to house five students. In addition, a significant upgrade to the west stands in Kehres Stadium was completed, at a cost of $475,000, to update the seating, structure, and aesthetic.

2024-2025 GOALS AND UPDATES

Goal #4
Implement additional phases of information technology network deployment to include a state-of-the-art network, safety upgrades, data security, and classroom technology.

Goal Owner
Patrick Heddleston and Tina Stuchell

Fall 2024 Update
Phases 1 and 2 of the campus infrastructure project are mostly complete. The network upgrade of new electronics, including wireless, was implemented in the summer of 2024.