1 Choosing Grinnell’s Future The Report of Grinnell College’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee April 29, 2012 Executive Summary In August 2011 Grinnell College set out to chart a strategic plan for its future. Early in this process, the community affirmed its commitment to the belief that a liberal arts education filled with opportunities for discovery and collaboration remains the best preparation for meeting life’s opportunities and challenges. Defining the best way to provide a liberal arts education in the twenty‐first century requires re‐evaluating how we deliver this exceptional experience, and what the experience includes. In this plan we propose changes in the way we teach, learn, and work at Grinnell—ways that remain faithful to the liberal arts while envisioning practices that will inspire new levels of excellence, creativity and confidence. Grinnell will be agile and adaptive without losing sight of its distinctive qualities and core values. Through this plan we are choosing to work at the forefront of liberal arts education. The plan addresses six major areas, or directions, each of which connects us to our distinctive qualities. Our pursuit of excellence in these six areas will advance the College’s commitment to collaborative, inquiry‐based learning, anchored in a diverse community of mentors and colleagues who foster one another’s intellectual development. The six major directions are: Re‐envision our commitment to a liberal education and its value in the 21st century. Attract, enrich, and graduate a diverse and talented student community. Instill an orientation to the future and intentionally connect the Grinnell educational experience to post‐graduate endeavors. Foster life‐long learning and contributions of alumni in the College’s intellectual life, service, and mentorship and advising. Celebrate the diverse achievements of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. Transform administrative practices to maintain continuous, collaborative, and adaptive planning for the College. Under each major direction we have organized a selection of relevant, suggested tactics. These are designed to help us move toward a continuous state of attentiveness—a culture of ongoing evaluation and re‐evaluation.
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Grinnell College | Grinnell College - Choosing Grinnell’s Future The … · 2018. 8. 16. · Grinnell will be agile and adaptive without losing sight of its distinctive qualities
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A. ViewtheentireconstellationofGrinnellCollegecourseswithdepartmentalanddivisionalbarriersmadeprovisionally“invisible”toassesshowareasofknowledgemightfittogetherinnewways.
B. Supportbridgingprojectsbetweenfacultyindifferentdisciplinesandcoursesthatmaycombinetwoormoredisciplines,includingintroductory‐toadvanced‐levelmultidisciplinarycourses.
C. CreateaCenterforTeaching,Learning,andAssessmenttosupportcurricularinnovationandexperimentation.Whetherviewedasaphysicalorvirtualspace,thisCenterwouldencourageexperimentationwith:
F. Renovateandbuildlearningspacesthatwillincreasecollaboration,mentorship,andinquiry‐basedlearning,especiallyintheHumanitiesandSocialStudiesandtheLibraries.
H. Explorethepotentialofvariousmodificationsofindividualteachingresponsibilities,uptoandincludingpossibilitieslikea“flexiblefifth”oratwo‐twoteachingload.
I. ReviewthegovernancestructureoftheCollegetomakedecision‐makingmorestreamlined,reducetheburdenofserviceand,mostimportantly,makebetterdecisions.
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J. Re‐imaginethestructureoftheorganizationofthefaculty,inordertoincreasecollaborationbetweendisciplines,attractandretainfacultyincutting‐edgefieldsandmaintainflexibilityinthecurriculum.
K. Increasethenumberofacademicsupportstaff,providethemwithdeeperprofessionaleducationandtrainingandempowerthemtoshareadministrativeresponsibilitieswithfacultymoreeffectively.
A. developguidingprinciplesandassociatedparametersregardingthecompositionoftheclassspecifictoacademicqualifications,genderbalance,domesticandinternationalgeographicdiversity,ethnic/racialdiversity,socio‐economicdiversity,andtalentdiversity;
B. revamptheadmissionratingsystemtobetterreflecttheexpectationsandgoalsfortheclasstoselectthosestudentswhowillmostbenefitfromandcontributetotheGrinnellexperienceandtobetterensurethematriculationofthosewhoaremostlikelytocarryoutGrinnell’spurposeofpromotingthecommongood;
C. developspecifictacticstobroadenthepoolofapplicantswhowillpossessthestrongestpossiblecombinationofqualifications;
D. considercreatingapartnershipwithestablishededucationalprogramsthatprovidedevelopmentalinstructionandleadtoadmissiontoGrinnellCollege;and
E. chargetheCommitteeonAdmissionandFinancialAid(oritssuccessor)withtheresponsibilitytoassessthealignmentofenteringclasseswiththeguidingadmissionprinciplesandassociatedparameters.
G. Developrecruitmentmaterials,redesignadmissionandfinancialaidwebsites,analyzeenrollment‐relateddatatoinformpracticesbythestaffmembersandalumnivolunteers.
H. Setpriceandfinancialaidpackagingbasedonmarketresearchandpredictivemodeling.
I. IdentifyenhancementstotheacademicprogramthatwouldattractdesirableapplicantsforadmissionwhowillbecompelledbythestrengthofGrinnell’sofferingsandwillbelikelytobecomeimaginativeproblem‐solversandeffectiveglobalcitizens.
Financetheeducationalexperience
Highereducationisthemostreliablepathtosocialmobility.Grinnellprovidesaccesstohighereducationbyenrollinghighlyqualifiedstudentswhosefamiliescannotaffordtheassociatedcosts.Thisisadirectreflectionofourmissiontopromotethecommongood,andourneed‐blindadmissionpolicyhasserveduswellformanyyears.Theworkinggroup 1 This number includes students studying abroad.
A. CreateaStudentEmploymentOfficetocoordinateandenhancecampusemploymentexperiencesforstudents,departments,andsupervisors.
B. Explorehowtheprogramming,services,andinitiativesledbytheCareerDevelopmentOffice,theOfficeofCommunityEnhancement,theWilsonProgram,theOfficeofSocialCommitment,theCommunityServiceProgram,andato‐be‐createdstudentemploymentofficecanbebettercoordinatedandcommunicated.Investigatethevalueandfeasibilityofintegratingsomeoftheseprogramsintoanewphysicalstructure,suchasaCenterforPostGraduateSuccess.
C. SupportandexpandthestaffandservicesoftheCareerDevelopmentOffice.
D. Evaluatethestaffingandresourcelevelsofotherkeyprogramsincludingcommunityservice,post‐graduateservice,andfellowshipadvising.
H. DevelopGrinnell‐specificsocialnetworksaswellasanonlineenvironmentthatlinksalumnitostudents,facultyandfellowalumnibyfieldofstudy,career,city,interests,etc.
I. Providetrainingforfacultyadvisorswhowishtointegratemoreintensivecareerplanningintotheiracademicadvising.
J. Whilekeepingafocusonexcellentacademicadvisingbeingdonebythefaculty,expandmentoringandincreasethetypeofpotentialadvisorstoincludeintentionaldiscussionsofpossiblefuturesgrowingoutofcurrentlearningandco‐curricularexperiences.Mentoringrelationshipsmayincludeinteractionswithotherstudents,staff,faculty,alumni,andthegreatercommunity.
K. ExpandAlumniScholarsprogram,implementanAlumni‐in‐Residenceprogram,andcoordinatewiththeWilsonprograms(CreativeCareersandalumnishortcourses)toprovidedirectcontactoncampuswithalumniwhocanmodelasuccessfullifeafterGrinnell.
L. CreateanAlumniWeekinvitingalumnibacktospeakaboutpertinenttopicsintheirprofessionandhowtheirGrinnelleducationpreparedthem/putthemonthatpath.Showcasehowalumnihaveusedtheireducationandprovidenarrativesfromwhichstudentscanlearnaboutthearrayofdifferentcareers:understandingthatcareersareoftenbuiltuponpassionandexperience,andthatone’sprofessionalpathmaynotalwaysbelinear.
M. ModelopportunitiesforreflectionandplanningthroughouttheCollegethroughmoreintentionalplanningmechanismsandprogrammedtimeforintrospection,reviewandre‐assessment.
N. Helpstudentsidentify,articulate,andreflectupontheskilltheyhaveacquiredthroughtheirliberalartseducation.
O. Captureco‐curricularandexperientiallearningopportunitiesforstudentsthroughadvisingandaplanforthefuturesuchasaportfolio,co‐curriculartranscript,orfive‐yearplan.
A. Establishanannualalumniweek(perhapsaJ.B.GrinnellWeek)duringwhichstudents,alumni,facultyandstaffgatheroncampustopresent,discuss,andnetworkaroundtheintersectionsofbusiness,education,socialactivism,healthcare,law,ecology,politicsetc.ThisweekofcelebrationwillseektoadvancealumniandfacultyengagementwiththeCollegeandtoilluminatethevastarrayofpost‐graduateopportunitiesavailabletoGrinnellCollegestudents.2
B. EncouragefacultytocollaboratewithalumniincreatingexperientialcomponentsintheircoursesandincreasethenumberofPractitioners‐in‐Residencewhoareinvitedbacktocampus.
C. FormalizeAlumniMentorstoincludeassigningaparticipating,localGrinnellAlumnaorAlumnustoeachtutorial.
H. Createavirtualspacewherefaculty,students,alumni,parents,andstaffcanexchangeinformation,findcommunity,anddevelopcareerandsocialconnections.
I. Developasearchabledatabaseforalumni,faculty,students,andstafftoshareinformation,interests,andmakeconnections.
J. CreateaGrinnellCollegeYouTubeChannel–perhapswithsub‐stationsforalumnipostsrelatedtolifelonglearning,studentpostsforacademicandco‐curricularprojects,andfaculty/staff‐relatedposts(coursework,admission,socialcommitment,etc.).
2 This strategy also appears in Major Direction 4.
A. Developamechanismforinnovationinfaculty,staff,andstudentsthatallowsforexperimentinganddevelopingnewprograms,courses,andpractices.
B. Encourageandrewardfacultyandstaffcreativityandachievement.
C. Investigatetherewardsthatmotivatefacultyandstaff.
D. Reviewthereviewsystemforstaffthatallowsforrecognitionandrewardforexceptionalperformance.
E. Makechairsandleadershippositionsinthefacultyadistinction.
F. Rewardexcellentworkwith“meaningful”financialrewards.
G. Bettersupportstaffprofessionalandeducationaldevelopmentincludingthepursuitofgraduateanddoctoralwork.
H. Explorerewardsthatrecognizeexcellencefromateam.
Publicizeachievements
I. Celebratestudent,staff,alumni,andfacultyaccomplishments,honorsandrecognitionsonthewebsite,magazine,onlinenews,andinternalcommunications.
J. Featuretheseachievementsinourpublicity,asexamplesofhowtheGrinnellcommunityiscommittedtolivingourmissionandcorevalues.
K. Developcontentandmessagesthatdepicttheuniqueelementsofourpast,presentandfuture‐vision.
L. Initiateamarketingstrategythatusesthedistinctivenessmessagetoengageandmobilizeourtargetaudiences.
Encourageandrewardstudentcreativityandachievement
M. Createaliberalartsscholarsawardforstudentstocreateayearlongcapstoneexperience(designyourowncurriculumforasemester).
N. Usemeritaidstrategicallyafterenrollment.
O. UsetheCollege’smessagingtopromoteasenseofresponsibilityinamentoredandsupportiveenvironment.Supportpositive,impactfulbehaviorbystudents,faculty,staff,andalumni.
A. Developasharedunderstandingamongstudents,faculty,andstaffofhowtheCollegefunctions.
B. Developaresearchanddevelopmentenvironmentinoperationswhereappropriate.
C. Developamechanismforinnovationinfaculty,staff,andstudentsthatallowsforexperimentinganddevelopingnewprograms,courses,andpractices.3
D. Employsustainabilityasameansofimprovingadaptive,efficientstewardshipofCollegeresources.
E. Buildandmaintainthephysicalenvironment.
F. Buildalargerandpermanentanalyticsteam.
G. Reducecommitteeworkforfaculty.
H. Increasetheinvolvementandexpertiseofadministrativesupport.
I. Createaweekeachyearforcampuswidereflectionandplanning.Makeoneweekoutoftheyearaplanningweekforstudentsandalltoreflect,forwellness,foratimetostop,andforsustainabilityofhumanresources.
J. Establishanannualalumniweek(perhapsaJ.B.GrinnellWeek)atwhichstudents,alumni,facultyandstaffgatheroncampustopresent,discuss,andnetworkaroundtheintersectionsofbusiness,education,socialactivism,healthcare,law,ecology,politicsetc.ThisweekofcelebrationwillseektoadvancealumniandfacultyengagementwiththeCollegeandtoilluminatethevastarrayofpost‐graduateopportunitiesavailabletoGrinnellCollegestudents.4
K. Anticipateandplanforpersonnelchangesthatareadaptivetothecreationofnewfacilitiesandlearninginitiatives.
3 This strategy appears in Major Directions 1 and Major Direction 3. 4 This strategy also appears in Major Direction 4 and Major Direction 5.