Strategic Plan
2015 - 2020
School of Health Sciences, Elon University
In 2015, the School of Health Sciences embarks on an ambitious strategic plan that reflects the school’s
mission, core values, and vision. This plan corresponds with The Elon Commitment, the university’s 10-year
strategic plan. The Elon Commitment is organized around eight themes, and these themes serve as the
organizing principles for the five-year plan in the School of Health Sciences.
Theme 1. University commitment to diversity and global engagement
 Increase admissions initiatives to recruit students who reflect the changing demographics of the United
States. Create a welcoming environment for a student body which includes (but not limited to)
ethnic, gender, religious, cultural, age, educational and socioeconomic diversity.
 Increase student access to global learning opportunities through increased financial support. Goal:
By 2020 there will be 50% access to study away opportunities for all students in the School of Health
Sciences.
 Investigate faculty and student exchange programs.
Theme 2. Supporting a world class faculty and staff
Scholarship within the School of Health Sciences is understood to be a creative process of systematic inquiry
and exploration that adds to the knowledge and/or appreciation of disciplinary or interdisciplinary
understanding, and includes the scholarships of discovery, integration, engagement, and teaching and learning.
 Increase faculty peer-reviewed presentations and publications at the national and international levels.
 Increase national and international faculty recognition for professional leadership in the advancement of
discipline-specific and interdisciplinary fields of study.
 Develop opportunities for interdisciplinary research, including between physical therapy and physician
assistant studies.
 Increase staff support commensurate with the School’s growth.
 Provide financial and administrative support for staff and faculty to enhance educational technological
and discipline specific expertise.
Theme 3. Attaining the highest level of academic achievement across the academic programs
 Update and revise the curriculum for programs in the School on a regular basis.
 Continue to enhance student learning through the use of standardized patients and clients-to-class,
creating realistic and relevant clinical experiences that are recognized as a hallmark of an Elon health
science education.
 Create strong inter-professional education programs.
 Department of Physician Assistant Studies will host the final provisional monitoring accreditation site
visit February 2016. In September 2016 the expected outcome is for the Accreditation Review
Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) to grant the program “accreditationcontinued” for five years, the maximum allowed by ARC-PA standards.
 Department of Physical Therapy Education will host an accreditation on-site visit November 2015. In
April 2016 it is expected that the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
(CAPTE) will grant the program “accreditation-continued” for 10 years, the maximum allowed by
CAPTE standards.
Theme 4. Launching strategic and innovative pathways in undergraduate and graduate education
 Appoint a committee to determine the feasibility of establishing a graduate level program in
speech-language pathology.
 Launch an anatomical gift program with goal that the program will provide the number of anatomical
specimens needed at the university within five years of establishment.
 Explore the potential for creating a continuing education/professional development program for the
School of Health Sciences.
Theme 5. Stewarding Elon’s commitment to remain a best-value university
 On an annual basis, the Graduate Admissions office will work with the Admissions Committees in the
School to insure that Elon’s tuition rate remains in the mid-range of other health science programs at
peer and aspirant universities.
 Achieve annual giving goals of 100% participation of the school’s Board of Advisors, 95% of the
school’s faculty and staff, and 10% of the school’s alumni.
Theme 6. Developing innovative alumni programs to advance and support the Elon graduate
 Maintain connection with alumni from School through various methods of social media. Provide
semiannual newsletter from the office of the dean.
 Organize alumni reception at annual national conferences.
 Assist classes to organize reunions at the 5, 10, 15, 20 year anniversaries.
Theme 7. Establishing a national tournament tradition of athletics success along with the highest
academic standards for Phoenix athletics
 Continue to provide Dexascan screening of all Elon University athletic teams.
 Propose an on-campus clinic in partnership with Cone Health-Alamance Regional Medical Center. This
clinic will serve all Elon Phoenix athletes, faculty, staff, students and the local community.
Theme 8. Significantly enhancing Elon’s campus with premier new academic and residential facilities
and a commitment to protecting our environment
 With approval of new academic programs for the School, additional space will be refurbished. The
goal is to maintain the Silver level of LEED certification for any space in the Gerald L. Francis Center.
 Through leadership within the school, any Elon “green” initiatives will be embraced to enhance the
environment.
Approved: 9/17/2015