Xavier University
Strategy Retreat
Appendix Document Session 1
January, 2014
Prepared By:
56 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103
Atlanta, Georgia 30346
770.454.1440
www.leadstrat.com
Practical ● Dynamic ● Interactive
Overview
Xavier University held the first of two strategy retreats on January 21-22, 2014. The
session was attended by members of the strategic planning committee.
Representatives from Leadership Strategies served as facilitators and documenters for
the session.
Retreat Objectives
The objectives of the first retreat included the following:
1. Review surveys, data analysis and other information to understand where we are
today
2. Develop an organization vision and key goals
3. Establishing measurable objectives
Retreat Agenda
1. Key Issues
2. Understanding Paradigm Shifts and the Sigmoid Curve
3. Review of the Briefing Book
4. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
5. Vision Themes
6. Goals
7. Objectives
8. Next Steps
9. Open Issues
Page 2
Documentation Contents
The documentation from the session appears in two documents.

The primary strategic plan document appears as a PowerPoint file and provides
the strategy components in an 11x17 format.

This appendix document contains the discussion notes and other analysis that
contributed to the primary strategic plan document.
Comments appearing in italic represent additions made by the documenter for clarity.
This appendix document includes the following sections:
I. Key Issues to Discuss .................................................................. 4 II. Paradigm Shifts ........................................................................... 5 III. The Sigmoid Curve ..................................................................... 6 IV. Review of the Briefing Book ....................................................... 7 V. SWOT ....................................................................................... 11 VI. Potential Strategies .................................................................. 14 VII. Strategic Positioning ............................................................... 19 VIII. Vision Elements ..................................................................... 20 IX. Goals ........................................................................................ 22 X. Goals and Objectives ................................................................ 23 XI. Next Steps................................................................................ 26 XII. Open Issues ............................................................................ 27 Page 3
I. Key Issues to Discuss
During a prior session, the participants were asked to identify the key items they wanted
to ensure were discussed during the retreat. These items were grouped and are listed
below.
Area
Finances
Issues




Get equilibrium and financial stability
Fiscal issues
HBCU loan modification
Revenue stream; alternative revenue streams; new
revenue streams
Competitiveness


Xavier University branding; branding
Competitiveness
Enrollment




Increase enrollment
Recruitment
Retention
Black male enrollment
Environment

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Client satisfaction
Student engagement
Creative curricula
Outcomes

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Graduation rate
Post-graduation student success
Page 4
II. Paradigm Shifts
The facilitator presented a short segment on paradigm shifts, based on the work of Joel
Barker, Paradigm Pioneers. Four key principles of paradigm shifts:

New paradigms show up before they are needed

The person most likely to discover a new paradigm is someone not vested in the
old paradigm.

A paradigm shift starts everyone at zero.

You don’t have to be the creator of a paradigm shift to benefit from it.
Following the presentation, the teams identified past paradigm shifts and shifts that are
on the horizon for higher education, as follows.
Prior Shifts (1925-2000)
Recent Shifts (2001-2013)
10. Who attends
 Women
 Middle or working class
st
 1 generation
 Integration
1. Social Media
 Teaching
 Marketing
 Recruitment
11. Fewer to more support
 Civil rights, integration
3. Climate adverse impact of
affirmative action
12. Access to education
 Women
 Minorities
 Veterans
4. On-line education, less expensive
13. Career opportunities for women
7. Changing demographics
14. How financed
 Public financing
 Funding for GI Bill
 Pell grants
8. Post baby boomers
2. Decreased government funding
5. More access
6. Declining number of high school
graduates
9. Increased competition from
majority schools
15. Emergence of for-profit
organizations targeting nontraditional adult
16. Stem pre-med opportunities
17. Computers and technology
18. Educating to address society
needs
Page 5
Future Shifts
1. Technology
 Course delivery
 Distance learning
 Library obsolete
2. Return to trade education
3. Federal regulations and accountability
4. Obama grading scale
5. More efficient models in higher education
6. More collaborations (i.e. Chicago School) and more competition
III. The Sigmoid Curve
The facilitator also introduced the Sigmoid Curve (the product development life cycle).
Key point: Every product or service goes through four stages: development, growth,
plateau and decline. While organizations are often able to extend the plateau phase for
some products, eventually every product goes into decline because of change—
changes in behaviors, buying patterns, demand, competitors, etc. Organizations who
are successful over the long haul are able to reinvent themselves as change is
occurring.
The participants worked in teams (red, green, blue, and black) to identify where they
believed Xavier is on the Sigmoid Curve today.
3
Plateau
2
Growth
A
B
A
4
Decline
B
1
Developing
B
A
A
B
.
The teams all agreed that Xavier is currently late in the plateau stage.
Red
Green
Blue
Black
3b
3b
3b
Page 6
3b
IV. Review of the Briefing Book
Prior to the session, the Department of Planning, Institutional Research, and
Assessment led the development of a briefing book to document key information
describing Xavier’s current situation. Participants received the briefing book in advance
of the retreat. The briefing book included the following information.
Area
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Presenter
Students, Parents, Alumni Views
Board Views
Donors
Community Views
Faculty Views
Staff Views
Industry Trends
Competitor Trends
Organization Chart and Functions
Key Financial Statistics (3-5 years)
Key Enrollment Statistics (3-5 years)
Performance of Past Initiatives
Trends in staffing
Teaching load, courses taught
Joseph, Ron
Dr. Francis, Gene
Kenneth
Nedra
Daniel, Ron
Ralph, Ron
Ron
Ron, Winston
Ron
Ed
Ron
Ron
Ralph, Ron
Loren, Ron
In reviewing each section of the briefing book during the planning session, a presenter
gave a 4-6 minute summary of the section, followed by the participants working in
teams to identify key observations (items to keep in mind during the strategy retreat)
and potential strategies (strategies to be consider during the strategy development
phase of the retreat).
The potential strategies appear later in this document. The key observations identified
by the participants appear below grouped by topic area.
Area
Stakeholder
Interviews
Key Observations



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
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Fewer black students and greater competition
Increased federal expectations for high graduate rate
Decreasing federal support
Increased competition
More diverse student body
Financial capacity
o University
o Students
Demographic change
Page 7
Area
Key Observations












o Race and ethnic
o Gender
o Non-traditional students
Quality of student life
o Activities
o Accommodations
Surprised by the few number of alumni who give
Resources beyond 8-5 block
Broad faculty buy-in/all faculty engaged
Institutional effectiveness (technology infrastructure
enhancement)
o Staff size due to outsourcing
Curriculum, teaching strategically and looking at teaching load
Donors motivated by perception that Xavier “looked out for and
helped them”
University focus
o Shift to research from training and service
Curriculum
o Competitive core curriculum
o Too many hours
o Graduation rates
o Shift to learning from lowering hours
Faculty and staff morale
o Overload
o Too many hours
o Slow decision making
o Fiscal office issues
o Technology
o Lack of openness
o Lack of understanding of decisions
Faculty
o Tenure
o Promotion
o Especially faculty who focus on teaching
Student satisfaction
o Want to be treated as adults
o Recreation
o Activities
Page 8
Area
Student
Survey
Key Observations



Changes in leadership
Current position
Upcoming change



Academic reputation satisfied 28% (explore what this means)
Campus life: 36% dissatisfied
Satisfied with program (87%); there is disconnect between this
achievement and progression
Greater ability to choose academics
Expand reputation and branding
Students engaged in service community and leadership
Students not effectively liking service
Prefer more just and humane society
Student voices (balancing act) addressing the meaningful input
Concerns are not being addressed and explained







Trends in
Higher
Education

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






Competitor

Significant declines in next 5 years of completed applications
1994 -2014 all increase in black FTFY (full-time first year)
freshman went to majority schools
By contrast, % of black students schools with “low” % black
increased % of non-black
Public, private HBCUs experienced sharp decline in enrollment,
slightly less in private
Spelman seems to have bent the trend
Competition for black students will remain strong
Next 3 years high schools will produce fewer black students
Through 2021-2022 black public high school graduates will
decline in the market seven states
4% increase in public within two years
3% decrease of black full-time freshmen private and non-profit
for four year
Larger Afro American freshman enrolled in for-profit private
sector
Declining enrollment in HBCU and UNCF
From 1994 to 2012 only category to experience reduction of
black FYFT was HBCU
11% reduction of new black freshman enrollment
Academic programs: 87% satisfaction with programs but poor
performance in retention and progression
“Top right” out of state HBCUs are rating higher than Xavier
Page 9
Area
Trends
Key Observations










University
Larger endorsements than Xavier University
Losing half admitted students to public four-year or flagship
schools
Local competition is taking much more from our admitted
21% to 25% drop in top student enrollment: the top 75th
percentile ACT scoring incoming freshmen (page 56)
High selectivity schools receive 29% to 25% of top 75th
percentile ACT scorers
Steady increase prior to Katrina and increase until 2012
UNCF enrollment decline 39.5% to 65.8%
2006 -2011 65.8% of the schools had decline
Only 10 Xavier University students only applied to us
Like to see SAT prospective applicants from Pre-K
Key
Financial
Statistics




Can we continue to cut, cut, and cut?
Right sizing vs. down sizing
Continue to right size vs. down size
Can’t continue to cut essential personnel and/or essential
training
Enrollment
and
Admissions



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

Low risk enrolling at higher rates
Massive drop off in big city markets
Declines in completion rates and deposits
Graduate enrollment in decline; tuition rates low
Graduate schools have low % revenue and high cost
Conversion of deposits to enrollments up
Degrees: graduate decrease, pharmacy increase, and
undergraduates decrease
Field of pharmacy has large number degrees increasing, but job
growth half
Increase in pharmacy competitors


Current
Strategic
Plan
Staffing and
Faculty
Grading of performance of prior strategic plan across the focus areas
 Focus Area 1: objectives – C, strategy – F
 Focus Area 2a: objectives – D, strategy - F
(After reviewing two focus areas, the team concluded that there
was no need to complete the review, given that little focus had
been put on monitoring the plan or keeping it up-to-date.)

Increase # of staff per 100 students
Page 10
Area
Key Observations

Increase in the # of faculty per 100 students enrolled
V. SWOT
Following the completion of the briefing book review, the teams identified the
organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The teams used an
“attribute” – “impact” format to ensure that the impact of each element was clear.
Strengths
Attribute
Impact
Graduate the largest number of
STEM African American chemist,
except for profit schools

Seasoned and experienced
leadership; seasoned and
experienced cabinet





Helps meet a major societal STEM need and
diversity
Major contribution to academic reputation
Helps to address Healthy People 2020
National Healthcare goals
Allows good decision making
Opens up access and opportunities to triage
directly with state and private academics
Impact and ability to recruit faculty and staff
Commitment and dedication of
staff and faculty

Willing to put in time and effort to make
institution better and ensure students are
prepared and ready to meet career goals
Unique mission


Leads us to more just and humane society
Attracts students, ethical leaders, social
justice and community engagement
Production of leaders who embrace mission

Ranking academic reputation;
high national reputation as an
HBCU and liberal arts university
High level of student research;
and research opportunities

Helps attract more students and other
sources of funding

Attracts diverse students; increases likelihood
of going to graduate and professional schools
Page 11
Weaknesses
Attribute
Best kept secret
Impact

Not attracting the students that we could and
negative impact from not marketing
effectively
Less able to respond timely to changes in the
external environment

Slowness to change


Less attractive to new staff and students
Frustrating to faculty and staff (eliminate less
attractive to new faculty)
Top down leadership; overworked
staff

Lack of buy-in and non-transparency,
complacency (faculty perceived this to be
true)
Lack of financial resources
(scholarships)
Some decaying facilities

Inability to address critical needs

Increased deferred maintenance impacts
teaching, learning, students and recruitment
Overall image (black Catholic,
STEM) New Orleans, Katrina
Student life perception



Reduced recruitment
Viewed as too traditional
Inability to replace furniture and equipment
Lack of student recreation and
other student focused facilities

Reduced student recruitment, retention and
satisfaction
Opportunities
Attribute
Impact
Increased availability of online
education

Could increase student enrollment and help
graduate rates and finances
Demand for increased options of
when classes are offered
(evening; mini-semester)

Could increase non-traditional and transient
students
Demand for social justice and
community engagement

Could attract socially conscious students and
raise awareness of Xavier and increase
grant, foundation donors, and positivity
impact community
Other peer schools rebrand Xavier around its
“unknown” strengths (social justice
community engagement)

Page 12
Expansion of graduate programs

Fulfills critical social need and increases
student enrollment (both undergraduate and
graduate)
Less competition for middle risk
students

Could increase undergraduate enrollment
and finances
Expand present recruitment
Target middle risk groups students


Potential untapped student
populations




Could increase undergraduate enrollment
and finances
Focus on untapped major metro markets
Expand present recruitment outreach to nontraditional and non-African American students
Greater and more deliberate efforts in local
high schools
Threats
Attribute
Impact
National financial climate

Could result in decrease enrollments due to
financial constraints
Reduction in federal resources;
private money (reduction in
resources)

Could result in reduced financial support for
students (accountability) and operations
Increased emphasis on skilled
majors and earning potential

Could place our current academic offerings
at risk
Increased competition; changing
demographics (lower African
American graduates high schools)

Could result in reduced enrollment
Government regulations; no
individual identity

Could result in shifting scarce resources and
limiting creativity in scope of operations
Changing high education
paradigm, shifts in careers and
professions needed


Could result in new competitors
Behind the curve in online graduate
programs, adult and continuing educations
Could result in institution reacting versus
responding

Response to future changes in
leadership


Impact on brand, fundraising
Lack of acceptance of change
National disaster (assumption)

Could result in reduced capacity and
recruitment
Page 13
VI. Potential Strategies
The following potential strategies were identified as a result of the Briefing Book review.
These potential strategies will be later grouped by goal area and considered by each
goal team during strategy development.
Goal Area
Potential Strategies
1. Improve collection of data on graduates
2. Need to find out what helps to make our students successful and
what we need to improve
3. Develop an overall goal for the most effective and efficient size of the
university
4. Hire more staff in the five key areas critical to carry out our strategic
plan
5. Issue is carving out time and resources to achieve success
6. Develop culturally sensitive recruitment materials for non-African
American students
7. Invest in creating a brand for Xavier education
8. Raise more money to ensure we can balance the budget and attract
more students
9. Work to our full potential to fulfill every aspect needed to make Xavier
complete
10. Develop and implement a marketing strategy that is themed; Xavier
University is not just about science!
11. Xavier should develop a continuing education program that includes
opportunities for evening, online, certificate, and mini-semester
courses
12. Develop a targeted recruitment plan that will engage new markets
and increase current market yield of new freshman
13. Identify what our graduates think we did well to help others be
successful in their lives and where we need to improve
14. Prioritize the major issues and identify realistic solutions to address
the issues
15. Attract more students to Xavier by intensifying outreach and
marketing efforts
16. Establish a methodology to effectively monitor results and adapt
strategies
Page 14
Goal Area
Potential Strategies
17. Develop a base of innovative, practical revenue generating strategies
to help us decrease debt and become a more financially independent
university
18. Focus on purpose
19. Target recruitment in high density alumni areas in order to increase
FRSM enrollment (use alumni to boost recruitment in their areas)
20. Recruit within a one-day drive and 200 mile radius to increase
freshman enrollment
21. Extend SASO like resources for freshman identified as medium risk to
increase retention
22. Consider permanent staff located in major markets to increase
enrollment
23. Review core curriculum requirements to make more comparable to
competitors
24. Create a flexible degree option for those students who decide their
major late
25. Explore alternate majors or science major to retain these who don’t
succeed in primary major
26. Create more inter-disciplinary academic programs to ensure students
have options (marketing benefits)
27. Develop highly focused retention based strategy
28. Create risk profile of freshman
29. Target students for intensive intervention
30. Create risk-tracked graduation strategy for each student
31. Diversify number of graduate degrees to increase $ of enrollment
32. Increase price of graduate degree program
33. Implement branch campus to address hot markets for adult learners
34. Increase number of middle risk students by offering more financial
academic support
35. Intensify marketing efforts to Florida, New York, New Jersey, NC to
recruit more students
36. Raise tuition and give larger discounts and scholarships in order to
attract more higher quality students (i.e., Howard, Spelman, Hampton,
Morehouse)
37. Raise more scholarships and money to attract top students and other
state funded program recipients
Page 15
Goal Area
Potential Strategies
38. Xavier University scholarship – network with high school counselor to
identify by junior year
39. Target the 80% alumni who are not giving
40. Focus on new freshman in middle academic risk and increase
financial support for that group
41. Develop corporate sponsored mechanism for working with African
American professionals
42. Continue 2009 survey of Catholic ministry to measure progress
43. Do budget planning for each unit on unrestricted positions (i.e., if you
had to decrease by 10% or increase by 5%) to be able to see where
cuts need to be made
44. Look at processes and procedures to improve efficiencies
45. Look at individual functions for priorities to evaluate if we eliminate
entire functions
46. Look at method of measuring FTEs on square footage in order to
justify keeping staffing levels
47. Consider that we can leverage faculty/student ratio and staff/student
ratio as positive (in marketing)
48. Cross-train to cultivate pods of talent so people can work across
areas (faculty and staff)
49. Look at best practices and admission activities of those with success
to determine what we should try
50. Take a critical look at the entire admission process (business process
reengineering)
51. Engage students in recruitment activities with accepted students from
their areas
52. Develop continuing education partnership with corporate partners to
attract students who need additional education (masters, certificate)
53. Create a continuing education division (with major focus on STEM) for
nontraditional students (post-Baccalaureate and certification
programs) in order to bring in more revenue
54. Increase number of students by offering different programs including
distance education and graduate school
55. Create an evening school for adults to increase enrollment
56. Generate new revenue streams through facility rentals and auxiliary
revenues
57. Continue to focus on operational efficiencies
Page 16
Goal Area
Potential Strategies
58. Increase fundraising by adding more personnel
59. Attract more students who can afford to pay full tuition
60. Solicit parents to become donors; ask more
61. Shift priorities to unrestricted giving from restricted priorities
62. Develop trends for top competitors to study why we are losing
students to those schools
63. Increase financial resources to make available to families
64. Market value of Xavier University to indicate the worth to increase
enrollment
65. Consider focusing on age diversity and targeting curriculum for older
population
66. Consider offering financial assistance to targeted students
67. Examine the strategies of minority schools to determine how they are
recruiting minority students
68. Increase recruitment for more non Afro Americans to maintain a
current level of students
69. Place emphasis on value and areas of success to attract more
students
70. Expand in areas of potential growth, nontraditional students and
diversity, to attract more students
71. Assuming all graphs are current, smaller percentages of black
students will choose minority institutions. Therefore, we must
diversify and attract other races.
72. Determine where the students are going and why (recession?); we
need more data to define the numbers
73. Develop online high school programs; show how to complete financial
aid
74. Divisions need to make relationships conducting weekend workshops
in key LA cities and engage parents to reach out to more LA high
school students
75. Continue to hold town hall meetings and continue to appoint students
to University committees; increase communications between student
body and administration
76. Hold meetings or workshops to instill purpose of service to others to
contribute toward a more just humane society
77. Encourage reflection on service opportunities to instill service into
hearts
Page 17
Goal Area
Potential Strategies
78. Add more student voices in our materials to get the word out and
describe why Xavier University is exciting
79. Quality of life 36% dissatisfied. Review our policies and activities in
light of student satisfaction to make living on campus more appealing.
Do parents and students have different views about this? How
relevant is it that we are 70% plus females?
80. Academic reputation 28% leading but not dominant; better define
elements in academic reputation so we can market on that basis
81. Promote non-science areas as key; divisional scholarships; days to
recruit to division (divisional markets)
82. Targeted marketing campaign in key markets to take advantage of
Pharmacy STEM reputation
83. Engage faculty and staff in the decision-making process to improve
communications
84. Have two categories of faculty research and clarify expectations of
each
85. Elevate curriculum # hours core, # hours to degree, and # programs
offered to improve cost effectiveness and student progression
86. Improve institution effectiveness, technology infrastructure, out
sourcing, staff size, resources beyond 8-5 block
87. Develop recruitment strategies for a more diverse population to
increase overall enrollment
88. Encourage new alumni donors based on their activities at Xavier in
order to increase overall alumni donors (e.g. targeted campaigns that
allow alumni to designate % to specific programs)
89. Develop or define alumni motivation for giving so that requests to
alumni are targeted motivations
90. Solicit giving from new donors who previously received scholarships
or financial support in order to sustain student scholarships
91. Discover why so few alumni give so that we can overlap donor
strategies
Page 18
VII. Strategic Positioning
From the situation assessment, the following positioning statements were defined. The
positioning statements define the broad direction the organization will need to take to
successfully respond to the current and future environment
Positioning Statements
Financial: We believe there are reduced opportunities from federal and other
financial source. Therefore we must:
 Diversify our revenue sources
 Increase our cost effectiveness
 Evaluate and advertise our current business model
Enrollment: We believe there will be continued declines in our traditional pool
of prospects. Therefore we must:
 Expand our recruiting efforts to other student pools and major
cities
 Intensify our marketing to our traditional pools
 Integrate academic programs that attract non-traditional students
 Increase retention efforts
 Increase financial aid in strategically targeted areas
 Implement strategies to improve yield
Student Outcomes: We believe there is increased pressure from the
government and general public for improved graduation rates and post
graduate success. Therefore we must:
 Improve collection of data on graduates and data analysis
 Improve our model of student risk with separate components for
pharmacy and other areas
 Expand student support programs
 Maintain a safe level of all standard metrics to avoid lack of
financial aid resources
 Enhanced internships and research opportunities for our students
Brand Awareness: We believe Xavier is not as well known nationally as it
deserves. Therefore we must:
 Enhance the marketing of our brand
 Enhance our overall marketing efforts
 Revisit our brand to ensure that it is current and relevant
Page 19
VIII. Vision Elements
To help define the overall goals of the organization, a visioning exercise was used in
which participants visualized success ten years out. Following the visioning exercise,
the participants worked in small groups to share their visions and to identify common
themes across the various visions. These themes were categorized and are presented
below.
Category
Student Success
Vision Elements

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

Reputation

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
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




Largest # of students involved in research
Student success in careers (survey successes)
Focus of student satisfaction with challenging and diverse
environment
Prep them for life career success
Standard of excellence award over and above
Set the bar
Graduation rates
Retention rates
Grads 100% employed in school or work within their
discipline
100% giving and partnerships
Successful students
New brand nationally recognized for social justice locally,
regionally and internationally resulting in awareness and
standard for addressing social inequalities
Progressive activation becomes a tool for new and more
humane activities
Improved pipeline in K-12 national model and established
program to assist males in completing high school and
college
National exposure NOLA contribution known for justice and
advocacy
Academic excellence
Top choice for other minorities, especially Asians and Latin’s
Attracted the most diverse and qualified F, S, and S
High recognition in STEM, business, health and other majors
(education)
#1 choice for African American bound for graduate and
professional school
Involve the entire community in development of plan
Page 20
Category
Vision Elements





Engaged community in the validation of strategic direction
HBCU #1 Catholic tradition
Enrollment (stable)
Retention is the highest in ten years
Graduation rates







Faculty staff successful contribution in field
Faculty and staff development (research opportunities)
Staff continuing process of development
National recognition
Shared governance
Re-defined role of faculty
True to commitment of faculty and staff
Financial stability









Financial gain of the graduate and retention rates
Balanced traditional classroom and distance learning
Graduate and undergraduate enrollment
Dramatically increased enrollment and retention
100% retention
Enrollment
Financial stability
Attracted significant funding from all sources
100% alumni giving
Programs






Transform distance education by offering degree programs
K-12 pipeline created
Year 6 leveraged success with STEM research both faculty
and staff
Distance partner with Gates Foundation and reached across
the ocean to help to clean water solutions and teach future
doctors in underserved nations in Asia and Africa
Vision with end in mind
Xavier is a journey; we followed our internal compass
To carry out St. Katherine vision and mission, faculty and
staff remain true to ideas
Leadership and service to commitment
Students fully committed to mission thru program
Synchronize program offering within mission framework

$ endowment 3X’s increased
Development and
participation of
faculty
engagement and
staff




Mission
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Category
Campus and
Community
Vision Elements



No debt
Stabilized revenue
Continue to be affordable for student



Neighborhood partnership
Nationally recognized dining, recreational optimal
Health, recreation, and intra-mural programs nationally
recognized
Student life (facilities, social life, programs enjoyable)
Satellite campus on Indian reservation
Deferred maintenance eliminated
New facilities (living/learning) met spiritual, social, education
needs of students
Close green campus





IX. Goals
From the vision themes, goals and goal statements were derived. Goals define the
broad areas in which the organization must be successful. Goals are typically directly
related to the vision categories.
A. Student Success
Maximize student graduation and post-graduate
success and overall student satisfaction.
B. Faculty and Staff
Maximize development and engagement of faculty
and staff.
C. Programs
Provide mission-driven and innovative programs to
achieve student success.
D. Campus and Community
Strengthen the infrastructure to support the full
range of campus activities and community
partnerships.
E. Finance
Maximize the financial stability of the university.
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X. Objectives
Objectives are specific, measurable, quantifiable targets that define the accomplishment
of a goal over a specified period of time. The team defined the key yardsticks to use for
each goal area. Prior to the next strategy session, teams will define the specific
baseline, five-year targets and first year milestone for each objective.
A. Student Success
Maximize student graduation and post-graduate success and overall student
satisfaction.
Base
1st Year
5th Year
Arts and Sciences
46% (6yr)
48%
55%
College of Pharmacy
75% (4yr)
77%
85%
1. Increase graduate rates
2. Increase % of students to professional schools or work related to our mission
Arts and Sciences
TBD
Base +2%pts
Base +10%pts
College of Pharmacy
TBD
Base +2%pts
Base +10%pts
3. Increase % of students working in a profession in which they were prepared by academic
degree (self-reported)
Arts and Sciences
TBD
Base +2%pts
Base +10%pts
College of Pharmacy
TBD
Base +2%pts
Base +10%pts
4. Increase pass rate on licensure
exam (first time takers)
95%
95%
95%
5. Increase % who attempt and
complete the MS within four
years of graduation and PhD
within nine years.
TBD
TBD
60%
Arts and Sciences (senior survey)
TBD
TBD
TBD
College of Pharmacy (graduating
student survey)
TBD
TBD
TBD
Arts and Sciences – 1st Year
TBD
TBD
77%
Arts and Sciences – 2nd Year
TBD
TBD
64%
Arts and Sciences – 3rd Year
TBD
TBD
60%
College of Pharmacy
TBD
TBD
TBD
6. Increase overall student satisfaction
7. Increase student retention
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B. Faculty and Staff
Maximize development and engagement of faculty and staff.
Base
1st Year
5th Year
1. Increase development as measured by participation in workshops, forums, etc. that
increase productivity
Faculty
Professional Staff
Non-professional Staff
2. Increase engagement as measured by survey (self-report)
Faculty
Professional Staff
Non-professional Staff
C. Programs
Provide mission-driven and innovative programs to achieve student success.
(Consider: “…programs that respond to changing needs to achieve...”)
Base
1st Year
5th Year
1. Increase number of innovative
programs added each year as
measured by programs that are
new to us.
2. Increase number of missiondriven programs as measured by
Sister Monica
D. Campus and Community
Strengthen the infrastructure to support the full range of campus activities and
community partnerships.
Base
1. Increase percent indicating that
overall our infrastructure supports
our campus activities
2. Increase percent of partners and
Xavier sponsors indicating that
overall our infrastructure supports
our work with partners
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1st Year
5th Year
E. Finance
Maximize the financial stability of the university.
Base
1st Year
5th Year
Increase net reserves
Increase endowment size
Decrease level of debt
Increase level of grants
F. Reputation
Be recognized globally for our mission effectiveness and educational excellence.
Base
1st Year
Increase average ranking on
school ratings
Achieve top X% by NIH in target
measures
Increase recognition of faculty and
staff as measured by
presentations, publications,
citations, etc.
Increase number of impressions
from positive articles/mentions of
Xavier
Increase number of Alumni with
national reputation as measured by
_____
Increase faculty and staff serving
as leaders in professional
associations
The following teams will work on finalizing the objectives.
Objectives Teams
1. Faculty staff
 Ross, Loren, Sis Monica, Ralph
2. Programs
 Gene, Winston, Anil
3. Campus and Community
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5th Year

Joseph, Marion, Nedra
4. Financial Stability
 Ed, William, Kenneth, Ron
5. Reputation
 Melva, Kathleen
XI. Next Steps
The participants identified several actions as necessary to ensure follow-up on the
retreat's results.
Action
Assigned to
Due Date
1. Provide the objectives to the team
Leadership
Strategies
Done
2. Complete draft of plan & distribute to Ron
Leadership
Strategies
Done
Objectives Team
1/29/14
4. Clean up wording and language
Ron
2/5/14
5. Distribute draft for review
Ron
2/5/14
6. Gain feedback from Trustees
Ron
2/7/14
Winston
2/15/14
All
3/17/14
9. Send price increase table
MW
TBD
10. Review page 171 in briefing book during
session 2 (brainstorm strategies)
MW
Session 2
3. Establish baseline, target and milestone for
each objective
7. Engage senior staff members in recruitment
activities in specified areas; consider scripted
message from each department
8. Reassemble team for Implementation Plan
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XII. Open Issues
The following issues remained outstanding at the end of the meeting.
1. Gather information on trends and # of students going to graduate and
professional school
2. Trends on other students graduating from graduate and professional school
3. # of students getting jobs related to discipline within six months
4. # of Afro Americans in graduate school overtime (for profit)
5. # of Afro Americans enrolled in distance learning
6. Data on how academic programs align around careers
7. Compare data on distance learning trends
8. Show % of total
9. Data should be presented in a different way (page 63)
10. Determine/refine staff and faculty evaluation process to take into account
research
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