Xavier University
Strategy Retreat
Appendix Document
May 20 -21, 2014
Prepared By:
56 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103
Atlanta, Georgia 30346
770.454.1440
www.leadstrat.com
Practical ● Dynamic ● Interactive
Overview
Xavier University Strategic Planning Committee held a two -day retreat on May 20 – 21,
2014 to complete the implementation planning phase of the strategic plan. The session
was attended by key members of the executive staff. Representatives from Leadership
Strategies served as facilitators and documenters for the session.
Retreat Objectives
The objectives of the retreat included the following:

Finalizing objectives

Identifying barriers and crucial success factors

Defining key strategies, priorities and a monitoring plan
Retreat Agenda
1. Getting started
 Welcome and opening remarks
 Session objective, deliverables
 Review of the planning process
4. How will we monitor progress?
 Action plan outlines
 Communication plan
 Monitoring plan
2. Finalizing objectives
 Review the revised versions
 Revise as needed
5. Closing
 Immediate next steps
 Evaluation
3. How will we get there?
 Critical success factors
 Barriers
 Strategies
 Priorities
Page 2
B. 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. Fall Enrollment Deposit Results-to-Date ....................................... 4 II. CSFs, Barriers, Strategies ........................................................... 7 III. Priority Strategies ..................................................................... 12 IV. Communications Plan .............................................................. 15 V. Monitoring Process ................................................................... 15 VI. Next Steps................................................................................ 16 VII. Session Evaluation .................................................................. 18 VIII. Open Issues ........................................................................... 19 Page 3
I. Fall Enrollment Deposit Results-to-Date
Prior to discussing the core topics for the retreat, the executive staff reviewed the status
of freshman deposits received to-date to identify lessons learned and potential
strategies to consider for 2015.
Applications
2012
3876
2013
3625
2014
3894
Acceptances
2411
2477
2532
Test Score Average
85%
85%
86%
Deposits through Dec
58
37
29
Deposits through Jan
102
82
66
Deposits through Feb
189
160
148
Deposits through Mar
294
280
231
Deposits through Apr
606
659
585
Deposits through May
19th
785
817
656
Deposits through Aug
877
885
729 est.
A. Why are we seeing a reduction in deposits?
1. 1st time AA going to college falling off nationwide
2. Number of colleges people are applying to is going up
 Accordingly, we would need to increase our applicants proportionately (who
complete application) just to maintain 2013 enrollment
B. Getting them to apply
1. What we are doing today
 Hiring an associate VP for enrollment management
 Build prospect pool to 130 -140K
 Communicate to pool (hard copy mailing)
 Regular campaign
2. Proposed
st
 (1 Choice)- Expand the outreach – counselors, state schools (including state
and local), parents and community colleges
nd
 (2
Choice)- Get recruitment started earlier
- Junior high school
- Middle school
Page 4
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- Summer programs as feeder
- Additional and earlier Lagniappe Programs
More local advertisement
Be present
Identify one gas tank recruitment
Include faculty and staff
Include early outreach to Asians in prospect pool (Vietnamese)
Use alumni in recruiting
Market the university – start TWAX again
Establish permanent admin office in key cities
Develop technical based interactive XU admin game
Implement accountability for applications for admission counselors
C. Getting them to complete the application
1. What we are doing today
 Communicate to applicants to get application complete
 Provide applicant list to departments
 Early action
2. Proposed
st
 (1 Choice)- Personal phone call from student and alumni to find out
questions
- Formula for the conversation:
o Ask for questions
o Tell your story
o Ask their intention
o Ask when they will decide
- From famous alumni and or recent graduates
- Provide Xavier Works (the Career Advancement Center campaign that
promotes successful efforts for student academic and campus
engagement)
- Utilize social media the preferred communication tool of the generation
nd
 (2
Choice)- Host alumni and area receptions/parties
 Targeted broad-based letter from various campus admin and students (more
often)
 Increase knowledge of major (personal story)
 Increase admin staff to intensify communications (at start)
 More frequent admissions open house events
- Applications
- Video of Alumni
Page 5
D. Getting them to deposit
1. What we are doing today
 Admission communication
 Departments asked to communicate
 Student life communication
2. Proposed
st
 (1 Choice) Small investment – “Welcome to our family” Xavier University
nd
 (2
Choice) Lagniappe focused on top market and distinct cities (e.g.
Chicago, LA, Atlanta, Memphis); earlier (fall and spring)
 Student “Buddy” outreach
 Identification of Alumni in area of student to “sell” Xavier
 Personalized systematized and coordinated outreach (comprehensive and
targeted)
 Increase technology usage; for example, give students their own Xavier
webpage
 Earlier outreach – junior year and earlier (apps)
 Improve response from critical offices
 Personalized outreach to students
 Differentiating ourselves
 Systematic discussion one-on-one of financial aid, including (if applicable)
how Xavier University offer helps to leverage their situation
- FAFSA
 Gift strategies
- T-shirt
- Certificate
- Poster
Page 6
II. CSFs, Barriers, Strategies
After reviewing and finalizing objectives, the participants identified critical success
factors, barriers and strategies for each of the goal areas.
Please note: Critical success factors and strategies appear in the PowerPoint strategy
document. For space considerations, barriers DO NOT appear in the PowerPoint
document. In addition, while strategies are listed in the strategic planning document, in
several cases the wording of the strategy is abbreviated for space considerations as
well. In addition, any combined strategies are NOT shown in the strategic planning
document. Accordingly, below is the full wording for each of the strategies, including
any combined strategies.
Goal A. Student Success
Critical Success Factors
 High retention
 High % of students who are academically prepared
 Quality advising
 Quality teaching
 Quality student support
 Service leveraging (integration)
 Effective mentoring
Barriers
 Lack of adequate financing
 Complexity of curriculum
 Low student GRE and graduate admission test scores
 Lack of student involvement in research
 Perception of lack of quality co-curricular activities
 Not enough activities in the university
Strategies
 A1. Establish and communicate a financial literacy program for Xavier.
Students to aid in financial management, financial aid and resource
allocation.
 A2. Revise the current student advisement program to ensure that it has an
effective mentoring component.
 A2.1 Develop a strong student mentoring program to prepare students for
graduate and professional schools or service oriented occupations.
 A3. Establish a comprehensive student support program that promotes
academic excellence and quality of life.
Page 7
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A4. Create a comprehensive database of students and graduates (alumni)
using emerging technologies (e.g. social media) and various data sources to
evaluate value of a Xavier Education and implement learnings.
A5. Expand existing early identification/admission programs with graduate
and professional schools to increase the number of students going to
graduate and professional schools.
A6. Establish service oriented internship and related experiences to provide
opportunities for experience in post-graduate service.
Goal B. Faculty & Staff
Critical Success Factors
 Adequate support for faculty engagement in scholarly pursuits
 Adequate training, coaching and support for how to teach effectively
 Adequate rewards that show value for technology
 Strong desire to help students learn
 A mentoring environment that makes them want to get involved
 Quality training programs for staff
 Engagement in decision making process
Barriers
 Lack of resources for training
 Existing high teaching load
 Lack of awareness of Xavier community of campus programs and events that
are taking place
 Inadequate mentoring of Jr. faculty
 Lack of commitment to success of university
 Lack of staff mobility (career ladders within the university)
 Lack of communication across units
Strategies
 B1. Provide support to faculty and staff to effectively execute appropriate
campus events that align with the mission and goals of the university.
 B2. Develop a mechanism for staff members to provide regular input into
university decisions that impact their performance (including satisfaction with
facilities).
 B3. Implement a staff incentive program to recognize performance
achievements of staff.
 B4. Develop a “master” calendar for coordination of all university activities
that will increase awareness and participation by faculty, staff, students and
community.
 B5. Provide adequate resources (financial and other) to advance the
scholarly activities of faculty.
Page 8

B6. Implement an institutional professional development program for staff
that will enhance performance in communication, planning, organization and
problem solving.
Goal C. Programs
Critical Success Factors
 Adequate awareness and response to marketplace and demand for specific
student programs/offerings
 Appetite (within University) for creative programming
 Flexibility in delivering of programs
 Adequate resources for engagement of faculty in process
 Strategic pursuit of potential partners
Barriers
 Lack of external partners valuing what we offer
 Reluctance to change
 Lack of expertise in areas where there is demand
 Lack of marketing of university activities and achievements
 Lack of leadership to make things happen at department level (accountability)
 Lack of sense of necessity
Strategies
 C1. Establish relationship with corporations and companies where our alumni
are employed to provide co – curricular experiences.
 C2. Establish a Xavier Center for continuing studies and distance education
to attract adult population.
 C3. Utilize merit based raises to incentivize those who are developing
creative programming.
 C4. Include questions concerning “program effectiveness and relevance” in
current and revised academic program review process.
 C5. Establish new programs based on surveys of student satisfaction with
current academic programs and desires for new programs; work with
employers to determine current workforce needs of marketplace in all areas
including certificate programs.
Goal D. Campus
Critical Success Factors
 Adequate finances and HR to reduce deferred maintenance and replacement
 Staff expertise in emerging technologies
 Awareness of and response to areas of dissatisfaction
Page 9
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Adequate capital resources for renovation and upgrades
Barriers
 Ineffective mechanism for reporting and getting response
 Lack of process for prioritizing needs
 Not being at the level (campus, facilities) of other institutions
 Lack of replacement list and scheduled maintenance process
 Lack of perceived value in campus environment
 Perception of slow response rate
 Urgency takes priority
Strategies
 D1. Develop and implement a plan to assess technology and recommend
utilization appropriate for university.
 D2. Establish partnerships with recreational and entertainment venues to
offer access to facilities not available on campus.
 D3. Establish a prioritized scheduled replacement for furniture, fixtures and
equipment.
 D3.1 Revise the process to prioritize deferred maintenance and capital
expenditures.
 D4. Establish relationships with vendors to attain expertise and stay abreast
of emerging technology.
 D5. Utilize the existing processes for faculty and student voice and input to
address concerns about site and campus facilities.
Goal E. Financial Stability
Critical Success Factors
 Sustainable enrollment
 High level of grants and other external resources
 Effective use of endowment
 Cost effectiveness processes, operational efficiency
 Effectiveness investment of our human capital
 Perceived value for educational product
Barriers
 Lack of scholarship offerings
 Challenging traditional business model not working (low tuition and high
institutional aid)
 Demographic shift in college preferences (away from private and HBCU)
 Low alumni giving (and others)
 Uneven involvement in fundraising
Page 10
Strategies
 E1. Expand our target student population in order to increase enrollment
(e.g., non AA, adults)
 E2. Align faculty and staff size of programs with standard enrollment to
achieve sustainable bottom line.
 E3. Develop and implement a revised enrollment strategy to achieve
enrollment targets that meet operational requirements and includes:
accountability targets for admission counselors and departments; revised
roles from collaborative discussions with departments, alumni and others;
reserve allocations; strategies to drive targets; low financial risk families.
 E3.1 Implement recruitment strategies to increase the enrollment of highly
motivated AA students.
 E4. Implement finance capital resource strategy to increase capital resources
for renovations, upgrades and deferred maintenance.
 E4.1 Implement finance strategies to address student housing updates and
renovations.
 E5. Target endowment resources to high priority areas in order to achieve
best value (i.e., ROI and scholarships).
 E6. Diversify non-tuition revenue streams in order to increase net resources
(e.g., increase rentals from convocations center).
 E7. Target very wealthy donors and foundations in order to increase major
gifts.
Goal F. Reputation
Critical Success Factors
 Continued recruitment and graduation of high performing students
 High volume of AA students recruited and graduated
 Active student involvement in research
 High quality faculty
 Heighten awareness by media of our achievements and value
 High volume of scholarly activity by faculty and staff
 Strategic pursuit of partners
Barriers
 Declining enrollment
 Lack of awareness of ranking criteria
 Reliance on traditional branding
 Increased and targeted competition for AA students
 Lack of awareness in business and global communities for who we are and
our achievements
 Lack of resources for pursuing partners
Strategies
Page 11
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F1. Develop a summer research program for highly motivated high school
students to increase enrollment.
F2. Develop program to engage more undergraduate and professional
students in research to increase the number going to graduate and
professional school.
F3. Implement a process to bring key stakeholders together to work with a
marketing specialist to develop a brand.
F4. Identify and retain a marketing firm to develop and implement a strategic
communication plan for outreach locally, nationally and globally.
F4.1 Implement branding strategy to increase perceived value for our
educational product.
F4.2 Implement branding strategies to achieve improved marketing of
university activities and achievements.
F4.3 Xavier: “A school where achievement is the rule and beating the odds is
a routine occurrence”.
F5. Implement a Xavier awards for high schools to recognize achievement
and to market our value.
III. Priority Strategies
To determine the priority strategies, the participants engaged in a three-step process.
First the participants reviewed each of the strategies and combined those that were
similar in scope and timeframe. Then each participant had the opportunity to lobby the
other participants by voicing the reasons for supporting particular strategies. In the final
step, the participants were given two sets of dots, representing “support” (1 point) and
“strong support” (3 points). The table below shows the highest rated strategies based
on the final voting.
Pts
Strategy
Deliverables
Assigned to
10
A2. Revise the current student

advisement program to ensure
that it has an effective mentoring 
component
Revised advisement program
with targets
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Anil
Vaneshette
Henderson
12
A4. Create a comprehensive
database of students and
graduates (alumni) using
emerging technologies (e.g.
social media) and various data
sources to evaluate value of a
Xavier Education and implement
learnings


Database
Procedures and resources to
manage and maintain the
database
Evaluation plan
Evaluation report of value of
Xavier education (including
Ron, Daniel


Page 12
Pts
Strategy

15
B3. Implement a staff incentive
program to provide performance
achievements of staff


Deliverables
strengths and weaknesses)
List of learnings (and how they
were implemented)
Assigned to
Incentive program implemented
with targets, staff, policies,
procedures, resources, budget
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Ralph,
Joseph
Institutional professional
development program with
targets
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Nedra
Center implemented including
targets, staff, policies,
procedures, resources, budget
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Anil
Schedule
Identified resource streams to
support schedule
Marion
B6. Implement an institutional
professional development
program for staff that will
enhance performance in
communication, planning,
organization and problem
solving

C2. Establish a Xavier Center
for continuing studies and
distance education (to attract
adult population)

20
D3. Establish a prioritized
scheduled replacement for
furniture, fixtures and equipment


29
E3. Develop and implement a

revised enrollment strategy to
achieve enrollment targets that

meet operational requirements
and includes; accountability
targets for admission counselors
and departments: revised roles
from collaborative discussions
with departments, alumni and
others; reserve allocations;
strategies to drive targets; low
financial risk families.
Enrollment strategy (with
desired targets)
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Winston
10
E6. Diversify non-tuition revenue 
streams in order to increase net
resources (e.g. increase rentals 
from convocations center)
Plan for increasing non-tuition
revenue streams with targets
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Ed, Ralph
12
27
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Page 13
Pts
10
Strategy
F1. Develop a summary
research program for highly
motivated high school students
to increase enrollment
Deliverables


30
10
F4. Identify and retain a
marketing firm to develop and
implement a strategic
communication plan for
outreach locally, nationally and
globally


F5. Implement a Xavier awards

program/event for high schools
to recognize achievement and to 
market our value
Page 14
Summer research program
implemented with targets, staff,
policies, procedures, resources,
budget
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Assigned to
Loren, Gary
Donaldson
Branding plan (includes defining Kenneth
what we want the brand to be,
desired targets)
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Xavier awards program with
targets
Results from the
implementation (against the
targets)
Ron, Lasana
IV. Communications Plan
Various groups will need to learn about the strategic plan. The communications plan
indicates to whom and how the strategic plan will be communicated.
Audience
Information
Update
Presentation
Loren
June 2014
Summary of plan
Details of plan
Presentation,
Document
Loren
Oct 2014
Staff
Summary of the plan
Staff meeting
Online version
Ralph
Sep 2014
Faculty
Summary of the plan
Faculty meeting
Online version
Loren
Aug 2014
Students
Summary of the plan
Student body meeting
Online version
Joseph
Sep 2014
Parents
Summary of the plan
Joseph
Sep 2014
Alumni
Summary of the plan
Mail
Online version
Mail, Email
Online version
Press release
Online version
Interviews
Mail, Email
Online version
Video
Kenneth
Sep 2014
Kenneth
Sep 2014
Presentation,
Document
Loren,
Dr.
Francis
Sep
Meeting
Board
Vehicle
Community and
the Press
Executive summary
in press release form
Donors and
prospective
donors
Summary of the plan
Board of Visitors
Summary of the plan
Who
Kenneth
By When
Nov 2014
(Homecoming)
V. Monitoring Process
To ensure that the strategic plan is implemented and to provide a process for adjusting
the plan along the way, the team adopted the following monitoring process.
Item
Monthly
Activity

Scoreboard update based on the action plans (report)
Page 15
Quarterly

Review of the objectives (two-hour meeting) and start new
strategies, completed strategies, cancel strategies, continue
strategies
Annually

One-day retreat to update (what has changed, what changed
to objectives, what new strategies, prioritize)
Rewards

When a team completes their action plan: TBD
Consequences

When a team does not complete an action on time: TBD
VI. Next Steps
The participants identified several actions as necessary to ensure follow-up on the
retreat's results.
Action
Assigned to
Due Date
Leadership
Strategies
5/30/14
2. Clean up wording and language
Writing Team
(Ron, Monica,
Nedra)
6/6/14
3. Develop the update for the Board.
Ron to Loren
6/6/14
Objectives Team
6/13/14
Ron
6/18/14
1. Complete draft of plan & distribute to Ron and
distribute the action planning template.






Progress: CSFs, Barriers, Strategies, Priorities
(don’t deliver plan)
List of priorities (what’s different)
Revising objectives
Developing action plans which will be
monitored
Placing the plan draft on the Board’s
Blackboard site for review by the Executive
Committee of the Board
Ask when the strategy implementation can
start (August or delay until October formal
approval of plan)
4. Establish baseline, target and milestone for
each objective (Ron, Winston, Ralph, Anil,
Marion, William, Gene) and provide to Ron
5. Distribute draft for review
Page 16
Action
Assigned to
Due Date
Loren
6/18/14
Planning Team
6/27/14
Ron
7/3/14
Loren
7/3/14
Ron
7/9/14
11. Develop action plans for priority strategies and
provide to Ron for distribution to the Planning
Team
Strategy Team
Leaders
7/9/14
12. Approve action plans
Planning Team
7/16/14
See Plan
See plan
All
8/1/14
Loren
10/17/14
Ron
10/31/14
6. Decide rewards and consequences for
completing action plans
7. Review and consolidate comments
8. Finalize the plan draft
9. Submit to President for approval
10. Revise based on comments from President
13. Execute communication plan
14. Begin implementation
15. Presentation to the board
16. Hold first strategic plan review session
Page 17
VII. Session Evaluation
The participants evaluated the session by identifying strengths and ways the session
could have been improved. To gain an understanding of the level of agreement with
each improvement, the participants were asked to indicate the improvements with which
they agree. The approximate level of agreement is indicated by the percent.
Strengths
1.
3-Teamwork
2.
Large group work
3.
Had a template for developing what we needed
4.
3-Collaboration
5.
2-Comprehensive nature of the process
6.
Inclusiveness
7.
3-Focus on process not people
8.
Accomplishments; made a lot of headway
9.
2-Strategic thinking
10.
Openness and transparency
11.
Way able to include everyone and get the job done
12.
A unified thinking toward problem solving
13.
Tangible results
Ways to Improve
1.
Coffee in the afternoon %
2.
Proper food to the proper people
3.
Timing on top of the board meeting
4.
Taking it away from the campus
5.
Doing it over three days or three half-days, so intense
6.
Didn’t do the “happy” thing
7.
Lot of expertise on campus that could have been used to address these
issues

8.
If we had the chance to bring the issues up to our staff; and asked them
what they thought and bring that information in
Ensure faculty representation from both colleges and students
Page 18
VIII. Open Issues
The following issues remained outstanding at the end of the meeting.
1. Determine definitions for objectives
 Objective A: Student Success - “service related” and “underserved
communities”
2. Objectives c: NSSE for data on overall satisfaction with academic programs
Page 19