The plan is titled "The Winthrop Plan: A Strategy to Become a National Model for
a Student-Centered University Experience."
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Winthrop University President Dan Mahony laid out how the university will become a student-centered national model in his
first State of the University address on Thursday, Sept. 22, in Byrnes Auditorium.
Mahony called for a team effort that builds on Winthrop's past successes, including
its strong reputation, focus on students, and its willingness to adapt to the changing
realities of public higher education. "The Winthrop Plan: A Strategy to Become a National Model for a Student-Centered University
Experience" will guide the university through 2025. The plan includes initiatives to drive enrollment,
retention, student success, diversity, and fundraising.
The strategic planning process began in fall 2015. Mahony met with members of each
department and office to gather feedback that would start to shape the planning process.
The plan development was led by a strategic planning committee comprising faculty,
staff and students, with the support of seven working groups which focused on key
areas of priority. Their work provided the basis for the new strategic plan that Mahony
debuted.
Mahony stressed the importance in understanding Winthrop's approach to presenting
the plan and for implementing it.
"[The Winthrop Plan] will be transparent. Our goals and how we are measuring them
will be public for everyone to see," Mahony said. "Every year, people will know not
only what our goals are for the long term, but also for the short term. Every year,
we will evaluate our success in meeting our targets."
Mahony added that the plan and the process of reviewing it will drive Winthrop's allocation
of funds. "We must ensure that we dedicate our resources to our most critical needs
and not spend them on things that would simply be nice to do. Every discussion related
to resource allocation will come back to this plan and whether each proposed expenditure
furthers our ability to reach our goal," he emphasized.
He went on to say: "In other words, this is not a plan that will sit on a shelf collecting
dust. We will live and breathe it every day, and everyone will know who we are and
what we are trying to achieve."
Mahony then outlined each of the following five goals and initiatives that make up
the Winthrop Plan:
Goal 1: Support inclusive excellence by expanding our impact on students and our communities
through enrollment growth and increases in retention and graduation rates.
Initiatives for this goal include:
a) improve student success with new and refined co-curricular programs and services
that emphasize measurable impacts on retention and graduation rates;
b) enrich our academic program mix by developing new and innovative programs (degree
programs, certificate programs, continuing education programs) and by refining existing
academic programs to meet the emerging needs and interests of diverse student populations
and the community.
c) develop and implement a clear marketing strategy that refines and highlights the
university's competitive advantages; and
d) refine and implement a long-term student recruitment plan with an emphasis on expanding
our reach domestically, both inside and outside South Carolina, and internationally
while increasing diversity.
Metrics will include:
A. Total headcount enrollment
B. One-year retention rate — First Time/Full-Time Freshmen
C. Six-year graduation rate — First-Time/Full-Time Freshmen
D. Undergraduate student placement rate
E. Percentage of undergraduate students who are AALANA/Asian/International
Goal 2: Continually enhance the quality of the Winthrop experience for all students
by promoting a culture of innovation, with an emphasis on global and community engagement.
Initiatives for this goal include:
a) develop new programs and enhance current ones that have the potential to be national
models;
b) increase opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to interact with organizations
in the community, with an emphasis on enhancing our impact on the surrounding community;
and
c) maintain and enhance the university's commitment to global learning.
Metrics will include:
A. Percentage of undergraduate students who graduate with at least two high impact
practices
B. NSSE Diversity Indicator
C. NSSE Student-Faculty Interaction Engagement Indicator
D. Number of new and substantially redesigned programs
Goal 3: Attract and retain high quality and diverse faculty, staff, and administrators.
Initiatives for this goal include:
a) develop innovative approaches for increasing the diversity of the candidate pools
for all faculty and staff positions and for increasing our success in attracting,
hiring and retaining diverse employees;
b) develop and implement a long-term competitive compensation plan; and
c) enhance professional development and training opportunities for faculty, staff,
and administrators that increase the potential of the university to reach the various
goals in the strategic plan.
Metrics will include:
A. Percentage of faculty/managerial staff who are AALANA/Asian/International
B. Percentage of full-time employees with salaries at or above the median
C. Satisfaction of faculty, staff, and administrators based on one or more rating
systems
Goal 4: Provide facilities, technology, and programs that support Winthrop students
and the overall Winthrop experience.
Initiatives for this goal include:
a) increase the use of technology in order to provide more programs and enhance access
through alternative delivery methods while maintaining the quality of the Winthrop
experience;
b) develop and initiate a campus master plan that focuses both on maintenance and
new construction; and
c) identify critical facility renovations with a high impact on the student experience
and raise money to support those renovations.
Metrics will include:
A. Number of classrooms with upgraded technology
B. Student satisfaction with support services
C. Number of online/hybrid programs
D. Expenditures on facilities
Goal 5: Ensure financial stability and sustainability.
Initiatives for this goal include:
a) develop and implement innovative approaches to fundraising;
b) emphasize raising scholarship dollars to support the needs of our students;
c) increase fundraising efforts related to facilities and technology/equipment that
will enhance the student experience;
d) build a network of alumni who will be donors, volunteers, and leaders, advancing
the Winthrop experience and its impact on the world;
e) increase fundraising capacity by expanding the number of people actively engaged
in advancement efforts including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends;
f) develop a new budget model for the university that is more transparent and more clearly
aligns with institutional goals; and
g) maintain and enhance fiscal integrity by decreasing institutional debt as a portion
of total assets.
Metrics will include:
A. Total endowment assets
B. Unrestricted gift revenues
C. Alumni giving rates
D. Scholarship/grant dollars provided to students from University and Foundation
E. Debt ratio
Mahony concluded his State of the University address by acknowledging, "If we do our
jobs, we will reach our endpoint: Winthrop will be a national model for providing
a supportive, high-quality and affordable educational experience that has a positive
impact on students and the community.
"We all have a role to play in the implementation of the Winthrop Plan and I ask each
of you to find the many ways that you can contribute. If we all do that, I am confident
that we will be able to stand together in 2025 with pride in the success we will have
achieved."
Visit President Mahony's website and look for the strategic goals and planning link for slides from the Winthrop Plan
presentation. A video of the full State of the University presentation will be available
at the same site within a few days of the event.
For more information, contact Monica Bennett, director of communications, at 803/323-2236 or bennettm@winthrop.edu.
