The strategic plan for 2020-2025 is titled Rich History, Bold Future - Ashland 2025. Three themes support our strategic plan: Transformational Experiences, Strategic Growth, and Empowered Community.
An open invitation was extended to the campus community to join one of the theme teams. Based on the responses, the three theme teams were formed to begin the challenging and exciting work to develop the primary objectives for each theme. The strategic plan has since been revised, reviewed, and implemented. Below are the three themes of Ashland Universty's strategic plan, with their objectives and initiatives nested within.
A Transformational Service Plan will be a cornerstone of a student's academic and co-curricular experience, integrated into majors as well as advising (the training is an implementation checklist item).
AU Colleges will implement "life calling pathways" into all programs through curricular and co-curricular activities.
AU will institute a fluid practice for career center intervention with students making a change in their major that may require a program or college change. A shift for collaborative efforts among career center staff and AU faculty for students changing majors/colleges within AU for fluid transitions between programs/majors.
You will create a fully personalized and customized educational success plan. This is our daily commitment to “Accent on the Individual.” From recruitment to employment, you will design a detailed four-year plan outlining academic requirements required to graduate in your chosen field of study in four years.
You will have personalized mentorship throughout your educational journey in alignment with our commitment to “Accent on the Individual.” Our faculty and staff promise to guide you toward reaching your goals and help you become the person you were meant to be.
Ashland University guarantees you will have a job or acceptance into graduate school within one year of graduation. If you are not employed or admitted to graduate school within one year of graduating, or if you ever need additional
assistance on your career or educational journey, Ashland University will provide access to career and life calling services for life.
You will have dedicated concierge service that speaks to your needs as a military-connected student. We will evaluate experiences and help these students optimize potential credit hours in service to reach their goals for future education and employment.
AU will establish a physical and virtual one-stop-shop where employees are cross-trained to assist students with most academic advising, referrals, financial aid and billing questions.
Departments will develop, incentivize, and implement program level initiatives that offer real-life experiences to prepare students to enter or advance in the workplace or a graduate program. Examples of these initiatives could include:
- internships or capstone style experiences with structured formative and summative debriefings
- skill development in technical writing and spreadsheets
- certification examinations
- research capstone experiences
You will be given the opportunity to have at least one relevant internship or applied learning experience during your four-year transformative experience. "Ashland University promises that you will have the opportunity to learn to lead through one or more of these means: clubs and organizations, study abroad, mission trips, internships or applied learning opportunities.
QUESTIONS: Are we guaranteeing a High Impact Practice for every student?"
Create collaborative multi-functional spaces, physically and virtually.
We promise a welcoming, open and diverse campus community, guided by our Christian heritage and a culture of dignity and respect.
Emphasize and promote experiences for students, faculty and staff that encourage an immersion in a variety of diverse and different cultures (foreign and domestic)
Accent on the Individual through intentional and formalized recognition of students, faculty, and staff. For specific achievements or a job well done.
Connect campus constituencies through a culture of wellness and community building initiatives
Increase trust and employee engagement through improved communication.
Work flexibility to maximize individual employee effectiveness
Evaluate competitive compensation and appropriate professional development for all employees
Continuous assessment/benchmarking along with broadly published dashboards provide for transparency to promote discussion and innovation opportunities around decision making
Program growth – Determine and prioritize new, revised and alignment of programs, non-academic programs, certificates, badges, and micro-credentials with emphasis on modalities.
Identify and invest in current programs with growth potential including enhancing existing programs
Develop a 4-year cross-platform enrollment plan. Determine resource requirements. Include targets and program anchors for key modalities (i.e., enrollment goals, budget, marketing partner, staffing)
Implement tuition models that align with affordability, student retention and success, and financial sustainability
AU will work with transfer students who have earned transferable credits to apply their credits appropriately and competitively to their desired academic program.
Review existing, enhance existing and launch new marketing efforts aligned with the Strategic Enrollment Plan.