Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan 2015 to 2025

Approved January 23, 2020

Mission Statement of the College

Founded by the Sisters of Charity of New York, the College of Mount Saint Vincent is an academically excellent, authentically inclusive, independent liberal arts college. Committed to the Vincentian/Setonian tradition and ecumenism, the College combines a strong undergraduate core curriculum with a full array of majors in the liberal arts and, within the tradition of liberal education, selected professional fields of study.

At Mount Saint Vincent, a student’s education extends beyond knowledge, skills and preparation for work. We seek the development of the whole person. In the spirit of Vincent de Paul and Elizabeth Ann Seton, we foster an understanding of our common humanity, a commitment to human dignity, and a full appreciation of our obligations to each other.

Mission Statement of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies (SPGS)

The School of Professional and Graduate Studies is the College’s entrepreneurial arm. Its programs are consistent with the College’s Mission, extensions of strengths in the Undergraduate College, and contribute positively to the College’s net income. It offers academically excellent undergraduate, graduate, and not-for-credit programs to students seeking credentials for professional advancement.

Through SPGS programs, the College calls professional and graduate students to extend education beyond knowledge, skills, and preparation work. In the spirit of Vincent de Paul and Elizabeth Ann Seton, the College fosters an understanding of our common humanity, a commitment to human dignity, and a full appreciation of our obligations to each other.

Mission Statement of the School of Health Professions

[When that is launched.]

The School of Health Professions offers graduate and continuing education programs of exceptional quality to nurses, physician assistants, and other health professionals.

Through the School of Health Professions, the College calls professional and graduate students to extend education beyond knowledge, skills, and preparation for work. In the spirit of Vincent de Paul and Elizabeth Ann Seton, the College fosters an understanding of our common humanity, a commitment to human dignity, and a full appreciation of our obligations to each other.

Vision

Building on its strengths, the College of Mount Saint Vincent aspires to be recognized as among the finest, most authentically inclusive, Vincentian/Setonian and ecumenical liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Toward that end, the College has adopted this Ten-Year Strategic Plan which will guide the institution’s annual priorities and focus how the College allocates its resources. The College will update the Ten-Year Enrollment Projections annually and revise this plan every three years. The Plan contains the following seven strategic goals and objectives:

Strategic Goals and Objectives for 2015 – 2025

1. The College will grow to enroll 1,800 full-time traditional undergraduate students plus a minimum of 240 second degree undergraduate students by 2022.
   The College will grow its resident student enrollment to 1,100 undergraduate students by 2022.
2. The College will establish a School of Health Professions, offering graduate and continuing education to nurses, physician assistants, and other health professionals. The School will enroll a minimum of 175 fte students by 2024.
3. The College will further enhance its excellent academic quality.
4. The College will grow with sustainable excellence by creating systems to ensure it.
5. The College will build on its heritage as a Sisters of Charity institution and leverage the unique educational opportunities of its location in New York City.
6. In all things, the College will use its resources efficiently and effectively for the maximum benefit of the students it serves.
7. The College will expand its financial resource base.

GOAL I:
The Undergraduate College will enroll 1,800 full-time traditional undergraduate students by 2022 plus a minimum of 240 second degree undergraduate students by 2022.

The College will grow its resident student enrollment from 835 in 2014-2015 to 1,100 full-time residents by 2022.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. In light of a changing marketplace, continue to evolve an enrollment management model that maintains our inclusivity, ensures a critical mass of majors in each field of study, increases the number and percentage of students whose families can and are willing to contribute $5,000-$10,000 more a year toward the cost of attendance, increases to 5% the number of international students in each entering class, increases from 14% to 20% the number of out-of-state students in each entering class, and moves the male-to-female ratio to the national average (38%).
   1. Increase the annual October 15th goal for first-time, first-year students to a minimum of 500 per year, while improving the academic profile and increasing the number and proportion of students in the middle of the class (academic preparation category III) and above.
   2. Improve retention by 1% per year over the average of the preceding five years.
   3. Increase the number of transfer students enrolled at the College each semester by 5-10 over the prior year’s semester toward a goal of 60 transfer students each fall and 20 each spring. Focus on increasing recruitment of community college students.
   4. Increase Resident Rate and number to reach 1,100 residents by Fall 2022.
2. Further develop and continue to deploy a full, integrated marketing program to reflect the College’s identity as an exceptional academic institution, enhance the College’s visibility, and build the College’s reputation.
3. Develop an intensive summer experience for high school students: Summer at the Mount. Topics might be a production course in video or health sciences or a science/environmental one, perhaps focusing on Hudson river/local ecology.
4. Build graduate enrollment in clinically rich Teacher Education programs, including Masters initial childhood and adolescent dual certification options with Special Education, and TESOL. Create Trans-B tracks for already employed, not-yet-certified teachers. Create programs for undergraduate students enabling them to begin these graduate dual certification studies as undergraduate students, accelerating and reducing the cost of Masters coursework. Develop hybrid and on-line options that meet market demand and ensure demonstrably high quality. Enrollment target: 80 or more FT students per year.
5. Grow the MBA (perhaps with an MS in Management option) with three concentrations: Health Care Management (often in conjunction with the FNP), Non-Profit Management (social entrepreneurship), and International Business. Develop each concentration to a minimum of 30 FTE students within 5 years.
6. Develop joint degree options with other colleges to define 3/1.5 transfer pathways into Accelerated Nursing to reach a minimum enrollment in all accelerated nursing programs of 240 by 2022.
7. Develop partnerships with other institutions to develop cost-effective, attractive dual/accelerated degree programs combining the College’s existing degree programs with graduate opportunities in areas including (but not limited to) pharmacy, law, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work. Develop affiliation groups of students in these programs to further cohesion, retention, student success, and recruitment.
8. Develop a pre-medical and pre-health professionals post-baccalaureate program.
9. Through the Office of Professional and Graduate Education, develop a partnership with hospitals, businesses, and unions profitably to provide customized continuing and professional education to staff.

GOAL II:
The College will establish a School of Health Professions, offering graduate and professional continuing education to nurses and physician assistants and enrolling a minimum of 175 fte students by 2024.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Plan and establish a mission-centered redevelopment of the MS/FNP into a free-standing, signature program providing national leadership in the preparation of primary care NP’s.
2. Plan and establish a signature Physician Assistant program.
3. Develop partnerships with hospitals, healthcare networks, and businesses to design and deploy programs that affordably provide the best professional preparation for NPs and PAs.
4. Develop partnerships with hospitals and healthcare networks to provide customized continuing education for medical professionals.

GOAL III:
The College will enhance the quality of academic and co-curricular programs.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Enrich current academic offerings; add new interdisciplinary programs that are appropriate to mission, of high quality, meet a market need, and build coherent institutional strength.
   1. Develop signature academic programs, In addition to our signature programs in Nursing, Science and Teacher Education, develop three to six additional signature programs from among: Accounting, Communication, Economics and Finance, Marketing, Data Analytics, Public Policy, pre-legal studies, Sociology, and Fine Arts.
   2. Develop and promote an optional cooperative education program in Accounting, Business, and Economics and in Communication, Art, and Media.
   3. More fully develop the Oxley Academic Advising and Career Education Program and integrate it into the undergraduate culture of the College.
   4. Establish and integrate into College programs the Fishlinger Center for Public Policy Research.
   5. Continue to emphasize, support, and market faculty and student collaboration on scholarship and service activities.
   6. Take advantage of new charter school to increase name recognition/brand (marketing strategy). Charter School should be a research “hub” and center for volunteer services.
   7. Continue to expand international educational opportunities for students.
   8. H Help less well-prepared students within the Oxley framework by combining and further developing MAP/TRIO/and HEOP into a Mount Pathways program, offering enhanced advising and support, along with targeted summer jump-start programs prior to the first semester.
   9. Continue to develop and market joint programs with other colleges, e.g. physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, and engineering. Employ Oxley Discovery Internships, targeted advising, co-curricular activities, and appropriate coursework to connect students to develop affiliation groups of students in these programs, furthering cohesion, retention, and student success.
      their programs as well as to CMSV.
2. Enrich the life of the College outside of the classroom to strengthen student engagement and foster student development.
   1. Expand co-curricular programs that incorporate educational resources and opportunities of New York City.
   2. Enhance support of student health, safety, and wellness, through co-curricular programs and cohort identity programming.
   3. Develop, market, and sustain a Sober House residential option near campus.
   4. Continue to expand athletic programs as student interest and costs benefits analysis warrants by exploring addition of badminton, cricket, hockey, ping pong, tennis, and sailing.

GOALS IV:
The College will grow with sustainable excellence by creating systems to ensure it.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Maintain, improve, and streamline the institution-wide outcomes assessment program, such program to operate continuously, incorporate all areas of College activity, include a strong feedback loop, and ensure ongoing, sustained, effective programmatic improvement.
2. Implement a much simplified process of program review, including the Core and each academic major, such program to incorporate the analysis of data from outcomes assessment and establish benchmarks for improvement.
3. Develop and fully implement a system of review for academic support and administrative functions, such program to incorporate the data from outcomes assessment and establish benchmarks for improvement.
4. Annually budget resources sufficient to ensure that educational technology is continuously up-to-date, including science and nursing laboratory equipment, communication department equipment, instructional technology in classrooms, computer technology and network, library resources (often on-line), and technology to assist in providing appropriate accommodations to students with learning disabilities.
5. Increase the number of full-time faculty in order to attain a full-time undergraduate student to full-time faculty ratio of 15 to 1and 13 to 1 fte student to fte faculty ratio.

GOALS V:
The College will build on its heritage as a Sisters of Charity institution and leverage the unique educational opportunities of its location in New York City.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Continue to integrate the Mission into College programs, practices, priorities, and pride, including and blending the Vincentian tradition of Service, the Setonian tradition of Spirituality, and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
2. Ensure that the College’s heritage and Mission are appropriately featured in all marketing.
3. Expand curricular and co-curricular programs that incorporate educational resources and opportunities of New York City.
4. Maintain, refine, and expand the Mott Street Scholarship Program.
5. Continue to highlight, promote, support and integrate the College’s values as expressed in its Motto, Mission Statement, and Statement on Catholic Identity in all programming, policies, practices and priorities.
6. Expand service learning opportunities for students and promote the culture of service through which the College lives the spiritual dimensions of its mission.

GOALS VI:
In all things, the College will use its resources efficiently and effectively for the maximum benefit of the students it serves.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Successfully improve administrative effectiveness, accuracy, and coordination among Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Registrar Offices. Regularize functions to ensure that all offices and procedures operate seamlessly from a student-centered perspective.
2. Strengthen financial processes, controls, and reporting in order to improve budget management by reconciling the books monthly, continue to identify opportunities for cost containment and increased efficiency.
3. Develop and implement systems and procedures to expand the effective use of technology throughout the College community including the move to a digital, paperless campus.
4. Update periodically the Campus Master Plan for planned growth respectful of the College’s natural setting.
5. Complete construction of Aquino Hall and obtain additional residential capacity off campus to accommodate increased residential enrollment and to provide superior nursing laboratories in support of the College’s signature undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.
6. Anticipate and plan to accommodate the impact of increased enrollment on all facilities.
7. Maintain a cycle of residence hall renewal.
8. Impeccably maintain all new and renovated facilities.
9. Renovate the Elizabeth Seton Library.
10. Restore the Castle envelope.
11. Complete renovation of Sharp Athletic and Recreation Center and outdoor athletic facilities.
12. Continue the gradual renovation of Founders Hall.
13. Expand Hudson Heights through construction of a sun room over the Riverside Deck.

GOALS VII:
The College will sustain and expand its financial resource base.

In order to realize this goal, the College will complete the following objectives:

1. Increase the alumnae/i giving rate 15.8. to 17 percent, including an expanded definition of giving.
2. Expand grant writing expertise by supporting faculty and staff participation in professional development conferences and workshops on grant writing.
3. Establish a young alum giving program that emphasizes the benefit students received from the generosity of past alumni and recognition of both. Expand recognition of the individuals to recognize the non-monetary ways in which alumni give to the College.
4. Maximize revenue from the use of campus for external events.
5. Grow the endowment from its current level of 12 million dollars to 50 million dollars through bequests, gifts, capital gains, and reallocation of capital resources.
6. Successfully complete the Ad Lux Capital Campaign by 2021.

Please note:

Enrollment growth in the College will need to continue beyond the 1800 goal and require additional instructional space. To serve 2,100 or more full-time students on campus will require the College:

1. to complete construction of new state-of-the-art nursing laboratories in one new residence hall,
2. to continue renovation of existing space in accord with the College and Sister of Charity Campus Master Plan,
3. to increase the number of faculty offices so that every faculty member and every academic department can be well housed,
4. to add one hour and fifteen minutes (two class meeting slots) to the weekly schedule.

At 2,100 full-time students, the College will be using its constructed space very intensively. Students, members of the Faculty, and Administrators will be discussing the need for an additional multi-use building.

Significant on campus growth beyond 2,100 FT students will require an additional academic facility, additional residential space, and a parking structure (over a portion of the Villa lot?).

From the perspective of 2018, it would be unwise for the College to commit to the extensive capital investment required for the growth beyond 2,100 full-time students in Riverdale until the College’s endowment grows above $85,000,000 (2015 dollars).