Carroll College - Helena, MT

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strategic plan

Mission, Core Values, Vision and Strategic Priorities

Mission
Carroll College is a Community of Learners, Inspired by Liberal Arts and Catholic Values and Traditions
Open to a Diversity of People and Thought,
That Prepares Students through Excellent Academic and Co-curricular Programs,
For the dual Goal of Enlightenment and Vocation.

Core Values
* Learning
* Community
* Faith-based Values
* Service to Others
* Commitment to Quality and Excellence

Vision
Carroll College will be widely recognized
As a uniquely engaged residential learning community,
Inspired by faith-based values,
That connects learning in and out of the classroom
In order to prepare leaders to serve the global community.

Strategic Priorities
* Manifest Academic Excellence
* Embody Catholic Identity
* Integrate Community Life
* Exemplify Stewardship

Manifest Academic Excellence

Academic Excellence is manifested in the development and enhancement of academic programs that support a uniquely engaged learning community. High quality academic programs are integral to the dual goal of vocation and enlightenment. A creative and diverse curriculum provides a foundation for the learning experience at Carroll. The academic programs are enhanced by student advising, mentoring, and support services that are comprehensive and collaborative. The recruitment and retention of faculty and staff are supported by appropriate professional development opportunities and healthy work environments.

Goal I: Develop and implement a distinctive Carroll College General Education Program

* Complete draft proposal for General Education
* Gain Curriculum Committee and Faculty Assembly approval
* Develop a General Education Committee to oversee implementation
& for regular review of the General Education Program
* Develop and implement new classes as needed
* Develop a process for regular assessment

Goal II: Develop and implement a comprehensive professional development program for
faculty

* Establish a Center for Faculty Development
* Initiate endowment to support scholarly activities and endowed chairs
* Evaluate and redesign workload options for greater flexibility
* Develop grant options for curriculum and pedagogical work & scholarly research
* Provide financial support for research and technology in enhancing learning
* Develop a program of regular campus seminars and symposia

Goal III: Enhance the teaching and learning experience by developing a diverse curriculum
and appropriate teaching models with the integration of learning technologies

* Develop a strategic plan for teaching & learning
* Develop a plan for Technology that supports teaching & learning across campus
* Develop and initiate a program review process
* Create an undergraduate research symposium
* Explore and develop graduate and certificate programs that build on the strengths of our undergraduate programs
* Increase study abroad and cross-cultural opportunities & options for experiential learning

Goal IV: Establish learning outcomes as a baseline for continued development of
assessment efforts

* Led by Director of Assessment, develop a plan for implementation
* Establish ongoing assessment of graduates
* Guided by Director of Institutional Research create data for assessing program effectiveness

Embody Catholic Identity

Carroll College will embody our identity by fostering and celebrating our heritage as a Catholic College in the Liberal Arts tradition. Upon this value-centered foundation, we are concerned with the integration of spirituality into the social and academic life of the Carroll community, nurturing the formation of men and women who are God-centered and aware of their responsibilities to the world.

Goal I: Affirm our identity as a Catholic and Liberal Arts College

* Initiate campus discussions on what it means to be Catholic, Diocesan, Liberal Arts
* Host National Speakers and conferences related to our identity

Goal II: Strengthen our commitment to justice and human dignity

* Examine and alter where needed college policies/procedures to assure commitment to justice and dignity
* Sponsor national/international speakers on topics related to diversity, Catholic social teaching, and life issues
* Support Community Living efforts related to our identity
* Raise awareness of justice issues in our city/state/nation/world

Goal III: Significantly enhance opportunities for spiritual formation and development
among students, faculty, and staff

* Enhance liturgical celebrations through music and ministerial training
* Explore additional retreat opportunities for all members of the Carroll community
* Explore possibility of a College chapel that is large enough for the Carroll community

Goal IV: Broaden and deepen the partnership with the Diocese of Helena, with other Catholic communities, and with other religious traditions in the region

* Develop methods and opportunities to deepen our connection with the priests and religious of Montana
* Host educational conferences for those involved in ministry
* Extend the Parish Scholarship program to the Great Falls/Billings Diocese; explore opportunities to expand to other dioceses
* Seek opportunities to enhance our ecumenical outreach to those of other faith traditions

Integrate Community Life

Develop and enhance a learning community that creates an opportunity for Carroll to more fully address issues of health and wellness that embrace the intellectual, spiritual, physical, emotional, social and occupational needs of faculty, staff and students. Integrating the living and learning of faculty, staff and students is critical for Carroll to be widely recognized as a uniquely engaged learning community. In order to attract and retain students to live on a residential campus, the quality and diversity of campus activities, events and celebrations hosted by Carroll deserve special attention especially at it relates to the institution's dual goal of vocation and enlightenment within the context of a global world.

Goal I: Support faculty, staff and students in developing partnerships to connect learning
in and out of the classroom

* Support a professional development center for faculty, staff and students
* Explore service learning opportunities for each academic major/department
* Explore internship opportunities for each academic major

Goal II: Implement a comprehensive, holistic health and wellness program for faculty, staff
and students

* Install cardiovascular equipment in the HPE Center
* Hire a director of wellness
* Fund health and wellness research opportunities
* Expand health awareness programs for faculty, staff and students
* Create opportunities for students to serve as fitness mentors

Goal III: Increase the quality and diversity of campus activities, events and celebrations

* Establish traditions of celebration
* Create a program board separate from the ASCC that involves more students in planning and implementing campus programs.
* Create an outdoor recreation program for members of the Carroll Community
* Increase intramural sports opportunities
* Collaborate with Helena community to sponsor events at Carroll

Goal IV: Enhance the learning opportunities for faculty, staff and students to experience a diverse, global perspective

* Increase opportunities for staff to study abroad with faculty and students
* Increase the number of student service trips
* Expand opportunities for international students and students who study abroad to share their culture with the Carroll community

Goal V: Increase the quantity and quality of campus housing and community living spaces

* Complete the new residence hall
* Develop a housing plan to integrate apartments and townhouses into campus housing
* Renovate St. Charles, Guadalupe and Borromeo residences
* Enhance the gathering spaces and services of the Campus Center, HPE Center and Library

Exemplify Stewardship

Quality academic and community learning programs and services require appropriate financial, human, technical, and physical resources. In order to fully support a quality lifelong learning experience for all members of our community and to appropriately support our programs and community members we will strengthen our resource base in the following ways:

Goal I: Create an environment that supports and sustains members of our learning
Community

* Implement compensation, recruitment, and professional development programs that recruit, train, motivate and retain quality faculty, staff, and student employees
* Develop and implement a comprehensive professional development program for staff
* Provide leading edge technology that enhances the learning and daily work processes of the community.
* Provide quality, caring services to all members of our Carroll community
* Streamline, enhance, and improve communication processes
* Clean, maintain, repair, plan, and build our facilities and grounds to be safe, accessible, clean, comfortable, energy efficient, and aesthetically pleasing

Goal II: Provide financial resources that fully support quality learning priorities,
programs, and services through enrollment and financial planning

* Develop five-year enrollment and financial plans which support commitments in the strategic plan
* Better integrate the budget process into the strategic planning process, and improve the flow of communication regarding budget issues and planning and include an assessment aspect in budget process for current use of resources
* Designate sufficient reserves in financial plans and annual budgets to cover enrollment anomalies
* Significantly develop auxiliary income sources
* Develop and document streamlined financial policies and reports, and educate the community on their implementation

Goal III: Identify Carroll community needs and attract the necessary financial resources through successful fundraising efforts and maximize investment returns

* Assess existing and future program and departmental resource needs as they support the mission and vision of the college
* Integrate the prioritized results of the assessment into the strategic plan, enrollment and financial plans, and into the resulting capital campaign
* Plan, staff, and implement a successful 100 year comprehensive campaign
* Establish an endowment base equal to at least three times the operating budget