A new strategic plan that calls for improved retention of students, enrollment growth to 3,700 students within three years and more experiential learning opportunities for students was unanimously adopted by the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees on Friday.
“Central to this is putting students at the very heart of what we do and every decision we make,” said FLC President Tom Stritikus.
Development of a new strategic plan began in November with an aim of enhancing students’ academic and social opportunities with greater integration with regional communities and with the natural resources of the Four Corners.
At the Board of Trustees meeting Friday in the Student Union, Gary Gianniny, professor of geosciences and faculty representative on the board, said developing the plan helped build ties between community and faculty.
Fort Lewis College plan calls for improved retention, greater enrollment
“The faculty was deeply engaged in the process and will be deeply engaged in putting it in place,” he said.
On Thursday, during a review of the strategic plan during Board of Trustee committee meetings, Stritikus said he had hoped for more regional meetings to assist in the development of the plan, and some meetings were poorly attended, but efforts will be made to continue outreach to regional communities.
The plan, he added, was a living document.
“We can make changes as the world changes,” Stritikus said.
Some of the plan’s initiatives, like revamping the first-year experience on campus to provide students with activities that take advantage of the wealth of natural offerings in the Four Corners both for study and for recreational and social activities already are underway.
The plan also calls for a greater commitment to diversity, including the hiring of minority faculty members.
For students, the plan calls for:
Increasing students’ experiential learning opportunities by 50 percent by spring 2020.Increasing interdisciplinary capstone and senior seminar classes to include two or more departments by 50 percent 2021.Ensuring that all graduating seniors participate in an experiential learning and a co-curricular experience by 2022.Increasing the number of internships offered in all academic programs.Increasing FLC partnerships with businesses and nonprofits.Increasing online programs and certificates.[email protected]
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