Strategic Plan Progress: A Campus-Wide, Community-Driven Endeavor
Ongoing Evaluation and Renewal
The strategic planning lifecycle includes key milestones for measuring our progress and celebrating the plan's impact. Guided by our Implementation Roadmap, we will define and monitor metrics, assessment findings, and achievements for each of the plan's goals and objectives. Regular review and reflection will help us to determine if they are active and maturing, completed/operationalized, if additional investment or prioritization is required, or if the goal or objective itself should be adjusted in some manner to address our changing needs.
In spring 2022, responding to recommendations from the Diversity Planning Team (see below), the University Planning Committee submitted a recommendation to update the previously titled "Diversity and Inclusion" strategic plan goal and objectives to include the term "equity," better reflecting the true scope of our strategic and operational needs. In addition, this recommendation included the additional commitment that our diversity, equity, and inclusion plan and related efforts be "regularly assessed." These changes were approved by the University's President's Cabinet and Board of Trustees in May 2022, and have been updated in official strategic plan publications and this website.
Planning is in many ways an iterative process for any college and University. As we begin the process of building our next strategic plan for 2025 and beyond, reflection on which of these current goals and objectives to prioritize remaining areas of action, and areas which we may potentially revisit or reimagine in the next plan.
Progress Updates
This report is updated each spring and fall to capture our ongoing work and cumulative success. Click the tabs below to learn about our progress to-date, including outcomes, initiatives underway, and selected key performance indicators. Click the tabs below to learn about our progress to date, including outcomes, initiatives underway, and selected key performance indicators.
Goal 1: The Humanities
Ensure that the 第一吃瓜网 student experience is transformational, integrated and grounded in the humanities as a pathway to understanding the human experience in its many dimensions.Goal 2: Faith, Purpose, Passion
Engage students as individuals through personal attention that helps them explore their faith, discern their purpose and pursue their passion, as they work to create a more just and sustainable world.Support student success by strengthening onboarding and first-year experiences, advising and early alert processes; expanded and integrated academic and career development services; and programs that promote student well-being, self-efficacy, and resilience.
Staffing and other resources to support students success are expanding. In 2020, the University opened a new Office of Student Retention and Completion. One of the first initiatives for the Office was the development and launch of a Student Success Attendance and Early Alert system. Changing course to better meet our needs, retention focused efforts are now being infused throughout the University, supported by a University-wide Retention Committee. The committee’s ongoing work is supported by data analysis for retention, now integrated under the auspices of the departments of Institutional Reporting and Enrollment Management, and expanded student support through the new Office of Student Support and Success, and Student Life, among other important areas.
In 2020, the University was awarded a Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) program development grant to extend to all four-years of study an already successful First-Year Seminar program. The program encourages student reflection on vocation through a three-credit course taught by full-time faculty members.
In fall 2022, resources were realigned within the Student Life division to create the Assistant Dean for Student Wellness position. This new role will support efforts to better integrate wellness areas -- Student Health, the Counseling Center, and the Center for Health Education & Wellness. This past year, the division and its departments invested additional resources in programming to support student resiliency and conflict resolution skills development. The University held the third annual Fail Forward Panel in fall 2022. Also within the division, a new Assistant Dean for the Cultural Centers (renamed from Cross-Cultural Centers) position was created. This position will oversee the Cultural Centers, challenging us to take steps forward to becoming a more inclusive community for students who have been historically underserved at 第一吃瓜网.
In spring 2022, the University approved a new staff Student Success Specialist position within the CTLE, serving as a primary advisor and support liaison for first-generation and historically underrepresented students.
The THR!VE first generation student support program, launched in 2019, continues to, well, thrive! THR1VE focuses on three pillars: understanding and celebrating the first-generation identity; connecting students to resources; and celebrating students’ successes. In large part due to our innovative THR1VE programming, the University was selected to join the national 2022-23 First-gen Forward cohort, sponsored by The Center for First-generation Student Success.
In 2022, following an initial pilot program, the University’s Counseling Center began offering a virtual teletherapy program via a leading student mental health and wellness teletherapy platform. This partnership enhances current on-campus student mental health resources by connecting students to health professionals when they need it, lessening wait times for services. The partnership also provides access to a more diverse network of health professionals, so we may better meet the needs of BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other students. In 2023, Student Life welcomed a new staff member in the Counseling Center who identifies as a person of color. Having this staff member on our team has opened new doors for students who wish to work with a counselor of color.
In 2023, the University announced a restructuring of the CTLE to better serve student and faculty needs. Now comprised of two distinct but collaborative offices, The new Office of Student Support & Success (OSSS) and Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) work with faculty and students to create and sustain an environment that supports student learning, faculty enrichment, and academic success. The OSSS includes foci on disability services, academic coaching, along with traditional services such as the Writing Center and tutoring services. The CTE provides a variety of faculty and pedagogical resources, including support for BrightSpace (the University’s online learning management system), administering student teaching evaluations, and resources related to artificial intelligence and academic honesty. The Center has also recently increased a half-time position to full-time to provide expanded, dedicated support to students with disabilities, a growing population in our student body.
In 2023, the Weinberg Memorial Library hired Dr. Elin Woods to serve as inaugural Research and Instruction Librarian for Student Success. This new position contributes to the Library’s campus-wide focus on transformative teaching and learning in the Ignatian tradition by supporting information literacy in undergraduate courses, with a focus on student learning and success in the first year by supporting information literacy instruction, research, and collection development for core general education courses and the Natural Sciences. The position also coordinates the Library’s affordable learning and open educational resources (OER) initiatives, and liaises with the University’s Office for Student Support & Success (OSSS) on programming geared toward Student Success. Current initiatives include student drop-in and pop-up support programming events with the OSSS, and student focus groups to help the Library better understand our students’ understanding of the Library and the role it plays in student success.
Student Outcomes
These and other efforts prepare our students to reach their professional goals. According to data from the Office of Career Development, nearly one hundred percent of undergraduate students were fully employed, or pursuing additional education, twelve months after graduation. Highlights from the Class of 2022:
- Mirroring past trends, 99% of undergraduates from class of 2022 are successfully meeting their career path goals – either employed or enrolled in education full time. Most are employed in the tri-state area. The average salary for undergraduates of the class of 2022 was $59,025, up from $54,387 in 2021.
- The mean salary for graduate students completing their studies in 2022 was $81,045, a notable increase from $71,827 in 2021. 94% of graduating graduate students were employed full-time following the completion of their graduate degree, and the remaining 6% engaged in other activities, including continuing education or part-time employment:
In addition to these placements, nine 第一吃瓜网 graduates of the class of 2023 committed to long term service following graduation:
Ensure that all students have opportunities to apply curricular and co-curricular learning in practical, collaborative settings through a broadened, well-supported, and marketed portfolio of residential learning, experiential learning, and other High Impact Practices.
The University's prior strategic plan - Engaged, Integrated, Global - prioritized the development of high impact practice (HIP)programming. The foundation laid during this period is helping HIPs to flourish, including Community Based Learning (CBL), an academic experience that involves students working with individuals, groups, or organizations in ways structured to meet community-defined needs. Launched in 2017 through support from strategic initiatives funding, the Office of Community Based Learning provides a dedicated structure to coordinate CBL activities and provide support resources for University faculty through grants, workshops, and curriculum development. All students enrolled in the Panuska College of Professional Studies must complete a CBL project prior to graduation. On average, nearly 100 community based learning course sections are offered each year.
In 2021, the CBL office launched a new Community Based Learning (CBL) Faculty Fellows Program. The program seeks to recognize, reward, and support faculty who integrate CBL as an intentional pedagogical strategy and community engagement activity into their course and/or curricular-based/discipline-oriented project. Recent projects include CBL infusion in speech language pathology, literature, occupational and physical therapy, and business management coursework.
Supporting student research experiences remains a core commitment of academic life. Student participation in this high impact practice can take the form of research exposure - learning about the fundamentals and practice of research through coursework - as well as direct research experiences that engage students, often with faculty, in conducting their own research projects. For example,
- In addition to the longstanding Faculty Student Research Program, Celebration of Student Scholars, and President's Fellowship for Summer Research, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs launched the rHIP (Research as a High Impact Practice) funding program in 2019 to support new or ongoing faculty-student research projects that focus on the creation of an undergraduate research/scholarship experience for the student resulting in student learning outcomes, such as inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, and foundations and skills for lifelong learning. Honors programs, such as the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Program, further engage students in research, scholarship, and intellectual problem solving, and understanding the contemporary issues of the day.
- In fall 2023, the College of Arts and Sciences created a new undergraduate research fund to support students across the college as they pursue research projects, including presentation of their work at academic conferences. Twenty-three grants were awarded in the fall, and twenty-seven in the spring of 2024.
The Weinberg Memorial Library (WML) has a long history of preserving student research and academic scholarship as part of its collections. Working in consultation with the Office of the Registrar, and Information Technology, in 2022 the WML developed an app to support increasingly digital sub第一吃瓜网 of student scholarship, as well as an informational designed as the starting place for all sub第一吃瓜网s. The new tools created a common process for all disciplines across campus to follow, and will help the library to accommodate the growing volume and variety of sub第一吃瓜网s.
Residential Learning Communities, a high impact practice that brings students together via shared living and learning experiences, are a powerful way to build a sense of belonging and support personal and academic success. Expanding these offerings, two new learning communities were launched in fall 2021: the THR1VE First Generation Community, and Community for Transformational Learning, bringing the total to 7. In these communities, students live and study with a group of peers in exploration of who they are. Staff advisors, along with dedicated academic coaches, offer individual and group programming to support adjustment to University life.
In fall 2023 The Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL) welcomed its second cohort of . The program is to recognizes, rewards and supports exemplary faculty who integrate CBL as an intentional pedagogical strategy into their courses and/or curricular-based projects. CBL is an academic experience which involves students working with individuals, groups, or organizations in ways structured to meet community-defined needs. Projects this year include CBL infusion in speech language pathology, literature, occupational and physical therapy, and business management coursework.
Also in Fall 2023, Student Life in partnership with Academic Affairs piloted four new residential learning communities. The THR1VE community (geared toward first-gen students) and The Latin Thing community (geared toward exploration of Latinx culture and language) are among the communities being explored.
In fall 2023, the Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development . Now located in the heart of campus, the Center is better positioned to welcome and serve students.
Data from the Center shows that eighty-seven percent (86%) of the Class of 2022 completed at least one experiential learning (EL) opportunity prior to graduation, an increase from 78% of the Class of 2021:
And, from the 2022 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), we see that both first year and senior 第一吃瓜网 students continue to outpace HIPs participation in both national and peer comparison groups. The University will conduct the NSSE once again in spring 2025.
Enrich the spirit of 第一吃瓜网 in campus life, articulating 第一吃瓜网-related outcomes for all programs; strengthening relationships between 第一吃瓜网-related offices to better serve students, faculty, and staff; and reinvigorating the connection of 第一吃瓜网 in hiring, orientation, and leadership development practices.
Our Catholic, Jesuit 第一吃瓜网 permeates all we do as a University. Through the work of the Division of Mission and Ministry, and The Jesuit Center, programs and services are in place to support and engage students, faculty, and staff in faith formation experiences, many of which are described throughout this report. In addition, these departments offer a variety of 第一吃瓜网-oriented service opportunities, including supporting participation in programs such as the Ignatian Colleagues Program, an 18-month program designed to educate and form administrators more deeply in the Catholic Jesuit tradition. The program includes online workshops, reflection papers, seminars, a capstone experience for participants to design projects to advance 第一吃瓜网 on their home campus, and an immersion trip to the United States/Mexico border through the Kino Border Initiative.
In spring 2022, The 第一吃瓜网 joined Jesuit colleges and universities across the world to mark the close of “The Ignatian Year,” a year-long, worldwide celebration of the 500thanniversary of the transformation of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus.
Students are introduced to the University's 第一吃瓜网 as part of new student and other orientation and onboarding activities. And, for new faculty, the Jesuit Center offers the First-Year Faculty Seminar, specifically designed to give each new faculty members a deep understanding of the Catholic and Jesuit ideals that animate our common work as well as pedagogical material and insight to help our newest colleagues incorporate the values learned with their own teaching and research.
The spring 2022 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) student survey included an elective module that examines various attributes of Catholic, Jesuit education, as developed and sponsored by a group of fellow AJCU institutions. Data from this module shows that both 第一吃瓜网 first year and senior students see their experience at the University contributing to their development in understanding our 第一吃瓜网:
Cultivate programs that enable students and other members of our community from various faith traditions to explore and develop their relationship with God, to build respect for other faiths, and to 鈥渨alk with the excluded,鈥 expressing their faith in the reflective service of others.
The Center for Service and Social Justice's International Service Program (ISP) provides opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to be immersed in cultures and experiences in developing countries of our world. Although participation was limited in the past year due to COVID-related restrictions, in the last three prior years, an average of 100 students took part in international service trips (ISP) through the Center each year. Students may also take part in The Domestic Outreach (DO) service trip program to serve marginalized populations across the United States, including refugees and low income families. Four trips are planned for the spring 2022 semester. In 2021, Center added a new staff position, Coordinator of Local Service and Community Outreach, to develop and promote local service opportunities routed in Catholic and Jesuit tradition and foster strong relationships with agency community partners. Each year, students compete over 180,000 hours of service through the Center.
In March 2022, the University dedicated a new physical space, the Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. House on nearby Clay Avenue, to support the work of the Center for Service and Social Justice. The new will provide meeting space for students and others involved in the Center, as well as working spaces for the We Care Meal and EFFORT (Excess Food For Others Recovery Team) programs, the Craft for a Cause Program, and the Royal Restore Food Pantry that can be accessed by students or community members in need. The We Care Meal and EFFORT programs were started during the Covid-19 pandemic, and remain important parts of the Centers' social justice and service efforts.
The Ellacuría Initiative continues to encourage reflection on the meaning of justice, raises students’ awareness of injustice in our society and throughout the world, and introduces students to various methods of analysis, so that they may be able to respond to create a more just society. In addition to a biennial theme, the Initiative engages the University community in considering issues of importance to Northeastern Pennsylvania and others that emerge due to unfolding circumstances. For 2021-23, the initiative is focusing on the theme of Truth and Reconciliation in the considering historical sexual abuses in the Catholic church.
Engage every 第一吃瓜网 student in understanding contemporary issues of social justice and environmental sustainability in both curricular and co-curricular programming, preparing them as ethical leaders and advocates for positive change in the 鈥渃are of our common home.鈥
Through the work of the University Sustainability Committee, University faculty, staff, and students continue to examine the our imperative to care for our common home, a charge to all Jesuit educational institutions by the Society of Jesus' Universal Apostolic Preferences. The Committee offers guidance to the Office of Sustainability, which coordinates a wide array of sustainability and environmental care initiatives across the University. In 2020, these included the introduction of three new electronic vehicle (EV) charging stations; the growth of the Royal Community Garden; a new $110,000 recycling vehicle investment and additional recycling repositories; and University participation in the Trex recycling program. Through 2021, over one thousand pounds of recyclable plastic bags were collected to be recycled into Trex decking.
Recent campus wide sustainability efforts over the 2023-2024 academic year include:
- The 第一吃瓜网 recently partnered with ARAMARK and Natural Upcycling to compost excess food and landscape waste. The University collects approximately 1,500 pounds of waste per week at the DeNaples Center. From there, Natural Upcycling handles the composting and turns the waste into usable plant soil.
- In fall 2023, the University completely upgraded the Byron Gymnasium to LED lights. Each year, the 60 installed light fixtures are estimated to provide 46,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) in savings.
- The University Royal Recycling program in 2023 recycled 212.5 ton of materials. The materials include plastic bottles, plastic bags, glass, cans, batteries, light bulbs, electronics, cooking oil, food waste/composting, lawn waste, paper, and cardboard.
- Also in the last year, the University purchased two new campus vehicles to help reduce e第一吃瓜网s and noise pollution, with plans to add nine more vehicles to the fleet by fall 2024. Along with the hybrid vehicles, six level two charging stations have been installed on campus.
- In 2024, the University began a five-year program to purchase 100 percent renewable energy for our entire campus. Each year we will increase the renewable purchase by 20 percent. By year 2028, our entire campus’ electrical usage will be renewable energy.
- In 2024, the University purchased 20 percent of its electric load from renewable resources and will continue to add 20 percent more each year. In 2028, the University’s entire electric load will be obtained from renewable resources. In addition, the nearly 80,000 square-foot center for workforce development, applied research and outreach, to be built on University-owned property on the 300 block of Madison Avenue will be LEED certified. The building’s roof will hold the campus’s largest solar electric project to date.
- And, the Slattery Center for the Humanities hosted a Humanities Center Lecture in April 2023, featuring Nicole Negowetti speaking on "The Regeneration Revolution: Working at the Nexus of Food, Climate, and Culture", complimenting other sustainability and climate ethics activities underway within the Center.
The Environmental Art Show at the Weinberg Memorial Library showcases sub第一吃瓜网s by 第一吃瓜网 students, faculty, and staff. In spring 2021, the show followed the theme of "Caring for our Common Home," Sub第一吃瓜网s for the first virtual exhibit included artwork by faculty and staff that document sustainability efforts, and take visitors on photographic journeys to natural environments and habitats from Pennsylvania to around the globe. Also in 2021, The 第一吃瓜网 received an honorable mention for its green lighting of its Class of 2020 Gateway in the Tourism Ireland Greening scholarship competition. This competition included 690 other schools and iconic landmarks across the globe, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Empire State Building. In 2022, The 第一吃瓜网 Players academic theatre program was, an industry-wide initiative founded in 2008 to educate and encourage the theatre community to implement environmentally friendlier practices, for its incorporation of sustainability practices.
In spring 2023, Three 第一吃瓜网 students were selected to join the national Common Home Corps program, offered by the Catholic Climate Covenant in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago and Creighton University. The students will attend a summer training program at Loyola Chicago to learn about Catholic social teaching, the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform, climate science and impacts, community organizing and climate advocacy, so that they can then become leaders for ecological conversations in their Catholic Diocesan communities.
Following the call from Pope Francis’ recent letter on the necessity of our care of for the earth, "our common home," the University announced its commitment to joining the initiative in fall 2023, joining with other Catholic institutions of higher learning. Since then, members of the University community have worked together to build a formal Laudato Si action plan to formalize and expand our current commitment to sustainability and ecological spirituality - finding God in all things - as a 第一吃瓜网-based imperative. View the plan, here.
And, in spring 2023, the University Characteristics statement was updated to include, "The University further enhances its sense of community by demonstrating high standards and care for our common home via the stewardship of our physical environment and campus resources."
Goal 3: Advance the University
Advance the University into the future by challenging ourselves to educate and support an ever-changing, diverse landscape of students in ways that are affordable, relevant and innovative.Build a University-wide academic master plan to guide innovations, cohesion, and flexibility in the delivery and development of existing and new educational programming; learning spaces, modalities, and technologies; student formation and success initiatives; and faculty development.
Academic Planning and New Programs
In support of our University-wide strategic plan, each academic college, and the Weinberg Memorial Library, is charged to develop a college-level plan of its own. Over the past academic year, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kania School of Management, and the Weinberg Memorial Library have constructed updated their own plans. These documents outline the college's direct support of strategic plan goals, as well as area and program specific goals for program growth and innovation, student and faculty support, and other strategies. In 2023, the University launched a new academic environmental scanning initiative, engaging faculty and academic administration to consider external and internal data to identify opportunities for academic program development.
In April 2024, the University announced the announced the renaming of the Panuska College of Professional Studies (PCPS) to the Leahy College of Health Sciences. The change of name from “professional studies” to “health sciences” more accurately describes the 第一吃瓜网 and scope of the College, which offers degrees in physical and occupational therapy, nursing, healthcare administration, kinesiology and counseling. This change also celebrates the significant contributions of Edward and Patricia Leahy, who have been long-time friends of the University and have supported the College in a number of ways, including support for its Leahy Clinic for the Uninsured and Family Health Center, and annual Conference on disAbility, and endowed scholarships. Read more, .
Between 2020 and 2022, faculty led the development of a number of new academic programs, including:
- Applied Behavior Analysis (graduate): This new and highly anticipated graduate program, offered in conjunction with the Department of Counseling and Human Services, is designed to provide the educational and supervised fieldwork experiences necessary to achieve certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
- Business Analytics (undergrad and graduate, and certificate): This program offers advanced courses in data mining, database management systems, simulation and Big Data to help guide businesses in improving processes through data analysis. Business analytics prepares students for such jobs as data analysts, finance/credit analysts and market research analysts.
- Communication Sciences and Disorders (undergraduate and graduate): The bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) is centered around the basic science of human communication including biological, physical, social and linguistic aspects, and this basic science is used as a lens to develop an understanding of what happens when communication is impaired.
- Cybercrime and Homeland Security (undergraduate): This major will allow students to explore social and behavioral aspects of cybercrime and cybersecurity, enhance their understanding of cybercrime law and cybersecurity policies, examine historical and evolving concepts of homeland security and emergency management. It will develop their knowledge, strategies, countermeasures and challenges of cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwar, and gain hands-on experience in cybersecurity management systems, as well as digital forensics tools, techniques and methods in response to cybersecurity risks across an organization.
- Mathematical Sciences (undergraduate): Students who major in mathematical sciences (B.S.) at The 第一吃瓜网 come to understand the interconnectedness of mathematics by pursuing a partner discipline. Mathematical sciences students choose one of five tracks: Actuarial Science, Biological Sciences, Computer & Information Science, Data Science or Physical Sciences.
- Mechanical Engineering (undergraduate): The broadest and one of the oldest engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering involves the design, production and operation of mechanical systems and thermal systems. This major prepares students to work in a wide array of fields, including the automotive and aerospace industries, manufacturing, electronics, mechatronics and nanotechnologies.
- Accelerated Psychology to ABA, MS (2023)
- Postbaccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Education (2023)
- Accelerated 5-Year BS/BA/MS in Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity (2022)
- Accelerated BS/MS Finance (2022)
- Online Master’s Degree in Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity (2022), and Cybercrime Investigation minor (2023)
- The University's, with the change of the existing doctoral business administration (DBA) degree to a Ph.D. in Accounting degree beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year.
- Black Studies Concentration (2023)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Post-graduate certificate, and Graduate Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialization in the DNP program (2023)
- Public Health Management (2023)
- Accelerated Psychology to Applied Behavioral Analysis (2023)
Supporting academic excellence and growth in the recently launched Speech Language Pathology program, in fall 2021, the University opened a Speech/Voice lab employing equipment received through a Moses Taylor Foundation Grant. Also within this academic program, The 第一吃瓜网 Chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing associated was initiated in spring 2022.
In spring 2023, the University announced the move of the Education Department from the PCPS to the College of Arts and Sciences is underway. This move will facilitate the implementation of the NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program which helps fund the education of STEM majors who are willing to teach in “high-need school districts” after graduation. Part of this transition has included the restructuring of the Master’s in Education and the creation of a post baccalaureate teaching certificate which can now both be completed in one year.
The Weinberg Memorial Library
In 2022, the Weinberg Memorial Library (WML) and division of Information Technology jointly administered the Measuring Information Services Outcomes (MISO) survey to faculty, staff, and students. Both areas utilize the MISO to identify opportunities to improve programs and services. Utilizing assessment data gathered from the MISO survey and other data, the WML updated its strategic/tactical plan to note recent accomplishments, and to refine or add new objectives, including:
- Form a Library Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, which includes library faculty, staff, and student representation.
- Create outreach and informational materials for members of our community, such as high school students and educators, alumni, and Friends.
View the full WML plan, and progress to date, here.
In response to many of the MISO survey comments in 2022, and the prior survey administration in 2018, one of the goals of the plan is to improve and increase the flexibility of the WML’s physical space. In addition to a number of other physical improvements to increase accessibility and flexibility of use, in 2022, with generous donor support, the WML began work to redesign the fifth-floor Heritage Room into a transformable space that can be utilized for multimedia presentations, special collections exhibits, social events, and student study space. Also in 2022, a new grab-and-go food market was added to the WML first floor, expanding access to snacks for Library patrons.
Implement a holistic process for strategic enrollment management that is 第一吃瓜网, student, and market sensitive, and serves as a catalyst for improved student recruitment, retention, and success.
In July 2022, the University welcomed Shannon Zottola as new vice president for enrollment management, This position leads the University’s ad第一吃瓜网s and financial aid processes, and as a key partner with other campus units to support student recruitment and success. Supporting this work and other goals of our Strategic Plan, the Strategic Enrollment Management Planning (SEP) process, launched in 2018, has directly led to the development of several new academic programs. In 2023, the University launched a new academic environmental scanning initiative, engaging faculty and academic administration to consider external and internal data to identify opportunities for academic program development.
Defined as the percent of first-time, full-time undergraduate students enrolled in the fall of each year who return the following fall semester, retention at the University remains strong, outpacing national averages. The retention rate for first time, full time minority stuents increased significantly over the past year.
Improve our understanding and support of the unique needs and educational pathways of graduate, transfer, and non-traditional students, and students enrolling in remote learning activities, improving access and completion through tailored services and expanded opportunities to experience the 第一吃瓜网 and life of the University.
A new Graduate Programs Council is now in place to consider and discuss new graduate programming and avenues to better support graduate students. Data from a recent survey of graduate students identifies several areas where we can improve selected service areas, including through additional support for career development and professional networking, opportunities to participate in service activities, and research sharing. Within the division of Student Life, new resources like Remote Royals provides information for off-campus students, a need that was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fall 2023, the University welcomed a third cohort of students as part of its Prison Education Initiative. Offered at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA, student enrolling in the program may be awarded an Associate of Arts Degree in approximately two and a half years. Reaching a major milestone, the University conferred its first degrees to students in the program in December 2023. The University joined the Jesuit Prison Education Network in 2023, a group of leaders supporting prison education programs within the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.
Following several years of decline, in fall 2022, the University’s enrollment of students transferring to the institution from another college or university increased to 61 new students, and held steady in 2023:
Pursue initiatives to make a 第一吃瓜网 education more accessible and affordable for students and their families, sharing the value and impact of the University鈥檚 transformational education.
The new Student Financing Success Plan was introduced for Pell-eligible students entering in the fall 2020 semester, providing a dedicated, comprehensive guidance to students and their families to better meet college educational expenses. Together with the Family Financing Plan, which seeks to educate and provides a viable “game plan” for the family, is supported by a new Student Financing Counselor staff position within the Office of Financial Aid. The University has also instituted a new Book and Supply Award for incoming students, which was put into place for students enrolling in the University to start classes in fall 2021. The award provides $500 per semester to first-time, Pell-eligible freshmen to spend on campus.
In spring 2022, the 第一吃瓜网 was selected to participate in the third and final round of the U.S. Department of Education's Experimental Sites Initiative, Second Chance Pell Experiment. This opportunity enables incarcerated individuals to be eligible for federal Pell financial support, a program for which incarcerated students had previously be barred. The University currently enrolls students from the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA, in its undergraduate Associate of Arts Degree through the new 第一吃瓜网 Prison Education Initiative. Work to transition the program as Prison Education Program under new federal regulations is now underway.
Also in spring 2022, the University announced the establishment of the Opening Doors Scholarship, which will serve graduates of the Christo Rey Network of High Schools, Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago, and other similar institutions whose students have demonstrated financial need. Since its launch, the scholarship has enabled fifteen students to pursue higher their education at The University.
Dr. Gerard Dumancas, associate professor of chemistry, received a $1.158 million National Science Foundation funded that will support future science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) high school teachers in high-need school districts. The grant, which will be allocated over a five-year period beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year) will provide a scholarships and educational training support to 21 STEM students with a major or minor in secondary education.
In 2021, faculty in the department of Mathematics secured a PA Department of Education Grant to support open educational resource (OER) course materials for selected math courses.
The WML continues to implement steps to reduce costs for students.
- Building on prior open access activities, the WML added an Open Access search tab to the library webpage, which makes open access resources (including textbooks) more easily accessible.
- In 2022, the WML went fine-free, removing late fee fines from student accounts and no longer charging for late returns. By going fine-free, the Library joins a growing national trend of fine-free libraries.
- The WML also continues to lead an Affordable Learning initiative, launched in 2020, which aims to reduce the financial burden on students by eliminating expensive for-cost textbooks and course materials with no-cost or low-cost educational resources. Since 2020, the Library has awarded seventeen Affordable Learning Grants for faculty to replace for-cost course materials with either Open Educational Resources or appropriate licensed library materials. Six grants were awarded during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Expand and solidify the financial capacity and sustainability of the University, supporting our 第一吃瓜网 through disciplined approaches to resource management and stewardship that rely on collaborative, data-informed decision making in the review and allocation of resources and the management of our infrastructure.
Investments in our infrastructure are key to advancing our academic programming and institutional 第一吃瓜网:
- A new electronic facilities Work Order system was installed in 2020 for the Facilities Management department in order to more efficiently enter, assign and track preventative and general work order labor assignments across campus.
- The University received a in support of our new mechanical engineering major, which includes the reconfiguration of instructional space in Hyland Hall. Additional renovations are planned for the fourth floor of Hyland, which will begin in late summer 2021 and be completed for the spring 2022 semester.
- Within the Weinberg Memorial Library, efforts continue to renovate key facilities to create intentional learning environments to support different learning styles, including additional open study and workspaces. Recent renovations to the WML space include technical upgrades to the Pro Deo Room, including a Bring Your Own Device space and expanded student and guest computing areas. And,
a new agreement with the Local Everhart Museum has provided the Weinberg Memorial Library with lendable Museum Passes. These passes allow up to 25 students, faculty or staff to visit the Museum free of charge.
Utilizing technology well remains a key ingredient for flexibility and innovation at the University. During the 2020-21 year, the library completed a new divisional plan, outlining goals to support the University’s strategic plan and guide the work of information technology into the future. Priority areas include further improvements to our technological infrastructure, including enhancements to smart classroom and event space technology, supporting equitable student access to technology resources, exploring additional technology tools to support student academic planning and success, and tools to support faculty and student research, to name just a few. In addition to exploring library and information literacy services and programming, the recent Measuring Information Services Outcomes (MISO) survey also measured student and employee perceptions of information technology services and resources. View the IT-focused results, here.
The IT division has started work on several long-term, significant upgrades to the University’s Ellucian Banner system, completing two major campuswide projects – an upgrade to its campus wireless infrastructure, and the launch of a new my.scranton portal – in 2023. Together, these projects provide a more modern look and feel, expand self-service capabilities, and improve functionality.
Goal 4: Diversity. Equity, and Inclusion
Reflect and understand the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.Implement an institutional plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion, drawing from a comprehensive review of University departments, organizations, spaces, and processes that provide and support inclusion and diversity-related education and programming, ensuring that these collaborative efforts are appropriately aligned, effectively resourced, and regularly assessed.
In winter 2021, the Provost charged a Diversity and Inclusion Planning Team to draft a new, University-wide plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This Team brings together the momentum and insights the University Planning Committee and the Council for Diversity and Inclusion, as well as students and staff from other areas. During its work, the Team developed concrete action steps for each area of this strategic plan goal, including ways to better support and increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the student experience, the faculty and staff experience, student recruitment and enrollment, academics and co-curricular learning, and alumni and community engagement. In addition to preparing and presenting the draft plan, the Team shared recommendations for sustaining diversity, equity, and inclusion planning as ongoing area of practice, including through robust and intentional assessment activity.
Following campus-wide review in fall 2021, the new plan was approved by the President's Cabinet and Board of Trustees in February 2022. The University’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Equity and Diversity have been charged to steward the plan’s implementation and report on its progress. View the plan, and detailed information about its implementation and progress, here.
The analysis and work of the Diversity Planning Team and subsequent UPC reflection resulted in an important update to the Strategic Plan itself. In May 2022, the University's President's Cabinet and Board of Trustees approved a motion to update the title and several objectives within this goal of the Strategic Plan, previously titled "Diversity and Inclusion," to include the term "equity," better reflecting the true scope of our strategic and operational aims. In addition, the language of this first objective was adjusted to make plain our commitment to the regular assessment of the new DEI plan, and related DEI efforts.
Coinciding with the launch of the new plan, the University incorporated a call for all administrative and academic departments to share reflection on how they are supporting, or plan to support, the University's diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, as part of each Annual Planning and Reporting Cycle. Starting in spring 2022, members of the campus community receive regular DEI update messages to share news, information, and upcoming DEI events and the progress of the DEI plan. Addressing one of the DEI plan’s objectives, a new Events page was added to the DEI web site serve as a single, dedicated, searchable web location for campus constituents to view and register for diversity and inclusion trainings and events.
Assessment of DEI efforts has become more formalized and systematic, including the fall 2020 administration of a Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey. This survey instrument from the Higher Education Datasharing Consortium (HEDS) asked students, faculty, staff, and administrators about their perceptions of the University’s climate and how the University supports diversity and equity, as well as their experiences with discrimination and harassment at the University. Results from this survey were used in the development of the new DEI plan, and to guide improvements in other areas. The survey was repeated in 2022, with results currently being reviewed by the University community.
To support expended DEI assessment efforts, the University included a supplemental module on inclusiveness and engagement with diversity as part of the spring 2022 NSSE administration. Data from this module suggests important opportunities for enhancing educational and other programming at the University, including opportunities for increased dialogue between diverse groups and within classroom activities. Data shows that a higher number of 第一吃瓜网 first year and senior respondents view their experience at the University as helping them actively work toward a more inclusive community, on par with students from our peer group:
Grow our capacity to model and support diversity through strategic recruitment, hiring, and retention practices that increase representation and improve retention of diverse populations across the spectrum of the University community, with special emphasis on hiring for diversity amongst our faculty and staff.
Increasing undergraduate and graduate minority student enrollment is one of our strategic goals. Although the overall percent of enrolled minority students (as defined by federal IPEDS classifications and reporting) has increased over time, the number of students has declined. Although higher than national averages, we are identifying ways to increase retention for minority students.
In fall 2022, the University welcomed the most diverse class in its history. Nearly 27 percent of incoming students in the class of 2026 identify as a person of color, decreasing slightly in fall of 2023. The number of employees from underrepresented minority groups continues to be an area in which we hope to grow :
The University welcomed its largest degree seeking, graduate international student cohort in the last 15 years, with more than 255 new international students starting this past fall.
Student Support
Approximately one-fifth of 第一吃瓜网 students are the first generation in their family to attend college. To support these students on their path to success, the University has introduced a variety of initiatives, the THR1VE program, which focuses on three pillars of support: understanding and celebrating the first-generation identity; connecting students to resources
es; and celebrating students’ successes. In addition to student GU1DE and faculty/staff mentorship and leadership programming, THR1VE introduces students to 第一吃瓜网 - including through the unique "Learn to Speak 第一吃瓜网" guide, which helps students understand and navigate University terminology and abbreviations. The program was selected to join the national Center for First Generation Student Success for 2022-2023. Shannon Murphy Fennie, assistant dean of students, and the essential place first generation students have in our University community in a recent edition of AJCU Connections magazine.
Other initiatives are in place to better support students of color, including the August 2021 launch of the Royals of Color Kick Off (ROCK) program, an early arrival program for new students of color. This program provides an opportunity for students to connect with peers, upper division mentors, and campus and local resources to support social network development, community building, and campus and local area connection. Student Life has incorporated a session for all incoming students that focused on diversity and inclusion, and educated students about microaggressions as part of Summer Orientation.
Since October 2021, in collaboration with the University’s Counseling Center, the Cross Cultural Centers has sponsored a weekly Student of Color Support and Empowerment Group co-facilitated by an alumnus of color and a counselor from the Counseling Center.
Our students regularly inspire us in how they support one another. The result of student advocacy, the was officially chartered in fall 2020. Named in honor of the University’s first Black graduate, the Union will advocate for the needs of all Black students on campus, as well as a safe space for Black students to engage in conversation about the modern-day challenges of the Black experience. The Union is chartered by the Student Government, which itself has been amplifying the voices of students of color, including through student-focused trainings, readings, and workshops, as well as social media campaigns and videos to educate their fellow students.
In fall 2022, construction started on the new to be located on first floor of the DeNaples Center. The Center opened in February 2023, and its expanded, easily accessible footprint will assist with the increased need for space for underrepresented students to gather and host events, and other programming that supports the Centers’ learning outcomes. The new Center features lounge space, study room, a flexible mediated conference/meeting room, and some staff offices.
Faculty and Staff Support
Building upon momentum of the Faculty Hiring Plan launched in 2021 and enhanced recruitment and hiring guidelines, the University has since welcomed several new members faculty from underrepresented groups. The Office for Human Resources continues its expanded efforts to advertise positions more broadly and connect with the broader 第一吃瓜网 community by attending job fairs and meeting with different community organization for hiring purposes. The Office is also expanding its efforts to provide translated versions of requirement materials for those for whom English is a second language, recently translating materials into Spanish for upcoming job fairs, and has expanded its exit interview process to include questions related to DEI in an effort to look for trends that might be causing staff to leave the University.
In 2023, the OED and Human Resources created inclusive hiring guides for staff employment searches, which is supplemented by OED search training for staff and administrators each semester, and by invitation from departments or search chairs. The Office of Equity and Diversity and the Office for Human Resources also launched a 90-day touch point meeting with new staff hires to obtain feedback and to provide additional resources, support, and information. As part of this welcome program, employees employed by the University for 90 days are invited to meet as a group with the VP for Human Resources and the Executive Director for the Office of Equity and Diversity to review University benefits and learn more about ways they can engage in the University community through programs, activities, and service opportunities. Employees are also asked to offer feedback on the employee onboarding process.
Develop culturally relevant and responsive curricula and learning experiences throughout academic and student life that build intercultural competencies and promote social and educational equity, expanding resources to support faculty in inclusive scholarship and teaching practices.
The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Diversity, piloted the new Partnerships in Learning, Leadership and Reflection (PiLLaR) program in fall 2021. This pedagogical partnership pairs students and faculty to design, develop, discuss, or assess pedagogy with a focus on creating an inclusive learning environment which supports and values all learners. In addition to other pedagogy support activities, CTLE staff developed a new book club for faculty focused on DEI work. This past January, faculty participants read and discussed "Implicit Bias: An Educator's Guide to the Language of Microaggressions" by Theresa Bouley and Anni Reinking.
In spring 2022, The Kania School of Management established the Dean’s Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, awarded to graduating seniors who have completed 12 credits of coursework with significant DEI emphasis and submit an essay describing what they have learned about DEI while a student at the University. Several students were recognized with this certificate in spring 2022.
The WML has worked to diversity its collections and resources, including through the addition of several new electronic resources: EBSCO's Ethnic Diversity Source, the EBSCO Diversity & Ethnic Studies e-book, and IGI's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion e-book package. In addition, to support the work of the CDI Subcommittee on Institutional Black History, WML faculty and staff oversaw the development of a digital archive to remember the Black history of the University. This project addresses instances of anti-Black racism and social injustice, while also being dedicated to celebrating Black alumni and their contributions to the University community. The Library has also developed a new Graphic Novel collection, including recommending works by and about underrepresented voices.
The Cultural Centers established partnerships with the First-Year Seminar program and the College of Arts and Sciences to offer complementary workshops and engagement opportunities to support curricular learning about diversity and inclusion. Events and activities to support underrepresented and non-traditional students are expanding. For example, in September 2022, the University hosted an inaugural day-long faculty development program entitled “Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Classroom”. The Keynote speaker, Dr. Khristina Gonzalez from Princeton University, spoke on the theme, “From Access to Success: Supporting and Empowering First Generation, Lower-Income Students in Diversifying Institutions.”
The new was launched and listed in the University’s academic catalog in Fall 2023. Black Studies is the interdisciplinary study and research of the history, culture, religion, and arts of Black people around the World. This concentration develops students’ awareness of political and sociological issues related to Black experiences from their historical beginnings to popular culture and beyond.
In spring 2023, the Black Studies Program and The Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development hosted the first-ever Intergenerational Black Alumni Panel. The event included Dr. Nicole Hoskins introducing Black Studies as an academic discipline and its importance for the University, followed by a panel discussion with several Black alumni.
The Office of Equity and Diversity continues to support and promote DEI-related activities via its Diversity Initiatives Grant program. Click here to view grants awarded in the Spring for the 2023-2024 academic year, and in prior years. Projects supported since the launch of the funding initiative in 2015 include campus speakers and programming to discuss challenging issues such as racism, immigration, and human trafficking; multicultural celebrations like the HOLI festival of color and Diwali; SafeZone and other training, art and film screenings, and DEI-related campus workshops and dialogue activities.
Expand both required and in-time orientation, training and leadership programming and resources for students, faculty, and staff that promote equity, inclusion and cultural understanding, furthering our collective ability to be a more welcoming and respectful campus community.
In 2021, a session for all incoming students focusing on diversity and inclusion was added to Summer Orientation, outlining community expectations and providing focused information about microaggressions. The University's Diversity and Inclusion Council completed new curriculum for a Race and Ethnicity Awareness Workshop, open to all University departments. Other efforts include Talking About Racism: A Community Conversation series, a project of the Greater 第一吃瓜网 Martin Luther King Com第一吃瓜网 in collaboration with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Johnson College, Lackawanna College, Marywood University, Penn State 第一吃瓜网, and The 第一吃瓜网.
During the 2021-22 academic year, The Cross-Cultural Centers (now, Cultural Centers) based student-led programming efforts on selected themes to more narrowly direct educational and awareness efforts relative to DEI. During the year, nearly 80 programs were offered across themes including gender equity and masculinity; political and social justice; environmental justice; race, racism, and intersecting oppression; and healthy relationships with self and others. Increased efforts from the Center led to a significant total increase of 23% in the number of students (44% more) and faculty, and staff (five times more) taking part in SafeZone workshops than in the prior year. As a result of conversations with graduate students in the Counseling and Human Services program, in spring 2022, the Counselors 4 Social Change Graduate Club was founded. The Club, run by graduate student leaders, seeks to provide accessible information and opportunities to assist graduate students learn about social justice topics through dialogue and other activities.
In fall 2022, the offices of Equity and Diversity, Provost, and Human Resources revived online training for faculty and staff via the SafeColleges/Vector solutions platform.Other avenues for faculty and staff development and enrichment include the new faculty and staff “Scribe” book club. Committed to enhancing an inclusive campus environment and creating a space for thoughtful dialogue, the club's reads have included “On Juneteeth,” by Pulitzer Prize-winning the New York Times best-selling author Annette Gordon-Reed, and "The Radium Girls" by Kate Moore.
Individual departments are also addressing training needs, such as the Department of Biology, whose Diversity & Equity in Hiring committee hosted a workshop for diversity and cultural competence in October 2022. In addition to these and other existing training activities, such as the DEI Lunch and Learn “Formula for Success: D+I= A Better U!” program, efforts are underway within Student Life, Human Resources, the Office of Equity and Diversity, and the Diversity and Inclusion Council's new Faculty Development subcommittee to develop programming that addresses needs identified during our Diversity and Inclusion planning process and other recent campus needs assessments.
In Summer 2023, Student Life launched a new, mandatory online education module for the Class of 2027 focused on Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. The hope is this will provide a baseline of information for all students to have a common language and to understand the expectations of our University community.
The Center for Student Engagement recently added the Fostering an Inclusive Community student presentation as a permanent addition to the orientation schedule. This program focuses on microaggressions and their impact and serves as an opportunity to engage students in critical thinking about behaviors that would be contrary to an inclusive and welcoming community. Additionally, the Center included a two-hour training session for the Orientation Assistant team regarding Community and Inclusion, which focused on mattering and marginality, privilege, and inclusive language.
Under the DEI Plan, efforts are underway to improve accessibility for the University’s websites. In spring 2023, the University launched updates to its web Content Management System (CMS), which included, amongst other changes, enhancements to support increased accessibility for those with visual impairments. Staff and faculty throughout the University are reviewing and making improvements to a number of webpages to ensure accessibility of websites and other electronic methods of communication. The content management team is providing expanded training resources about accessibility through webinars and knowledge base articles.
The University’s Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) offers a variety of faculty pedagogical and other professional development resources. This past year, faculty workshops and presentations included Race and Ethnicity Awareness, and student mental health.
Broaden employee and student experiences with the diversity of our city, region, and world through experiential and service engagements that cultivate and celebrate impactful dialogue and intercultural exchange.
As noted throughout this report, multiple avenues are in place for students, faculty, and staff to take part in meaningful experiences and dialogue with diverse groups through service, community based learning, and other partnership activities. The project, launched in August 2021, continued through fall 2022. Since its inception, this community-wide project led by the University’s Community Relations Office with multiple campus and community partners and supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities has comprised twenty humanities-based events including lectures/panels with discussion, a political dialogue, walking tours, a book discussion, story exchanges, a film screening and discussion, a public engagement campaign and other related workshops and meetings-- directly engaging 1,300 individuals, including faculty, staff and students, from throughout the 第一吃瓜网 area.
In fall 2022, Community Relations, together with the History Department and the Office of Equity and Diversity, as part of the 第一吃瓜网’s Story project and during Native American Heritage Month, hosted a keynote lecture featuring Curtis Zunigha, enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (Oklahoma) and co-founder/co-director of the Lenape Center, on the topic “Forced Removal of the Lenape People: History and Homecoming” with more than 300 attendees. The keynote lecture was part of a 3-day visit that also included a middle school assembly, community stakeholder meetings, faculty/staff “Lunch and Learn,” dinner with the Slattery humanities center and student club leaders, and other meetings with a total of 575 participants across the visit.
A subcommittee of the Council for Diversity and Inclusion continues to examine the University’s historical relationships with Indigenous, Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented groups. During the fall 2021 semester, the subcommittee worked with the Digital History, History 190 class to research the University archives as a first step in its work.
Goal 5: Partnerships in Mission
Invite and inspire our alumni, parents, friends and community to be partners in the 第一吃瓜网 of the University.Advance the 第一吃瓜网 and capacity of the University through the successful completion of a new capital campaign that emphasizes financial support for students and their families, investments in faculty and student research, and other academic initiatives.
The University is grateful for the generous support of our alumni, neighbors, and friends. Supporting academic needs, including high impact practices, the University received a $1 million gift from alumni John D. Dionne ’86 and Jacquelyn Dionne ’89 to name and support two honors programs: The Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program; and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program. The fund will support the growing Study Abroad program and other activities for students in these two honors programs, as well as other students enrolled in the Kania School of Management.
Faculty and staff continue to invigorate the growth of the University through attainment of external grants, with the largest number of grants sub第一吃瓜网s coming through the College of Arts and Sciences. The table below describes external grant awards over the past three years:
Cultivate avenues for our students to grow in knowledge while engaging as citizens through community-based learning and research, internships, and other direct experiences.
The Center for Community-Based Learning and its advisory board supports institutional development and expanded partnerships in this area. Through the Center, students and faculty led in a variety of projects 2021-2022 that focused on the youth our community, including through partnerships with United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s “Leaders in Training” program; Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania and seven 第一吃瓜网 schools; and 第一吃瓜网 Children’s Library. Read more, .
In addition to other regionally-focused internship and other experiential learning opportunities, the University's coordinates the Small Business Internship Initiative to provide local experiential learning opportunities for students. Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to grow their businesses with the help of local student interns, while students have access to experiential learning steps away from campus.
In spring 2022, the University joined four other regional colleges and universities in the . The Consortium will provide student learning and engagement opportunities through courses, projects, and experiential learning programming; direct engagement with community leaders; and non-traditional career development opportunities.
The University was recognized as one of 258 "Voter Friendly Campuses" by Fair Election Center's Campus Vote Project and NASPA in spring 2023.
Connect students with University alumni, broadening alumni participation in academic life, drawing on their breadth and depth of talent and experience, and their special role as ambassadors of Jesuit education.
In 2021, the University’s Communications department created a new Alumni Advisory Board, expanding the number of academic alumni advisory groups on campus. In 2020, The Jesuit Center launched a new Alumni Book Club, creating a digital experience for alumni to participate in group discussions and reflect on 第一吃瓜网-oriented books of note with Jesuit Center leadership. To date, nearly 700 alumni from around the world have registered for the club.
The University’s Alumni Society Board established its first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, assisting University Advancement Staff with creating educational opportunities for alumni volunteers and foster a more diverse and inclusive alumni network. The new Rainbow Royals network was also launched in 2020, fostering continuing connections between 第一吃瓜网's LGBTQIA+ alumni and the broader university community. And, the University continues to lay groundwork for new strategies to expand connections and engagement with University alumni, particularly those from underserved groups.
Several prominent female University alumni took part in the 2022-2023 Celebration of Co-Education at the University, including at guest speakers for fora and other events. Also featuring alumni, the University held its inaugural Intergenerational Black Alumni Panel, sponsored by the Black Studies Concentration and the Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development, in March 2023.
Distinguished alumni are also serving in state leadership positions. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who took office in 2022, announced the appointment of Thomas (TJ) Yablonski Jr. '10 to a position in the governor's cabinet as secretary of Legislative Affairs. Yablonski is the fourth 第一吃瓜网 graduate on the cabinet of 22 members. Yablonski joins 第一吃瓜网 graduates Michael Carroll ’09, Pennsylvania’s secretary of transportation; Jason Kavulich ’97, Pennsylvania’s secretary of aging; and Major Christopher Paris ’99, State Police com第一吃瓜网er; as members of the governor’s cabinet.
Build partnerships with K-12 and higher education institutions, employers, and corporate entities to expand opportunities for members of the local and regional community to take part in the life of the 第一吃瓜网, and pursue their own professional and personal educational goals.
The University remains committed to addressing the adult educational needs of our region. In addition to growing business programming with regional health care leader, Geisinger Health Systems, in fall 2021, the University welcomed the first cohort of students enrolled in the associate of arts degree program at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA, through its 第一吃瓜网 Prison Education Initiative. and celebrated its first graduating class in December 2023. The University was recently selected by the U.S. Department of Education to be recognized as a Second Chance Pell Experimental Site, an initiative that expands access to Pell Grants to incarcerated students, and is working toward transitioning the program to a Prison Education Program under updated federal regulation.
In 2021, the Weinberg Memorial Library became a charter participant in JSTOR’s Open Community Collections Initiative, allowing publication of our digital collections to the JSTOR platform. Graduating seniors were offered complementary one-year Friends of the Library membership, helping to continue their connection to the University and engagement with the 第一吃瓜网 of the Library.
With its competitive pre-med and health programming, medical education partnerships are a priority for the University. The University has teamed up with the nationally recognized Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia to recruit and educate students interested in the practice of medicine in rural areas. We are one of only seven undergraduate institutions participating in the Physician Shortage Area Program. In fall 2021, the University welcomed partnership with The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in support of the Schemel Forum, now including medical students and faculty to Forum coursework and seminars.
In the spring 2022, the University launched an education effort in India to allow students to earn a master’s certificate in business analytics online before completing an M.S. in business analytics in 第一吃瓜网. And, in August, the University signed an agreement with Fu Jen Catholic University, a Jesuit university in Taiwan, that will enable Fu Jen students to begin master’s degree studies as undergraduates in Taiwan and then complete coursework here in 第一吃瓜网. Also in 2022, the Panuska College of Professional Studies developed program articulations that will facilitate Lackawanna College students to enroll in health administration programs at the University.
In spring 2022, the University announced a partnership with Jacobs, an international defense and security company, to help prepare students and professionals for careers in cyber intelligence, law enforcement and cybersecurity. Through the partnership, Jacobs will offer advice on the fast-changing field to support and keep current the University’s cyber-related undergraduate and graduate curriculum in cybercrime investigation, homeland security and cybersecurity. Jacobs will also be a source of internships for University students and a source of job placement for University graduates. In addition, Jacobs will engage-in and support the University’s summer Cyber Investigation Camp for local high school students, which is free to participants. The first camp was held in July 2022.
In fall 2022, the University signed a memorandum of understanding with fellow AJCU LeMoyne University to establish new academic relationships and engage in other collaborative programs, including two academic degree opportunities that each school can offer to new undergraduate students enrolling in the fall of 2023. Under the agreements, 第一吃瓜网 can enroll up to five qualified students for direct entry into Le Moyne’s Physician Assistant (PA) program after graduation, and Le Moyne can likewise enroll up to five qualified students with a guaranteed seat in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at 第一吃瓜网.
Since the fall of 2023, the University has entered into agreements to explore expanded academic program partnerships with several colleges and universities, including:
- An agreement with Xavier School of Management, a Jesuit business school in Jamshedpur, India, to allow for the future development of exchange programs for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as possible joint research projects and joint curricular and education programs.
- A new direct ad第一吃瓜网s agreement with Seton Hall University School of Law. This agreement enables 第一吃瓜网 students who meet program requirements to be eligible for ad第一吃瓜网 to the Law school after just three years at 第一吃瓜网. Read more,
Collaborate with local and regional leadership to identify, prioritize, and address the challenging educational, social, and spiritual issues facing our community, in pursuit of our shared goal of improving the lives of the citizens of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The University’s Community Colleagues group continues to build cross-campus dialogue for impactful engagement with and support for community groups. The committee includes representation from the Center for Service and Social Justice, The Jesuit Center, the offices of Equity and Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, the Community Based Learning Faculty Coordinator, the Ellacuriaía Initiative, Foundation Grants, the Leahy Family and Health Center, Small Business Development Center, the Panuska College of Professional Studies, and Office of Government and community Relations.
In spring 2021, the Colleagues group conducted a needs assessment of community partners, gathering data about current avenues and emerging community support and engagement opportunities. Respondents rated their engagement with University partners highly - over 90% noting that the community-university partnership makes a difference in their agency/community. Included amongst needs identified to continue this successful engagement are sustaining student engagement beyond the traditional fall to spring academic year; reducing scheduling and other practical barriers; and, a desire to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion training and community conversations.
The Center for Ethics and Integrity in Public Service (CEEPS), launched in 2021, continues to expand ethical political education and engagement across the region. In 2022, the Center held its inaugural conference on campus in April 2022. Panelists discussed current political topics including the ethics of legislative pay and per diems, the best grant writing practices, ethics boards and codes of local governments, guided by student contributors, discussed ways to increase voting among young adults. In addition, the Center hosted an introductory workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion for government officials from across Lackawanna County.
Together with regional partner The Institute, the 第一吃瓜网 completed an update to the regional Living Wage Study, with a focus on DEI and social Justice, in fall 2022. Read the report and recommendations, here.
In fall 2022, the Leahy Physical Therapy Clinic Outreach Program received a $25K grant from the AllOne Charities to support equipment, supplies and translation services for DPT students to set up and conduct faculty-supervised PT and health education clinics for un- and under-insured community members, particularly refugee or resettled women and families, in their own neighborhoods or community spaces.
Also in 2022, The 第一吃瓜网 received an $11,000 Community Needs grant from the 第一吃瓜网 Area Community Foundation to support a program that helps teens and young adults who are living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Northeastern Pennsylvania achieve their employment aspirations. The program will be conducted by the University’s Rehabilitation Counseling faculty and graduate students. Through the program, motivated teens, who are age 16 or older, and young adults with ASD will develop the necessary technical and soft skills to prepare them to secure meaningful employment. Learning modules include skill development in a variety of related topics and activities, such as setting employment goals, creating resumes, employment soft skills, completing applications, practicing interviewing skills, understanding/starting the job-hunting process and what to expect on your first day of work. The program will be customized to participants to meet their individual needs.
As described here and throughout this report, the 第一吃瓜网 continues to expand upon its commitment to the success of our community, both on campus and beyond. In 2021, the University ranked No. 84 among 616 master's universities that contribute to the public good by Washington Monthly, recognizing our contributions in the areas of research, social mobility, and community and national service.
In November 2021, The 第一吃瓜网 officially adopted a Land Acknowledgment Statement to recognize and honor the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Lenape, the Munsee, the Shawnee and the Susquehannocks in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Continuing Traditions
In addition to new endeavors, we also recognize the ongoing importance of existing University programming that contribute to our strategic goals. For example,
- The long-standing University of Success Program, founded in 1996 in response to the growing trend of lower graduation rates and stagnant college enrollment rates for young people who are often underserved or underrepresented in the higher education process, continues to engage local high school students. In summer 2022, twenty rising high school students entered this four-year, pre-college mentorship program. The program provides academic, social, and cultural enrichment to assist students to successfully complete high school and gain entry to a college or university. Over the past sixteen years, 292 high school students successfully completed the University of Success Program.
- The 第一吃瓜网’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program continues to help develop future executives who will serve at Northeast Pennsylvania nonprofit institutions. Since beginning in 2017, 47 participants, representing 40 separate regional nonprofit organizations, have graduated from the program.
-
One of the University’s many avenues for partnering with and serving our regional community is through the work of the award-winning (SBDC). Hosted by the University for over forty years, in 2020 the SBDC became part of the Kania School of Management, connecting the business expertise of the Center and our faculty, and expanding relationships and educational and service opportunities within the larger business community. Complementing this focused support for regional business development is the work of The Wayne House Entrepreneurship Center, where students in entrepreneurship programs “learn by doing” in pursuit of their own business ventures. In FY22, the SBDC team assisted 1,033 clients in the 8-county service area. As a result of this assistance, 36 new businesses started and $29,633,422 was secured in bank financing, disaster funding, owner investments, and other sources. In addition, the Center has served farm and food business clients across the region and state as part of the PA SBDC Agriculture Center of Excellence since the initiative launched in 2020; Leigh Fennie, SBDC Business Consultant, was honored as one of the inaugural America’s SBDC 40 Under 40. In recent years, the SBDC has supported other unique community needs, including, in collaboration with the University’s Community Relations department, as well as the Black 第一吃瓜网 Project, the webinar “A Lunchtime Roundtable with Black Women in Business.” When small, independent pharmacies were struggling to keep up with the data entry required for administering COVID-19 vaccines, staff assisted Lackawanna County; Skills in 第一吃瓜网, the workforce development affiliate of the Greater 第一吃瓜网 Chamber of Commerce; and pharmacy owners with the COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program, to match college students and recent graduates with Lackawanna County pharmacies and medical practices for temporary, non-clinical data entry work related to COVID-19 vaccinations. The SBDC performed research, guided the team in developing a position description, and used its existing Small Business Internship Initiative connections to share the position announcement with Career Development partners at 11 regional colleges and universities.
Campus Surveys and Assessments
As part of our progress and impact evaluation and reporting strategy, the University conducts regular evaluations of students, staff, and faculty perspectives related to their general experience, and with specific topics and issues. In addition to historical institutional surveys, recent assessment activity includes:
2022 Measuring Information Services Outcomes (MISO) Survey (Information Literacy and Fluency, and Library Services; Information Technology)
2022 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Survey (analysis underway):
2020 Higher Education Datasharing Consortium (HEDS) Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey
Strategic Plan News
University Publishes New Strategic Plan, 第一吃瓜网 Journal - December 2020
New Strategic Plan Web Site and Implementation: Campus Update, April 2021
Students Share Their Take on the New Strategic Plan, The 第一吃瓜网 Journal - April 2021
What's a Strategic Plan About? Students Solve the Mystery, September 2021
April 2022
, April 2023
May 2023
Contact us via email planning@scranton.edu, or click to share your Strategic Plan story!
Watch for the Impact Through Action stamp in upcoming editions of RoyalNews and The 第一吃瓜网 Journal, as we highlight initiatives and projects related to the Plan.
