True Blue Transformation

Guiding commitment

Recruitment & retention of students, faculty, and staff

Academic Excellence 

Definition: The academic student experience will be the core focus at Fredonia, including affordable and accessible cutting-edge experiential learning opportunities, necessary support systems to ensure student success, and a liberal arts foundation paired with in-demand skills students need to thrive as life-long learners in a diverse and ever-changing world.

1. Develop an in-demand academic array through the creation of a dynamic Academic Master Plan that outlines new academic programs, increased delivery options, and expanded forms of credentialing. 
2. Analyze our academic array through a Program Health Initiative in order to identify areas of strength, areas of improvement, and potential strategic divestments. 
3. Provide our students with a foundation for college success, engagement, and belonging by ensuring equitable access to academic support services, resources, and technology. 
4. Invest in high impact practices by supporting and fostering scholarship & creative activity for faculty and students, experiential learning opportunities, study away,  and community-based internships.

Sample Academic Excellence Metrics:

• Enrollment, both overall and program
• Number of new in-demand programs
• Number of credentials other than majors and minors
• Completion of program health review
• Percentage of students reporting high-impact experiences (e.g., NSSE)
• Percentage of HIP experiences offered in program curricula (e.g., study away requirements)
• Amount of funding available for high-impact experiences (e.g., local funding for service learning opportunities, etc.)
• Number of hyflex classrooms 
• Number of digitally delivered courses
• Student retention rates
• Student persistence rates
• Graduation rates
• Students’ average time to graduation

Financial Sustainability & Stewardship 

Definition: Fredonia will strengthen its  financial position to allow us to continue to thrive as a vibrant comprehensive university.

1. Implement a budget strategy that supports long-term financial stability and fiscal accountability and aligns resources with the strategic plan.
2. Enhance affordability and accessibility for students to engage in high-impact learning experiences that prepare them for success as global citizens.
3. Develop and maintain supplemental and alternative revenue sources.
4. Increase engagement and enhance fundraising efforts of the university with alumni and the community as we move toward our bicentennial anniversary. 
5. Advocate for increased state support and investment.

Sample Financial Sustainability & Stewardship Metrics:

• Number of budget requests submitted
• Number and results of revenue generating activities
• Scholarships awarded 
• State support received
• Grants received
• Increase in non-traditional revenue streams (12- month campus for events, camps, programs, etc)
• Alumni engagement percentage (donor rate)
• FCF Annual Report

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging

Definition: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging are important, interdependent components of everyday life at SUNY Fredonia to our institutional identity. It is essential that we strive to recruit and retain a diverse population of employees and students and cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment.

1. Create a climate in which everyone experiences growth, belonging,  and connectedness.
2. Recruit and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff, to add to the cultural fabric of all aspects of our institution to ensure Fredonia's footprint of growth and development globally. 
3. Prioritize and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in all areas, systems, practices, services, and policies within campus facilities and operations.
4. Incentivize curriculum and co-curriculum initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging through internationalization, scholarship, research, and creative activities.

Sample Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging Metrics:

• Evaluate perceptions of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (e.g. Develop comprehensive data-sharing plan).
• Number of accessible materials and content for courses and public (e.g., percent of website accessibility).
• Evaluate types of diversity and inclusion training programs and increase the number of programs available (e.g. unconscious bias, cultural humility, gender, sexuality, ADA, race, SES disparities, etc.).
• Number and type of training provided in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students, faculty and staff  (e.g. recruitment training, workforce and education gaps etc.).
• Number and type of awards and recognition to individuals for diversity and inclusion work (e.g. research programs, mentoring program, community engagement, etc.).
• Evaluate and improve courses in graduate and undergraduate curriculum to address disparities across all identities.
• Number and type of pathway programs offered, participants, and tracking of participants (e.g. Summer research and programmatic initiatives).

Wellness and Wellbeing

Definition:  Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental health outcomes (EAB, March 1, 2022). Fredonia advances a culture that fosters the well-being of our diverse campus community in order to improve the overall quality of life. 

1. Establish a culture of wellness that values life balance and advances the social, emotional, financial, intellectual, occupational, environmental, and physical dimensions of wellness for students, faculty, and staff. 
2. Build collaborative relationships within campus and with community partners to promote wellness awareness, expand programming, and increase participation.
3. Create a unified and streamlined approach to providing information to the campus community and services to students through wellness resources and strategies.
4. Prioritize and promote well-being in all areas, systems, practices, services, and policies that enhance student success and holistic development within campus facilities and operations.

Sample Wellness Metrics:

• Wellness culture survey | Wellbeing assessment
  • Healthy Minds Study
• Prevalence & incidence data
• Self-reported health reported data
• Biometric data to assess impact of behavioral health interventions on risk factors.
• Evaluation measures to ensure programs and services are effective and meeting the needs of the target population.
• Outcomes measures for key health behaviors to measure long term and culture change
• Map and evaluate programs to campus initiatives .
• Needs assessments
• Outcome and process evaluations for trainings 
• Departmental program evaluations 

Distinctive Identity

Definition: Establish Fredonia’s reputation and identity as a regional leader in student success through scholarship, artistic expression, community engagement, and entrepreneurship.

1. Establish SUNY Fredonia's distinctive identity through compelling and research-informed value propositions and key messaging that distinguishes SUNY Fredonia as a university of destination.
2. Embrace SUNY Fredonia's distinctive identity through the development of pride among internal constituents (current students, faculty, staff) through shared experiences of Fredonia’s values and traditions.
3. Support SUNY Fredonia's distinctive identity through strategic and sustained efforts to raise Fredonia’s institutional profile and reputation.
4. Elevate SUNY Fredonia’s identity as a first-choice institution for prospective students, faculty and staff.

Sample Distinctive Identity Metrics:

• Annual Yield, and Yield by program
• Percentage of Applicant Pool that Identifies Fredonia as top choice (as measured by the Admitted Student Survey)
• Percentage of Successful Searches for Faculty and Staff, including student employment
• Alumni engagement and participation
• Geographic Diversity of our student population
• Reputation of Academic Programs and Student Experience
• Perception amongst competitors by campus stakeholders and external audiences
• Campus surveys  (TOOL)
• Recognition at the National/Regional/State Level
• Stand-out programs
• Knowledge vs. Interest (How much are we known vs. how does that translate into applications)

Fredonia’s Distinctive Identity

Strategic Planning Committee

• David Starrett, Executive Vice President and Provost
• Tracy Stenger, Vice President for Student Affairs
• Vicki T Sapp, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
• Joseph (Andy) Karafa, Dean, Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Ann Aldrich, Director of Budget
• Cory Bezek, Executive Director of Enrollment
• Rob Deemer, Faculty, School of Music and Interim Chair, Theatre and Dance
• Lisa Denton, Faculty, Department of Psychology
• T. John McCune, ITS, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Officer
• Jennifer Michalek, Associate Director of Development/Annual Giving
• Kerrie Wilkes, Director of Reed Library
• Jeff Woodard, Director of Marketing and Communications