Draft of Strategic PlanOctober 28, 2013

Table of Contents

Introduction

Mission, Vision, Values

Strategic Plan

Appendix A: Elaborations on Institutional Aspirations

Appendix B: Sources of Input and Summaries from October Campus Forums.

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I n t r o d u c t i o n

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Strategic Plan: Timeline and InputKey Dates:

Launched with BOT– Jan. 2013

Strategic Plan Working Group charged – April

Initial draft Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, Strategies – May

Refined Goals, Strategies, Metrics –Sept.

Board Retreat – Oct 25

Target completion and adoption by Board – December 12, 2013.

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Input and Feedback:

Evaluation of 2004 Strategic Plan

NSSE Surveys

ABET Recent Alumni Surveys

Campus forums – Mar/April 2013

External stakeholder survey –Summer 2013

Comments on draft Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, Strategies – Summer / Fall 2013

Campus forums / Meetings with student leadership – October 2013 (Summaries in Appendix B)

External Forces

Technological and market forces appear to be pushing the higher education industry to the precipice of dramatic change. Consider:

Consumer interest in measurable outcomes and other accountability standards of higher education has driven a proliferation of ratings and surveys

Federal government is looming as a key stakeholder in evaluating performance, accountability, and affordability of higher education

Growing volatility in the availability of governmental funding (state and federal)

Intersection of technology, pedagogical change, and student demographical shifts threaten traditional higher education delivery model and require flexibility to adapt to the rapidly changing marketplace

High tuition rates are driving private investment for possible substitution products that leverage use of technology in delivery

Job-market volatility has made life-long learning a necessity rather than a luxury

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Competitive Position

Strengths in our position Strong regional and Int’l reputation

in foundational fields “Payscale.com” / ROI type of

analyses favor us strongly Very strong demand for our

graduates Student quality Committed and talented faculty

and staff. Exceptional growth in research

program metrics* in the past 7 years

Mines mission in line with many global grand challenges

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Higher education competes for students and grant funding in a playing field that loosely links reputation, degree value, selectivity, research impact and attendance price. Mines has benefited from the energy & minerals boom and an increased emphasis on STEM education

* Research awards, graduate student population, incoming student quality, “wins” in strong name recognition awards

Areas of Concern￭ Reputation is not aligned well with student

degree demographic￭ We are vulnerable in terms of both immaturity in

online course offerings/technology integration into course delivery and differentiating factors for the first two undergraduate years

￭ Our high cost increasingly makes it paramount that all of our activities are “high quality” and economically efficient

￭ Our small size requires that we compete on the basis of quality not “mass”

￭ Student demographic is not truly national￭ For eight indicators used by USNWR to rank

National Universities, we are top 50 in only 2#

# Student selectivity (44), Alumni Giving (50), Undergraduate academic reputation (71), Freshman retention (79), Faculty resources (95), Graduation and retention rates (108), Financial Resources (174), Graduation rate performance (228)

Definitions for Plan Development

Guiding Principles: Core, underlying attributes set by institutional history and a broad campus understanding of who we are and who we want to be

Aspirations: Critical measures of institutional success toward achieving our vision

Goals: Thematic areas that serve to prioritize the institution’s strategic initiatives

Strategies: Targeted activities used to produce measurable and positive changes that are aligned with institutional goals and aspirations

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M i s s i o n V i s i o n Va l u e s

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Mission, Vision, Values

Mission:

Education and research in engineering and science to solve the world’s challenges related to the earth, energy and the environment

• Colorado School of Mines educates students and creates knowledge to address the needs and aspirations of the world’s growing population.

• Mines embraces engineering, the sciences, and associated fields related to the discovery and recovery of the Earth’s resources, the conversion of resources to materials and energy, development of advanced processes and products, fundamental knowledge and technologies that support the physical andbiological sciences, and the economic, social and environmental systems necessary for a sustainable global society.

• Mines empowers, and holds accountable, its faculty, students, and staff to achieve excellence in its academic programs, its research, and in its application of knowledge for the development of technology.

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Mission, Vision, Values

Vision:

Mines will be the premier institution, based on the impact of its graduates and research programs, in engineering and science relating to the earth, energy and the environment

• Colorado School of Mines is a world-renowned institution that continually enhances its leadership in educational and research programs that serve national and international constituencies.

• Mines is widely acclaimed as an educational institution focused on stewardship of the earth, development of materials, overcoming the earth’s energy challenges, and fostering environmentally sound and sustainable solutions.

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Values:

A student-centered institution focused on education that promotes collaboration, integrity, perseverance, creativity, life-long learning, and a responsibility for developing a better world

• The Mines student graduates with a strong sense of integrity, intellectual curiosity, demonstrated ability to get a job done in collaborative environments, passion to achieve goals, and an enhanced sense of responsibility to promote positive change in the world.

• Mines is committed to providing a quality experience for students, faculty, and staff through student programs, excellence in pedagogy and research, and an engaged and supportive campus community.

• Mines actively promotes ethical and responsible behaviors as a part of all aspects of campus life.

Mission, Vision, Values

S t r a t e g i c P l a n

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Guiding Principles13

As Mines develops its next strategic plan, we are committed to these critical guiding principles:

￭ Mines will remain a small, specialized engineering and science research university.

￭ Emphasis on quality and excellence must be paramount in the education, research and services that we deliver. (“We are proud of everything we do.”)

￭ Mines must operate with the entrepreneurial mindset of a private institution that promotes innovation in programs and cost efficiency in operations.

￭ A diverse community with a sense of shared purpose toward serving our mission and our stakeholders.

￭ Curricular delivery that is student-centered and leverages strengths of highly innovative faculty and best-in-class technology practices.

Aspirations

Top 30 Engineering Program in the nation

4-year graduation rate of 60% and 6-year rate of 82% while still maintaining Mines’ hallmark commitment to quality, rigor and excellence

Surpass $100M in research expenditures

Mines will continue to be financially self-sustaining

95% of graduates (undergraduate and graduate) would have chosen Mines again if they could re-do their decision

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Challenges

Resource limitations – capital and human

Competition for hiring and retaining high caliber faculty members

Limited market identity and reputation

Historically “siloed” units, functions, processes and practices

Tradition and resistance to change

Aligning staffing to meet new expectations and opportunities

Competing demands between teaching and research

Alignment of campus goals with high quality student and faculty interactions

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How we achieve our aspirations…

Goal 1: Enhance the distinctive identity and reputation of Mines.

Critical if Mines is to advance its unique market position for the continued benefit of the institution, and its graduates, employers and partners.

Risks: Engineering education and research is highly competitive and expensive.

Innovation is occurring rapidly in the marketplace. Mines must compete with better resourced institutions. Other institutions are actively moving into our areas of intellectual activity,

and While Mines research portfolio is unique, other institutions will emulate.

We must be able to compete.

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Goal 1: Enhance the distinctive identity and reputation of MinesStrategies

Develop and implement integrated marketing plan that expands our brand recognition and reputation throughout the world.

Increase collaborations with other top quality institutions worldwide.

Expand active-learning instruction (such as studio and project-based, rather than traditional lecture format) utilizing best-in-class pedagogical and technological practices.

Improve and expand opportunities for participation in professional practice and research throughout the entire undergraduate experience.

Expand and enhance graduate student development of professional attributes through formalized activities and curricular excellence.

Create new and enhance existing large research initiatives focusing on the global challenges related to the earth, energy, and the environment.

Increase faculty membership in national academies and professional society fellows, and student participation in prestigious national awards and fellowships.

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How we achieve our aspirations…

GOAL 2: Build upon a student-centered campus culture of excellence, inclusion, diversity and community.

To recruit, attract and prepare the best students for success within a highly competitive market place requires Mines to leverage content expertise of faculty, the residential campus, and to promote individual intellectual curiosity within a diverse, open and inclusive community.

Risks: Engineering education and research is highly competitive. Being left behind in the quality of education it delivers. Not being able to compete for high-quality students, faculty and staff.

Not meeting student expectations in the quality of educational experiences.

Reputation and perceptions are very difficult to change externally or modify once established.

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Goal 2: Build upon a student-centered campus culture of excellence, inclusion, diversity and community.

Strategies Expand residential campus to integrate efforts from academic affairs and

student life, for undergraduate and graduate students, to promote student community and to foster collaboration, learning, leadership and citizenship.

Advance academic culture and structure that fosters creativity, intellectual-curiosity, and student success.

Enhance opportunities for students to develop effective communication skills as a complement to strong content expertise.

Increase the diversity and quality of Mines’ faculty, student and staff.

Improve mentoring and other support of faculty with the goal to enhance the overall quality of the student experience.

Build a campus that values employees and students of the institution through a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment.

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How we achieve our aspirations…

GOAL 3: Build and diversify revenue streams and auxiliary enterprises.

Delivering high-quality engineering and science education and research is expensive. Mines, while protecting its core revenue stream, must diversify beyond traditional tuition and state support. This is a critical underlying need for the success of the other goals in this plan.

Risks: Opportunities for institutional advancement continue to be limited by its

undiversified revenue stream.

Mines lags behind in its professional offerings, playing catch up.

Rising expectations of incoming students and threats from disruptive technologies related to instructional delivery.

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Goal 3: Build and diversify revenue streams and auxiliary enterprises.

Strategies Build upon advancements in board authorities that define our relationship

with the state.

Expand institutional support and infrastructure development through alumni outreach and Foundation initiatives.

Establish new or expand continuing education and executive education enterprises that enhance the reputation, global reach, and financial security of Mines.

Continuously investigate new technologies and market trends that threaten core revenues, and respond to best leading practices that maintain our preeminence in instructional delivery.

Support research innovation through an enhanced technology transfer program.

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How we achieve our aspirations…

GOAL 4: Develop and support campus infrastructure and processes to match Mines' aspiration to become a top-tier engineering and science institution.

Infrastructure, practices, processes and procedures have not kept pace with growth in students, faculty or research activities. Mines is limited in its ability to leverage existing infrastructure and people, or expand its overall mission by business processes and practices.

Risks: Inability to respond to challenges and opportunities. Continued inefficiencies in business operations and processes waste

valuable financial and human resources. Degradation in core academic functions (teaching and research) due to

critical infrastructure deficiencies.

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Goal 4: Develop and support campus infrastructure and processes to match Mines' aspiration to become a top-tier engineering and science institution. Strategies

Incorporate within the overall financial plan a strategy to sustain and improve capital infrastructure.

Produce, and continuously monitor the effectiveness of, faculty teaching and research guidelines that promote excellence and satisfaction.

Assess and reconfigure administrative processes to promote institutional efficiency, communication, transparency and ease of access to information.

Upgrade and enhance instructional infrastructure and support services.

Upgrade and enhance research infrastructure to support growth in research while ensuring effectiveness and efficiency.

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Aspirational Metrics24

AspirationsStart ofPlan (2013)

Progress

A. Top 30 Engineering Program in the nation 49

B. 4‐year undergraduate graduation rate of 60% 44.10%

C. 6‐year undergraduate graduation rate of 82% 69.70%

D. Surpass $100M in research expenditures $55M

E. Mines is financially self sustaining: KPMG Composite Financial Index

F. 95% of undergraduates would have chosen to go to Mines again 86%

G. 95% of graduate students would have chosen to go to Mines again n/a

DRAFT Goal Metrics: Current standing, Alignment, and Targets

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Implementation Metrics That Align with Goals Aspiration Goal Current 3‐Year Target 10‐Year TargetNational academy memberships A 1Number of students applying for national scholarships A 1Number of national merit finalists in freshman class A 1PhD graduates per TTT faculty A,D 1Undergraduate student placement A,F 1Graduate student placement A,F 1Total disclosures on inventions (annual) E,F 1,3Graduate student to faculty (TTT and research) ratio A,D 2Percentage female students A 2Percentage of classes taught by adjuncts F 2Percentage of graduate students living on campus F,E 2Percentage of undergraduate students living on campus F,E 2Percentage underrepresented students F 2Percentage underrepresented TTT faculty F 2Student satisifaction: NSSE supportive environment response F 2Undergraduate student to faculty (TTT and Teaching) ratio A,B,C,F 2Freshman‐to‐sophomore retention rate A,B,C,F 2,1Percentage of undergraduates with internships/co‐op/research experience A,F 2,1Percentage undegraduates with an on‐campus research experience A,F 2,1Precentage of classes that employ active‐learning B,C,F 2,1Sophomore‐to‐junior retention rate B,C,F 2,1Dollars generated through auxilary academic programs A,E 3Percentage alumni giving participation rate E 3Philantropic $ raised / yr E 3Number of active $2M/yr, or larger, research initiatives A,D 3,1Number targeted professional (masters and certificate) degree programs E 3,1Number of named faculty chairs A,D 3,1,2Annual revenue devoted to capital infrastructure support/development D,E 4Annual revenue devoted to research/equipment infrastructure D,E 4Improved utlization of research infrastructure ($ expenditure/sq ft) D 4Number processes streamlined through electronic mediation A,D,E 4

What’s next?

With the Board’s endorsement of mission, vision and values statements, continue discussing strategies and metrics with campus

Revise strategic plan based on board and campus input – November Carefully refine the proposed metrics to align with the plan and to

facilitate monitoring campus change

Board of Trustees adoption – December 12, 2013

Development of priorities and supporting initiatives -- ongoing

Development of financial modeling to support strategic plan initiatives – ongoing

Communicate strategic plan goals and initiatives with stakeholders.

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APPENDIX A: Elaboration on Institutional Aspirations

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Aspiration: Top 30 engineering program

Why is this important? High quality students (and their parents) pay greater attention to rankings.

Engineering rankings are generally based on peer evaluation. Successful achievement of this aspiration will require national recognition of all facets of the enterprise -- teaching, research, student quality, marketing.

How will we measure this? US News & World Report Undergraduate Engineering Program ranking (we are currently 49)

Could expand this goal to include putting us in top 50 of Graduate Engineering Program (we are currently 57)

What is required to achieve? Expansion of our brand to the traditional Engineering disciplines (the new ABET degrees

should help this)

Elevated and coordinated marketing effort to engineering peers: target reputation for ALL of engineering Public relations and marketing driven activity Relationship development of key academic leaders by Mines faculty and staff

Increased collaboration with other top quality institutions worldwide

National “best-in-class” pedagogical initiatives and graduate and research programs

A coordinated effort to dominate the undergraduate engineering marketplace in Colorado: both incoming students and strength of recruiting for students

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Aspiration: Top 30 engineering program29

Rank Institution Rank Institution Rank Institution

1 MIT 17 Rice 35 Brown

2 Stanford 19 Columbia 35 Case Western Reserve

3 UC-Berkeley 20 Duke 35 Iowa State

4 Cal Tech 21 Pennsylvania State 35 Lehigh

5 Georgia Tech 22 U of California-LA 35 UC-Santa Barbara

5 U of IL-Urbana 23 Harvard 35 U of Florida

7 Carnegie Mellon 23 U of Maryland 35 U of Virginia

7 Cornell 23 U of Minnesota 35 Vanderbilt

7 U of Michigan-Ann Arbor 26 Ohio State 43 Arizona State

10 Purdue 26 Rensselaer Polytechnic 43 Rutgers

11 UT-Austin 26 U of California-San Diego 43 Notre Dame

12 Princeton 26 U of Pennsylvania 43 Washington University

13 Northwestern 26 U of Sothern California 43 Yale

14 U of Wisconsin-Madison 26 U of Washington 49 Colorado School of Mines

15 Texas A&M 32 North Carolina State Univ 49 Dartmouth

16 Virginia Tech 32 U of California-Davis 49 UC-Irvine

17 Johns Hopkins 32 U of Colorado - Boulder 49 U of Pittsburgh

US News Rankings: Undergraduate engineering programs where highest degree granted is doctorate.

Aspiration: Increase graduation rates

“Four year graduation rate of 60% and six year rate of 82% while still maintaining Mines’ hallmark commitment to quality, rigor and excellence.”

Why is this important?

State and federal accountability standards, as well as college rankings, are focusing on institutional outcomes, in particular graduation rates.

Graduation goals should compete with aspirational peers, including private institutions since our aspiration is to compete nationally for like-quality students.

Mines’ current entering freshman profile (GPA / SAT / ACT) matches or nearly matches Worcester (WPI), Rose-Hulman, Rensselaer (RPI), Cal-Berkeley, Georgia Tech.

Peer and aspirational peer graduation benchmarks (4 yr/6 yr – from 2011 IPEDS data): Mines (40%/70%) Cal Tech (76%/87%), Harvey Mudd (75 / 84), Carnegie-Mellon (71 / 87), Berkeley (71 / 90) RPI (60%/84%), GA Tech (31 / 79), WPI (65 / 76), Rose (66 / 77), “Rolla” (26 / 67)

What is required to achieve? Continued emphasis on recruiting highly talented students. Focus on removal of unintended institutional barriers. Curricular excellence, flexibility, and efficiency.

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Aspiration: Surpass $100M in Research ExpendituresWhy is this important? Externally viewable metrics and rankings (US News,

IPEDS, ASEE) are based on research expenditures/yr.

One determinant of institutional character is balance between research and teaching. Strategy to remain a small institution places boundary conditions on graduate student growth and therefore the size of research enterprise.

Despite growth constraints, $100M in research expenditures is an important milestone for an institution of our size.

Research expenditure growth will drive graduate program quality.

How will we measure this? Research expenditures reported by institution

through IPEDS and ASEE

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Institution ‐ Engineering Only $1k Res Exp per TTT + Res Faculty

Colorado School of Mines 194.4Arizona State 334.9University Colorado, Boulder 263.7Geogia Institute of Technology 231.0Michigan State University 235.4New Jersey Institute of Technology 447.5Pennsylvania State University 366.2Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 396.4Virginia Tech 338.6University Wisconsin, Madison 344.8

ASEE Research Expenditure AY2011‐2012

What is required to achieve? With modest faculty growth (5%), increasing from current expenditure per faculty of $194k

to $333.3k per faculty, which is in line with other engineering colleges. Improved research infrastructure and investment Growth in faculty, research faculty and graduate students.

Aspiration: Student Satisfaction

“95% of graduates (undergraduate and graduate) would have chosen Mines again if they could re-do their decision. “

Why is this important?

As we become more tuition dependent, quality of the student experience will drive our ability to recruit high caliber students.

How do we measure this?

National Survey of Student Engagement. Mines annually participates in this survey that measures what students gain from attending their institution. This survey is used to identify aspects of the undergraduate experience that can be improved through changes in policy and practice. First year and senior students are asked to participate. Mines receives confidential institutional level data and consolidated national data.

Senior response to the following NSSE question: “If you could start over again, would you attend the same institution you are currently attending?”

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APPENDIX B: Sources of Input

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List of Input Sources

Review of 2004 Strategic Plan Progress

Mines at a Glance (SWOT analysis)

Campus Forums – March / April 2013

Survey of Recent Graduates (as prepared for ABET review)

Survey of Stakeholders (Corporate leaders, academic leaders, policymakers) – August / September 2013

National Survey of Student Engagement Results

Strategic Planning Working Group

Campus Forums – October 2013

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Summary of Faculty and Staff Input

Aspirations: Clarify and communicate differences

between goals and aspirations.

Why were these particular metrics chosen? They didn’t resonate with many participants.

Diversity / inclusion is missing.

Goal 1: Identify & Reputation Clarify active-learning Move external focus bullet (national

marketing plan) up the list.

Goal 2: Campus Culture Support for graduate and non-traditional

students needs to be addressed. A supportive environment needs to

include support for faculty and staff. Diversity metrics need to be better

defined: broadened, and measured deeper into the institution.

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Key Themes from Campus Forums (October 2013)Goal 3: Enhance Revenue How do we better leverage technology we

already have. Can we support big research initiatives with

inadequate infrastructure? Include existing strategic enterprise function

in the strategies for this goal. Consider how activity supporting this goal can

be recognized and rewarded in promotion and tenure process.

Goal 4: Infrastructure Re-write goal itself to include being a model

institution. Empower staff to address these issues. The order of the words “science and

engineering” make a difference ; also make references to science, engineering, technology consistent throughout document.

Human dimension of infrastructure should be addressed: training, development of employees, etc.

NOTE: Detailed summary of forums as prepared by Pepper Consulting also presented to Board.

Summary of Student Input

Key themes from presentations to Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate Student Government (October 2013)

Undergraduate: Ensure quality and rigor of programs do not suffer in pursuit to increase

graduation rates.

Encourage and support more student to student learning and interaction.

Will the emphasis of “earth, energy, environment” be increased in the undergraduate experience? Would like to see this happen.

More opportunities for undergraduate research.

Graduate : Ensure that there is an adequate balance between research and teaching.

Mines education adds value over online technologies through campus and faculty interaction.

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