This document culminates a period of wide-ranging and continuous consultation, data gathering, analysis, and forecasting. And yet, it can more accurately be described as a process rather than a product, a point midway in a journey that reflects on the voyage past and plots out the route ahead.
The Strategic Plan is an ongoing and evolving document that provides specific, attainable, and measurable goals for Concordia University. The Mission and Core Values section describes who we are, what we purport to do, and the values associated with those goals and objectives. The Strategic Plan provides a vision of the future and serves as a map to this future of Concordia University that remains flexible and responsive to new opportunities and challenges. The Five-Year Operational Plan is the tactical plan or vehicle for getting to the mileposts Concordia University has set in the Strategic Plan, fueled by a carefully deployed group of human and financial resources. The Contingency Plan outlines possible solutions to the five-year goals if there are shortfalls in one or more areas. The section describes alternative courses of action to reach the larger goals of enhanced service to church and community, financial solvency, and vibrant growth.
The Strategy for Project Design, Consideration and Implementation section describes the process by which Concordia will conduct business and analyze future or existing projects. This section provides specific guidelines for researching the viability of proposed or existing initiatives on behalf of Concordia. It also defines the metrics to evaluate the project at different stages of the process. The Campus Facilities Master Plan is a series of study documents by which physical facility needs are identified to upgrade the university as well as to change and grow the university in the future.
In the upcoming Capital Campaign, Concordia will develop personal relationships on behalf of the University, clarify supporter interests in the University, discover unexpected opportunities, and generate financial resources. The Campaign will assist in the implementation of the content of the Strategic Plan, including the Campus Facilities Master Plan.
The Strategic Plan explains why the University must change and move forward within its mission and vision, and describes what changes and improvements are proposed in its educational and campus life programs. The Strategy for Project Design, Consideration and Implementation will help Concordia with how we will move project by detailing the processes and metrics. The Campus Facility Master Plan shapes the mission, vision, changes and improvements by documenting where and how the facilities will progress and look as they appear on campus. When they will appear is dependant on the Operational Plan and in large part on customer reaction and response to the Capital Campaign, to improve and develop new academic and campus life programs, and trends in enrollment growth.
To that end, the Five-Year Strategic Plan envisions by 2010 a university with the following characteristics, grouped into nine categories that correlate to the strategic plan, beginning on page 13:
Increased Enrollment
- An enrollment of 1,200 students is maintained from year-to-year
- Traditional students who live off-campus and adult education students receive improved services
- Academic and campus life programs continuously and actively support a core of high level wellness in spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and emotional development for students, faculty and staff
- Annual reviews of admissions criteria ensure successful students in Concordia’s educational environment
- Financial aid, funded scholarships and controlled growth of the tuition rate making a Concordia education affordable
- The University offers desirable job placement opportunities for graduating students, and ongoing career development for alumni
Increased Funding
- A variety of funding opportunities are available to alumni and friends in support of the University’s mission and vision, through endowments, special gifts and grants
- Investments are managed to bring the greatest benefit to Concordia University
Quality Faculty and Staff
- The University employs a diverse faculty, who are fully dedicated to the broader mission of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
- Professional and personal growth opportunities are made available to faculty
Upgraded Financial Management
- A blend of annual income from tuition, fees, rents, donations, endowments, special gifts, and grants assures on-going, year-to-year financial integrity of University operating and maintenance expense budgets
- A financial base and plan for capital investment enables the university to create an educationally rich and physically attractive environment for our university community
- University debt and new loans are managed to insure a credit rating that allows the University to take advantage of unexpected opportunities to improve operations at favorable interest rates
- Yearly financial audits routinely completed in a timely and efficient manner
- Vice Presidents receive monthly operating expense reports within 15 business days of month-end, to enable accountability and real time intervention for cost management and control
- Capital budgeting and forecasting is timely and effective for capital set-asides and execution of major maintenance and improvement projects, and for controlled development and growth of the University
- Create a multi-year debt reduction strategy to significantly reduce the institutional debt
Campus and Facility Improvement
- The Maintenance Department organization, staffing, personnel and use of contractors provides capable and qualified maintenance and repair services
- The university follows a preventative maintenance program, complete with annual audits, follow-up and prompt backlog completion
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- Response to special/urgent service requests is seen as prompt and reliable
- The Campus Facilities Master Plan guides major maintenance and improvement project design and execution
- Enrollment growth is enabled through expanded classroom, dormitory, service areas and parking space consistent with Campus Facilities Master Plan concepts for schedule, function, location and appearance
Effective Marketing
- Advertising and promotion helps with recruitment and retention of a diverse student body
- A comprehensive marketing plan includes prospective student pools, donor constituencies, lifelong learning program offerings, and campus events
Develop and Maintain Relationships
- Officials of the LCMS and the general Church membership see Concordia University – Ann Arbor as an indispensable supplier of professional church workers and of highly educated and trained Christian graduates in a variety of career fields.
- Concordia University – Ann Arbor is an integral partner in mission with local congregations and regional districts, particularly Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and English.
- The University works diligently to maintain a positive working relationship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Board for Higher Education
- The Board of Regents, Advisory Regents and other volunteer constituencies engage in the work of the university and its long-term success
- Concordia alumni support the university financially and engage in on and off campus events.
Raise Academic Excellence
- The University keeps a core of outstanding church vocations degree programs at the forefront of its academic programs.
- The University offers a complementary group of church-related certificate and continuing education programs.
- The University will expand through a carefully planned array of new programs and majors, faithful to our mission and sensitive to the educational and vocational market.
- A carefully focused group of graduate degree programs is available to students.
- University Administration works with accrediting bodies to establish and maintain accreditation of academic programs and ensure educationally rich opportunities for students at Concordia
Systematically Create Performance Metrics for All Areas of the University
- Gather input as to what the metrics should include from the perspective of the department or area
- Coordinate those metrics with other areas and the strategic plan to move projects, initiatives, and the ongoing business of the university forward and in the direction as outlined in this document
That these characteristics are firmly grounded in careful planning and realistic expectations rather than in wishful thinking, the accompanying documents will make clear.
We begin with Concordia’s historic mission as “a liberal arts university of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, preparing men and women for lives of service in the church and in the world.” At the heart of that mission, reflected in our teaching, our student recruitment, and our faculty/staff recruitment, will always be the preparation of professional workers for the church. Nevertheless, as we explain in the pages that follow, that commitment to preparing professionals for a life of service “in the world” is enhanced rather than weakened by the expansion and improvement of other programs, programs which are both mission-driven and market-conscious.
The material that follows scrutinizes both external and internal conditions that have and will continue to affect our progress, not only in terms of potential roadblocks which we ignore at our peril but also in terms of significant opportunities, on-ramps to the direct route we have mapped to our destination. An analysis of population trends in our region in general and our regional Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in particular sets forth challenges and goals for us in terms of student recruitment. A similar analysis of our current facilities, students, programs, faculty and staff benchmarks the progress we have made in the last two years and the acceleration of that forward movement that we anticipate over the next five years.
On page 13, we set forth our current Strategic Plan. This plan grew out of a process begun by Dr. Alan Borcherding, called “On Target,” and was further developed and refined by the current university leadership, drawing on a wide group of stakeholders: faculty, staff, students, regents, church and community leaders. The plan is an ongoing and evolving document that provides specific, attainable, and measurable goals for Concordia in the next six months to two years.
Accompanying the report is the Five-Year Operational Plan, identifying the nine areas of growth and change, which emerged from the Strategic Plan. The plan delineates projects in program refinement and growth, institutional advancement (including development strategies and goals), staffing, and financial management for the period.
Following the Operational Plan is the Contingency Plan section which outlines specific action needed to compensate for underperforming areas of the university. Should one area fall short of expectations, this section outlines other actions or activity that will make up the differences. The Strategy for Project Design, Consideration, and Implementation segment describes the process by which the university will consider new projects or initiatives or reviews existing areas that need review. This section includes a Sunset Plan that provides a framework for evaluating the ramifications and process for reduction or possible cessation in activity/program over the appropriate period of time.
The Campus Master Plan will enable us to plan for new growth, improved traffic and service functions, general functionality, and an evolving footprint of the vision of Concordia as move reach the 50th anniversary of the institution in 2013. It is important to note that any new construction of facilities needs to be accompanied by a plan for the resultant budgetary implications that new buildings and program will bring to campus both from the revenue side and the expense side.
Our firm belief and realistic expectation is a bright future for this institution of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. As this report demonstrates, Concordia University in Ann Arbor has a specific, attainable destination and a carefully plotted route to get there. We base that belief on the plans contained herein, as well as on the following notable trends:
- Confidence in Concordia’s future has fueled enrollment growth: after several years of enrollment decline, in Fall 2004 Concordia registered the highest new student enrollment in fourteen years. The Fall 2005 Census report registered the highest new student enrollment in 18 years, an increase of 8% over 2004. Concordia also realized the goal of educating 600 students on campus.
- Confidence in Concordia’s future has mobilized donors. Significant gifts to the university have increased and Concordia, Ann Arbor ranks among the top 5 Concordia University System schools in terms of commitments to the For Sake of the Church Endowment campaign. Confidence in Concordia’s future has energized the faculty and staff. Participation in planning committees and in project design and implementation is up significantly. Even in terms of financial contributions to the university, the year-end appeal elicited the highest number of faculty/staff donors in many years.
- Confidence in Concordia’s future has reanimated Concordia’s partner districts, which more and more view the university as an indispensable partner in their mission. The Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and English districts are among the largest districts of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod both in terms of confirmed members and in terms of financial support to synod, according to 2002 statistics supplying almost 20% of the synodical budget. These districts have stepped up with enthusiastic support, both financial and structural. The presidents of the Michigan and the Indiana districts currently serve on Concordia’s Board of Regents, and other district officials from all four districts serve in advisory capacity to the Board of Regents.
In sum, we know where we are, we know where we want to go, and we know how to get there. We trust that the Strategic Plan that follows will generate your enthusiasm for the journey of this special institution of the church as it has ours.
