2024-2025 Sub-Deliverables
Our five-year plan outlines five outstanding success possibilities (OSPs) that, when accomplished, will represent a true measure of exemplary achievement, promising to have a far-reaching impact on the future of the University and the educational experience of our students.
OSP 1: Market-responsive Education
The University of New Haven was founded to meet the workforce needs of the region. During its hundred-year history it has often been one of the first educational institutions in the Northeast, and at times in the nation to respond to new economic needs, having, for example, the first online MS Esports Business program in the world, the second oldest EMBA in the Northeast, among the first programs in Forensic Science in the U.S., and establishing immediately after 9/11 the second graduate program in National Security.
Building on this proud history, we strive to be a leader in the swift development of programs that meet emergent economic challenges and opportunities in Connecticut, our nation and beyond.
OSP Leader
Shaily Menon
Sub-Deliverable Leaders
Deb Flonc
Ron Harichandran
Nick LaMendola
Michele Polak
Sue Pranulis
Nancy Savage
Chuck Skipton
Lauren Slingluff
George Synodi
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Refine college and program metrics to establish program enrollment goals that drive budget allocation for successful new and existing program performance and strategic initiative funds for new market-responsive programs; while simultaneously identifying programs for either reimagining or decommissioning, through routinizing a robust program assessment plan.
Outcome 2
Raise funds to create, staff, and support interdisciplinary structures at the university that will be platforms for new program development across the disciplines.
Outcome 3
Revise the Core Curriculum to streamline and distinguish a coherent “core” that prepare all students for success in the new economy with emerging technologies.
Outcome 4
Ensure, for each fiscal year, that incremental net student and fee revenue exceeds incremental increases in annual operating expenses, and results in an unrestricted increase in net assets from operations of at least 4%, which is 7.664 million dollars in the 2021-2022 operating plan.
Outcome 5
Increase external funding through grants & contracts by 10% each year for 3-5 years with a focus on funding research and projects that complement market-responsive degree programs and provide students with opportunities for competency acquisition in these areas.
Outcome 6
Measure UNH’s Net Promotion Score, benchmark our NPS against peer institutions, and achieve a higher NPS by 2026.
Outcome 7
Reorganize the Library to emulate the “academic library of the future” by integrating IT services and leading-edge University Library design to create the “digital learning commons” of leading institutions of higher education.
Deliverables
1.1: Develop college and program metrics to establish program enrollment goals that drive budget allocation for successful program performance
- 1.1.01: Use key metric to determine program and college enrollment targets and contribution margin goals.
- 1.1.02: Outline plan for how resources should be allocated to programs based on enrollment and contribution margin goals.
1.2: Program review and assessment of student outcomes
- 1.2.01: Create a repository in Watermark for Program Review Reports and feedback where we can clearly demonstrate our assessment progress. Target is for all programs in 2024 PPR process to submit to the new repository
- 1.2.02: Train an initial set of faculty [those participating in AY25 PPR] in using the Watermark tool for assessment of student learning outcomes
1.3: Create or bolster, staff, and support new and existing interdisciplinary structures at the University that will be the platform for new program development across the disciplines
- 1.3.01: Revise and strengthen the strategic review process and feasibility review process for new academic programs.
- 1.3.02: Generate an initial set of 3-5 Cross-College “Signature Program Clusters” that will be used for recruitment, brand-identity and curriculum development
- 1.3.023: Launch new cross-college interdisciplinary programs in alignment with Signature Program Clusters
1.4: Revise and showcase an interdisciplinary Core Curriculum that invites students to take an active role in their preparation for the new economy and emerging technologies
- 1.4.01: Make substantial progress in the assesment of the university’s core curriculum across all categories and generate data to help with continuous improvement and core curriculum innovation.
- 1.4.02: Continue to implement Core Curriculum innovation through The Connected Core and the inclusion of AI literacy in the core
- 1.4.03: Propose a core curriculum policy change that would allow courses to qualify for more than one core curriculum category
- 1.4.04: Propose a core curriculum scheduling strategy to better facilitate core completion for online, transfer and degree completion students.
1.5: Ensure, for each fiscal year, that incremental net student and fee revenue exceeds incremental increases in annual operating expenses, and results in an unrestricted increase in net assets from operations (“operating margin”) of at least 4%. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year a 4% operating margin is $9 million. The 2024-2025 Board approved operating plan includes a $4.792 million operating margin which is 2.13%.
- 1.5.01: Review recent S&P bond rating assessment to determine areas for improving bond rating (which reduces future borrowing costs)
- 1.5.02: Utilize financial aid leveraging working with Enrollment Management to achieve an annual fall increase in both individual and aggregate net tuition revenue (net of need, merit, and athletic aid) of at least 2% for first-time freshman.
1.6: Enhance external funding at the university with a focus on funding research and projects that complement market-responsive degree programs and provide students with opportunities for competency acquisition in these areas
- 1.6.01: Develop a plan to increase research expenditures through grants & contracts by 10% each year in 3-5 years
- 1.6.02: Develop a framework for a Center of Research Excellence to support faculty scholarly activity growth
- 1.6.03: Evaluate effectiveness of the Grant Incentive program (IDC return).
- 1.6.04: Develop a plan that connects University investment in the research infrastructure (reassigned time, summer compensations, startup funding, space), research expenditures and growth of grant activity (ROI)
1.7: Measure UNH’s Net Promotion Score, benchmark our NPS against peer institutions, and achieve a higher NPS by 2026
- 1.7.01: Continue to evaluate and assess the two annual survey tools/polls that have been put in place (ChargeOut and Navigate)
1.8: Reenvision and reorganize the library to emulate the “academic library of the future” in line with leading institutions of higher education
- 1.8.01: Build assessment benchmarks for key areas of performance and make available and accessible to decision makers through dashboards
- 1.8.02: Create a cohesive library space plan with campus partners including targeted fundraising/capital goals and projected timelines for work
- 1.8.03: Perform library needs assessment reviewing staffing, physical space, digital environment, and collections, including review of trends and benchmarking against peer institutions
1.9: Evaluate the University’s current brand and recommend new market facing brand development
- 1.9.01: Post-survey for brand awareness and perception of University following new Brand Campaign using same demographic groups as discovery phase.
OSP 2: Transformative Student Experience
We will be a leader in transformative experiences that empower our students and foster their sense of belonging, personal wellness and lifelong learning.
OSP Leader
Ophelie Rowe-Allen
Sub-Deliverable Leaders
Matt Caporale
Curtis Clark
Devin Crosby
Tiffany Hesser
Nick LaMendola
Catherine Malan
Marc Maniatis
Brian Otis
Greg Overend
Nancy Savage
Christine Shakespeare
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Achieve an 85% retention rate from the first to second year and 80% retention from the first to third year, while raising the four-year graduation rate to 65%.
Outcome 2
Create transformative co-curricular opportunities to increase student engagement and retention
Outcome 3
Build a campus “Candidate Pool” program in Handshake to positively impact the internship attainment and career outcomes rates
Outcome 4
Develop a distinctive student-athlete experience that improves student recruitment and retention.
Deliverables
2.1: Achieve an 85% retention rate from the first to second year and 80% retention from the first to third year, while raising the four-year graduation rate to 65%.
- 2.1.01: Implement a team-based advising model that provides both early intervention for at-risk students and timely assistance for emerging issues (CSS and CARE), while investigating current policies to be more student-centered and supportive of academic success.
- 2.1.02: Increasing FAFSA and scholarship application support, offer financial literacy education, and increase access to emergency funds and scholarships.
- 2.1.03: Create a targeted student engagement program designed to help students stay engaged and motivated, reducing the risk of drop-off during the sophomore year.
- 2.1.04: Monitor and share retention and 4-year graduation rates through data tracking, analysis, and reporting to inform strategic decisions.
- 2.1.05: Target courses with disproportionally high DFW rates for redesign initiatives by providing resources and instructional design support.
2.2: Create transformative co-curricular opportunities to increase student engagement and retention
- 2.2.01: Enhance co-curricular opportunities that encourages and incentivizes student connection with the broader University community and caters to a wide range of student interest
- 2.2.02: Strengthen peer-to-peer and group mentoring opportunities where experienced students can mentor others involved in co-curricular activities (RA, CA, APM, OTL, Campus Connectors, RSO, CWA, etc.)
- 2.2.03: Utilize the student experience survey results to assess student participation in co-curricular activities, identify barriers to engagement, and evaluate the impact on student outcomes (service learning, study abroad, leadership roles, civic engagement, and research opportunities)
- 2.2.04: Improve the use of Charger Connection to track and monitor student participation in co-curricular opportunities
2.3: Build a campus “Candidate Pool” program in Handshake to positively impact the internship attainment and career outcomes rates
- 2.3.01: Build and maintain a “Candidate Pool” of student resumes to deliver to partners on demand . Use Handshake to build students’ profiles and resumes for talent acquisition. Collaborate with staff and faculty in the development of various candidate pools
- 2.3.02: Ensure the “Career Readiness” of students through on-campus career preparation programs (curricular and co-curricular)
- 2.3.03: Provide training and information on the Handshake process and capabilities to students and the campus community
- 2.3.04: Maintain database integrity by running activity reports and regularly getting updated information from students
- 2.3.05: Develop strategies and repeatable processes to ensure students engage with the Career Development Center for career support
- 2.3.06: Disseminate openings from employer partners to faculty and leadership to ensure consistent communication and reach intended audiences within the college
- 2.3.07: Track interviews, offers, and placements on an ongoing basis
- 2.3.08: Create reports and communications to document outcomes and celebrate successes
- 2.3.09: Track post-graduation outcomes using the overall “knowledge rate”
2.4: Develop a distinctive student-athlete experience that improves student recruitment and retention.
- 2.4.01: Identify financial support to renovate the Jeffery P. Hazell Athletic Center to better accommodate the student-athletes and coaching staff.
- 2.4.02: Increase the NIKE, Inc. equipment provided to each student-athlete by at least 25%.
2.5: Develop a Career and Life Readiness Framework to track students’ development along several career and professional skill dimensions for graduate and undergraduate students.
- 2.5.01: Create a working group to identify essential skills that students should be building during their college experience to prepare them for post-graduation success.
- 2.5.02: Map essential skills to existing course offerings, experiential programs, student leadership programs, internships, and on-campus employment.
- 2.5.03: Create or identify a tracking system to document student engagements and track skill development.
- 2.5.04: Develop assessment instruments to quantify student skill development along chosen essential skills
- 2.5.05: Connect with Deans and faculty to fully understand the curriculum, student experiences, and competency focus areas for communication with employer partners and making appropriate connections as needed or required
OSP 3: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Service
The University of New Haven embraces diversity and recognizes our responsibility to foster a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming environment in which all members of the Charger community of all backgrounds and identities can learn, work, and live together. We benefit from the academic, social, and cultural developments that arise from a diverse campus that is committed to equity, inclusion, belonging, and accountability.
We have a responsibility as a community and as individuals to address and remove barriers, achieve success, and sustain a culture of inclusivity, empathy, kindness, and compassion. We encourage, welcome, and embrace participation in ongoing dialogue, engagement, and education to critically examine and thoughtfully respond to the changing realities of our community. Diversity, equity, inclusion, acceptance, and belonging enrich the Charger community and are instrumental to institutional success and fulfillment of the University mission.
We will make an unprecedented commitment to public service, social justice and diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging.
OSP Leader
Barbara Lawrence
Sub-Deliverable Leaders
Nick LaMendola
Brian Otis
Ophelie Rowe-Allen
Nancy Savage
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Reduce institutional barriers to ensure historically underserved students have equitable access to an exceptional UNH education by ensuring resources dedicated to DEIAB.
Outcome 2
Establish diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging among our leadership, faculty and staff by increasing and sustaining employee diversity comparable to that of the student population
Outcome 3
Increase public service, service learning, study abroad and compensated internship opportunities on and off campus and provide financial, career, and academic support to students
Deliverables
3.1: Reduce and eliminate financial barriers to persistence and graduation
- 3.1.01: Establish university-wide financial literacy program for all students with emphasis on at-risk and first-generation undergraduates.
- 3.1.02: Collaborate with UNH Advancement and Alumni Association to complete four-year completion program to close unmet student financial need gaps.
- 3.1.03: Increase availability and equitably distribute excellence scholarships to augment limited university-based funding for minoritized students.
- 3.1.04: Establish and cultivate need based scholarships targeting first-generation, transfer and students of color.
- 3.1.05: Solicit Support to expand emergency funds for international student use.
3.2: Increase access to experiential learning opportunities for minoritized and underserved students
- 3.2.01: Increase emphasis on equitable access for minoritized students through donor and grant support for paid intern/externships, study abroad and undergraduate research programs
- 3.2.02: Develop program to advance and monitor career readiness and global competency for all UNEWHAVEN students.
3.3: Develop and expand centralized transition experiences
- 3.3.01: Ensure first year experience programs purposefully attend to the needs of minoritized and underserved students by offering relevant modules in other first year courses.
- 3.3.02: Develop a “last year transition experience”. Implement a first-year course that is consistent across all colleges and incorporates financial wellness and retention related topics.
- 3.3.03: Develop a transfer transition experience attentive to minoritized and underserved students Program should be developed to incorporate into the SOAR program.
3.4: Target courses with disproportionally high DFW rates for redesign initiatives
- 3.4.01: Incentivize excellence in teaching for instructors with focus on equalizing outcomes for minoritized and underserved students by providing additional resources to minoritized and underserved students to achieve the same outcomes as the majority student population.
3.5: Expand support to enhance persistence and completion of minoritized and underserved undergraduate students
- 3.5.01: Establish baseline metrics for at-risk minoritized populations to determine attainable enrollment and recruitment growth rates year over year for targeted increase of 5% year over year for the next 5 years.
- 3.5.02: Increase retention rates by 5% and lower attrition rates by 5% for at-risk students with emphasis on retention for men of color in academic year 2025-2026.
- 3.5.03: Increase 4 and 6-year graduation rates by 5 % and 3% for all at-risk and minoritized populations.
- 3.5.04: Develop university-wide processes for equitable recruitment and holistic admission of BIPOC undergraduate students resulting in a 5% year over year increase
- 3.5.05: Create summer bridge program Summer 2025 that includes academic preparation, college readiness workshops, and community-building activities.
3.6: Increase the distribution of BIPOC, and other historically marginalized groups in academia, full-time and part-time faculty and staff by 4 percentage points by the 2025-26 academic year.
- 3.6.01: Create a new office with the explicit goal of institutionalizing, leading, and coordinating all diversity, equity and inclusion-related policy development, compliance, implementation, training, and intervention.
- 3.6.02: Create a comprehensive campus-wide Diversity Action Plan that identifies DEIAB values and initiatives for the next five years
- 3.6.03: Create and draft charges for a permanent committee that focuses on the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff.
- 3.6.04: Develop plans and secure funding for some or all of the following: distinguished visiting faculty or scholar in residence, two-year post docs, distinguished professorship, and faculty attendance at conferences to meet and recruit potential hires.
- 3.6.05: Provide informational and financial resources to establish affinity groups for faculty and staff with underrepresented identities to promote community building, mentoring, etc.
- 3.6.06: Annually monitor faculty and staff demographics, retention and promotion; disaggregate according to race, ethnicity and gender; work to collect data for identities not presently collected, potentially including sexual orientation, first generation and disability status to inform future recruitment efforts.
3.7: Increase public service, service learning, study abroad and compensated internship opportunities on and off campus and provide financial, career, and academic support to students
- 3.7.01: Support and facilitate interdisciplinary initiatives that address social inequity. These will include combinations of curriculum, research, and/or community work.
OSP 4: Customized Educational Models
We will meet the needs of a larger community of learners by delivering customized and non-traditional educational delivery models.
OSP Leader
Cindy Gallatin
Sub-Deliverable Leaders
Matt Caporale
Greg Eichhorn
Deb Flonc
Mario Gaboury
Nick LaMendola
Brian Otis
Gordon Simerson
Chuck Skipton
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Create an internal community engagement structure designed to develop and sustain partnerships with for-profit and non-profit entities
Outcome 2
Increase net revenue for non-traditional learners by 10% each year and increase alternative educational model net revenue to $400,000 by 2026
Outcome 3
Leverage existing partnerships and create new partnerships with local, regional and national corporate and community organizations to enable workforce development through new programs, certificates or badges
Deliverables
4.1: Create a centralized cross-functional (matrix) structure for successful partnerships
- 4.1.01: Brian Otis and Matt Caporale are working on reformulating this group to facilitate partnerships and collaborations with corporate, community organizations and vendors. This group is now the President’s Preferred Partnership program. Build upon small wins to develop the partnerships for the development of new educational programs as well as other levels of engagement.
- 4.1.02: Establish KPI’s at a University level for accountability. The initial focus will be on student outcomes, internships and jobs. This will also result in revenue for scholarships and projects.
- 4.1.03: Analyze the cost to create the infrastructure to support and foster new partnerships to generate new revenue streams. These would be fee for service models.
4.2: Increase the number of non-traditional revenue opportunities
- 4.2.01: Identify and prioritize the target markets for degree seeking (1) part-time non-traditional learners, (2) degree completion and (3) dual enrollment/HS (4) International students (5) Reconnect Program. Create annual targets for growth.
- 4.2.02: Clarify process and budget for every new program for degree seeking part-time non-traditional students and accountability for attaining proposed program outcomes/goals
- 4.2.03: Establish formal policy and process to offer non-credit micro-credentials and badges to the general public with employer support.
- 4.2.04: Establish formal policy and process to offer non-credit micro-credentials and badges to current students and translate to credit.
- 4.2.05: Establish enabling academic policy to translate select non-credit micro-credentials to stackable academic credit leading to programs.
- 4.2.06: Expand Stackable Credential and micro-credential/badging offerings.
- 4.2.07: Begin development of stackable credentials once pathways for credit-bearing micro-credentials are approved.
- 4.2.08: Explore new pricing models for new offerings
- 4.2.09: Track revenue and expenditures for microcredentials by college or administrative division (with the longer term goal of developing an incentive program)
- 4.2.10: Increase marketing spend to align with the targeted increase in non-traditional enrollment
- 4.2.11: Develop customized short programs for corporations/organization to assist with their corporate learning
- 4.2.12: Summer 2023 was the University’s first time conducting internal youth overnight camps and will serve as a benchmark as we evaluate the net revenue opportunities, state guidelines and recruitment benefit we get from people attending camps and conferences. Increase revenue for summer programs as compared to summer 2024 by 3%.
- 4.2.13: Using 2022-2023 as a benchmark year, measure revenue for non-traditional activities including partnerships, stackable credentials, camps
OSP 5: People First
We will be an employer of choice that attracts, cultivates, and retains talent by fostering a great work environment, and a culture that focuses on supporting people while recognizing and rewarding effective performance.
OSP Leader
Jen Cinque
Sub-Deliverable Leaders
Ric Baker
Amy Nicole Baker
Iris Calovine
Amelia Chopus
Kai Hamilton
Vin Mangiacapra
Todd McInerney
Shaily Menon
Ophelie Rowe-Allen
Robin Salters
Chuck Skipton
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Create a strategically focused HR organization that is proactively aligned to deliver best-in-class service to the academy, focusing on both strategic and functional excellence
Outcome 2
Build an interactive and engaging learning experience that gives managerial talent the confidence and skills needed to be successful in a frontline leadership role, increasing effectiveness and building relationships to get work done
Outcome 3
Build partnerships across the university in support of engagement, leading to the enhanced sharing of ideas, better collaboration, productivity, and retention between all faculty by focusing on core professional development opportunities to advance our mission and goals in teaching, research, and service
Outcome 4
Evolve the organization structure and refine internal processes and responsibilities to allow staff to focus on work that aligns to their core strengths, that best helps departments, students, and colleagues to maximize achievement of the University objectives
Outcome 5
Create and support a performance-based culture where values, behaviors, and expectations are linked to the University’s mission of meeting the needs of higher education, and employees are assessed and rewarded on their effectiveness in meeting agreed upon goals
Outcome 6
Reinforce a culture that recognizes creation/increase of value and engagement, leading to the enhanced sharing of ideas, better collaboration, productivity, and retention of employees
Deliverables
5.1: Create a competitively focused HR organization that is proactively aligned to deliver best-in-class service to the academy, focusing on both strategic and functional excellence
- 5.1.01: Conduct benefit brokerage vendor RFP process, evaluating the current market and compare services, expertise, and pricing to ensure UNewHaven is adopting new trends, technologies, and strategies in this space.
- 5.1.02: Implement new brokerage service provider and associated enhancements/technologies.
- 5.1.03: Ongoing configuration and integration analysis for ease of workflows (Banner Document Management System,TOPS performance and hiring, background check vendor).
- 5.1.04: Build a prototype workflow to replace a PDF-based personnel change (e.g., one-time faculty payment or tuition remission).
- 5.1.05: Integrate Director, Organizational Engagement & Service Delivery into team
- 5.1.06: Publish HR functional organizational chart to provide support clarification and direction for staff. Modify and upgrade the HR Quick Resource Guide.
- 5.1.07: Publish updated HR policies and procedures, providing best in class updates to pregnancy and bereavement leaves of absence.
- 5.1.08: Implement Banner SS9 allowing for employee self service access and change requests, along with supervisory access to team detail
- 5.1.09: Implement TOPS talent acquisition module for faculty
- 5.1.10: Assess the effectiveness of university position advertising processes, understanding costs, bulk advertising and buying power, and establish new procedure utilizing TOPS for just-in-time simplified process (faculty & staff).
- 5.1.11: Establish prototype for Ellucian Workflow, test workflow processes prior to deployment. Provide training prior to implementation.
5.2: Build an interactive and engaging learning experience that gives managerial talent the confidence and skills needed to be successful in a frontline leadership role, increasing effectiveness and building relationships to get work done
- 5.2.01: Plan year 2 Leadership Lab sessions
- 5.2.02: Design and execute leadership development program for Athletics
- 5.2.03: Evaluate cost and effectiveness of Vector for online learning. Explore leveraging new learning platform used for students (expires 2025)
- 5.2.04: Finalize phase I managerial curriculum, establishing creative and cost effective delivery options
5.3: Build partnerships across the university in support of engagement, leading to the enhanced sharing of ideas, better collaboration, productivity, and retention between all faculty by focusing on core professional development opportunities to advance our mission and goals in teaching, research, and service
- 5.3.01: Revise structure for supporting faculty professional development and documenting effectiveness.
- 5.3.02: Develop a professional development program for department chairs.
- 5.3.03: Develop an incentive program that supports a culture of high performance in academic advising with the goal of improving retention and graduation rates and decreasing advising errors.
- 5.3.04: Develop a framework for a Center of Research Excellence to support faculty scholarly activity growth.
5.4: Create and support a performance-based culture where values, behaviors, and expectations are linked to the University’s mission of meeting the needs of higher education, and employees are assessed and rewarded on their effectiveness in meeting agreed upon goals.
- 5.4.01: Assess the effectiveness of the Career Framework program rollout and where additional training is necessary for staff hiring managers.
- 5.4.02: Implement merit guideline matrix in support of the Career Framework program and performance rating scale.
- 5.4.03: Complete FLSA pending changes and implement recommended approach based on review of job descriptions and corresponding conversations with leaders
- 5.4.04: Evaluate goal-entry completion rate in preparation for CY2024 performance appraisal process. Partner with department leaders to attain 100%.
- 5.4.05: Draft a proposed revision of the FAR process and explore overall impact to its branded name.
- 5.4.06: Finalize timeline for the launch of a new facuty evaluation program (FAR) for 2025
5.5: Reinforce a culture that recognizes creation/increase of value and engagement, leading to the enhanced sharing of ideas, better collaboration, productivity, and retention of employees.
- 5.5.01: Establish Director, OE & Service Delivery for the university, responsible to develop and implement strategies to enhances the university’s service delivery experience.
- 5.5.02: Establish university customer service philosophy.
- 5.5.03: Create program, tools, and training that propagates a customer-centric culture, capitalizing on university brand and values. Implement stand alone program and/or implement within existing programs (faculty, staff, student).
- 5.5.04: Conduct stakeholder interviews and analysis to identify business process improvements and system enhancements in support of the university’s service delivery philosophy which improve employee satisfaction, enhanced workflows, and the student experience.
- 5.5.05: Develop and implement programs and initiatives to engage and retain employees.