September 15, 2004

I. Background

A group of Faculty and others developed a statement of core values early in 1998 which we used as a base point for the strategic planning process. In 1999, the College began a process of developing a mission statement, which the faculty and the Board of Trustees formally adopted in 2001. The goal was not to alter in any dramatic fashion the core principles and purpose of the College. Rather, we re-affirmed them and attempted to articulate a collective sense of direction. Through each version of the draft mission statement, there has been agreement that Grinnell College is, essentially, a residential liberal arts college. We believe that our best academic experiences are a function of an intimate and active learning environment set in a residential community.

The formal Strategic Planning Process began in 2002 and was intended to build upon the success of the mission statement and core values work in developing a definitive set of strategies (and tactics) to better achieve our mission over the next 5 to 10 years. Under the leadership of Mark Montgomery, the Planning Steering Committee spent the last two years developing, testing, and refining various possible strategies through focus groups, research and various other efforts. It formed subcommittees of faculty, students, and staff that focused on particular elements of Grinnell College (Re-emphasizing the liberal arts; improving diversity; improving the Grinnell experience for students, staff, and faculty; and rethinking tuition and financial aid policy). Each subcommittee produced a report, which included numerous recommendations and which served as the foundation for the Planning Steering Committee's final report, which can be found at: http://www.grinnell.edu/offices/institutionalplanning/strategicplanning/strategicplanning.pdf

It was always understood that the Report was not, itself, a plan and that further work would be required to get a focused, realistic, and viable plan. The Report was referred to President Osgood by the Trustees. The document you are reading was prepared by Russell Osgood and is based on discussions with a number of tenured and untenured faculty, trustees, deans, and the members of the Executive Council. It relies upon the reports of the subcommittees and the Planning Steering Committee and focuses on achieving many of the significant institutional goals that emerged during the planning process. Not all recommendations of each of the four Committees are pursued; however, the major recommendations of the committees on re-emphasizing the liberal arts and improving diversity are all included below.

The President will present this document to various groups, including any department or division that wishes it, and refine the plan further in response to comments until there is broad agreement on its content.

II. Mission

The last line of the Grinnell College Mission Statement states:

The College aims to graduate women and men who can think clearly, who can speak and write persuasively and even eloquently, who can evaluate critically both their own and others' ideas, who can acquire new knowledge, and who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and abilities to serve the common good.

III. Distinctive Academic Excellence: Positioning Statement

Grinnell College excels at engaging intellectually curious students in rigorous inquiry-based learning.

A. Increase the reach and breadth of inquiry-based learning in our liberal arts curriculum.
B. Foster student and faculty sense of ambition, adventure, and well-being.
C. Increase the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum.
D. Make Grinnell College's comprehensive fee/financial aid more appealing to families/students and consistent with encouraging free choice after graduation.
E. Improve the vitality of the City of Grinnell.
F. Strengthen the public profile of a) Grinnell College, b) Grinnellians, and c) the value of a Grinnell education.
G. Improve fiscal balance and stability of the College.

1. Develop new ways to support faculty interested in collaboration and exploration of new areas of knowledge, considering such options as team-teaching, faculty-to- faculty tutorials, reading groups, and curricular development in new knowledge areas.
2. Consider models for faculty appointments that cross departmental boundaries, including possibly attaching them to concentrations or other non-departmental academic groupings.
3. Establish programs allowing experienced faculty to teach outside their disciplines to develop and expand their professional horizons.
4. Maximize innovation and effectiveness of new, existing, and reconfigured concentrations, centers, and programs.

i. Curricular structure depends on intensive student-faculty advising.
ii. Classroom pedagogies and research programs build mentoring relationships among students and faculty.
iii. Small classes promote collaborative inquiry-based learning, discussion, and group problem-solving.
iv. Regular faculty teaching a high percentage of classes promotes continuity and quality in instruction and mentoring over a student's years at Grinnell
v. Self-governance promotes collaboration and responsibility in students' daily lives.
vi. Significant off-campus learning opportunities in the U.S. and abroad enable students to make connections between the local, national, and international.

i. Students hone communication skills through pervasive attention to writing, oral presentation, and discussion and through opportunities to explore digital media.
ii. Students learn how new knowledge is created, not just facts, through research and laboratory experiences.
iii. High level of participation and performance in the arts deepens students' appreciation for and skill in creative inquiry.
iv. Internships provide opportunities to test classroom learning in vocational and professional contexts.
v. Athletic involvement challenges students to work together in pursuit of excellence.

i. Strong and deep programs across the curriculum promote disciplinary breadth and flexibility.
ii. Structure of majors and individualized curricular planning encourage multi- disciplinary exploration and curricular breadth.
iii. Mentored Advanced Projects, summer research, and internships provide integrative and experiential opportunities for learning.
iv. Pervasive attention to critical thinking, writing, and oral presentation skills prepares students to communicate in ways appropriate to diverse disciplines and situations.

i. Liberal arts equip students to be critical and creative life-long learners.
ii. Robust faculty-based academic advising supports students in crafting a course of studies in the liberal arts appropriate to their interests and needs.
iii. Social commitment develops a sense of connectedness and responsibility to those outside our immediate circle.
iv. Community living cultivates a sense of connection and responsibility among students, faculty, and staff.
v. Residential self-governance develops a sense of mutual responsibility and respect for the needs of other students and leadership skills.
vi. Athletics and recreation promote physical and emotional well-being and collaborative skills.
vii. Healthy living develops self-esteem and knowledge of one's limits and potentials.

i. Teaching that values the place we live as a laboratory for learning cultivates civic engagement and a sense of rootedness.
ii. Commitment to the vibrancy of the City of Grinnell enhances the quality of life for students, faculty, and staff.
iii. Proximity of faculty and staff increases opportunities for learning and mentoring outside the classroom.
iv. Multiple interactions promote mutual respect and enhance learning by allowing students, faculty, and staff to know each other more fully.

i. International emphasis helps students become engaged citizens of the world.
ii. Language study promotes cultural literacy and empathy.
iii. Study-Abroad and International Internships allow students to learn first-hand about the world and better understand themselves and their own communities (college, local, national).
iv. Strong international student presence and domestic diversity contribute to open exchange of ideas and knowledge of diverse experiences and viewpoints.