“Knowledge into Action” Strategic Plan Endorsed by Grinnell College Trustees

The Trustees of Grinnell College endorsed Knowledge into Action: A Strategic Plan for Grinnell College 2023-2030 at the board’s regular meeting October 5–7, 2023. The plan, designed with insight from multiple studies, campus-wide and small group discussions, individual interviews, on-campus workshops, and contributions from divisions and departments, sets a course for strategic actions and implementations for the next seven years.

The plan centers on four themes and twelve objectives intended to further empower constituents of the College to be catalysts for educational excellence, foster belonging and connection, work to create collective equity, and find shared goals and common ground in the College’s connection to society and the common good. The plan is undergirded by the principle of inter-generational equity and stewardship of resources to benefit both current and future Grinnellians in community.

Building on Grinnell’s educational excellence, Knowledge into Action, will more explicitly connect teaching and learning to empower students to be agents of positive change in all fields throughout their lives.  As a Catalyst for Educational Excellence, Grinnell will coordinate curricular and co-curricular experiences for students, support faculty in creating even richer learning experiences and create opportunities for staff development in support of the mission of the College.  Belonging and Connection seeks to strengthen connections between the College and its constituents through enhanced student recruitment and support for persistence and retention.  It will work to ensure that all students feel a sense of belonging, that faculty and staff members are empowered to create high-quality student experiences, and that alumni connect that experience to membership in a global Grinnell community in support of the institution after graduation. 

The focus on Collective Equity identifies and implements changes that foster thriving and success of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), first generation and limited income (FGLI), as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+), or who identify with a religious or disability community. It seeks to change the culture of work at Grinnell by identifying ways to balance priorities and support wellness. Finally, it focuses on financial stewardship as an enabler of these changes including reducing endowment dependency while ensuring equitable access to a Grinnell education, without requiring student loans. Shared Goals and Common Ground, capitalizes on the College’s setting and community to project the benefits of coalition building and civic engagement to amplify Grinnellians’ positive impact on campus, in the community, in American democracy, and the global community. Through this goal, Grinnellians will address pressing issues, practice democratic modes of deliberation, and become more focused stewards of our environment.

“This is truly a plan that belongs to our stakeholders. It centers how the College is experienced by students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors, and the community. It envisions and celebrates how we ‘Go Forth’ into the world to shape it by moving knowledge into action, having been educated and inspired by a global college in a rural setting with a national voice,” said President Anne Harris.

“Knowledge into Action builds on Grinnell’s distinctive values and speaks to their continued relevance in a rapidly changing world,” said Michael Kahn ’74, chair of the Board of Trustees. “Its objectives focus on how Grinnell impacts individuals and prepares them to make meaningful contributions to the common good at the local, national, and global level.”

“Strengthening collaboration and discovery at Grinnell and wherever Grinnellians are present will take many forms and will demand our active participation in culture change.  It will require us to discuss, debate, and define issues.  It will require us to think differently about how structures and processes may stand in the way of belonging and equity and to find common ground where new solutions are envisioned and created,” said Harris.

Caleb Elfenbein, professor of history and religious studies and associate dean for faculty development and diversity, equity, and inclusion, co-chaired the plan development with Monica Chavez-Silva, vice president of community engagement strategic planning. He says, “It is gratifying that the final plan reflects what we heard about how people experience the College and how the mission meets the moment we are in. My hope is that everyone can see how their work fits in.”

Monica Chavez-Silva agrees, “All along, we’ve emphasized the power of collective impact, and Knowledge into Action both prioritizes and creates the conditions for more coalitions and partnerships on campus, in the community, and beyond.” Chavéz-Silva was the other co-chair of the committee that oversaw the planning process.

As the College begins to implement the plan, there will be multiple opportunities for individuals and departments to collaborate on proposals and initiatives that move the plan’s objectives from aspiration to action.