ÎÞÂëרÇø

Why an Academic Master Plan?

Our Academic Master Plan will serve as the foundation for all strategic planning for the university for years to come. Academic planning is not a new process—we already engage in thoughtful work through assessment, accreditation, department reports, and mission-based planning. This initiative brings those efforts into shared alignment across schools and colleges, supported by the Provost’s Office.

Our Vision for Success for the Academic Plan

ÎÞÂëרÇø will be the leading New York City-area school that combines academic excellence with professional preparation and a longstanding commitment to community engagement. We leverage innovative research and teaching, a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, and unparalleled access to New York City and the lower Hudson Valley to deliver hands-on and transformative learning—empowering students to become future leaders, changemakers, and drivers of social mobility and lifelong success. ÎÞÂëרÇø will be a school of choice in our identified areas of focused excellence for our students.

Core Values

Opportunitas means:

• Liberal arts, humanities, and sciences undergirding of your path and profession
• Experiential learning through placements, research, community engagement
• Excellence in curriculum, research and scholarship
• Authentic quality demonstrated by outcomes, rankings, innovative curriculum, experiential opportunities, teaching excellence, inclusion, diverse perspectives

Goals

The goals of the Academic Master Plan are designed to position ÎÞÂëרÇø for long-term academic excellence, institutional resilience, and national distinction. Rooted in our mission and values, these goals articulate a clear, strategic vision for defining areas of academic strength, aligning programmatic efforts across the University, improving outcomes and reputation, and ensuring that our academic portfolio remains responsive, sustainable, and forward-looking in a dynamic higher education landscape.

Goal 1: Define ÎÞÂëרÇø’s Areas of Focused Academic Excellence

• ÎÞÂëרÇø will clearly define areas of focused academic excellence in which we seek to achieve regional, national, and international recognition for outstanding academic programs.
• ÎÞÂëרÇø will become a school of choice for students in these clearly defined areas.

Goal 2: Ensure Each College, Academic Unit, and Program Has a Clearly Defined Strategic Role in the University’s Academic Master Plan

• Role clarity will empower programs to make more efficient and effective decisions that collectively support the goals of the Academic Master Plan.

Goal 3: Improve the University’s Academic Outcomes to Strengthen Our Reputation and Brand

• Continue to cultivate a culture of quality across all academic units, enhancing the strength and perception of ÎÞÂëרÇø’s academic offerings.
• Improve undergraduate retention and graduation rates:
  • Achieve an annual retention rate of 85 percent
• Specifically, ÎÞÂëרÇø will strive to:
  • Achieve an R2 Carnegie Classification for research institutions
  • Improve our U.S. News & World Report rankings:
    • Move into the top 150 national universities
    • Secure one top-50 graduate program in each college

Goal 4: Achieve an Optimal Academic Program Portfolio That Supports Enrollment, Budget, and Admissions Stability

• Determine the ideal size, scope, location, and modality of all academic programs and degrees across the university.
• Develop optimal student enrollment and faculty staffing models to deliver an outstanding and sustainable academic experience.

Want to get involved or learn more? Email the steering committee.