Frequently Asked Questions about Strategic Planning

updated: Aug. 10, 2006

Q: Why did the College initiate strategic planning?

A: All academic institutions periodically engage in strategic planning. R-MWC last conducted a strategic planning process in 1995, and it was time to reassess the College’s strengths and opportunities in the current higher education environment.

In 2003, the Board appointed the Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC) composed of faculty, staff, alumnae, and Board members and charged it to "develop strategic initiatives that will ensure the future of R-MWC as an academically excellent woman's college and a financially sustainable enterprise and present those initiatives to the Board of Trustees for discussion and action." The Board also made it clear, however, that the SPSC was to explore seriously any options that would sustain an institution of high quality and financial viability.

Q: What has the strategic process been?

A: Please view the detailed timeline.

Q: How have students and alumnae participated in the strategic planning process?

A: Throughout the process we have sought the opinions and input of both groups. The A&S research included current and withdrawn student surveys and interviews with hundreds of alumnae. Additionally, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee includes seven alumnae representatives. The timeline identifies the occasions for input throughout the process. Going forward, student and alumnae participation will continue to be essential as the College makes decisions.

Q: Where can I see the Strategic Plan?

A: The plan is posted at http://www.randolphcollege.edu/strategicplan/plan.asp.

Q: How will the plan be implemented?

A: Please see the implementation plan at http://www.randolphcollege.edu/strategicplan/implementation.asp.

Q: Why is R-MWC going coed?

A: Not enough young women value the advantages of attending a woman’s college over the advantages of attending a coeducational institution. In fact, many alumnae have found that their own daughters and granddaughters are unwilling to consider a women’s college. As a result, while we continue to enroll good students, we must commit more and more of the institution’s resources in order to make R-MWC the most appealing option. Consequently, over 90 percent of our students receive institutional scholarships and financial aid. Our discount rate, the percentage of our tuition that is offset by institutional grants, is among the highest in the nation. Spending from our endowment, which has averaged more than 7 percent in recent years, is well beyond the 4 to 5 percent considered prudent.

Randolph-Macon Woman’s College was founded to educate women with the same intellectual rigor that men were receiving at the finest colleges in the country. As a coed college, we will continue to fulfill that mission while embracing the reality of the world today.

Q: Why aren’t other women’s colleges doing this?

A: In the early 1960s, when men’s colleges began admitting women, the number of women’s colleges was about 300; today, the number is about 60, and there is excess capacity among the group.

All women’s colleges face the same market realities, but we do so with differing assets, resources, and aims. Given Randolph-Macon’s circumstances, we are firmly convinced that we cannot continue as both a college exclusively for women and a college with enrollment and resources to ensure excellence. We have adopted a plan to go forward and flourish as a college of excellence.

Q: Have you fully considered alternatives to coeducation?

A: Yes. For some years, the College has tried to improve its financial position through sophisticated and aggressive enrollment marketing. While A&S tested the feasibility of coeducation, the board investigated other options, including merger. They concluded that we could not expect any merger to result in a meaningful increase in enrollment—and that displacement of its students and faculty and loss of R-MWC’s campus, assets, and governance in a merged institution would be unthinkable.

The Board also considered a scenario of liquidating the College’s assets to form a foundation supporting education for women, but considered this draconian, given the rich heritage of our academic programs and the College’s promise as a coeducational institution.

Q: How does the College hope to compete in the larger coeducational market?

A: We already compete with coeducational colleges—and at a significant disadvantage. Only 3 percent of college-bound high school women express a willingness to consider a women’s college. Of the top 10 colleges to which our applicants also apply, 7 are coed institutions. Virtually all students who withdraw from R-MWC transfer to coeducational colleges.

Our research has made it clear that in order to increase enrollment we must develop a bold, distinctive identity. This is a big challenge, but the faculty are already developing ideas to shape the global honors program.

Q: Why didn’t you advertise, get the word out?

A: We did. We advertised in magazines, newspapers, guidebooks, radio, on billboards, and in over 50 college search web sites. We identified young women preparing to attend college, who showed academic promise to succeed, and who shared other characteristics of students who have enrolled and succeeded at R-MWC. Just last year, we contacted—by mail, e-mail, or in person—more than 150,000 qualified young women and personally cultivated those who expressed interest in order to garner 900 applications and 190 first-year students. We also reached out to 9,000 high school and community college counselors.

Q: How will the curriculum be different in the future?

A: Our research found significant appeal for a “global honors” college education for women and men, drawing on the College’s long-held core values and academic distinctions and delivered in a highly experiential manner. We see such a curriculum as a natural extension of our traditionally strong studies in the liberal arts and sciences—and an exciting opportunity to occupy a distinctive position in our markets.

Features of R-MWC that students and alumnae have treasured—close student-faculty relationships, a friendly and supportive atmosphere for learning, and high academic expectations—will continue to be at the center of our educational experience.

Q: What does “global honors” mean?

A: This is a concept the faculty will be developing more fully over the coming year, but here is an example of one professor’s response:

It means that, from the time you first step onto the campus, you accept an ambitious challenge:

• That is of strong personal interest to you
• That you will pursue with a lot of individual work
• That will grow and develop through lots of one-on-one conversations with your faculty supervisor(s)
• That will be enriched by conversations with other motivated and ambitious students
• That will evolve and change and develop over your four years
• That will culminate in one or more products demonstrating your mastery
• That will be based in, or enriched by, the study of issues shaping the entire world
• That will be based in a strong Honor System and pay careful attention to issues of ethics as they are seen in politics, development, disease control, the environment, etc.
• That will include language study and travel
• That will include regular reflection on the progress of your “global consciousness”
• That will incorporate service learning / experiential work which brings together theory and practice
• That will fit you to live and work in, and contribute to, the global society of the 21 st century.

Q: What about leadership opportunities for women if the College goes coed?

A: We have a tradition of encouraging women in leadership roles, and we will continue to help women assert leadership in a coeducational environment.

Q: Will funds for women’s athletics be reallocated for men’s programs?

A: We are not reducing our funding for women’s athletics. From our study of colleges that have changed to coeducation, we have learned that the number of women’s teams increased after coeducation, and that today, women’s teams outnumber men’s teams.

Q: What will happen to our traditions?

A: Becoming coed does not mean that we will abandon over a century of shared community traditions. Traditions have always sprung from within the student body and have evolved over the years. We are confident that our students will uphold the traditions that are meaningful to them—and we will support them in doing that.

Q: What about the College’s name?

A: We are asking those who know the College best—our students, alumnae, faculty, and staff—to help us find a name befitting of our heritage. The Board of Trustees hopes to vote on a new name for the College at its October meeting.

You can submit your suggestion for the College name here.

Q: When currently enrolled students graduate, what will their diplomas say?

A: Currently enrolled students will be awarded diplomas from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and will also have the option to receive a diploma with the College’s new name.

Q: How do the alumnae feel about coeducation?

A: As part of our investigation, we interviewed hundreds of alumnae in depth. Not surprisingly, most would prefer the College to remain a college for women. However, the majority of alumnae interviewed as part of research this spring did not want the College to sacrifice its academic quality and standards to do so.

Q: Isn’t the College concerned about a loss of alumnae support?

A: Yes, we are deeply concerned. Our alumnae have always been generous—with their financial support and their volunteer leadership. Our plan for keeping the loyalty of our alumnae is to enhance the College and to retain the qualities that we all hold dear.

Q: What is the future of the Reading program?

A: Over the next year, the faculty will review the role of the Reading program in the context of international education. It will make its recommendations to the Board.

Q: A change to coeducation, enhancement to the academic program, and a name change are costly. How will the College pay for this?

A: We expect that these costs will be met by increased enrollment revenues, use of our unrestricted endowment and other assets, and fundraising.

Q: Why weren’t we told of the College’s financial challenges before now?

A: In the past, we have turned to our endowment and short-term tactical measures—including salary caps, hiring freezes, and other expense reductions—in the effort to balance our budget. We cannot cut our way to excellence. The forward modeling involved in the strategic planning process showed us that we must adopt a long-term financial plan that addresses the reality that there are few young women who want to attend an all-women’s college.

Q: What about the $100+ million that the College raised over the past eight years in the Vita Abundantior Campaign?

A: The funds raised by the campaign have been of immeasurable benefit to the College. These gifts have established more than 120 new, endowed funds that will support faculty and students in perpetuity. Generous gifts also enhanced physical facilities and technology. However, not all of the campaign funds could be added to the endowment or spent for improvements. Twenty-three percent of the campaign total comprised Annual Fund gifts which supported current operating expenses. Thirty-six percent comprised planned gifts that are not yet available for the College’s use, and seven percent was in pledges that have not yet been completed.