Strategic Planning Timeline

updated Aug. 8, 2006

2003
The Board of Trustees creates a Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC) and charges that committee 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 makes clear, however, that the SPSC is to explore seriously any options that would sustain an institution of high quality and financial viability.

2004
The SPSC organizes three task forces to focus on the three primary resources of revenue for R-MWC: endowment, gifts, and net fee revenue.

August 2004
The Board of Trustees hires the Art & Science Group (A&S) to analyze the College’s external market.

September 2004 – May 2005
A&S conducts market research. Included are surveys of alumnae, prospective students, admitted applicants, and current and withdrawn students. A&S reports preliminary findings to a campus client committee.

November 2005

• A&S presents research results to the Board of Trustees: http://www.randolphcollege.edu/strategicplan/as_results.asp
• Trustees commission a second A&S study. This study explores platforms and coeducation.

January 2006

• The Board of Trustees meets to discuss major findings and implications of market research.
• Trustee members of the SPSC and the Dean of Students conduct six focus groups regarding student life involving over 150 students.

February 2006
The Board of Trustees holds a Strategic Planning Forum for College constituencies including students, alumnae, faculty, and staff.

February-April 2006
Members of the Board of Trustees and staff hold open forums for alumnae in the location of 14 of the largest alumnae chapters (Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Greensboro, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Research Triangle, NC, central Connecticut, and Atlanta).

February 2006
SPSC appoints a Task Force on Campus Life to research trends in — and make recommendations on — housing, technology, athletics, and social life. The Task Force, chaired by the Dean of Students, includes students, faculty, staff, and trustees.

March 29, 2006
Members of the SPSC hold an open meeting for students and other members of the campus community.

April/May 2006
Results of internal studies of five women’s colleges that have become coed institutions and five that have remained single-sex are submitted to trustees and the SPSC.

June 2, 2006
At Reunion, members of the Board of Trustees and SPSC update alumnae on the strategic planning process.

June 6, 2006
A&S presents the results of its spring research findings to the SPSC. Trustees are also invited to attend. Trustees unable to attend participate via Webcam.

June 7, 2006
A&S presents the results of its spring research findings to the full staff and faculty. Trustees and trustees emeriti are also invited. Trustees unable to attend participate via Webcam.

June 11-12, 2006
The SPSC meets in Washington, D.C., to consider the results of R-MWC’s internal study of five women's colleges that have become coed and five women’s colleges that have chosen to remain single-sex. A&S’ spring research findings are presented again at this meeting.

June 21 and 29, 2006
Trustees and trustees emeriti meet in Atlanta, Georgia, (June 21) and Washington, D.C. (June 29) with A&S on the spring research findings.

June 30, 2006
The Board of Trustees holds a special meeting for a progress update on strategic planning presented by members of the SPSC.

July 14, 2006
The SPSC, faculty, and staff meet with A&S consultants to hear recommendations based on research. A&S recommends that the College would best enhance its ability to attract a robust student population with a global honors program emphasizing experiential education within a coed environment. While A&S found an optimistic outcome if all of these elements were integrated, it also found that the strengthened platform without going coed would be unlikely to enable the College to remain academically and financially strong in the long-term.

July 15-July 31, 2006
The SPSC drafts an outline of a plan for the College’s future. The draft is based on A&S research and a study conducted by R-MWC faculty and senior administration of five women’s colleges that have become coeducational institutions and five that have remained single-sex.

July 21, 2006
The Board of Trustees holds a special meeting to discuss reports from a task force on the possibility of a merger, and a task force is charged with drafting a plan based on research findings.

July 31, 2006
The Board of Trustees holds a meeting for open discussion.

August 1, 2006
The Board of Trustees reviews a draft of the Strategic Plan and votes to forward the plan to faculty and senior administration for consideration and comment. The plan recommends that the College adopt a global honors program with an emphasis in experiential learning within a coed environment.

August 4, 2006
The Strategic Plan draft is presented to the Alumnae Association Board by members of the Board of Trustees.

Early August, 2006
The Strategic Plan draft is reviewed by faculty and senior staff.

Mid-August, 2006

• Faculty and senior administration submit written responses to the SPSC about the Strategic Plan draft.
• The Board of Trustees holds a special meeting for consideration of the Strategic Plan draft and the responses of faculty and senior administration.
• The SPSC meets to consider recommendations and finalize the plan.

September 8-9, 2006
The Board of Trustees adopts of the Strategic Plan.