POTENTIAL MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Regis University’s strategic plan draws on our mission statement and builds on the tremendous history that has led us to the present moment. It will enable us to imagine new priorities and initiatives to continue providing a transformative education at “the frontiers of faith, reason and culture.”
This University plan will inspire further specification in plans developed by five major units of the University: Strategic Enrollment Management; Advancement; Academic Affairs; Student Affairs and Mission, enabling us to embrace a culture of planning and action. An operational plan will be developed to align human, fiscal and physical resources to support unit goals. Qualitative and quantitative measures will track institutional progress.
Committee members: LaToya Braun; Marta Brooks; Rev. Kevin Burke, S.J.; Jay Campisi; Heidi Eigsti; Ashley Fricks-Gleason; Bryan Hall; Daniel Justin; Kimberly Kemp; Carrie Maffoni; Molly Marrin; Judit Olah; Kecia Pedrett Leland; Josef Rill; Pat Schlanger; Samit Shah; Brook Thompson; Sheryl Tirol; Jonnia Torres Carolan; Sandy Wojciehoski and Justin Zuiker
This plan builds upon three foundational elements of our history and apostolic identity: (1) the mission; (2) transformative and excellent education; and (3) the responsibility to be financially and ecologically sustainable. These elements can be restated as three foundational themes:
With respect to our mission “to build a more just and humane world”, Regis is committed to:
• deepening its “Ignatian spirituality of Christian discipleship” and its openness to “the sacred in all human cultures”
• sustaining and growing a diverse, equitable and inclusive community of care
• laboring “for a transformed world and renewed ecosystem”
• realizing our aspiration to excel as an Hispanic Serving Institution
With respect to the transformative and excellent education that we provide and continue to deepen, Regis educates students who have cultivated habits of paying attention to the world around them, of reasoning in clear and critical ways, of reading widely and deeply, of communicating effectively, of listening generously to others, of exploring their own depths reflectively and openly, of generously helping others (especially those most in need), of caring for the health of our planet, and of always practicing gratitude.
With respect to financial sustainability, Regis understands its responsibility to exercise Ignatian discernment in its stewardship of the resources entrusted to us by our students and their families, our donors, and our friends. Regis also recognizes that financial sustainability requires us to strive for the ecological sustainability of our planet. The exercise of discerning financial responsibility depends upon the informed care and talent of leaders working in each college and every unit of the University.
These elemental and interwoven themes provide the bedrock upon which we build the pillars of our strategic plan and nurture an ongoing University planning environment.
This University Strategic Plan is built upon three pillars that in turn support and inform all our unit/divisional plans and shorter-term operational planning. The following are the pillars, along with the objectives, that actualize our institutional planning:
As the destination for Hispanic-Serving Jesuit Catholic education in the Rocky Mountain region, Regis University is a national leader in innovative academic excellence and inclusive experiential learning centered around our Jesuit mission. We are companions who recognize that individual transformation becomes our collective strength as we together build “a more just and humane world.”
As an employer of choice, Regis University attracts and retains top talent. This is accomplished through a dynamic and committed attention to its Hispanic-serving identity and Jesuit Catholic mission, a tradition of scholarship, and a nimble work environment. Regis is dedicated to fostering a healthy and joyful work environment that results from a diverse and inclusive community that promotes employee growth, well-being, and work-life balance. This community of dedicated and empowered employees provides a sustainable and transformative education to its students near and far.
As a trusted community partner, a “people for and with others,” Regis aspires to partner with our communities to share our mission in ways that advance inclusion and belonging while ensuring that we have the resources to flourish together.
Regis University is a national leader in innovative academic excellence and inclusive experiential learning centered around our Jesuit mission. We are companions who recognize that individual transformation becomes our collective strength as we together build “a more just and humane world.”
• Regis will continue to grow as a recognized, academically excellent community of learners who are formed by Ignatian spirituality to be responsible to each other and directed toward transforming society and renewing our ecosystem.
• Distinctively rooted in its Jesuit Catholic tradition, Regis will increasingly be an educational destination for students who seek curricula informed by Ignatian pedagogy and a holistic and transformative experience in preparation to go forth as discerning persons who live their authentic vocations in solidarity with others.
• As one of two Association of Jesuit Catholic Universities (AJCU) designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Regis will remain committed to cultivating a community dedicated to accompanying, educating, empowering, and addressing the evolving needs of historically marginalized populations.
• Regis will be committed to equitable academic outcomes, full participation in the student experience, and developing anti-racist critical thinkers and leaders who engage global socioecological issues.
Regis University attracts and retains top talent. This is accomplished through a dynamic and committed attention to its Hispanic-serving identity and Jesuit Catholic mission, a tradition of scholarship, and a nimble work environment. Regis is dedicated to fostering a healthy and joyful work environment that results from a diverse and inclusive community that promotes employee growth, well-being, and work-life balance. This community of dedicated and empowered employees provides a sustainable and transformative education to its students near and far.
• In alignment with the Jesuit commitment to the sacred dignity of all individuals, Regis University will aspire to care for its employees by responding to units’ needs, offering flexible work environments, competitive salary and benefits packages, wellness resources, and an inclusive, diverse culture.
• In its commitment to fostering the well-being of all, Regis will uphold an environment in which every member of our community is treated with respect and dignity, and where speech and actions that align with this principle are encouraged.
• Regis University will commit to inclusive hiring practices and to fostering every employee’s development and success by implementing a comprehensive lifecycle approach to employee recruitment, retention, and growth.
• Regis University will aim to cultivate a strong, visionary leadership culture that influences and inspires every aspect of our workforce; a style of leadership animated by an Ignatian ethos of deep listening, collaboration, and communal discernment.
• Regis University will strive to nurture a lively, engaging, and environmentally sustainable work environment by hosting enriching, eco-friendly employee activities; supporting mission leave activities, and promoting a unifying, healthy, and enjoyable workplace culture.
As people for and with others, Regis aspires to partner with our communities to share our mission in ways that advance inclusion and belonging while ensuring that we have the resources to flourish together.
• Regis will join with religious and secular institutions and non-profit organizations to develop programming focusing on the excluded and economically disadvantaged in our community.
• As a Jesuit Catholic university open to the sacred in all human cultures, Regis will be in relationship with the Society of Jesus and the Catholic Church, other religious traditions and groups, and secular organizations that share our mission.
• Regis will strive to expand institutional partnerships that support further sharing our mission to generate new revenue and opportunities for our students.
• Regis will aspire to improve connections between the surrounding neighborhoods and the University that promote shared goals while increasing our visibility.
• Regis will promote positive relationships with elected government representatives and agencies, community organizations, and leaders at all levels that promote human rights and advance justice.
• Regis community members will share their diverse stories of living the Regis mission with alumni, donors, and the public to demonstrate that we are a trustworthy investment.
ALIGNED WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING ENVIRONMENT, IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC, UNIT AND OPERATING PLANS
02 REGIS AS A DESTINATION FOR JESUIT CATHOLIC EDUCATION 03 REGIS AS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE 04 REGIS AS A TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNER 05 REGIS VILLAGE
• Strategic Plan (Fall 2023)
• Academic, Advancement, Mission, Enrollment, and Student Affairs plans (Winter 2024)
• Operational plan for fiscal year 2025 (Spring 2024)
• Operate an effective senior leadership team that brings diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives to make informed decisions and inspire the campus community to achieve common goals and deliver organizational success
• Maintain institutional fiscal stability
• Implement the three-year enrollment plan - meet enrollment goals and improve retention and graduation rates
• Implement the comprehensive program review process
• Implement co-curricular (student affairs) initiatives that support a sense of belonging and engagement
• Complete and launch Compensation Study 2.0
• Launch a comprehensive review of employee benefits
• Implement a comprehensive faculty and staff development program and annual performance review plan
• Engage with city, state, non-profits, and industry leaders in community planning and participation
• Announce quarterly, six-figure gift
• Secure rezoning
• Select development partners
• Promote and embrace a culture of philanthropy across the Regis community that will first stabilize and then grow participation
• Ensure that the development reflects the essence and character of a separate but connected and supportive Regis University community
This section outlines the key strategic plans and initiatives for the various academic units and support units within the university. University departments have developed detailed strategic unit plans that are aligned with and support the overarching university strategic plan and academic priorities.
This Unit Plan outlines the goals and strategies of the Offices of Mission and Ministry at Regis University, developed in conjunction with the university’s Strategic Plan.
• Goal 1: Offer opportunities for Regis employees to engage with Ignatian Spirituality through the Ignatian Spirituality Program (ISP).
• Goal 2: Convene a process to articulate a “Theology of Regis as a Jesuit Catholic University for the 21st Century” (TU21).
• Goal 3: Support Regis’s development as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence (ODEIE).
• Goal 4: Provide critical Mission support in the areas of integral ecology and ecological spirituality as part of the Laudato Si’ Action Plan.
• Goal 1: Assist in hiring for mission and introducing new faculty to Ignatian Pedagogy through the Manresa for Faculty Program.
• Goal 2: Serve Regis students by accompanying them in exploring faith, spirituality, and social justice through various initiatives.
• Goal 3: Accompany Latine students in the integration of the university’s goals around becoming an HSI.
• Goal 1: Introduce new staff members to the mission through the Manresa for Staff Program.
• Goal 2: Work with Colleges and Departments to enhance and support their mission effectiveness through tailored workshops and unit planning.
• Goal 3: Promote Mission Leave opportunities for all employees.
• Goal 4: Provide intermediate and advanced programming in Ignatian spirituality and theology for faculty, staff, and trustees.
• Goal 1: Nurture the Catholic identity of Regis University locally and more broadly.
• Goal 2: Serve the pastoral needs of the Regis Worshipping Community while remaining transparent about limitations.
• Goal 3: Assist the university in growing relationships with the Society of Jesus locally, nationally, and globally.
• Goal 4: Collaborate with Alumni Engagement to serve the spiritual needs of Regis alumni.
• Goal 5: Deepen relationships with local and national civic communities, particularly through the development of Regis Village.
This is a 3-year academic plan that recognizes the rapidly changing landscape of higher education and aims to set priorities to ensure Regis University’s sustainability through exceptional teaching, student experience, faculty scholarship, community outreach, and commitment to servingness and justice.
• Goal 1: Flatten Academic Affairs administration, creating shared leadership.
• Goal 2: Establish program portfolio optimization process.
• Goal 3: Build university academic community through shared supports, policies, systems.
• Goal 4: Standardize hiring practices.
• Goal 5: Collaborate with Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) on recruitment, yield, scholarships.
• Goal 1: Enhance support for international students, and increase and improve international articulations.
• Goal 2: Increase support for career development, community networking, and experiential/field-based learning experiences.
• Goal 3: Develop programming related to Laudato Si’, imbed mindfulness, trauma-informed skills into curriculum/ support.
• Goal 4: Increase non-degree programming, Regis undergrads matriculating to graduate programs, articulations with partner institutions, enrollment of transfer/adult/unique student populations.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT (CONTINUED)
• Goal 5: Increase sense of belonging, innovate ways to improve student navigability and time to completion.
• Goal 6: Increase retention and graduation rates, lower/eliminate equity gaps.
• Goal 7: Expand reach and service of The Learning Commons.
• Goal 8: Increase utilization of multimodal and online learning, develop cross-college programs.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, DIVERSITY AND SCHOLARSHIP
• Goal 1: Develop support for faculty international engagement.
• Goal 2: Offer continuous professional development opportunities.
• Goal 3: Enhance commitment to diversity and cultural competence.
• Goal 4: Increase part-time faculty engagement, support, development.
• Goal 1: Develop community/corporate/ educational enrollment relationships.
• Goal 2: (Re)Engage with Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) and Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS).
• Goal 3: Develop community/corporate collaborative academic partnerships.
• Goal 1: Ensure HSI status is visible in key identifiers.
• Goal 2: Adapt assessment strategies to understand and serve diverse populations.
• Goal 3: Increase compositional diversity of students, faculty, staff, administrators.
• Goal 4: Provide anti-oppressive education training and community building.
• Goal 5: Establish a HSI Task-Force to pursue HSI goals.
The Strategic Planning committee has developed sample measures of success for each objective of the strategic plan to help guide and inform the development of unit plans and to aid in the operational implementation of the plan. These measures include ideas for tracking progress and the achievement of objectives. The list of potential measures is not exhaustive and is intended to be regularly reviewed and adjusted based on progress and new opportunities.
OBJECTIVE ONE
• Offer equitable and liberatory learning experiences on campus, in the Rocky Mountain region, and in the global community
• Foster student and faculty collaboration and dissemination of scholarly works
• Engage students in global service-learning experiences, such as study abroad and global health pathway programs
OBJECTIVE TWO
• Diversify program offerings and educational delivery models as part of a culturally responsive curriculum designed to be nimble in order to meet the evolving needs of diverse learners
• Increase the number of applicants from Catholic, Jesuit, Hispanic-Serving and secular schools across the Rocky Mountain region
• Recruit and retain faculty with disciplinary expertise who engage students in their scholarly work addressing various forms of justice, such as social, racial, and environmental, at the frontiers of faith, reason and culture
• Maintain meaningful alumni relationships and engage alumni as part of fostering a community of life-long learners
• Guide and support all students as they discern their professional pathways and navigate their vocational journey
• Accompany and serve marginalized populations by demonstrating a commitment to community engagement and civic responsibility, and by striving for equity, justice, and liberation of the communities students come from
OBJECTIVE THREE
• Shape a more accessible, inclusive, and culturally-enhancing educational experience for Hispanic students, and in doing so, create a campus that honors and serves all our students, no matter what their background is
• Validate students, their families, and the communities they come from, by leaning into our commitment to servingness
OBJECTIVE FOUR
• Enhance support for first-generation students via development of a culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive curriculum, co-curricular activities, faculty and staff
• Cultivate a community of diverse faiths, belief systems, perspectives and cultures to promote a spirit of inclusion and belonging
• Discern the impact of tuition and fee increases on student financial health and offer scholarships and financial aid to undergraduate and graduate applicants thereby ensuring equitable access to living, learning and mental and physical health resources
• Build an equity-minded infrastructure to support and sustain an inclusive and welcoming campus
• Honor the lived experiences of our students, faculty, and staff by leveraging their talents as we co-create a strategic vision for our diverse campus community
• Commit fiscal and human resources to promote justice, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives in climate, programs, curriculum, and community
• Engage in continuous quality improvement via a structured responsive assessment plan of the University climate and student experience, engagement, satisfaction, success and well-being
• Increase resources to intentionally cocreate student affinity groups to capture the voices of our students, including those participating remotely
OBJECTIVE ONE
• Host focused employee information sessions to promote and explain procedures for exercising flexible work arrangements, employee/family tuition benefits, and other additional perks
• Ensure responsible and responsive staffing to prevent overload and burnout
• Ensure salary and benefits packages are competitive and meet the needs of employees
OBJECTIVE TWO
• Promote workshops to increase awareness surrounding the respect for all
• Continuous communication of policies surrounding the fair treatment of all Regis employees
• Support faculty and staff by making mentorship, scholarship opportunities/ time, and grant resources available
• Assemble and maintain an Operational Diversity Committee
• Adopt a university-wide definition of “inclusive diversity”
• Implement regular training sessions on respectful communication
• All cultural and spiritual diversity is honored through University programming and personnel policies that support time off for celebrations/observations of cultural/spiritual significance
• Ensure that search committees are trained and committed to inclusive hiring practices
• Provide multiple safe processes (e.g., surveys) that evaluate workplace training, leadership, University communication, and onboarding processes to ensure culturally affirming environments and confidence in the work
• Offer increased opportunities for employees and operational/academic units to dialog with leadership (e.g., listening sessions; informal, scheduled drop-in sessions, etc.)
OBJECTIVE FIVE
• Prioritize an intentionality of community building, environmental sustainability, and inclusivity in University-sponsored activities
• Develop a university-wide calendar outlining community events, mission opportunities, holidays, etc.
• Provide multiple safe processes to evaluate if employees have the resources needed to fulfill job expectations
• Provide formal, constructive performance feedback to recognize meritorious work, growth, and growth opportunities/areas for improvement
• Increase communication and visibility of Senior Leadership expressing and acting on university or unit priorities
• Articulate communal discernment processes to the Regis community
• Engage in an ongoing process of examining events/activities, to ensure that they meet the goals of the pillar
OBJECTIVE
• Serve strategically and effectively Rocky Mountain region students from institutions striving to close educational achievement gaps and support lowincome students (e.g., Arrupe Jesuit High School and North High School)
• Increase the number of students from secular institutions (e.g., the Colorado Department of Corrections and AUL Denver) that offer alternative educational pathways that break down the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing higher education
OBJECTIVE TWO
• Develop fruitful relationships with Catholic leaders and communities, and with the Jesuit Order at the local, provincial, national, and world-wide level.
• Increase events and programming involving other Jesuit/Catholic, Protestant, and non-Christian groups
• Progressively increase service opportunities, internships, and volunteer hours with non-profit organizations that provide accessible healthcare (e.g., Clinica Tepeyac) and advocate for culturally responsive opportunities (e.g., Servicios de la Raza and Vive Wellness)
• Expand opportunities for members of the Regis community to provide service to those excluded and historically marginalized in our community (e.g., Food Bank of the Rockies)
• Create sponsorship and opportunities for Jesuit/Catholic, Protestant, and nonChristian leaders and scholars to share their diverse voices and perspectives with our community (e.g., Good Trouble Conversations)
• Develop a pipeline for students from programs serving at-risk youth and first-generation students (e.g., PorterBillups Leadership Academy, Summer Bridge Program, Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, and Adelante Mujer, Inc.)
• Strengthen partnerships with foundations that expand access to post-secondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities (e.g., GLOBAL Inclusive Program)
• Leverage relationships with corporate partners that increase the number of internships for our students and to provide training opportunities that benefit the future workforce and promote the economic growth of the Denver metropolitan area
• Grow partnerships with organizations and foundations for philanthropic and scholarship opportunities that support transformative education
• Increase in the number of campus community and neighborhood events that foster a sense of belonging for the communities we serve (e.g., Spanishlanguage movies included in RegiRama, hosting Catrinas en mi Ciudad, featuring and elevating Latine artists at the O’Sullivan Art Gallery, and Spanish mass)
• Increase in the number of jointly sponsored events that serve the needs of the local neighborhood and Regis (e.g., health clinics for underinsured populations)
• Create an inclusive advisory committee that includes neighborhood groups, to provide diverse perspectives and input on the redevelopment of Regis Square
• Develop successful initiatives involving neighborhood and other external partners that improve wellness and have a positive environmental impact with emphasis on campus sustainability efforts and the further development of the Arboretum at Regis University
• Establish and sustain a diversity initiative that supports minority-owned small businesses and can enrich our community
• Increase organizational capacity to intentionally serve the Latine community by ensuring Spanish language inclusion across the institution
• Increase political support for laws and policies for which Regis advocates
• Fully leverage our visibility and reputation as an Hispanic-Serving Institution through news stories, social media, and impressions to our communities
• Increase engagement from alumni, parents and friends of Regis through service to their local communities and to the University
• Increase support for new laws/policies that advance human rights, promote justice, address education and housing inequities, and fortify our community
• Increase giving from Regis alumni, parents and friends, demonstrated through philanthropic contributions that advance a transformative Jesuit education for our students
• Increase engagement with Latine and first-generation alumni through continued participation in events, organizations, and affinity groups that advance the interest of maintaining a community of support and belonging