PHASE 1 (2019-22)
Academics
2019-20 Key Successes:
● Established the Center for Interdisciplinary Programs and approved two new programs: medical humanities & society and environmental studies
● Established the Sharon Lust School of Education with Dr. Laurie Daily as its inaugural dean
● Established the School of Music with Dr. Peter Folliard as its inaugural dean
● Approved the curriculum for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, led by Dr. Matthew Volansky
● Approved the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program with Dr. Anissa Goehring as its inaugural director
2020-21 Key Successes:
● Established the School of Business with Dr. Marcia Entwistle as its inaugural dean
● Established the School of Health Professions with Dr. Matthew Volansky as its inaugural dean
● Approved the multimedia entrepreneurship major, which launched Fall 2021, and established the Midco Media Center
● Enrolled a full cohort in the MBA program for Fall 2021
● Secured a major gift for academics associated with behavioral health and wellness, and launched feasibility studies for mental health, school counseling and social work programs
● Expanded programming for instructional technology through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship to strengthen the focus of instructional technology integration
2021-22 Key Successes:
● Finalized and implemented a new governance model for the change in academic structure to a College of Arts & Sciences, Sharon Lust School of Education and Schools of Business, Health Professions and Music
● Secured Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation for the launch of the Master of Science in nursing (MSN) and post-graduate certificate programs with specialty tracks in adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AG-ACNP) and adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist (AG-CNS)
● Established a relationship with the Native American Connections Leadership Team in the Sioux Falls School District to develop a path for Native American students to engage with Augustana faculty, staff and students to introduce an institutional sense of belonging to this underserved population
● Developed a customized program to establish a physical campus in Costa Rica and explored a partnership with Harrisburg School District to expand undergraduate research opportunities for high school students in Costa Rica
● Established minors in brewing & fermentation and neuroscience
Enrollment & Strategic Scholarships
2019-20 Key Successes:
● Developed a comprehensive student recruitment plan to elevate brand awareness and increase enrollment
● Established impact scholarships to provide fully expendable annual scholarship support to students with greater financial need
● Celebrated the first graduates of Augustana’s Diversity Advocate Certification Program
2020-21 Key Successes:
● Adopted retention software to enhance effective collaboration among faculty, student success and student life
● Enhanced the Office of Human Resources support structures around diversity policies, practices and initiatives to reflect institutional commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
● Implemented a predictive analytics and modeling tool to develop budget scenarios and sustainable financial plans for the university
2021-22 Key Successes:
● Implemented the inaugural AVID Media Creation Summer Camp and established a partnership with Promising Futures to fund middle and high school student participation
● Implemented Navigate retention software
Athletics
2019-20 Key Successes:
● Implemented new A-Club and season ticket structure
● Developed missed class time policy
● Launched student-athlete nutrition program
● Created athletic administration internships and other programming with an emphasis on female students and students of color
2020-21 Key Successes:
● Strategically pivoted from actively seeking Division I multi-sport conference invitation during Phases I and II
● Completed feasibility studies to add Division II women’s diving and men’s swimming & diving in Fall 2021, as well as acrobatics & tumbling in Fall 2022
● Developed financial proforma for men’s ice hockey to compete at the Division I level beginning in 2023 and secured the largest gift in Augustana’s history to launch the program
● Piloted biomechanics and performance-based programming with the Augustana Baseball Program and Sanford Sports Science Institute
2021-22 Key Successes:
● Hired inaugural head coach for Viking Men’s Hockey Program
● Secured invitation to a Division I hockey conference
● Finalized the design for Midco Arena
● Launched Viking Women’s Diving, Men’s Swimming & Diving and recruited the inaugural class of Viking Acrobatics & Tumbling student-athletes
Physical Campus & IT
2019-20 Key Successes:
● Developed and approved holistic Campus Master Plan
● Established criteria for decision making, setting priorities and resource allocation to implement the Campus Master Plan
● Established sustainability plan, landscape master plan, campus heritage plan and historic preservation management plan
● Created redundant connectivity and implemented cybersecurity initiatives
2020-21 Key Successes:
● Implemented the Canvas learning management system
● Obtained investment grade rating and secured bond financing to move forward with student housing and infrastructure project
● Completed evaluation of options for a university customized app to enhance communication and engagement with current and prospective students
2021-22 Key Successes:
● Completed construction of Wagoner Hall and renovation of Bergsaker Hall
● Introduced a new university app to campus
● In partnership with Midco, completed upgrade to fiber backbone and access points across campus
● Designed and began construction of Midco Arena
● Designed and began construction of the campus green
Enduring Commitments
2020-21 Key Successes:
● Engaged Co-Curriculum Council in strategic thinking about service-learning and hosted a workshop for faculty, staff and students to generate ideas for growing service-learning initiatives on campus
● Developed the six dimensions of the Well-Being Model (physical, emotional, spiritual, academic, social and financial) to strengthen promotion and increase mental health/wellness services and support to students
● Supported and encouraged participation in the Diversity Advocacy Certification Program, graduating a total of 191 administrators, faculty, staff and students since Fall 2019
● Focused on greater brand awareness and effectively sharing the Augustana story with targeted geographic and program-specific undergraduate and graduate markets, achieving a record high of undergraduate applications
● Launched a comprehensive communication flow program, including increased communication to high school freshman and sophomore prospects and parents, as well as graduate markets
2021-22 Key Successes:
● Developed the church-relations model to identify opportunities for partnership and mutual ministry with local and regional congregations
● Implemented the dimensions of the Well-Being Model for students
● Established best practices in service-learning workshop for faculty and staff
● Developed professional development and competitive compensation plan for faculty and staff
● Expanded awareness and engagement in Twin Cities, Minnesota, area
Academics
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Developed the initial infrastructure to offer credentials and micro-certificates
● Launched postgraduate certificates in adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AG-ACNP) and adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist (AG-CNS)
● Launched the first cohort for the Augustana Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program
● Received HLC approval for fintech major and established Fintech Advisory Board
● Established partnership with Seeds of Change research program in Costa Rica to offer credit to participating high school students
● Developed and approved the first bioinformatics undergraduate program in South Dakota
2023-24 Key Successes:
● Undertook market analysis and finalized agreement with Evidence in Motion (EIM) to establish an occupational therapy doctoral program in Minnesota and expand the physical and occupational therapy doctoral programs into Colorado
● Developed and approved majors in criminal justice, statistics, neuroscience, and strength & conditioning as well as a minor in sports broadcasting for launch in Fall 2024
Enrollment & Strategic Scholarships
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Developed a comprehensive marketing plan for graduate program recruitment and retention
● Integrated diversity, equity and inclusion training into teaching and learning for all students, faculty and staff
● Launched the Augustana Esports Program
2023-24 Key Successes:
● Continued incremental growth toward enrolling 2200 undergraduate and 800 graduate students by achieving 83.5% retention of first- to second-year students and record numbers for overall headcount (2,158), full-time undergraduates (1,787) and full-time graduate students (156)
● Recruited 50 new Journey Scholars and 72 first-year international students
Athletics
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Completed administrative functions of launching men’s hockey related to marketing, ticket sales, ticket allocation and game experience
2023-24 Key Successes
● Launched inaugural men's hockey season and finished inaugural season with 12-18-4 record
● Earned opportunity to compete in the CCHA tournament one year ahead of schedule
Physical Campus & IT
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Completed renovation of Solberg Hall
● Completed first floor renovation of Morrison Commons to modernize dining and improve HVAC systems
● Construction of Midco Arena continued on schedule
2023-24 Key Successes:
● Completed Midco Arena
● Completed phase two of the Morrison Commons renovation to include first floor market space, grand staircase, remodeled Starbucks/lounge area and modernized dining hall/serving stations
● Consolidated all mail services at the Nelson Service Center
● Completed discovery process and review of formal recommendations and initiated migration to Jenzabar One.
Enduring Commitments
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Established a dashboard to report key diversity, equity and inclusion measures
● Implemented the first year of the Compensation & Benefits Plan inclusive of professional development funds for support staff and administrators
● Expanded the use and integration of ePortfolios among students across departments, disciplines and cocurricular programs
● Expanded the use and integration of Navigate, as student success management platform, among faculty and staff across departments, disciplines and co-curricular programs
● Developed a stewardship plan to maintain and nurture relationships and recognize substantial gifts to the university
2023-24 Key Successes:
● Increased the use of ePortfolios to assess students’ participation in high-impact practices that involve integrative and experiential learning
● Expanded supplemental instruction to enhance academic support for students and increased retention
● Developed key public and internal indicators to measure progress toward the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan priorities
● Comprehensively examined the current integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across all departments, developed a shared AI vocabulary to facilitate cross-disciplinary understanding and collaboration, worked to refine academic policies, and provided training and resources through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship
Campaign
2022-23 Key Successes:
● Completed 80% of the Viking Bold campaign ($140 million)
● Secured $1,738,083 for impact scholarships
● Secured $14,412,239 in planned gifts a $10,048,098 increase over previous year 2023-24 Key Success:
● Completed 99% of the Viking Bold Campaign ($173.7M/$175M).
● Secured $1,931,040 for impact scholarships
● Secured $5,480,697 in planned gifts
