STRATEGIC DIRECTION FINAL REPORT
A Message from the President
On October 5, 2019, we publicly unveiled the Butler Beyond strategic direction that would guide our work as a University community over the next several years. At the heart of Butler Beyond was an acceptance of the reality of a changing higher education landscape and the need to evolve. Together, we charted a bold course for Butler’s future that involved a shared commitment to the idea of dual transformation—enhancing our traditional undergraduate residential model while simultaneously developing new models to serve learners of all life stages and backgrounds.
Our work was guided by seven strategic priorities and related initiatives (listed on the back of this report). In the following pages, you will see just a small sample of the many milestones and memorable achievements along the way as we endeavored together toward this goal of Tradition + Innovation. The scope of our achievements far exceeds the limitations of these pages, and I am deeply proud of all we have accomplished together in pursuit of the worthy mission of preparing all learners to lead meaningful lives.
When students choose Butler, we hope their Butler experience will change them in countless meaningful, positive ways. But being open to change takes great courage. Butler University is different today than it was in 2019 because this community was brave enough to be open to change. With the vision and leadership of our Board of Trustees, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the generosity and collaboration of our alumni, donors, and community partners, Butler Beyond has prepared us to once more face the future boldly.
Jim Danko
Butler Beyond
by the numbers
40 3-year degrees 18 articulation agreements
14 new undergraduate programs
31 new adult and online programs
3,485
learners served through new adult and online programs
$262.7M raised from more than 87.5% first-year cohort retention
5,747 total enrollment
35% increase in membership in faculty/staff affinity groups
$18M in gross revenue from new programs
78
increase in external research funding awarded to Butler faculty in 2023–2024 from the previous three years
150 annual diversity activities in skill-building, leadership development, exploring identities, community engagement, and civic service
7 over % +
+19 increase in employee satisfaction with campus experience and environment %
35,039 donors during the Butler Beyond Campaign
years Butler University ranked #1 in Midwest College Rankings, according to U.S. News and World Report
438
members of the Butler community have been trained in Mental Health First Aid
Taking Butler
priority legend
Access & Impact
Well-Being
March 2021
Future Models
Hinkle Fieldhouse was one of six Indiana venues that hosted the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Sixteen tournament games took place at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Culture
August 2021
Student initiative led to the establishment of the Butler Latinx Alumni Association in 2021, a significant milestone in Butler’s many efforts to build an environment of belonging for our growing Latinx community through social, cultural, and educational programming.
March 2022
October 2020
Butler Ventures was established to advance bold ideas from concept to reality. Through the Transformation Lab, ideas for new and innovative educational and business models are vetted, designed, and launched.
May 2022
The Butler Beyond fundraising campaign closed in May 2022, raising over $262 million and exceeding its $250 million goal. Major gifts from Bill Dugan ’51 and Frank Levinson ’75 named Dugan Hall and Levinson Family Hall, two key campaign priorities.
July 2022
Butler welcomed thousands of members of Sigma Gamma Rho to campus for The Homecoming celebration on July 12, 2022 commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. on Butler’s campus on November 12, 1922.
The Institute for Well-being at Butler University launched to help colleges and universities understand student needs and improve well-being initiatives, allowing students and institutions to thrive.
August 2022
Enhancements were made to undergraduate advising efforts with the launch of Navigate online learning management system and the development of a comprehensive institutional advising philosophy and approach.
August 2022
Butler announced a $4 million gift from Trustee Jay Love ’76 and spouse Christie (Kile) Love ’79 to fund the construction of a new University House and Presidential Residence, which will be named the Jay and Christie Kile Love University House.
Beyond
September 2022
Butler hired its inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, marking the establishment of a Cabinet-level position to lead the development and execution of Butler’s DEI strategy.
October 2022
March 2024
In the Great Colleges to Work For Survey, Butler achieved distinction in areas of Job Satisfaction and Support; Faculty and Staff Well-being; Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness; Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Mission and Pride; and Confidence in Senior Leaders.
January 2024
Butler Blue IV’s Instagram page garnered more than 114,000 followers worldwide.
The Butler Esports Park opened in fall 2022, integrating competition, curriculum, and community. Butler’s varsity esports teams compete in the BIG EAST in both Rocket League and League of Legends, with club-level esports teams competing in 13 titles.
August 2022
Butler hired its first ever Director of First-Year Experience and established the Student Success Center, a collaborative hub comprising academic advising, coaching, workshops, and exploratory studies to help students be successful throughout their Butler experience.
August 2023
Renovations to Residential College (ResCo) were completed, including updated residence wings, student lounges, bathrooms, and renovations to the dining hall, kitchen, and lobby.
August 2023
April 2023
Butler celebrated the official opening of the University’s $100 million expanded and renovated Sciences Complex, which now houses all of Butler’s undergraduate science programs in a fully connected corridor.
The Butler Lifelong Learning Collaborative was launched to provide adult learners with non-credit courses on a variety of topics through both in-person and virtual formats, lowering barriers to educational opportunities for all.
August 2023
As a result of our work with The Gardner Institute, Butler developed and implemented a cohesive first-year student strategy with enhancements to New Student Registration and Orientation to support first-year student outcomes.
August 2023
Butler launched core and aspirational EXCITE values to maintain a work environment in support of our mission where trust, pride, and respect for all people are valued and professional success is enhanced.
THE VALUES THAT POWER BUTLER
April 2024
In a major step toward the achievement of its Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, Butler University Board of Trustees announced the establishment of a campus-wide Office of Sustainability and approval of the Butler Decarbonization Master Plan.
November 2023
Butler announced the creation of a new two-year college, Founder’s College, which will provide students from the greater Indianapolis area with an affordable pathway to pursue post-secondary education. Founder’s College will welcome its inaugural class in fall 2025, supported by a $2.5M gift from Marianne Glick and Mike Woods.
October 2023
The Division of Student Affairs announced the creation of the Office of Student Advocacy to provide comprehensive case management services to assist students experiencing crisis or personal challenges, connecting them with resources on and off campus.
August 2024
Butler Athletics announced the establishment of The Butler Way Society, a new philanthropic giving society created to inspire and honor major multi-year gift commitments that will resource the student-athlete experience at an elite level.
September 2024
With the partnership and in-kind design assistance of the Indiana Native Plant Society, more than 400 Butler students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers replanted Holcomb Gardens with approximately 3,700 native plants.
April 2024
Butler University hosted thousands of visitors from around the country to view the total solar eclipse, including solar scientists gathering data on the solar corona as part of a community science project funded by the NSF and NASA. Butler faculty conducted interviews with dozens of local, national, and international media.
June 2024
Butler’s first degree completion option, the online Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, launched as a bridge for individuals with either an associate’s degree or 60 college credits.
May 2024
Butler launched a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program, accredited by the Indiana State Board of Nursing. Starting in August 2025, the program will offer courses that focus on technology’s role in healthcare, working with underserved patient populations, and holistic patient care.
December 2024
Clowes Memorial Hall was ranked 59th in the world for most tickets sold according to Pollstar.
December 2024
Butler announced its vision for a $100 million Midtown Arts District, beginning with a renovation of Clowes Memorial Hall in 2025 funded by a $9 million grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.
January 2025
After a comprehensive two-year plan, Butler went live with Oracle Cloud financial and human resources implementation, building a foundation for operational excellence supporting the dynamic growth of the University.
Butler’s continued transition to cloud computing.
August 2024
Butler was awarded a $22.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support initiatives within the Butler Gateway Project, which aims to create a vibrant, interconnected community between Butler University and Midtown Indianapolis. The grant funding will support a number of community and campus projects, including the construction of a new Safety and Transit Hub.
January 2025
Butler announced a $4 million anonymous gift to the College of Communication (CCOM), a portion of which will establish the first endowed faculty position in CCOM since the creation of the College in 2010.
February 2025
Butler Athletics announced a $12 million estate commitment from Trustee Rebecca Graham Paul ’70 MS ’75 that will provide support for female student-athletes and student-athlete leadership development initiatives.
This timeline contains a small sample of the many milestones and memorable achievements of the Butler Beyond era. The scope of the work accomplished by the Butler community during this period far exceeds the limitations of these pages.
We celebrate the milestones achieved through the Butler Beyond strategic direction, recognizing they ignite the momentum for even greater transformation ahead.
Central to the Butler Beyond strategic direction is the commitment to embracing and supporting learners of all life stages and backgrounds. We recognize different learners have different needs and, therefore, may require different models of education.
The Butler Beyond strategic direction is based on advancing three models of education:
› Residential undergraduate model
› Lifelong Learning model
› Founding Mission model
Priority 1
Ensure the Accessibility, Relevancy, and Distinctive Impact of a Butler Degree
Priority 2
Enhance Holistic Student Well-Being and Engagement
Priority 3
Establish Butler as a Leader in Developing Future Models of Education
Priority 4
Build a Culture of Empowerment, Engagement, and Accountability
Priority 5
Create an Intentionally Diverse, Inclusive, and Equitable Learning and Working Environment
Priority 6
Strengthen the University’s Short– and Long–Term Operating Sustainability
Priority 7
Advance and Strengthen Butler’s External Reputation and Brand