FGCU Strategic Roadmap 2023

Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee

u Faculty Representative (Professor): Eric Dent

u Faculty Representative (Instructor): Felicia Goulet-Miller

u Faculty Representative (Adjunct): John Roth

u Student Representative: Tyler Varnadore

u Alumni Representative: Harry Casimir

u Donor/Foundation Representative: Chuck Ketteman

u Athletics Representative: Lauren F. Leister

u Campus Life Representative: Chris Blakely

u Academic Leadership Representative: Amelia Biehl

u Academic Advising Representative: George Williams

u Staff Representative: Lisa Banks

u Staff Representative: Amy Craig

u Staff Representative: Aisha Lewis

u FGCU Board of Trustees Representative: Erika Donalds

u Consultant: Jeffrey Garland

Strategic Roadmap Executive Committee

u Mitch Cordova, Vice President, Student Success & Enrollment Management

u Kitty Green, Vice President, Advancement

u Mark Rieger, Executive Vice President and Provost

u Aysegul Timur, Vice President and Vice Provost for Strategy and Program Innovation

u David Vazquez, Vice President, Administrative Services and Finance & Executive Director, Financing Corporation

Purpose

FGCU is creating the framework for its next Strategic Plan.

In 2023, Florida Gulf Coast University will welcome a new president and complete the 2017-2023† FGCU Strategic Plan. In order to prepare for both events, the President’s Cabinet and Board of Trustees implemented the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Initiative, a framework to facilitate FGCU’s next strategic plan. The initiative focused on extensive internal and external input to provide the incoming president with an indicator of FGCU’s current state, as well as the factors that will impact the future of the university.

Methodology

A 13-member steering committee, broadly representative of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors, was appointed in spring 2022. The committee developed a framework for gathering input from stakeholders to be used during dozens of town hall meetings and focus groups. The committee created a uniform list of questions to ask stakeholders, who were invited to take part in scheduled feedback sessions throughout the summer and fall terms of 2022.

FGCU Strategic Planning Timeline 2022-2024*

Phase 1: Listening, Learning, Synthesizing

Strategic Planning Survey Questionnaire

The Strategic Planning Survey Questionnaire (Appendix A) was created to serve as the primary method of collecting consistent and measurable data from all stakeholders. The questions were structured to identify contributors to FGCU’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). However, the input and feedback gathered were not conducted as a traditional SWOT analysis, but rather used as generalized feedback to identify

Phase 2: Strategic Plan

trends. The results for each question are categorized as either stemming from internal (faculty, staff, students) or external (community members, publicprivate sector leaders, advisory boards, legislators) groups to determine whether viewpoints varied between the groups. Overall responses, as well as those segregated by internal and external groups, are presented in this summary.

† The President’s Cabinet and Board of Trustees agreed to extend the FOCUS 2017-22 Strategic Plan for a year due to the delay in the presidential search process.

*Due to the delay in the presidential search process, the initial timeline has been modified.

Collection Methods

A series of meeting methods were used to collect the questionnaire data based on the audience.

1. Town hall meetings were held in person and/or virtually, led by committee members stepping each question. Attendees were asked to provide answers to questions collected using polling software accessible by their smart phones or computers. Additionally, the committee members promoted an open dialog of discussion with feedback noted by committee members/staff support.

2. One-on-one meetings were offered to some audiences, like the FGCU Board of Trustees and other elected officials, such as the Lee County Board of Commissioners, due to the Sunshine Law.

3. A web-based survey (Appendix B) was released in November 2022 that included the same questions asked in town halls and focus groups, as well as additional questions regarding the respondent’s opinion of FGCU’s impact on the community. While the web-based survey generated 877 responses, the results should be interpreted with the anticipation of some duplicated responses because the survey link was also shared with participants of town hall meetings.

Strategic Roadmap Website, Communication, and Participation

The Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee also developed a website to provide instant and transparent information to internal and external stakeholders.

fgcu.edu/roadmap

Additionally, a comprehensive communication plan (available on the roadmap website) was developed and implemented by FGCU Marketing & Communications. Meeting schedules were communicated via email messages and social media channels.

The adjacent charts summarize the number of in-person and virtual town halls, as well as the individual meetings and the attendees/constituents involved. The second chart excludes online survey participation.

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MEETINGS SCHEDULED MEETINGS COMPLETED PARTICIPANTS

Stakeholders

Internal Stakeholders

Internal focus groups were identified for data collection and were held in person and/or virtually following the format of the Strategic Roadmap questionnaire.

A total of 25 internal town hall meetings were conducted with the following stakeholders:

u Staff

u Faculty

u Students

u Alumni

u President’s Cabinet

u FGCU Foundation Board

u FGCU Financing Corporation Board

u FGCU Board of Trustees

External Stakeholders

External focus groups were identified for data collection and held in person and/or virtually following the format of the Strategic Roadmap questionnaire.

A total of 30 external focus group meetings were conducted. In addition to families of FGCU students, the following stakeholders from the five-county region of Southwest Florida (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties) were engaged in the process:

u K-12 school superintendents

u Community residents

u Regional businesses

u Southwest Florida nonprofits

u Economic development officials

u Board of County Commissioners

u Chambers of Commerce officials

Analysis and Presentation

Input from participants of town halls and focus groups was collected using the Poll Everywhere platform or manually for single-person interviews. Responses are presented as word clouds, where the most common responses have the largest font. More than 800 respondents provided input in the town halls and focus groups, though not every survey question was answered by each respondent. For most questions, word cloud results are shown as follows:

u All stakeholder feedback combined

u Internal stakeholder feedback

u External feedback

Special Acknowledgements

The scheduling and preparation of Strategic Planning stakeholder meetings as well as the compilation, review, and production of final summary documents would not have been possible without outstanding staff support from the following individuals and departments:

Tracie Beck, Support Coordinator, Office of the President; Julie Eacho, Executive Assistant, Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs; Pamela McCabe, Coordinator of University Communications & Media Relations; Shelby Smith, Administrative Specialist, Office of the Provost; Kristin Toth, Administrative Specialist, Office of the Provost; and University Marketing & Communications.

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ROADMAP INITIATIVE - 2023

Top Recurring Themes

As feedback was collected and analyzed, FGCU’s Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee observed a recurring theme of topics brought up by internal and external stakeholders. Those ideas are summarized in the following 12 points of focus, serving as a guide for FGCU’s next strategic plan.

u Students, faculty, staff, and the community enthusiastically support FGCU. Stakeholders look to the university for athletics, cultural engagement through the visual and performing arts, subject-matter expertise of the faculty, and WGCU Public Media.

u Florida Gulf Coast University is young – and that is to its advantage. FGCU is nimble, and it can pursue new opportunities quickly and efficiently while responding to the changing dynamics and workforce needs of Southwest Florida.

u FGCU is grounded in the priorities of the fivecounty area it specifically serves. As it grows,

the university needs to demonstrate that commitment physically and programmatically. Of particular concern is how the university can balance its physical presence across Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.

u The university’s focus on sustainability and the environment is unique, differentiating FGCU from institutions around the state and nation. As students graduate and enter the workforce, they bring that perspective with them, further enhancing the regional impact of sustainable practices and environmental awareness.

u FGCU is a major economic force in Southwest Florida, both as a major employer and a key educator of an ever-growing workforce.

u Faculty and staff recruitment, development, and retainment can be challenging because of the cost of living and compensation restrictions.

6 FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ROADMAP INITIATIVE - 2023

u Faculty and students are concerned about keeping freedom of expression a priority.

u The use of ever-evolving technologies will play a major role both in campus infrastructure and how education is delivered to students and community members, now and in the future.

u Stakeholders see an urgent need to strategically develop sustainable growth plans for the university and understand how these plans will impact the need for facilities both on and off campus. Affordable housing is a concern for employees and students alike, but it is worth noting that the university is among the top in the system for providing on-campus accommodations to its student population.

u Great support exists for increasing research and graduate programs at FGCU, as long as these efforts reflect the community’s priorities and the needs of undergraduates. The Water

School is a good example of applied, relevant, interdisciplinary research that can benefit Southwest Florida in tangible ways.

u Accessibility to an FGCU education is important both for students and community members. Priorities should focus on financial support for students as well as making the university accessible for diverse segments of the community, especially as the university pursues designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

u The community supports FGCU’s ambitions to increase student success and the co-curricular support students require. Areas highlighted by stakeholders include a greater focus on mental health and wellness initiatives, academic counseling and tutoring services, and career development services, including internships and mentoring opportunities from peers, alumni, and community partners.

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ROADMAP INITIATIVE

Question 1. When you think of FGCU, what impressions or words come to mind?

Question 1- All stakeholder feedback

Question 1- External feedback

Question 1- Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Impressions from all constituencies reflect a sense of pride in the university, its students, faculty, and staff, and its accomplishments over the first 25 years. The university is described as a young, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative campus that cares deeply about its students, environment, regional sustainability, and service to the community. About 90% of campus and community respondents through the online survey indicated they were proud FGCU was part of the community and would recommend it to prospective students. However, respondents indicated there have been natural growing pains associated with being a younger institution. As FGCU’s enrollment and program growth continues at a fast pace, some perceive limitations with on-campus parking and funding sources.

External stakeholders strongly emphasized the positive impact the university has had on the community, the quality of FGCU’s graduates, and the institution’s future potential. Donors, in particular, value how FGCU listens to the workforce needs of the community and how it has been a driver of the business community. It is evident that the external community has great pride in FGCU.

Students, faculty, and staff frequently commented on the benefits of FGCU’s student-centered teaching focus as a regional comprehensive university and the institution’s impact on the community. However, they identified challenges, such as navigating a tight budget that requires employees to do more with less and a need for more robust communication from campus leaders and across divisions and departments.

All respondents regularly commented on the growth potential and opportunities ahead for FGCU:

u FGCU is innovative, nimble, adaptive, and inclusive.

u The university’s focus on sustainability and the environment is attractive and differentiates FGCU from its peers.

u FGCU’s focus on service to the community resonates with staff, faculty, and students.

u The Water School and WGCU are seen as major successes, important community assets, and opportunities for further development.

Further Considerations

Concerns raised by external groups include the need for a greater focus on Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry counties, risks of Florida’s political environment, and the need to define a few unique strengths where FGCU can excel. A few comments mentioned a need to better prepare students for careers and employment, as well as the difficulty of working across disciplines.

FGCU listens to the community instead of following a long-standing tradition like other universities. We respond to local needs.”

Question 2. How does FGCU make an impact in the Southwest Florida community?

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Responses from all internal and external groups show the breadth of FGCU’s impact.

Students shared that FGCU’s impact on the Southwest Florida community can be seen in the university’s commitment to developing the skills and capabilities the community and workforce need. As the local region evolves into an economic hub, FGCU is enhancing the quality of students entering the workforce by expanding its micro-credentialing and digital badging initiative, internships, and other work-based learning opportunities. Respondents also commented on how the university transforms the individual lives of its students, and the positive impact FGCU has on first-generation-in-college students.

External respondents noted many examples of how the university collaborates with the community, and FGCU is seen as a focal point for major initiatives, including environmental quality, healthcare, and construction management. Cultural and intellectual impacts have also occurred through lecture series, art exhibitions, concerts, theater, and athletic events. Many respondents credited FGCU with assisting in bringing the region together to focus on relevant issues, including the applied research in The Water School, and how FGCU has played a role in enriching the local economy by retaining talented graduates in Southwest Florida.

FGCU’s service-learning hours requirement is viewed as a key asset for the community. Respondents cited examples of how students and faculty are engaged with the community, and how FGCU is educating those who will one day become leaders in the surrounding community. FGCU is seen as a “thought leader,” as it helps shape the goals of the region. Overall, more than 86% of survey respondents indicated that FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

Looking into the future, many respondents mentioned opportunities for growth by:

u Expanding research focused on regional issues, especially with The Water School.

u Continued and expanded regional collaboration.

Further Considerations

A few concerns were raised on the impact of FGCU’s growth on the surrounding community, including higher housing costs and using up available land throughout Southwest Florida to meet the future needs of the university. There is also a desire for improved marketing to the community about FGCU events.

You were a bud and now you’re about to blossom, and the direction you’re going to blossom into is critical for Southwest Florida.”

Question 3. What should be FGCU’s top three priorities?

Question 3- All stakeholder feedback

Question 3- External feedback

Question 3- Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Research, scholarship, student success, diversity, investment in employee development, recruitment of quality employees, and the retention of faculty, staff, and students should be among the university’s top priorities moving forward.

From a research perspective, respondents encouraged FGCU to “develop a culture of research” with the “full engagement of the student.” External audiences emphasized the importance of applied, relevant, interdisciplinary research that can benefit Southwest Florida in tangible ways and connect the university to the needs and values of the community. All stakeholders described research as a vehicle for student learning and community engagement. Student success was also frequently mentioned, with respondents acknowledging the improvements FGCU has already put in place and the work still required. As one of its guiding principles, FGCU believes diversity is a source of renewal and vitality, and participants expressed a need to improve faculty and staff diversity to better align with the university’s student population. Making FGCU a career choice for faculty and staff, not simply a starting point, was emphasized by respondents, who also see the need for the university to focus more on the well-being of employees and students, including mental health. Headwinds to retention efforts include housing costs, salary, and general support.

While speaking about the university’s priorities, constituents noted opportunities to address the school’s growth and a nimbleness to respond to the needs of the local workforce:

u The cost, quality, and availability of student housing was a priority raised by students and their families. While FGCU houses more than 30% of its total student population, making it among the highest housing percentages in the State University System, Southwest Florida’s housing market remains a challenge for those not able to secure on-campus housing. Students also noted an opportunity to make more parking available on campus, particularly in the main academic corridor.

u Likewise, community members perceived FGCU’s campus resources, including parking lots and academic space, as being strained by the institution’s growth, and it was suggested that there needs to be a strategic allocation of resources and space to accommodate FGCU’s growth.

u External town halls offered a glimpse into the priorities of the five-county region, revealing workforce readiness as a common priority. Teacher and healthcare worker shortages were commonly cited in discussions, and FGCU was seen as a solution for the regional workforce pipeline, enabling locally grown talent to stay in Southwest Florida.

Further Considerations

Stakeholders believe it is important for university leaders to be involved and visible in the community as regional leaders and advocates. Athletics plays a part of this visibility and recognition, with academic programs, like those seen in The Water School, reflecting the unique landscape of Southwest Florida.

FGCU should be the first choice for parents, students, and the community… FGCU should be called the best place to work in Southwest Florida. There is an opportunity to make it stronger and set the university as an example to others.”

Question 4. Which specific programs or activities make the most impact on student success and the community?

Question 4- All stakeholder feedback

Question 4- External feedback

Question 4- Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

When speaking about FGCU’s key impacts to student success and the Southwest Florida community, all stakeholders recognized the importance of support services and extracurricular activities. It is believed that connecting FGCU students to the community through service-learning hours, civic engagement, transferable skills, career readiness, and partnerships has a positive impact on Southwest Florida and beyond. Among the top responses were internships, service-learning hours, advising, career services, applied research, mentorship, clubs, and other forms of extracurricular support, such as tutoring.

Students, faculty and staff emphasized the impact of academic advising, student-led organizations and counseling services on student outcomes, while stakeholders in the community placed a greater focus on services that align students to the workforce, such as career services, mentors, partnerships, leadership opportunities, and community involvement. Slightly less prominent than these topics was “mental health,” a phrase that only appeared in external feedback. Students and employees referred to the impact of counseling in more specific topics, with mentions of academic advising, Counseling and Psychological

Services (CAPS), Adaptive Services, and peer-to-peer relationship building opportunities offered through on-campus involvement. One noticeable difference is a greater mention of high-impact practices, such as research and advising from internal constituents. Co-curricular activities are clearly regarded as impactful on student success at FGCU.

Opportunities for growth include:

u Further development of transferable skills and the digital badge program, along with work-based learning in partnership with local employers.

u Connecting classroom-based learning and labs with the real world.

u Applied and translational research to answer questions posed by the Southwest Florida community. FGCU’s in-house experts can offer solutions to the community through local media.

u Create centers and institutes with a specific focus that is tied to the needs of the local workforce.

u Broaden communication channels to ensure students and faculty are in touch with the needs of the local communities.

Further Considerations

There were no prominent, repeated references to a specific academic program in response to this question in either town halls or in the online survey. However, there are references to FGCU’s plethora of academic programs, such as entrepreneurship, business, hospitality, construction, health, arts, education, water, and colloquium. While The Water School is often used as an example for applied research, especially by the community and external stakeholders, no one program at FGCU seems to be thought of as more impactful than another.

Question 5a. The following are FGCU’s current strategic focus areas. Which do you view as most important?

MOST Important Pillar - All stakeholder feedback

MOST Important Pillar - External feedback

MOST Important Pillar - Internal feedback

The university is relevant. FGCU has great potential for making an even greater impact on the community. Being relevant to (the) local community by meeting the needs of the local community.”

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Internal and external audiences agree that student success is the most important pillar, or strategic focus area, for the university, followed by academic

excellence. Some commented that student success would logically flow from academic excellence, illustrating the interconnectedness of the two pillars. It is worth noting that academic excellence was ranked higher than student success in the online survey, creating one of the largest differences between live forum and online results. Community engagement was consistently ranked as the third most important focus area by all stakeholders, whether the input came from live forums or the online survey.

Health sciences and entrepreneurship were the least important pillars for FGCU, with entrepreneurship ranking lower than health sciences in the live forums. In the online survey, little difference occurred between the two pillars. Follow-up questions showed that most audiences found the pillars for health sciences and entrepreneurship to be out of place relative to broader focus areas of academic excellence, student success, and community engagement. With this in mind:

u Many respondents thought the focus areas of entrepreneurship and health sciences related to specific units of the university and seemed unclear as to why they would be included as university-wide strategic emphases.

u Comments suggested that “entrepreneurial mindset” would be an important outcome for FGCU graduates, regardless of their discipline, and this phrasing might avoid conflation of this overarching principle with one of seven academic units.

Further Considerations

About 75% of 877 survey respondents agreed that FGCU could be characterized as an innovative and entrepreneurial university. If the university eliminated or renamed the pillars related to entrepreneurship and health sciences in the next strategic plan, feedback suggests there is broad support for other themes, such as entrepreneurial mindset, sustainability, environment, research, technology, and diversity.

Question 5b. The following are FGCU’s current strategic focus areas. Which do you view as least important?

Student success is the bottom line of any educational institution.”

Question 6. Please tell us any additional strategic areas that should be included.

Question 6- All stakeholder feedback

Question 6- External feedback

Question 6- Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Town hall and focus group responses highlighted themes related to diversity, equity and inclusion, research, technology and sciences, the environment, and workforce readiness.

FGCU students, faculty, and staff emphasized diversity more strongly than external stakeholders and respondents via the online survey. Students commented that a Hispanic-Serving Institution designation would be a “big deal” for the community and wished to “see more people of color on campus.” An employee indicated the importance of “creating space for students of diverse backgrounds so they can help shape the university.” Internal stakeholders brought up issues related to parking, athletics, and funding. Non-instructional employees feel that staff should be added as a strategic area, and all employees – faculty and staff – are concerned with equity, careers, resources, morale, and better pay.

External stakeholders emphasized growth, the environment and sustainability, as well as research, technology, and science. One community member said, “We need to focus on sustainability and resilience in the region (and) building communities back.”

Conversations within the Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee suggested that “workforce” become a pillar, which would have both external and internal components. Preparing students to be career-ready was a recurring theme, and respondents discussed opportunities for students to complete internships, job shadowing experiences, and co-op programs while learning specialized skills through quality credentialing programs. FGCU has established strong community partnerships that ensure the workforce readiness of graduates. One comment from the Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce Focus Group specifically emphasized that FGCU is becoming a talent town square for the region.

Across all stakeholders, the importance of good health and well-being for FGCU students was emphasized. Employees stressed that “first-year

students can’t learn study strategies and effective test-taking strategies if they aren’t taking care of themselves.” Students stressed the importance of financial literacy, while trustees underscored the importance of “student enrichment,” building a “student culture,” and pairing alumni mentors with current students.

Respondents frequently mentioned opportunities to focus on:

u Themes around the topics of health, environment and sustainability, student success, business, and science.

u Service-learning hours are important for student success, and the university having a positive impact on the community.

Further Considerations

The themes “sustainability and community resiliency” and “environment” were prominent responses in Question 6, which asked about strategic areas or pillars. Sustainability and environment are frequently associated with FGCU’s mission.

Class can teach you things. Mentorship can teach you how to use those things, navigate, apply that knowledge.”

Question 7. Please tell us any areas/initiatives that should NOT be included in FGCU’s next strategic plan.

Question 7 – All stakeholder feedback

Question 7 – External feedback

Question 7 – Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Entrepreneurship, creating a medical school, and launching a football program were the three most frequently cited topics to avoid as pillars in the next strategic plan, according to feedback from town hall, focus group, and online survey audiences. Collegiate athletics – football in particular – are of great interest within the state, and the aversion to having football stems from the associated costs of the program. It is the same for medical, law, pharmacy, or dental schools. With respect to entrepreneurship, there was no indication that anyone believed the program should not exist at FGCU, only that it does not need special reference or focus in strategic planning. The word “none” was one of the most prominent responses in the online survey, which suggests most people do not see any active programs that should be discontinued.

Other responses were diverse and varied, depending on the audience. Generally, students, faculty, and staff focused on university operations (size of

administration, culture, enrollment), while external constituencies were concerned with politically charged issues and would like the university to remain focused on the local community instead of pursuing an excessive number of directions.

Additional opportunities recommended by internal audiences:

u Faculty and staff commented about a need for a more supportive work environment with more frequent, transparent communication from administration, slowing enrollment growth, and making the campus more active on the weekends.

u There were only 11 comments from students, which included removing the service-learning hours requirement, teaching Colloquium differently, renovating North Lake Village, and allowing students more control over fee expenditures.

Further Considerations

Responses generally indicated a desire to be thoughtful in planning initiatives and not spreading the campus too thin. This is consistent with the title and theme of the former strategic plan, Focus 2017-2022.

Focus on where FGCU can be great. Select a target and stay committed.”

Question 8. What undergraduate or graduate programs should FGCU consider as Southwest Florida grows and develops?

Question 8 - All stakeholder feedback

Question 8 - External feedback

Question 8 -Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

A relatively large number of programs were cited in this question, with some noted differences between internal and external audiences. A general theme of growing graduate programs emerged, along with specific foci on engineering, management, and healthcare. Those areas are all extremely broad, and some of the comments made specific reference to areas such as architecture, data analytics, cyber security, homeland security, behavioral sciences, healthy aging, sustainability, electrical and mechanical engineering, and interdisciplinary tracks.

u Regarding healthcare, specific reference was made to nursing and an expansion of FGCU’s physician assistant and other health sciences programs. While the term “medical” appeared prominently in feedback from internal audience groups, there was no specific encouragement for a medical school.

u Sports management and education were also frequently mentioned by internal groups, and “forensic investigations” was one of the most frequently mentioned programs overall.

u Agriculture, a major industry in Southwest Florida, was minimally mentioned by external audiences Expansion of construction management was also referenced as Southwest Florida grows.

Further Considerations

Mental health and counseling do not appear on the word maps, but are referenced as part of the topic of “healthcare” and emerged in discussions of other questions. “Management” was frequently mentioned in live and online audiences, but comments did not specify programs within this broad area except business sustainability, risk, and resource management. Offering doctoral programs in business administration, water, and health-related sciences were mentioned in reference to graduate program growth.

The biggest impact is hiring - FGCU is producing the workforce that SWFL needs. We are doing a good job but could be doing better.”

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Recurring themes for both internal and external constituents were fairly consistent. Overall, there is a desire for FGCU to grow in capability and stature. Complex issues concerning access to the university, such as financial, age and cultural backgrounds, need to be further explored. The rising cost of higher education was mentioned frequently by both internal and external audiences as well as in the online survey, and a concern was raised about the return on investment for the debt students must incur to complete their education. Additionally, the cost of living in Southwest Florida may be a serious limiting factor for hiring faculty and staff.

Alignment of FGCU’s offerings with societal need was also an overarching theme, as was adapting current learning styles to reflect changes in technology. Also, feedback about content relevance and workforce preparedness was mentioned in many of the comments.

To address these concerns, FGCU has an opportunity to:

u Increase access to virtual learning opportunities through more online classes as well as onlinebased interdisciplinary, non-traditional, and certificate programs. The priority is to maintain a focus on offering a high-quality education experience, whether instruction is online or in person.

u Ensure that the education students receive is aligned with the job market. FGCU should offer relevant degree programs for the region, address the needs of non-traditional students, and provide access to an education outside of the academic classroom.

Further Considerations

Responses indicated a need for more conversations about academic freedom, free speech, political interference in higher education, and what these issues mean to FGCU. Fundraising and messaging should be focused around the value proposition and return on investment of higher education. FGCU’s innovation in teaching and learning as well as its academic programming that showcases how the university is staying at the forefront of industry trends need to be highlighted to external audiences. Messaging should distinguish the university so the Southwest Florida community understands where FGCU stands out against its peers.

Question 9. When you think of higher education (both regionally and nationally), what do you think will be the most important challenges in the future?

Southwest Florida is currently in the middle of a workforce shortage. It is important to educate and graduate a workforce and to keep graduates here.”

Question 10. What words or phrases should describe FGCU in 2030?

Question 10- All stakeholder feedback

Question 10- External feedback

Question 10- Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

“Innovative” is the most prominent word mentioned by stakeholders, although what it means for FGCU to be innovative in 2030 is open to interpretation. Some comments defined innovative as “thinking completely outside of the box” and the concept that FGCU is doing something “that other schools are not doing.”

Both internal and external participants see the university as a community-driven institution, with words like “leader” and “community” appearing prominently in online survey responses. Faculty, staff, students, and graduates use their skills, largely in the Southwest Florida workforce, to promote economic growth by meeting the needs of the community. FGCU should keep thinking about its impact beyond the campus borders and consider its placement as a vital pillar of the community. FGCU offers education beyond the classroom, as the university enhances the overall quality of life in Southwest Florida with access to the arts and athletics while providing knowledge to the region that contributes to enhanced public

health and safety. Campus priorities of protecting the environment carry over into the community as well.

Feedback suggests that stakeholders expect FGCU to take action now to plan ahead for the future. For example:

u Words such as “diverse/diversity,” “sustainability,” “excellence,” “top,” “better,” “best,” “affordable,” and “competitive” were stated throughout the feedback. Collectively, these terms indicate that FGCU should become a more diverse, nationally recognized university, known for its commitments to affordability and core values such as sustainability and academic excellence.

u Comments also suggested that FGCU should build traditions for tomorrow, consider the cost of housing and its effects on recruiting quality people, and to think globally about natural disasters, like hurricanes, and infrastructure resilience.

Further Considerations

External respondents did not mention growth as often as internal stakeholders. It may be worth a deeper look at FGCU’s presence in the fivecounty region, as there were frequent comments about balancing the institution’s efforts and presence beyond Fort Myers.

Finally, it is important to note that all town halls were concluded before Hurricane Ian, a highend Category 4 storm that made direct impact with the greater Fort Myers region in September 2022. We wonder how that experience might have impacted answers. Another crisis not addressed was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which precipitated considerable changes in teaching, learning, and working in higher education and may continue to influence operations through the year 2030.

FGCU has the opportunity, and perhaps obligation, to be a leader in cultural and community events and entertainment. Such would greater connect the community to FGCU.”

APPENDIX A

Strategic Roadmap Town Hall/Survey SWOT Analysis Questions

1.When you think of FGCU, what impressions or words come to mind? Why? [S/W]

2. How does FGCU make an impact in the Southwest Florida community? [S]

3. What should be FGCU’s top three priorities? [O/T]

4. Are there any specific programs or activities that make the most impact on student success and the community? [S]

5.The following are FGCU’s current strategic focus areas. Please rank these areas 1 to 5 in order of importance, with 1 being the most important and 5 being the least important. (View Definitions) [S/W/O]

u Academic Excellence

u Community Engagement & Outreach

u Entrepreneurship

u Health Science

u Student Success

6.Please list any additional strategic areas that should be included. (Please reference the list above) [O]

7. Please list any areas/initiatives that should NOT be included in FGCU’s next strategic plan. [S/W/T]

8.What undergraduate or graduate programs should FGCU consider as Southwest Florida grows and develops? [O]

9. What words or phrases should describe FGCU in 2030? [O]

10. When you think of higher education (both regionally and nationally), what do you think will be the most important challenges in the future? [O/T]

APPENDIX B

Online Survey Analysis

Executive Summary

In November 2022, FGCU conducted a survey of FGCU students, faculty, staff, and community members to gather opinions on strategic priorities for the coming years. The 24-question survey asked respondents their opinion relating to FGCU’s strategic plan and sentiment on statements about the university. The survey was active from November 7, 2022, to November 18, 2022, and received 877 responses over the two-week period. A summary of the results can be found below:

u Community members represented the largest share of respondents (26.8 percent), followed by alumni (22.6 percent) and parents (20.1 percent).

u Academic excellence was considered the most important strategic area of focus, followed by student success.

u 86.6 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

u 86.9 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida.

u 74.7 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers.

u 75.3 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university.

u 72.6 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a collaborative learning environment, where people work together to find solutions.

u 61.0 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances.

u 72.7 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community.

u 79.0 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community.

u 64.5 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU makes it easy to access publicly available resources.

u 89.9 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they would recommend FGCU to potential students.

u 90.4 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they are proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community.

u 25.8 percent of participants said they visit FGCU’s campus daily or weekly, while 12.9 percent visit the campus six to ten times a year.

Prepared by the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University. Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Survey Analysis

What best describes your FGCU affiliation?

Respondents were asked to provide their affiliation with FGCU and allowed to select multiple answers. Community members had the largest representation in the survey, measured at 26.8 percent. Alumni represented 22.6 percent of all respondents, followed by parents (20.1 percent), students (14.1 percent), faculty members (11.6 percent), and staff members (8.9 percent). Slightly less than 10 percent of respondents indicated they had some other type of affiliation not specified in the survey.

Table 1. What best describes your FGCU affiliation?

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey

Prepared by the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University. Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

The following are FGCU’s current strategic focus areas. Please rank these areas 1 to 5 in order of importance, with 1 being the most important and 5 being the least important.

Respondents were asked to rank the five areas of strategic focus for FGCU. The five areas were:

u Academic Excellence

u Community Engagement & Outreach

u Entrepreneurship

u Health Science

u Student Success

Strategic focus areas were ranked 1 to 5, with one meaning that the respondent felt the area was the most important, while five meant that the respondent felt the strategic area was the

least important for FGCU. Two methods were used to analyze the results from this question.

Weighted Method

The first method used was the weighted method, where results were compared by assigning point values to each of the responses. A first-place vote assigned five points, a secondplace vote assigned four points, a third-place vote assigned three points, a fourth-place vote assigned two points, and a fifth-place vote was assigned one point. The weighted total takes on a value between one and five, where one means that the area of strategic focus was universally selected as the fifth choice and five means the area of strategic focus was universally selected as the first choice.

Table 2 depicts the results from using the weighted method. Academic excellence was considered the most important area of strategic focus with a score of 4.20. Closely behind academic excellence was student success (3.93), followed by community engagement and outreach (2.88), health science (2.08),

and entrepreneurship (1.92). Most affiliated groups shared a similar sentiment of viewing academic excellence as the most important area of strategic focus. The only exceptions were for both students and staff members, both of which rated student success the most important area.

Table 2. Strategic Areas of Focus Rankings by Affiliation (Weighted Method)

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

First-Place Vote Method

The second method used was the first-place method, where the percent of first-place votes only were tallied. Table 3 displays the results of this method. Academic excellence received 51.4 percent of all first-place votes, most of all five areas. Student success received 34.9 percent of first-place votes, while community engagement

and outreach received 7.8 percent of votes. Both entrepreneurship and health science each received 3.0 percent of first-place votes.

Academic excellence was also the first choice among most affiliation groups. Students and staff members were exceptions to this, with the groups giving 49.2 and 51.3 percent of first-place votes to student success, respectively.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 3. Strategic Areas of Focus Rankings by Affiliation (First-Place Method)

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements.

FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

Table 4 shows that 86.6 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida. Furthermore, 7.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 5.5 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni respondents had the highest share of agreement (91.5 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (70 percent).

FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida.

Table 5 shows that 86.8 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida. Furthermore, 8.8 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.3 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (93.1 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (75.4 percent).

Table 4. FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 5. FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers.

Table 6 shows that 74.7 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers. Furthermore, 16.7 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.6 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Community members had the highest share of agreement (76.1 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (69.3 percent).

FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university.

Table 7 shows that 75.3 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university. Furthermore, 16.6 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.1 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (81.7 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (59.4 percent).

Table 6. FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 7. FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions.

Table 8 shows that 72.6 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions. Furthermore, 18.5 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.9 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (80.2 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (59.8 percent).

FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances.

Table 9 shows that 61.0 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances. Furthermore, 21.6 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 17.5 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (65.5 percent) while staff members had the lowest share of agreement (43.8 percent).

Table 8. FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 9. FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community.

Table 10 shows that 72.7 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community. Furthermore, 17.0 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 10.3 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Business leaders had the highest share of agreement (80.3 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (60.8 percent).

FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community.

Table 11 shows that 79.0 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community. Furthermore, 16.2 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.8 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Business leaders had the highest share of agreement (85.3 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (67.2 percent).

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022 and November 18, 2022

Table 10. FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community.

Table 11. FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community.

FGCU makes it easy for me to access publicly available resources.

Table 12 shows that 64.4 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU makes it easy to access publicly available resources. Furthermore, 25.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 9.6 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Students had the highest share of agreement (70.9 percent) while business leaders had the lowest share of agreement (55.9 percent).

I would recommend FGCU to potential students.

Table 13 shows that 89.9 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they would recommend FGCU to potential students. Furthermore, 5.2 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.9 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (93.9 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (78.0 percent).

Table 12. FGCU makes it easy for me to access publicly available resources.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 13. I would recommend FGCU to potential students.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

I am proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community.

Table 14 shows that 90.3 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they are proud that FGCU is a part of the Southwest Florida community. Furthermore, 7.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 1.7 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (96.1 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (75.2 percent).

How frequently have you visited the FGCU campus over the past year?

Table 15 shows that 25.8 percent of respondents visit the campus daily or weekly, while 3.8 percent visit the campus monthly. Furthermore, 12.9 percent stated that they visit the campus six to ten times a year, 18.1 percent visit the campus three to five times per year, and 22.7 percent visit the campus one to two times per year. About 10 percent of respondents said “none of the above,” while 7.1 percent gave an answer not specified in the survey.

Table 14. I am proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 15. How frequently have you visited the FGCU campus over the past year?

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey

Chart 3. How frequently have you visited the FGCU campus over the past year?