The Next Strategic Plan Although our first strategic plan was designed to cover the years 2009-2015, it seems the right time to begin conversations on the next one. Our 2009-2015 Strategic Plan identified 49 projects directly tied to enrollment and retention. Thirty-five are complete and in place, another five are in progress and nine were not accomplished or were dropped from consideration. That success was accomplished through the hard work of every person on this campus. We never gave that plan a title so I would like to anoint it “Leveling the Playing Field.” The positive results of this plan are obvious. So, the question now is, what do we do next? We must build on our strengths to meet the many challenges of the future. Many of those challenges will involve how well we respond to what are the real changes — social, economic, technological — in the landscape of higher education. That task begins with sorting out the signal from the noise in the steady barrage of news and opinions about the costs and value of a traditional college education, about student loan indebtedness and about post-graduation employment prospects. We must find the right combination of innovative ideas, since we want to be Hanover, not anyone and everyone else.
We are a strong, small, liberal arts college that attracts very good students, gives them extraordinary experiences and graduates exceptional alumni. We have a close-knit community known for its friendliness and concern for each other. Our goal for our graduates is that they find their passion and that they are given exposure to a career through internships, study abroad, special research programs and apprenticeships. We want our alumni to be successful professionally, socially, financially and physically, and acquire a sense of general well being in their community and in the world. Our strengths include dedicated faculty and staff who form strong relationships with students, extraordinary opportunities to study off campus during our spring term, grants for internships and research projects, and living on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. We want to get as many high school students on this campus as possible to experience the impact this community can have on students. The summer seminars run by the Rivers Institute have provided that opportunity for hundreds of high school students and their teachers. That is how we answer the question, “Is a private liberal arts college degree worth the cost? Our next strategic plan will identify ways to reduce the cost of instruction without diminishing the special relationship with faculty, to be more creative about accomplishing operating tasks, to identify programs that attract today’s students, to provide more opportunities for special experiences like the spring term off-campus courses and much more. We are only limited by our imagination and the practicality of our creativity. A strategic planning committee has been formed and will reach out to you for your input. This group will team up with the planning committee of the Board of Trustees, meeting with them at the fall trustee board meeting. This will be an open conversation that will hopefully engage each of you in the process. Please join me in celebrating the results of our hard work and participate in a campus-wide conversation about the next decade in the life of Hanover College. What an exciting time to be part of this endeavor.
Sue DeWine, President Fall 2013 All cabinet members contributed to this report. It is through their leadership that we enjoy the success outlined within. My deepest thanks go to: Mike Bruce - Vice President for Business Affairs Lynn Hall - Director of Athletics Dennis Hunt - Vice President for College Advancement Steve Jobe - Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Jon Riester - Vice President for Enrollment Management David Yeager - Vice President and Dean of Student Life