A Strategic Vision for an Evolving School

2028 A Strategic Vision for an Evolving School

2024 –

Introduction

University College (UC) has proven to be an asset to Tufts University. With its inception in 2018, its purpose was threefold: to expand Tufts’ educational reach to new populations at every stage of life, unlock the potential of university-wide collaborations, and prove to be a financial value to the institution. We have been successful in all measures. In FY23, UC served over 4,400 students/ enrollments, including nearly 3,100 non-degree students/ enrollments, collaborated across the institution, and supported $13 million in revenue across all Tufts schools. Additionally, UC received its first foundation gift

of $75,000 from the Cummings Foundation for on-campus pre-college programming for historically underrepresented populations in the Boston area.

This is just the beginning—a mere fraction of University College’s potential to expand the institution’s impact and reach.

In August 2023, University College initiated a five-year strategic planning process upon the arrival of Dean Denise Bates, who succeeded Joseph Auner (founding Dean) and Karen Mulder (founding Executive Associate Dean). To facilitate the plan’s development, the UC team partnered with the

Tufts Technology Services (TTS) Design Practice Team to engage in an eight-month process that involved three phases: Discovery, Synthesis, and Action Planning. The result was the articulation of four strategic aims, each with a set of goals, that will guide the growth and development of UC as it embarks on its new chapter. This bold plan supports the university’s new educational vision and brings more intention and focus to the role UC will play in Tufts’ evolution under the leadership of President Sunil Kumar and Provost Caroline Genco.

Collaborators

This strategic plan was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the TTS Design Practice Team and the University College staff. We are grateful for the guidance, organization, design thinking approach, and collegiality of Thom Cox, Colin Gerrity, Juston Espinoza, Ryan Evans, and other TTS Design Practice Team members.

During the strategic plan’s eight-month evolution, University College experienced a few staff changes and additions. The following UC team members (listed alphabetically) played a significant role in shaping this plan: Lauren Barry, Denise Bates, Jessica Bates, Krissy Day, Christina DiRico, Michelle Chun, Tony Gao, Tressa Janati, Emily Jeong, Sally Kim, Olivia Letourneau, Thomas Marsh, Callan Moody, Aqsa Mugal, Rebekah Plotkin, Tara Pope, Kathy Scanlon, Max Taylor, Abi Theirrien, Maggie Tiano, and Arianna Wilson.

Our History

Approved by the Trustees in November 2018, University College grew out of the efforts of the offices of the Provost and the Executive Vice President to build administrative and support structures that facilitate cross-school academic and administrative partnerships and allow Tufts to reach new markets of learners looking for both degree and non-degree offerings. Replacing the College of Special Studies, the historical home for continuing education and external academic partnerships, UC was established to further expand the scope of programmatic activity for matriculating students and visiting student populations, including K-12, working professionals, and lifelong learners.

At the time of the strategic plan development, UC’s portfolio included Pre-College summer programs (residential, virtual, and commuter), Professional and Custom Education (Courses at Tufts, workshops, and short courses), and the Tufts Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).

Mission and Values

Mission

University College is committed to expanding access to Tufts and transforming the lives of diverse learners across generations through innovative and highquality educational opportunities, career acceleration, and community connections.

Values

• Achieving Inclusive Excellence Through Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Access

• Accountability

• Responsiveness to Learner and Community Needs

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Effective Communication and Professionalism

• Collaboration for Optimal Impact

The establishment of University College will enable more experimentation and growth of Tufts’ programming and partnerships across all our schools and allow us to reach new student audiences at every stage of their academic and professional development. Expanding our base of traditional and non-traditional students also increases the number of alumni with a deep and broad affinity for Tufts—and amplifies the positive impact that Tufts faculty, students, and alumni are able to make in the world.”

President of Tufts University, 2011–2023

(quoted in 2018)

–Tony Monaco

Building Our Strategy

Our strategic framework was guided by three principles— broadening access, enabling impact, and elevating Tufts—and President Kumar’s “Five Pillars.”

University College’s STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Broaden Access | Enable Impact | Elevate Tufts

Educating responsible leaders for tomorrow

Providing transformative experiences

Expanding our research footprint

Broadening our definition of what it means to be a student

Giving back to the community and society

Engaging Stakeholders

The UC team worked with the TTS Design Practice team to engage 100+ stakeholders, facilitate 40+ group conversations, and collect 400+ individual feedback points, suggestions, and opportunities, which were collected and synthesized into 18 action areas. These areas were further synthesized to roll up into four strategic aims.

This process reflects the input of:

• Community partners

• Staff

• Faculty

• Students

• University leadership

• OLLI Executive Committee

The action planning and goal development process was carried out by four UC working groups focusing on areas that cut across all the strategic aims, including 1) mapping the learner experience, 2) identifying unified pathways of learning and practice across generations, 3) conceptualizing a Center for Professional and Workforce Impact, and 4) identifying ways to communicate with a diverse array of learners.

Strategic Aims and Goals

Building on our successes and expertise, UC’s 2024-2028 strategic aims and goals are ambitious yet attainable.

Ensuring UC’s capacity to broaden access, enable impact, and elevate Tufts will require a commitment to improve university systems and deepen partnerships across schools. The outcome of such efforts will be transformative to the institution and the learners we serve.

Strategic Aim #1

Transform Tufts into a career impact accelerator that builds on an education rooted in the liberal arts, civic engagement, and innovation in research that addresses global challenges.

GOALS

• Offer career-connected learning opportunities and experiences for learners at all stages, from pre-college to working professionals (from entry-level to executive) and across industries and job roles.

• Curate expertise and make research investments in key areas of professional studies and workforce development that will complement existing areas at Tufts.

• Build unified pathways of learning and practice that cross generations.

• Leverage partnership connections to facilitate direct pipelines into employment and professional advancement.

• Bring global recognition to Tufts as a leader in career-connected learning embedded in civic engagement.

University College is poised to significantly impact our institution by expanding the definition of what it means to be a student at Tufts University by serving learners of all stages and backgrounds. With the establishment of the Center for Professional and Workforce Impact, UC will broaden the scope of Tufts’ contributions to professional and workforce education while also leveraging technology to create a flexible learning environment. I am confident that this strategic plan will not only transform Tufts into a career impact accelerator but also enhance the value of our institution on a local, national, and global level.”

—Sunil Kumar President of Tufts University (2024)

Adult learners (ages 25+) comprise nearly half of the total students enrolled in higher education in the U.S., accounting for $84B in tuition revenue in 2021 alone. To effectively serve these learners, we must respond to what the data reveals about their motivations for pursuing (or continuing to seek) higher education.

Adult Learner Priorities

Modality and scheduling options FLEXIBLE

Pursuit of passions and making an impact MEANING MAKING ROI and career outcomes AFFORDABILITY

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, “Adult Learning” report, https://nces.edu.gov and Vashae Dixon, “State of the Union: The Graduate, Online, and Adult Learner Markets,” EAB Executive Strategy Summit, March 13, 2024.

Tufts Center for Professional and Workforce Impact

One of the defining features of the Strategic Plan will be a new Center dedicated to expanding Tufts’ commitment to social mobility by producing research and providing cross-school educational programming that promotes career readiness and advancement for learners at all stages and across industries and job roles. The Center will expand the existing work of the UC Professional and Custom Education team and be

integrated into this more focused and robust effort to build Tufts’ reputation within professional and workforce education.

In mapping out career pathways, it becomes possible to identify gaps where Tufts might leverage existing content or initiate the development of new non-credit and for-credit micro-credentials, certificates, workshops, continuing education units, professional development units, and degrees for learners looking

to build or enhance career skills. The Center will also serve as a research hub for andragogy (adult education) and workforce development, producing data and tracking policies that will inform future decisions and initiatives. Additionally, the Center will be a resource and partner on sponsored projects where research commitments are made, and professional and workforce impact is part of the mission.

Strategic Aim #2

Offer a high-quality learner experience by leveraging technology to foster a flexible and experiential environment that is workforce-aligned and reaches learners at every stage of their educational journey.

GOALS

1. Serve as a model for flexible, multimodal learning and support services that offer career and success advising and enrollment guidance for visiting learners and degree-seeking students needing additional support.

2. Elevate the value of personalized experiential/applied learning and design models for different modalities.

3. Create educational pathways programming to bridge gaps and boost learner success at all levels.

4. Launch collaborative and distinctive University College online and hybrid interdisciplinary degrees and certificates that allow students flexibility in creating their learning experience.

Digital Credentialing and Continuing Education Platform

UC will lead the management and governance of the Canvas Credentials platform, with TTS offering technical support. This platform will enable the development of personalized professional learning content that is flexible, stackable, and easily accessible to both degreeseeking and visiting students.

Expanding Access Across the Generations

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Tufts was founded in 2000 as the Tufts Institute for Learning in Retirement (TILR). In 2003, it became the Tufts Institute for Lifelong Learning (TILL). By 2005, the group became part of a national network after receiving a naming grant that redesignated it the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Tufts University. The group joined University College in 2019. In March 2024, there were 640 members.

Tufts University College

Pre-College Enrollment

Tufts Pre-College Programs have grown steadily since 2019. At the time of this plan, we run 18 programs with residential, commuter, and virtual enrollment options across the disciplines. Providing access to these programs is a significant part of our mission, with efforts to increase financial aid availability.

Strategic Aim #3 Expand access to Tufts’ expertise and knowledge to a broad and diverse community of learners.

1. Commit to affordability through pricing assessments, financial aid, employer supplements/reimbursements, and flexible pay options.

2. Target recruitment efforts to specific learner populations, emphasizing historically underserved and underresourced populations.

3. Address policies and practices that create enrollment, participation, and/or access barriers for different populations of learners.

4. Partner with schools and central units to connect expertise with the needs of our community of learners.

5. Deploy a “Tufts to You” approach that brings educational programming directly into the communities we serve.

Strategic Aim #4

Serve as a catalyst in expanding the value Tufts brings to the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the local, national, and global communities it serves.

GOALS

1. Be a critical partner on community-driven educational and social initiatives that align with our mission in geographic areas neighboring Tufts’ Massachusetts-based and remote campuses.

2. Provide catered workforce development and leadership training support to populations/ locations where Tufts has made commitments or research investments/contributions.

3. Collaborate with Tisch College and others to develop and implement a partnership framework for helping to build community and organizational capacity.

4. Track impact data across offerings and partnerships and consistently refine to meet the ever-changing community and workforce needs.

The Office of Government & Community Relations enthusiastically supports University College’s Strategic Aims and Goals. There is a tremendous amount of interest from our neighbors, community partners, and government officials in lifelong learning programs at Tufts University. Expanding and enhancing pre-college programs, graduate school pathways, workforce development programs, life enrichment courses, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will help serve a need in our host communities of Boston, Grafton, Medford, and Somerville. University College’s goals align with Community Relations’ mission to use Tufts’ resources, expertise, and knowledge to benefit our neighbors. As more individuals in these local communities enroll in programs at University College, it will strengthen the bonds, foster collaboration, and deepen the relationship between the university and our municipalities.”

—Rocco DiRico Executive Director,

Tufts Government and Community

Relations (2024)

Expanding Programmatic Offerings and Igniting Our Research Mission

“Broadening our definition of what it means to be a student.”

Translating UC’s Strategic Plan into future educational offerings will position us to scale our Pre-College Programs and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute while growing into new areas that will enable us to reach more learners.

I am excited to see how the strategic plan for University College will expand access to Tufts’ expertise and knowledge to a diverse range of people across generations. The goals outlined in the plan, such as partnering with schools and central units across the University and providing tailored workforce development and professional education, demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive learning environment. By deploying a ‘Tufts to You’ approach and collaborating with Tisch College, UC will serve as a critical partner in community-driven initiatives and track impact data to continually refine educational offerings to meet the changing needs of our community and workforce.”

—Caroline Genco Provost and Senior Vice President (2024)

Pre-College Programs

Graduate School Pathways

Programs focused on middle and high school students that expose them to a rigorous academic environment and offer career preview learning opportunities and experiences.

Programming that prepares learners for pursuing graduate studies. This may be taken in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree program or as a post-baccalaureate.

University College

Tufts’ Hub for Lifelong Learning

Center for Professional and Workforce Impact

Life Enrichment

Programs, micro-credentials, certificates, workshops, PDUs, CE units, and interdisciplinary degrees for learners looking to build or enhance career skills. The Center will also serve as a research hub for workforce development.

Programs, courses, workshops, and experiences for learners at every stage of their lives. This will create a cross-generational learning and mentoring environment that will bring diverse learners to Tufts and provide the opportunity to integrate Tufts into communities.

A learning community of adult learners 50+, offering a wide variety of membership engagement opportunities.

Tufts’ OLLI is part of a national network of 120 programs, but is embedded in the Tufts community.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute