Goal Two: Deliver a distinctive and integrated liberal arts education.
Gustavus ACTS
“Integrated” means a student’s experiences in and out of the classroom operate in tandem to build a transformative college experience. “Distinctive” means notable and desirable, recognized excellence.
Some of our accomplishments to date: the $70 million Nobel Hall of Science expansion and renovation, the expansion of the Center for Career Development and the growth of mentoring and peer education programs, and partnerships among student life divisions.
The anchor of Goal Two is the Challenge Curriculum, the general education curriculum that is the result of five years of discovery and design by Gustavus faculty. The Challenge Curriculum is an interdisciplinary, solutions-focused curriculum designed to empower students to act on the great challenges of our time.
Goal 2 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Goal 2A KPI 1: Conduct pilot assessment to measure effectiveness of student learning within the new general education curriculum
- Goal 2A KPI 2: Support development of innovative pedagogy
- Goal 2A KPI 3: Promote new curriculum and other innovative pedagogy
- Goal 2A KPI 4: Support faculty development for academic advising
- Goal 2A KPI 5: Evaluate faculty workload and current step system for compensation
- Goal 2A KPI 6: Complete first cycle of 5-year academic review
- Goal 2A KPI 7: Plan and implement new/modified undergraduate programs that are consistent with our Mission, faculty expertise and needs of prospective students
- Goal 2A KPI 8: Develop and approve post-baccalaureate Athletic Training Program (2019), create institutional systems (2020-2023) and receive external accreditation approval (2020-2022)
- Goal 2A KPI 9: Expand support and faculty development for RSC (research, scholarship, and creativity) including for internal and external grants.
- Goal 2A KPI 10: Enhance compliance and support for research ethics and safety
- Goal 2A KPI 11: Increase visibility of faculty and student RSC accomplishments on web platforms
- Goal 2B KPI 1: Increase the number of students selecting Career Interest Clusters by 20% a year to reach a goal of 90% of all registered students by the end of spring semester 2021
- Goal 2B KPI 2: Increase engagement of first-year students in vocational discernment by introducing and embedding FOCUS2 to reach 50% of all first-year students utilizing at least two assessment components of FOCUS2 by the end of Spring 2021
- Goal 2B KPI 3: Increase the threshold year over year (beginning at 25%) of students participating in the Mentoring Program during their college experience to reach 50% of graduating seniors by 2021
- Goal 2B KPI 4: Increase number of students participating in engaged learning (Internships, career exploration, job shadowing, etc) by the time of graduation by 10% a year to reach a goal of 90% of graduating seniors in Spring 2023
- Goal 2B KPI 5: Increase the number of students engaging with career development by 5% a year through 2023
- Goal 2B KPI 6: Increase the number of mentor/mentee pairs by 10% a year through 2023
- Goal 2B KPI 7: Establish 15 new cluster specific events or programs each year through 2023 in order to increase student engagement within individual clusters
- Goal 2B KPI 8: Collaborate with athletics administration to develop four career development initiatives for student-athletes each year through 2023. *Note: Three initiatives established in Fall 2021.
- Goal 2B KPI 9: Connect with alumni and employers to establish two new engaged learning partnerships in the Office of Health Professions each year through 2023. *Note: Two partnerships established in Fall 2021.
- Goal 2C KPI 1: Year to year, increase student participation in Great Challenge events by 10%
- Goal 2C KPI 2: Improve student awareness and knowledge of the Great Challenge topic to 3.5 on a 5.0 scale