Future of Higher Education Research Team Report

Parent’s Leadership Council Envisioning

Mark Caprio

Thursday, February 16th, 2017

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 Parent’s Leadership Council Meeting
Alumni & Family Weekend
Saturday February 11, 2017
Slavin Soft Lounge (SPSC members present/facilitators: Bartolini, Keefe, Sicard)

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 On February 11, members of the Strategic Planning Committee held a Strategic Planning Focus Group with members of the Parent’s Leadership Council. The questions posed to meeting attendees during the focus group are as followed:

0. ¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0
1. If Providence College were to be best known for one thing within the next 10-20 years, what should it be?
2. What should the College be doing in the next 10-20 years that it isn’t doing today?
3. If Providence College had $100M new dollars to spend, how should it be spent?
4. What should be the most important measure or indicator of the College’s success? Why?

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 The group was divided into four groups, and tasked with discussing one question in-depth with a committee liaison present to record responses.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 Below please find detailed notes and interpretations of the group discussions around each core question.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 Question 1: If PC could be best known for one thing in the next 10-20 years, what should it be?

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• Community
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  • Professing Catholic faith throughout the community of students, faculty, and staff
  • Creating “one” student body that is more cohesive
  • Integrating the Dominicans and campus community
  • Close-knit
• Strong brand
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  • Integrate all key aspects of the College into one story
  • Create brand of academic excellence
  • Create national presence
  • Expand to other geographical regions
• Establish importance of Liberal Arts education
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  • Showcase benefits of humanities
  • Show the flourishing of students leaving PC with liberal arts degree

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 Question 2: What should the College be doing in the next 10-20 years that it isn’t doing today?

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• Compete for high caliber students across country
• Deliver more to young students who are looking for better dorms, facilities, etc.
• Reach a broader geographic range
• Expand PC’s brand
• Promote alumni base
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  • Embrace alums where they are, encourage volunteerism and stronger interactions
  • Tap alumni for job and internships
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    • More alumni networking nights across the country
• Play role in re-development of Smith Hill area
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  • Students should be provided with more local options off-campus
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    • Could include more expanded off-campus housing, restaurants, etc.
    • Planning projects around campus
• Elevate Academics
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  • Hone in on science majors and new programs
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    • Possibly develop engineering into a 4-year major at PC
    • Physical therapy, sports medicine – hot majors that could be considered

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 Question 3: If Providence College had $100M new dollars to spend, how should it be spent?

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• Increase student housing quality
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  • Attract student who may be swayed by better accommodations at other colleges
  • Will help with level of competitiveness
  • Conditions of dorms impact decisions of qualified students
• Library renovation
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  • Prioritize the renovation of the library
  • Upgrade space to match the quality of Ruane
  • Provide more academic resources to students within
  • More collaborative learning spaces like those featured in Ryan Center
• Financial Aid
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  • Critical to affordability and recruitment of more diverse population
  • Tuition cap may be an important step
• Maintain size of campus
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  • Do not discredit importance of student to faculty ratio
  • “Bigger” is not necessarily better

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 Question 4: What should be the most important measure or indicator of the College’s success? Why?

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• Jobs and career of alumni
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  • Willingness to take any job; how do you get young people ready to take any job, pay dues, have some patience, reach their dream, perhaps later; not all needs are met from day one; understand that not everyone else has to change for them
• Alumni living happy lives
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  • What does a happy life look like? Community service, civic engagement, civil service, leaders, broad thinkers
  • Well-rounded person
• How many legacies apply, attend
• Live your passions
• Relationship with God; spiritual life
• Engagement between current students and alumni (quantity, quality) – measures around the strength of the PC network