PRIORITY: EXCEL, EDUCATESince 2022, Winthrop has been actively engaged in curriculum development initiatives. For Phase 1 of the strategic plan, we will specifically track the progress of the following programs: Criminal Justice, Supply Chain and Logistics, and Design with a Game Design Concentration (all launched in Fall 2024; we will report on enrollments and applications for Fall 2025); Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation, AI, FinTech, and Software Engineering (targeting a Fall 2025 launch; we will report on progress through the approval processes).
Winthrop Elevate has officially launched and will enroll its first cohort in January 2025. This is a significant move into the adult learning space and positions Winthrop to be the leader in South Carolina. For 2024-2025, we will track and report on enrollment and industry membership in the new Elevate Advisory Board.
PRIORITY: EXCEL, EDUCATEIn order to increase our capacity to attract exceptionally well-prepared students, Winthrop’s Honors Program is being elevated to an Honors College with a leadership focus to officially begin in Fall 2025. We will track and report on curriculum development, admissions projections for Fall 2025, membership in the new Honors Leadership Council, by-laws and other virtual/physical infrastructure development, as well as philanthropic giving.
Winthrop is in a prime position now to evaluate and strengthen our brand and create a comprehensive strategy that will unify marketing efforts university-wide, boost our reputation and more effectively tell the Winthrop story. With this in mind, we are seeking to partner with a full-service marketing and branding agency with extensive experience in higher education. Winthrop expects the selected vendor to be determined in Fall 2024 and to commence evaluating the existing Winthrop brand and then develop and execute a dynamic, highly creative, and impactful brand concept and strategy that will authentically represent Winthrop to our many audiences and differentiate us from our competitors.
PRIORITY: ENRICHThe first-year goal of Winthrop's Tuition Transparency Initiative was to align the costs of undergraduate tuition and fees structure with the costs of academic delivery, while also reducing costs to remain competitive with in-state peer institutions. The second-year goal of the initiative is to evaluate both the undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees structure to strategically optimize our costs of delivery with our net price.
We will be focusing on enhancing student life and traditions by offering varied, meaningful events that help students to feel connected and build lasting relationships. This includes a focus on fraternities and sororities, as well as in-person, online, graduate, and professional students. A key initiative will be the revitalization of Fraternity and Sorority Life, with strategies centered on increasing visibility, fostering growth, and pursuing expansion. Additionally, collaboration across the university will result in a comprehensive plan that effectively communicates Winthrop's co-curricular story.
This dual initiative will entail a full wealth screening of Winthrop’s alumni/donor database, as well as an audit and update of alumni contact information. The wealth screening provides a key data point in identifying the best potential prospects for philanthropic support of the university. The contact information update ensures that we have the best information available to contact and engage with our alumni. These are both critical building blocks towards the launch of a potential comprehensive campaign for the university.
Winthrop will hire a new frontline fundraiser to focus on growing the number of leadership annual fund donors (gifts of $1,000+) and upgrading existing donors. The work of this individual will not only bolster support for the unrestricted Winthrop Fund but will also enhance our pipeline of major gift prospects as the fundraiser will potentially identify such individuals through visits.
Similar to the previous investment made in a community/corporate partnership position that is on target to raise more than $350K this year along with an increase in ticket sales, community relations and Eagle Club growth, Winthrop will initiate a development officer position with dual reporting to Athletics and University Advancement. The two areas will have goals to increase donor sponsorships, annual and major gifts, and more.
Winthrop will develop and deliver enhanced professional development opportunities for faculty and staff resulting in higher levels of employee satisfaction. LinkedIn Learning will become available to all employees and includes prep courses for professional certifications, MS Office and other technical training, and job-specific training opportunities. The Center for Professional Excellence (CPE) will continue to promote learning and development opportunities across campus, including the CPE Virtual Academy and courses from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). HR communication also will be a focus for improvement with reinstatement of the Welcome to Winthrop staff orientation program and other initiatives.
We will shine a light on resource allocation at Winthrop, removing the mysteries surrounding the budget process and providing a simplified, transparent and inclusive process moving forward. There will be adequate time for a well-developed and effective budget through a new budget calendar, process timeline, simplified budget templates, as well as updated forecasting and tracking tools. A budget committee will be established to encourage communication and understanding.
With partner Gordian Sightlines, Winthrop will align the strategic plan, campus master plan and academic master plan to produce a 10-year roadmap for facilities as well as computing and technology projects. This data-driven plan will determine optimal resources required to maintain the campus, options for under-utilized space, and potential monetization for excess space identified.
