STRATEGIC PLAN

MISSION STATEMENT

Neumann University educates a diverse community of learners based upon the belief that knowledge is a gift to be shared in the service of others and that learning is a lifelong process.

VISION STATEMENT

Neumann University strives to be a teaching university of distinction, providing innovative, transformational education in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. Neumann RISES on the core values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship and lives the actions which these values inspire. Neumann’s curriculum promotes thoughtful and ethical leadership in service and response to a global and technologically complex world.

STRATEGIC GOAL STATEMENT

Neumann will graduate 750 men and women each year…

…who are prepared to serve as transformational leaders in the world.

…who are successful professionals ready to contribute to their fields in health care, business, social services, education, technology, and government service.

…who will make a life-long commitment to share their gifts and talents in service to others.

To achieve this aggressively aspirational goal, Neumann University will need to grow its human, physical, and financial resources. Neumann University’s Strategic Plan 2025 provides a detailed, measurable pathway to implementing our vision, mission, and four strategic pillars.

*The strategic plan was extended through 2025.

STRATEGIC PLAN

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Neumann University will be known as a distinctive national leader in developing, educating, and forming compassionate transformational leaders.

GOALS:

  • Neumann University will be nationally recognized for educating transformational leaders in health care, education, social services, and business through the vibrant living out of the Catholic and Franciscan values of Neumann University.
  • Neumann University will establish a culture of leadership threaded throughout curricular and co-curricular programs so that every student, employee, and faculty member will gain valuable leadership tools within their specific discipline or role on the campus.
  • Neumann University will implement a comprehensive leadership development strategy with assessments, benchmarks, common leadership language, and examples of leadership models.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Increase and strengthen faculty and staff professional development programs, experiences, and opportunities in order to enhance leadership knowledge, to build diversity awareness, and to ensure accountability in achieving shared values, vision, and mission.
  • Develop both curricular and co-curricular programs and initiatives to ensure that each undergraduate student grows in self-awareness of their leadership strengths and to gain leadership knowledge.
  • Identify and attract perspective students who have served in leadership roles, participated in leadership programs, or who have been recognized for their leadership experiences by expanding recruitment outreach.
  • Advance a culture of servant leadership across the University by promoting lifelong learning in the service of others by providing campus-wide service experiences and annually recognizing servant leaders.
  • Plan for the creation of a center for entrepreneurship and the development of an innovation lab to offer opportunities to strengthen creative thinking and to grow business and community leaders that will embrace the Franciscan spirit.

Continue to advance the academic quality of Neumann University to the top 25 percent of peer universities.

GOALS:

  • Neumann University will strive to reach and maintain a high level of student satisfaction.
  • Neumann University will strengthen student retention – with the aspirational goal of reaching first-year to sophomore-year retention rate of 80% by 2025.
  • Neumann University will improve graduation rates – with the aspirational goal of reaching a five-year graduation rate for full-time undergraduate students of 50% by 2025.
  • Neumann University will enhance the graduate student experience, strengthen the residential student environment, and grow opportunities to serve more transfer and adult learners.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Transition from Academic Divisions by establishing four schools - School of Arts & Sciences, School of Nursing & Health Sciences, School of Business & Information Management, and School of Education & Human Services.
  • Develop and enhance undergraduate and graduate programs that will attract a high quality diverse student population, strengthen the University’s market position, and enhance the University’s academic reputation.
  • Expand and enhance online and hybrid courses and programs to strengthen enrollments, while maintaining quality and mission alignment.
  • Create new academic offerings, and enhance existing curricular and co-curricular programs, to ensure students are prepared as ethical leaders to meet the challenges of a complex world and ready to adapt to an unprecedented pace of change.  
  • Improve the quality of administrative and business services through improved technology and best-in-class in-person service to students, parents, alumni, and all other constituencies.
  • Implement a planning, budgeting, and forecasting model that will provide on-going reporting, consistent data, and benchmarking for all departments to ensure transparency, quality, and accountability.

Strengthen Neumann University’s stakeholder communication both internally and externally.

GOALS:

  • Neumann will expand communication to secondary school leaders, community college students, church and community leaders, and corporate leaders.
  • Neumann will develop a communication plan to provide information and updates to all internal stakeholder groups, including the board of trustees, faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, donors, and friends of the University.
  • Neumann will develop a new brand message to attract prospective students.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Increase collaboration across the University by recognizing examples of collaboration and by acknowledging departments that collaborate to improve quality, create efficiencies, and strengthen mission.
  • Communicate Neumann’s diversity by highlighting the strengths along with the unique learning and cultural opportunities that this diverse community offers to all current and future students and employees.
  • Expand our community outreach and engagement by forging strategic partnerships with local and regional government entities, corporations, foundations, and educational institutions.
  • Build a comprehensive volunteer organizational structure that cultivates meaningful relationships and effectively utilizes the time and talent of our alumni, parents, friends, and University benefactors.
  • Develop and implement a branding campaign that reflects the University’s mission and values and provides a sophisticated message to capture the attention of all prospective students.

Secure the financial resources needed to fully achieve the vision, goals and objectives articulated in Neumann University’s Strategic Plan 2025.

GOALS:

  • Neumann University will provide the facilities, personnel, and operational support required to meet the needs of a 21st Century quality student living and learning environment.
  • Neumann University will meet the needs of a growing residential population by offering quality student housing and expanded space for extra-curricular, athletic, and recreational programming.
  • Neumann will improve and enhance classrooms, labs, technology, and facilities that will meet the needs of a 21st Century teaching and learning environment.
  • Neumann will increase scholarship funds to provide access to students and to sustain a commitment to affordability for all students and their families.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Educate Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Students and Board of Trustees, on the importance of philanthropy and its impact on the University’s long-term sustainability.
  • Launch an inclusive campus master planning process that ensures future institutional growth and supports the University’s vision.
  • Initiate a comprehensive, multi-year capital campaign to ensure the success of Neumann’s strategic goals and objectives including campus expansion and endowment growth.
  • Build stronger relationships with alumni in order to increase annual giving and overall alumni giving percentages.
  • Create and implement strong stewardship and donor relations practices to ensure donor retention and increased support for major gifts, annual giving, and endowed scholarships.
  • Strengthen the University’s human resources by implementing a comprehensive compensation philosophy and by expanding professional development opportunities for all employees.
  • Grow undergraduate and graduate enrollment through recruitment and retention activities to meet the strategic goal of graduating 750 students each year.