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Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan: Higher Education at the Speed of Life

Ivy Tech's Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Branding. Text reads, "Higher Education at the Speed of Life."

Higher Education at the Speed of Life. It’s the title of our new Strategic Plan, and it conveys all we seek to achieve with the vision, mission, and goals we have laid out. Life moves fast. Economies change. Technology disrupts. We must anticipate and respond rapidly to have the maximum positive impact on the state we call home. At Ivy Tech, the goal isn’t graduation day. It’s a better every day after. And that’s why we are pleased to share with you a plan that keeps pace with the demands of our lives and our communities.

Higher education as the speed of life

Our Goals

  • Goal 1 - Promote effective Teaching and Learning across the college,
  • Goal 2 - Workforce and Careers: Innovate in response to changing employer needs,
  • Goal 3 - Transform the Student Experience to foster student success, and
  • Goal 4 - Maximize Operational Excellence to advance campus- and college-wide initiatives
  • Strategic Plan Metrics

Our VISION

Ivy Tech students will earn 50,000 high-quality credentials each year aligned with the needs of Indiana’s workforce and communities.

Our MISSION

We are a diverse open-access college that fuels Indiana’s economy through excellence in teaching and proactive engagement with industry and community partners, embedded in a culture of innovation that empowers all students to learn and succeed.

Our VALUES


Empathy

We stand with our students, partners, and communities.

 

Integrity
We treat all with dignity and respect.

 

Accountability
We deliver on our commitments.

 

Agility
We innovate, iterate, and transform.

 

Connectivity
We connect with partners to strengthen communities and ensure student success for all.

GOAL ONE

Goal One - Teaching and Learning

Faculty have the most direct impact on student success and act as a bridge between academic and workforce offerings. As an open access institution, the classroom experience must innovate and adapt to the diverse needs of learners. Ivy Tech is committed to investing in the development of our faculty. Ivy Tech will expand skills and practices through leveraging technologies, modalities, instructional practices, training, and other means outlined in our strategies.

  • Relevancy of Programs and Course Offerings

    Ensure program and course matches content the industry needs and career skills students will use upon completion. Ensure courses are accessible to all students.

    Personalize Academic Supports

    With individual goals of students in mind, connect students to the most relevant academic resources for success and continuously improve the effectiveness and accessibility of academic support systems.

    Reimagine Gateway Courses

    Rethink entry-level courses with transfer partners and industry to reduce barriers to success, ensure relevancy, and align course objectives.

  • Framework for Teaching and Learning

    Integrate cultural diversity and adult education best practices into the teaching and learning framework.

    Timely Data for Faculty

    Provide timely student data and feedback to empower faculty to continuously improve their teaching and learning strategies.

  • Focus Faculty Responsibility

    Align faculty responsibilities with teaching and learning as the highest priority, removing barriers
    and providing tools to focus on student success. Review and refine faculty loading policies. Balance and optimize loading to increase student success and faculty effectiveness.

    Access to Critical Resources

    Supply all faculty, both adjunct and full-time, with training, onboarding, continuous learning,
    and system access to effectively educate students using industry-equivalent equipment and
    emerging technologies.

    Align Support Systems to Academic Strategies

    Pursue innovative technologies and processes to achieve academic goals of Ivy Tech’s teaching
    and learning strategies. 

Goal Two

Goal Two - Workforce and Careers

Ivy Tech is Indiana’s workforce engine and must innovate and rapidly respond to employer needs, economic changes, and workforce requests. The transforming needs of Indiana’s current employers and future projected economic growth require seamless opportunities for students to achieve credentials, certifications, degrees, and other industry training. Students – both current and future – will be informed of Indiana’s diverse career opportunities and empowered to succeed with in-demand careers.

  • Transformational Opportunities

    Provide students with comprehensive career coaching; intertwine career exposure and embed relevant work and learn experiences; elevate employer relationships to serve both the individual student and Ivy Tech at large.

    Leverage Career Exploration Options

    Recruit and develop top-talent in our Career Link departments with expertise in serving diverse student populations and developing strong relationships with employer and community partners.

    Use Data to Support Students

    Analyze and disaggregate workforce data to identify student opportunities and outcomes for career pathways.

  • Establish Trusted Partnerships

    Serve as a trusted partner to state agencies, regional and local workforce boards, and economic development partners to align with evolving industry demands.

    Maximize the Flexibility of Academic Programs

    Create maximum flexibility and stackability within degree programs to ensure alignment with changing workforce needs, employer partners, and transfer institutions.

    Accelerate Accreditation Processes

    Leverage agile processes to meet workforce needs. Ivy Tech will seek to influence accreditation processes to operate at the speed of employers.

  • Maximize Credit Earned

    Develop a standardized skills training definition. Assess opportunities for crosswalk of workforce training to credit and ensure transferability of all credit for prior learning. Evaluate and continuously improve policies to ensure rigor and alignment to industry expectations.

    Meet Employer Needs

    Define customized training needs for employers, in collaboration with Academic Affairs, to develop quality solutions and relevant offerings for offsite and onsite training.

  • Employer Collaboration

    Collaborate with employers in projecting demand, technology needs, and skill needs.
    Strengthen Advisory Committees. Share resources and equipment.

    Create Deep Talent Pipeline Partnerships

    Engage with the Department of Workforce Development, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Governor’s Workforce Council, local Economic Development Corporations, Chambers and others to develop in-demand talent pipelines.

    Workforce Data Projections and Analysis

    Provide data, recommendations and resources for employers and relevant state agencies to illuminate our talent pipeline in support of workforce diversification and upskilling efforts.

    Advisory Board Engagements

    Re-invent Program Advisory Boards to maximize employer input for programs and develop career opportunities for our students.

Goal three

Goal Three: Student Experience

Recognizing that we serve a diverse student population, beginning at the point of registration, Ivy Tech will transform student experiences to improve student success.

  • Increase Student Participation

    Connect with all student populations, with special focus on students in online classes, to provide
    successful student engagement opportunities. Ensure relevant and innovative opportunities are
    available, accessible, and tie to student success.

    Increase Employee Participation

    Facilitate intentional employee engagement with all student populations as mentors and navigators.

    Equip Employees for Student Support

    Provide skills-based training, such as Mental Health First Aid, to employees so they can recognize
    and support students in need.

  • Create a Strong “First” Experience

    Ensure students have a successful first visit, first semester, and first year experience. The scale-up of programs such as Ivy Achieves will cultivate and fully implement an effective orientation and transition to college.

    Data-Informed, Proactive Support for Students

    Use data analysis and predictive analytics to implement proactive solutions and support for students in their first 15 credit hours.

  • Enhance First-Generation Supports

    Proactively engage and connect with first-generation students through required career coaching in parallel with academic advising. 

    Build Deep Trusted Relationships with Our Students

    Empower and encourage staff to build strong relationships with students. Ensure planning a successful student experience transition is at the forefront of staff changes.

    Create an Exceptional Student-Centered Process

    Develop a lean management approach and culture focused on delivering the highest level of value to all students. Outcome will reflect a seamless student journey from point of application,
    to successful graduate, and finally, engaged alumni.

    Academic Schedules through Completion

    Ensure students have an individualized schedule of classes that meet their personal needs and goals.

    Student-Informed Scheduling Process

    Use student data to create an adaptive scheduling process that helps students complete their programs of study.

Goal four

Goal Four: Operational Excellence

Ivy Tech excels in managing effective operations of a large institution by optimizing resources, leveraging the skills of team members across the enterprise, and engaging with external partners for expertise and subject-matter support. We support and promote our top talent and collaboration across the system to accelerate growth and performance.

  • Recruit, Hire and Develop High-Performing Employees

    Provide professional development opportunities and ensure equity and access for all employees. Intentionally recruit faculty and staff to represent the students we serve.

    Develop High Performing Teams

    Understand the capacity of our internal teams and where there are opportunities for growth and efficiency. Welcome and incorporate new employees through effective on-boarding. Expand our Talent Development Programs.

    Hire and Develop Innovative Faculty

    Intentionally hire innovative faculty. Encourage faculty to engage in national conversations, innovation, and research. Provide adjunct faculty with specific training and support to improve their effectiveness in the classroom.

  • Streamline Work

    Refine internal processes to promote the implementation of best practices. Replicate process improvements across the system.

    Increase Communications of Strategic Initiatives

    Identify, communicate, and share opportunities to proactively collaborate in advancing the strategic goals of the organization.

    Identify “Best in Class” Ivy+ Opportunities

    Establish the criteria, process, and evaluation framework for the Ivy+ “Seal of Excellence“ to recognize innovation, transformation, and student-centered practices.

  • Expand Financial Assistance

    Secure approval of financial aid (including federal aid for short-term programs and high-value,
    in-demand skills training credentials) and employers' use of company-sponsored assistance and reimbursement tuition benefits.

    Build External Partnerships

    Build and nurture external partnerships with state, federal, and philanthropic partners that support student success and employer needs. Recruit diverse suppliers and vendors representative of the students we serve.

    Leverage our Institutional Size

    Leverage our institutional size, reputation, and resources to drive the transformation of higher education to meet the needs of Hoosier students, employers, and Indiana’s economy.

Metrics

Strategic Plan Metrics

System-Wide by 2025

50,000 Annual Completions

Increase Enrollment to 190,000

5% Increase in Student Retention

60% of Grads Earning Above Median Wage

What others are saying about Ivy Tech

“Ivy Tech ready to train for EV jobs” - Inside Indiana Business, Sep. 8, 2022

“Improving community college retention rates: Ivy Tech launches program with 10 'high-impact' habits” - Chalkbeat Indiana, Dec. 14, 2022

“This is an investment in our state employees that provide them with more flexibility to pursue education opportunities that ultimately contribute to a stronger workforce. We are grateful for this partnership with Ivy Tech that will ease the up-front financial burden for our employees to enroll in courses.” - Governor Eric J. Holcomb - “State of Indiana Partners with Ivy Tech to Offer Educational Opportunities for State Employees” Muncie Journal, Dec 15, 2022

“Ivy Tech's STEM mobile lab lets students learn about technology at a young age” - The Herald Bulletin, Apr. 10, 2022

“Ivy Tech establishes School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation” - WBIW, Feb. 18, 2022

“Ivy Tech and LIFT Academy Partner to Expand Aviation Training Opportunities in Indiana” - Business Wire, Jul. 25, 2022

“Community Health Network and Ivy Tech Expand Partnership to Solve Nursing Shortage” - Inside Indiana Business, Oct. 25, 2022

“Ivy Tech Extends Ivy+ Program, Continues to offer Free Textbooks in 2022-2023” - WSCH, Feb. 9, 2022

“New Ivy Tech Program Offers Career Guidance to Formerly Incarcerated Hoosiers” - “ELEVATE: Change Starts Here” WFYI, Nov. 30, 2022

“Ivy Tech offers free classes for High School students this summer.” - Tribute-Star, Dec. 23, 2022