Phase II Accomplishments (July 2022 - June 2024)

 Key Actions:

• KEY ACTION 1: Develop and implement a Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan.

  DEFINITION: Strategic Enrollment Management is a comprehensive process designed to help the university achieve and maintain optimum recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. As such, SEM is a university-wide process that embraces virtually every aspect of UNC’s function and culture. The SEM plan will serve as critical foundational work to position the university for sustained success.

  Tactics:

  • Create and empower a SEM committee comprised of representatives from across the university to serve as the leaders and driving force of the plan.
  • Establish clear goals for the number and types of students needed to fulfill the institutional mission.
  • Leverage and expand access to data to inform decisions to support our strategic enrollment management goals.
  • Complete a Facilities Comprehensive Plan that aligns with the SEM plan key outcomes and academic program priorities, focusing on the student campus experience and environmental sustainability. Explore external funding for key capital projects.
  • Using the results of the Brand Audit completed in Phase I, update UNC’s marketing and communications plan to support the goals created through the SEM plan.

  Accomplishments:

  • Under the leadership of the vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, a SEM Steering Committee composed of representatives from across the university was charged with leading planning efforts. Efforts focused on the goals of enhancing enrollments, improving student success, and securing the financial stability of UNC's future through the SEM plan.
  • A report summarizing the first phase of the SEM planning process and outlining plans for the second phase was completed in January 2023. Phase I concluded with finalizing the University's SEM Enrollment Goals, Key Enrollment Indicators, and updated timelines for implementation. The enrollment goals and indicators were shared with the campus community through 12 roadshows and two virtual town halls.
  • A report summarizing the second phase of the SEM planning process was completed at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Phase II concluded with additional clarity about campus-wide strategies tied to each of the seven SEM goals. This work was led by a Student Retention Subcommittee and a Student Recruitment Subcommittee, each of which worked with campus stakeholders on strategy development.
  • Phase III started in spring 2024 and will continue into the next phase of the strategic plan with a focus on creating tactics and action plans at the unit level to support the SEM strategies. 
  • The UNC Board of Trustees approved the university's new ten-year Facilities Comprehensive Plan in February 2024. 
  • In March 2024, President Feinstein shared an update on the university's new facilities comprehensive plan and invited members of the university community to a small-group discussion to learn more about what UNC might look like in the future. 
  • A summary of the Brand Audit was shared with the university community in July 2022, and a new campaign was launched. 
  • In August 2023, new brand resources were shared with the university community.
• KEY ACTION 2: Build on Phase I foundational work to ensure UNC is a Students First university.

  DEFINITION: Student success is often connected to a student’s sense of belonging, their quality of engagement, and how it impacts their progress toward graduation. From the traditional academic setting to campus life and support services, UNC will continue to better understand how students engage inside and outside of the classroom – and implement strategies focused on enhancing our student’s experience and their success.

  Tactics:

  • Continue to work from the Students First Framework to make progress on reaching UNC’s retention and graduation goals as established in Spring 2022.
  • Implement practices, programs, and services that help students translate their academic accomplishments, learned knowledge, and campus experiences into being engaged citizens and lifelong learners post-graduation.
  • Expand and adapt student services and programs to meet the needs of today’s students, including undergraduate, graduate, and extended campus students at UNC.
  • Enhance university events and traditions that unify the UNC community and create new events and traditions that build Bear spirit and pride.
  • Identify, cultivate, and solicit philanthropic gifts in support of UNC’s people and programs in alignment with campaign priorities developed through Phase I.

  Accomplishments:

  • Building on the work completed in Phase I, we entered Phase II with two new key actions: one focused on building on the foundational work to ensure UNC is a Students First university and a second dedicated to designing and implementing a Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan. During Phase II, the key actions and tactics for each merged into a single, university-wide effort focused on the development of a SEM plan. 
  • A number of new strategies to improve admissions process and increase the number of admitted students, especially among new first-time students, were introduced in Phase II. They include the following:
    • Enhanced offerings for high school students and their families to learn and become excited about what it means to be Bear, from Discover UNC visit days for high school students to virtual campus tours.
    • Introduced our ¡Adelante! initiative, consistent with our commitment as a Hispanic Serving Institution, which was specifically designed to better support Hispanic/Latine students and their families as they consider college options.
    • Focused on being timelier and more proactive in our communications with prospective students.
    • Implemented such strategies as handwritten letters after each campus visit and personalized correspondence throughout the admissions process.
    • Reimagined the experience for admitted students and their families to help ensure they receive a warm welcome and have a smooth transition to UNC. Our Destination UNC events serve as a pivotal moment in the journey of newly admitted students by providing an opportunity to learn more about the university and interact with current students, faculty, alumni, and staff members. 
  • Expanded student services and programs include the following:
    • Implemented a financial literacy resource, led by the Office of Student Academic Success.
    • Implemented a Canvas-based “one stop shop” for resources for students, led by Office of Student Academic Success. 
    • Implemented a new structure to support English Language Learners, led by the Office of Global Engagement.   
    • Enhanced and expanded the use of the Degree Works Planner, led by academic chairs/directors and their faculty, in collaboration with professional advisors with support from Bear Central and Student Academic Success.  
    • Completed at the end of the 2023-24 academic year a Quality Initiative consistent with requirements by UNC's accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission. The focus of the initiative was on examining and improving students’ academic experience, primarily by identifying barriers to academic success, improving curricular design, expanding inclusive and high impact pedagogy, and increasing student sense of belonging and connection to their academic major and college.   
    • Received a $310,000 grant to create a basic needs center, expected to open in January 2025, and hired in fall 2023 a director of the Center for Student Wellbeing and two case manager interns to provide outreach to students of concern and help access benefits.  
  • In fall 2023, we launched the UNC First-Year Admission Guarantee aimed at removing barriers and confusion around applying for admission. This program is specifically designed for resident students in Colorado and has helped make the admissions process more inclusive and reduce the time it takes to make decisions.
  • Our financial aid optimization work has increased financial aid awards for our most income-limited students and families. Beginning in fall 2024, our new UNC Tuition Promise program will further our commitment to making education affordable and accessible by lessening the financial burden for students with the greatest need. 
  • Student Affairs, in collaboration with colleagues in Enrollment Management and Academic Affairs, applied to be in the FirstGen Forward Network and pursue the First Scholars Designation. This opens up opportunities for faculty and staff professional development to improve support for first-generation college students.
• KEY ACTION 3: Continue development and implementation of faculty and staff recruitment, engagement, and retention plans.

  DEFINITION: In order to effectively prioritize student success at UNC, we must create an environment in which our students learn and grow from a strong team of highly-skilled, knowledgeable, and dedicated faculty and staff across the institution. Just as we develop plans and strategies for recruiting and retaining students, we must also do so for our faculty and staff.

  Tactics:

  • Implement a multi-year equitable and competitive compensation plan for faculty and staff that builds on the compensation analysis from Phase I.
  • Assess the effectiveness of the classified and exempt staff evaluation process implemented as part of Phase I and adjust as appropriate.
  • Identify and implement policy changes and programs to address 1) work life balance, including but not limited to policies regarding hybrid and remote work and workload expectations, 2) healthy working relationships, including but not limited to supervisor training and healthy conflict resolution, and 3) career development, including but not limited to improved internal professional development opportunities and articulation of career ladders.
  • Improve the candidate recruiting and onboarding experience – using an equity lens – including the development of a recruiting toolbox for hiring authorities and search committees and review of administrative barriers in the search process.
  • Develop, seek funding for, and implement a holistic, equity-minded, faculty professional development plan that supports faculty teaching, scholarship, and service, and that builds upon the existing efforts in the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL), the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Human Resources.

  Accomplishments:

  • Throughout Phase II, UNC implemented multiple compensation increases for faculty and classified and professional administrative staff, including base salary increases and compensation pools.
  • The Fiscal Year 2025 budget approved by the UNC Board of Trustees in June 2024 included a minimum parity adjustment to increase compensation for faculty who have had the lowest parity comparisons to peer compensation levels. The budget also included the implementation of state-mandated raises for classified staff. These compensation increases collectively represent the sixth increase in a three-year period, reflecting UNC's commitment to achieve parity with peer median compensation levels as quickly as possible. 
  • In fall 2022, UNC introduced Cornerstone, a new platform for hiring and onboarding, performance planning, and training and professional development. 
  • UNC has created resources for employees and supervisors who would like to explore flexible work arrangements. 
  • The Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning has continued to expand offerings for educational professional development, including adding workshops and events focused on the use of Artificial Intelligence. 
  • With startup funding provided by corporate sponsors, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion developed and implemented UNITE (Understanding & Navigating Inclusion Through Education). The UNITE series gives the UNC community the opportunity to begin or continue conversations in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion across a broad range of identities.
• KEY ACTION 4: Create plans, structures, and programs that foster an inclusive environment at UNC where all individuals feel welcomed and supported.

  DEFINITION: In Phase I, we made it clear that the university would be taking important measures to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion across the institution. Fostering a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment is ongoing work that never ends and is not done in silos. Therefore, we continue to emphasize our commitment to ensuring that UNC is a place wherein all students, faculty, and staff feel welcomed – and that we offer a supportive environment well suited to collective and individual success.

  Tactics:

  • Create a comprehensive university-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan, which will serve as the foundation for the creation of such plans at each college/division level.
  • Complete the next stage of UNC’s Hispanic Serving Institution 2025 plan which includes developing HSI assessment metrics, preparing a pre-application for federal designation, and investigating HSI grant funding opportunities.
  • Implement the English Language Learner Support Initiative and develop a training for supervisors on the Equity-Minded Teaching and Service Reflection Guide developed in Phase I.
  • Administer and iterate a university-wide Campus Climate Survey.
  • Examine the faculty and staff evaluation process to determine the extent to which DEI work (in teaching, scholarship, or service) is recognized and rewarded, and to identify ways in which there might be obstacles to the success of faculty and staff members from marginalized groups.
  • Develop a process in which faculty and staff are publicly recognized for their contributions and innovation specifically related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Create faculty and staff DEI Associates/Fellows responsible for serving as facilitators and resources to their colleagues on matters related to DEI within their areas/divisions.

  Accomplishments:

  • UNC's continued pursuit of the HSI designation was a focus of Phase II with a commitment both to meet, and exceed, the threshold enrollment requirements for the designation and ensure that our institution fosters a sense of belonging for Hispanic and Latine students, their families, and the broader community.
  • UNC was officially designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education in March 2024. The designation was achieved more than 18 months ahead of schedule. 
  • After researching current best practices in campus climate survey design and administration, we distributed in October 2022 targeted surveys designed by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), which is based out of UCLA’s Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing.
  • The surveys closed in December 2022 with a 46.5% response rate from faculty, a 52.4% response rate from staff, and a 16.4% response rate from students.
  • During the spring and summer of 2023, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (OIRE) reviewed and analyzed the data, and the HERI also conducted a comparative analysis of UNC’s data with other institutions that utilize the same survey instruments. Meetings were then held with various stakeholders, including divisional leadership teams and student, faculty, and staff shared governance partners to share preliminary insights.  
  • An overview of findings was shared with the UNC Board of Trustees in February 2024, including a summary of common themes and a preview of ways findings were being used to revise and develop new strategies in order to contribute to a positive campus climate. 
  • With generous support from Chevron, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion launched an inaugural cohort of DEI Fellows. Fellows were tasked with identifying an equity-based issue at UNC and creating a project to address that issue. 
• KEY ACTION 5: Create and implement an academic portfolio management plan.

  DEFINITION: UNC must be responsive to the evolving expectations and desires of our students and the needs of our community and state. In order for the university to be well positioned for long-term success, UNC will develop and refine processes that ensure our portfolio of academic programs are up-to-date and relevant. Our academic portfolio management plan will provide clarity and direction on proactively evaluating current programs and streamlining processes in developing new educational opportunities. The plan will also provide guidance on effective communication strategies in sharing changes to our academic offerings.

  TACTICS:

  • Refine the criteria by which proposed academic programs are evaluated and ensure that they are aligned with those used in the program review process.
  • Review, modify, and streamline the process by which proposed academic programs are developed to ensure that the process is responsive and efficient.
  • Include annual health checks in the existing program review process to inform the ongoing needs of each program, and aid in determining if a program should be enhanced, held constant, downsized, or eliminated.
  • Create a communication plan by which decisions about academic programs and the rational for them are shared with stakeholders.
  • Make progress in the pursuit of establishing a College of Osteopathic Medicine at UNC, which will expand upon our offerings in the health sciences and meet a critical need our state currently faces by producing more physicians in service to our communities.

  Accomplishments:

  • A Curriculum Handbook outlining all policies and practices related to curriculum was developed by a working group of faculty members.The handbook not only addresses the internal curriculum process but provides faculty members with information about when a proposed curriculum changeneeds approval from the Higher Learning Commission and information about how and when that should be done. It is continually updated with input from the Office of the Registrar and Office of the Provost. 
  • The processes and forms needed for each type of curriculum change were simplified and responsibilities of various offices in the process are being clarified. 
  • The criteria by which proposed academic programs are evaluated were refined to help ensure that they are aligned with those used in the program review process.   
  • Annual health checks are now included in the existing program review process to inform the ongoing needs of each program and to aid indetermining if a program should be enhanced, held constant, downsized, or eliminated.  
  • A communication plan was created by which decisions about academic programs and the rational for them are shared with stakeholders.  
  • Throughout Phase II, significant progress was made toward establishing the University of Northern Colorado College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNC COM). Highlights include the following:
    • UNC achieved a significant milestone with a commitment in September 2023 from The Weld Trust of $25 million — the largest single gift in UNC’s history.
    • Thanks to the hard work, support, and advocacy of many partners, lawmakers approved in April 2024 House Bill 24-1231, which will allocate further funding for the initiative.Reaching this milestone was made possible by the tremendous work of many partners, including the legislative sponsors, Representatives Mary Young and Lindsey Daugherty and Senators Barbara Kirkmeyer and Kyle Mullica.
    • All the necessary clinical rotation sites required for third- and fourth-year students were secured, largely thanks to a partnership with Banner Medical Group and Banner Health’s northern Colorado hospitals.
    • We commissioned a study to quantify the economic impacts of UNC COM. Findings note that by 2042, UNC COM will have produced over 1,700 physicians. UNC COM is also expected to boost Colorado’s economy by $1.4 billion over the next 20 years, with nearly half a billion of that impact remaining in Weld County, and the total annual impact from the medical college will be nearly $200 million  in added income for Colorado. This is equivalent to supporting over 4,000 jobs every year.