UNIVERSITYAACU:NATIONAL Strategic Plan 2022-27
In order to follow this calling, our focus over the next five years will center on the following six pillars:
2 Elevate ACU’s academic brand to that of university.nationalfaith-basedworld-class,a Provide a vibrant student experience success.inleadershipACU’sleveragesformationtocommitmentACU’sstrengthensthatspiritualandnationalstudent
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ACU’s global vision is to deliver a world-class education in an intentionally Christcentered environment so that we may educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.
Abilene Christian University stands at a crucial moment. Just as the early pioneers of our university once looked beyond their small campus for room to grow, we now face a similar choice: remain where we are comfortable or heed the call to something greater. Those pioneers chose a spot on a hill, a place where Abilene Christian could shine brightly as a light for our community and the world.
Promote an internal culture that celebrates every individual as God’suniquelycreatedinimage.
Provide Christ-centeredcompetitive,nationallya athletics program that extends mission.propelsbranduniversity’stheandACU’s ACU’sStrengthenfinancial foundation to opportunities.strategicpursueaggressively Develop ACU’s campuses physicalstewardshiplong-termprovidegrowthfacilitateobjectives,strategicsupportthatenhancementsthroughwillourandofassets.
Today, our choice isn’t one of location, but of dedication. In our 117th year, we are more diverse, creative, inventive, global-minded and forward-looking than ever before. And we have arrived at this moment because of God’s providence and the hard work, vision and investment of men and women of faith who came before us. However, there is still work to be done. We are called to new heights.
• Grow our ACU Online footprint to achieve $50 million in gross revenues and a 10% operating margin.
• Compound recent enrollment gains to allow ACU to enroll an entering freshman class of 950 students each fall.
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Realizing these aspirations will require laser-focused commitment from the university’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and administration, as well as unprecedented support from generous donors and alumni around the globe.
• Build a next-level research enterprise, by attracting major research investments from government and business, to propel ACU to Research (R2) status while providing transformative faculty and student research opportunities.
• Invest thoughtfully, but aggressively, in a nationally recognized Division I athletics program, which will catapult the ACU brand throughout the higher education landscape.
Specifically, the following five high-level goals will act as an engine to drive success across all six of the major pillars as articulated in this document.
• Develop high-demand, high-impact curricular programs built around centers of excellence, which will attract top faculty and top student scholars as well as robust research dollars.
e. Create a Center for Interprofessional Education that enables students in nursing, allied health (occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, athletic training, dietetics, etc.), social work and teacher education programs to use simulation experiences to develop clinical skills and clinical judgment in a safe, controlled and realistic learning environment.
a. Secure formal status as a “national university” and achieve a U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) top 200 national ranking.
d. Achieve 70th percentile faculty compensation relative to the R3-M1 peer group and exceed the median of the R3 peer group (new target reflects a 10% increase).
a. Complete an exhaustive feasibility study for a new Health Sciences Center.
d. Realign colleges to better respond to emerging trends in higher education and the workforce.
Achieve formal “R2” research status.
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b. Maintain and improve our top 25 national status in USNWR student success rankings (currently ranked #7 in First-Year Experience, #9 in Learning Communities, and #9 in Service Learning).
c. Expand graduate programs to account for 40% of total tuition revenue (currently 29%).
b. Establish 25 endowed professorships (currently 18) and chairs (currently nine) to help attract and retain nationally renowned faculty.
f. Continue aggressive expansion of ACU Online program offerings, both at the graduate and undergraduate level.
c. Achieve recognition as a top producer of Fulbright scholarships and double the number of students receiving major scholarship awards (new target of five).
d. Expand ACU Online into new major geographic markets beyond Dallas.
b. Invest in three to five market-facing centers of academic excellence to serve as academic anchors (e.g., health sciences, allied health, physics and engineering, entrepreneurship and business).
Meanwhile, to fulfill our mission, we must be exceptional at teaching, mentoring and preparing students to make an impact in their chosen profession while exemplifying Christ in the workplace.
Elevate ACU’s national brand.
Though we must continue to compete at the highest levels academically, we will remain distinctively different in our faith-based service to the world.
Elevate ACU’s academic brand to that of a world-class, faith-based national university.
a. Generate $5 million annually in externally funded research expenditures (currently generating approximately $4.5 million).
c. Establish a $3 million endowed research fund to promote early-stage research activity (i.e., seed money) and encourage the pursuit of external research funding.
whileglobalperspectivewithstudentspreparingtoleadaChristianinthemarketplacedemonstratingtheirfaithandansweringGod’scallintheirlives.WewillachievethisvisionbyelevatingACU’snationalbrand,expandingacademicprogramsandachievingformal“R2”researchstatus.
e. Implement evidence-based research in online education, course-design and delivery to ensure the highest quality online programs; leverage course models to address the variance in academic preparation among incoming online students. Our vision is to be the best at
World-class academics are the core of institutions of higher education. As we elevate our academic profile along with our status as a national university, we will have an even greater platform to recruit exemplary faculty and students.
Expand ACU’s academic programs.
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Increase student participation in spiritual formation activities.
• Be leaders who share Christ with others through their words and actions.
a. Maintain metric that 95% of ACU graduates are employed or are in graduate school within six months by increasing participation in the following high-impact practices: Our vision is to be a
ACU is recognized as a leader in student success. For the third year in a row, we were named the top university in Texas by the U.S. News & World Report for student success, ranking in the top 10 nationally for first-year experience, learning communities and service-learning opportunities in the 2022 rankings.
We will achieve this vision by increasing student participation in spiritual formation activities; monitoring and promoting student success across disciplines; and carefully shaping the characteristics of the ACU student body.
a. Fully implement ACU’s Integrated Spiritual Formation Plan.
• Develop lasting relationships, remaining connected to friends, professors and mentors from their time at ACU.
c. Ensure that 75% of graduating seniors have participated in an ACU-sponsored mission or Christian service-related experience (previous goal was 50%).
d. Ensure that a minimum of 70% of graduating seniors can clearly articulate the relationship between their chosen path after graduation and their faith (new metric to be measured).
b. Increase opportunities for students to serve as Christian leaders throughout the ACU and Abilene communities, including service to student organizations, within the academic departments and/or local church congregations.
We must continue to invest and build on our success to cement our reputation as leaders in building collaborative and innovative learning environments.
• Courageously love God and love their neighbors, as salt and light to the world.
Likewise, spiritual formation is at the foundation of everything we do. We are formed by the totality of our experiences, so ACU’s educational experience must amplify spiritual formation opportunities and empower each student with the capacity to live an integrated life as a whole person grounded in the identity of Christ. Our vision is to be a nationally recognized higher education leader for student success and to incorporate Christ-centered biblical principles across all academic disciplines, with spiritually formative activities blended throughout the four-year student experience. Specifically, we want ACU students to: • Ground their identity in Christ.
e. Increase students’ commitment to local church attendance such that 70% of the student body report weekly off-campus church participation (current data is 56%).
Monitor and promote student success disciplines.
spirituallyacrossforrecognizednationallyhighereducationleaderstudentsuccessandtoincorporateChrist-centeredbiblicalprinciplesallacademicdisciplines,withformativeactivitiesblendedthroughoutthefour-yearstudentexperience.
f. Establish a university-wide, cohesive mentorship emphasis with a goal of providing mentoring to at least 50% of the student body (new metric to be measured).
Provide a vibrant student experience that strengthens ACU’s commitment to spiritual formation and leverages ACU’s national leadership in student success.
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b. Ensure that 60% of incoming freshmen graduate in the top quarter of their high school class (currently 58%).
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Carefully shape characteristics of the ACU student body.
e. Reduce average student indebtedness at graduation by 10% from 2021 levels.
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c. Sponsor at least four campus-wide student events annually that each host at least 1,500 current and prospective students (new metric to be tracked).
a. Grow total enrollment by 62% to 8,800. Abilene campus goal: Grow enrollment by 11% to 3,800. ACU Online goal: Grow enrollment by 150% to 5,000.
• Increase average student attendance at home basketball games to 750 (new metric).
b. Increase participation in the following community-based experiences: 35% student involvement in Greek life (currently 27%) 75% student involvement in student organizations (currently estimated at 60%) 35% student involvement in intramurals (currently 25%) 75% student involvement in community volunteer activities (new metric to be tracked) Increase average student attendance at home football games to 1,000 (new metric).
c. Achieve 85% freshman-to-sophomore retention rate (five-year trend is 79%).
7 • 40% student involvement in undergraduate research (currently 26%) • 40% student involvement in Study Abroad or a cross-cultural experience (currently 30%) • 75% student involvement in internships (currently 58%) • 65% student involvement in leadership roles (new metric)
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d. Achieve a 70% five-year graduation rate (currently 66%).
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f. Increase out-of-state student enrollment to 15% of total first-time students (currently 8%).
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• Improve diverse student graduation rates by 5%, increasing Black student graduation from 50% to 55% and increasing Latin student graduation from 49% to 54%.
• Assemble a faculty that is 25% racially (16% in 2021) and ethnically diverse and maintain at least 45% female faculty.
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• Achieve formal recognition as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
• Maintain a student body that is 40% ethnically and racially diverse and improve diverse student retention by 5%; increase Black student retention from 65% to 70%; and increase Latin student retention from 72% to 77%.
• Utilize existing surveys to better establish, and then improve, baseline measures regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues on campus.
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• Ensure all faculty, staff and administrators complete diversity training. Our vision is for ACU to embody a culture of diversity and inclusion that conversationsandourandappreciatescelebratesdifferences,createsaccessadvancementopportunitiesforall,andinvitesdiversevoicesintosubstantivewhilealwaystreatingoneanotherwithkindness,compassion,graceandmercysothattogetherwemightdiscoverGod’scallforourlives.
Promote an internal culture that celebrates every individual as created uniquely in God’s image and gives voice and input to all constituents. Building a diverse community promotes innovation, creativity and an appreciation for the differences expressed in each of us by God’s intentional design. It also broadens the scope of our reach and extends our influence in the kingdom. We believe building such a community within ACU is consistent with God’s teaching and the biblical example of the Christian community to which Scripture calls us. This work will not be easy, but we are called to honor, celebrate and learn from the diverse cultures and customs reflected among students, faculty and staff to demonstrate an ever-strengthening campus climate in which all our members feel valued and appreciated.
• Assemble a staff that is 25% racially and ethnically diverse (currently at 15%).
• Build championship programs in men’s and women’s sports that propel the university into a national spotlight. Our vision is to attract inwhocoachesstudent-athletes,top-tierandstaffdesiretoglorifyGodthroughsuccessonthefieldofplay,theclassroomandinthecommunity.
• Annually qualify for the NCAA academic performance financial distribution.
• Annually achieve top-three standing in the Western Athletic Conference Commissioner’s Cup.
Abilene Christian’s athletics programs provide a unique opportunity for the university. Athletics create an entry point for students to receive a faith-based higher education, but they also create a point of pride in the institution for alumni and build our national brand through positive external visibility.
• Annually produce 100 national and/or regional digital media broadcasts, while leveraging ACU-TV and athletics as an experiential learning lab for ACU students (currently at 95).
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• Develop a Christian leadership and professional development program for coaches.
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Provide a nationally competitive, Christ-centered athletics program that extends the university’s brand and propels ACU’s mission.
• Continue to annually maintain a cumulative student-athlete GPA of 3.2 or higher.
• Annually achieve at least two individual or team appearances in an NCAA postseason tournament.
Over the past decade, ACU’s transition to a Division I program and the recent move to the Western Athletic Conference in 2021 set the stage for even more exposure and success in the future. At the center of every success, our mission and our Christ-centered student-athletes, led by our coaches and staff, represent us and show the world what it means to be a Wildcat. Through continued investment across our programs, we must make sure that our student-athletes grow academically, athletically and spiritually.
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Strengthen ACU’s financial foundation to allow the aggressive pursuit of strategic opportunities.
• Grow ACU Online gross revenues to $50 million (currently $20.2 million), while achieving a 10% net margin (currently 5.5%)
• Achieve the Higher Ground campaign fundraising goals, averaging $35 million in annual gifts and commitments (current 10-year average: $33.8 million).
• Increase net tuition revenue from graduate students to comprise 40% of total net tuition revenue (currently 29.37%).
• Increase the total value of the endowment of the university to $1 billion and ensure spending distributions are sufficient to fund 25% of the annual operating budget (as of FY 2021 endowment is $654.5 million).
• Increase endowment distributions for scholarships from $8 million to $11 million by the year 2027.
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• Increase our annual alumni giving percentage to 10% (currently 8.25%). Our vision is to utilize the strength of our andboldpositionfinancialtomakeinvestmentsinpeople,programsandfacilitiesthatattractandretaintalentedstudentsfaculty;enhancetheeducationalexperience;generateasenseofinstitutionalpride;andproducedeeperrelationships.
The changing landscape of higher education, characterized by declining student enrollments, decreases in high school graduates and ongoing financial pressure, will prove more challenging in the next five years. To meet these challenges and empower the university to achieve its goals, it is imperative that ACU create financial flexibility while investing in new strategic initiatives.
To realize its vision, ACU must achieve and maintain fiscal and operational strength. Our success will depend on the institution’s financial health.
ACU’s campuses facilitate the university’s excellence in every area, and we must continue to steward the resources that have been entrusted to us. Through strategic improvements to our facilities, the university will enhance the ACU student experience, increase revenue, grow our emerging research portfolio and support high-demand academic programs.
Develop ACU’s campuses through enhancements that will support our strategic objectives, facilitate growth, foster Christian community and provide long-term stewardship of physical assets.
• Create a Health Interprofessional Education Center to provide simulated experiences so that our students are prepared to enter health and allied health clinical settings.
• Identify strategic locations for new ACU branch campuses. Our vision is to provide state-ofthe-art living and learning facilities that promote growth,andinnovation,excellenceChristiancommunity.
• Complete the renovation of Boone Family Theatre to support ACU’s ongoing excellence in the fine arts and to provide a unique space for spiritual formation and community events.
• Provide room for growth and enhance the quality of our allied health programs through new construction and renovation.
• Complete the construction of the Freshman Village residential project.
ith the spotlight squarely on ACU, we find ourselves at the crossroads of unprecedented opportunity after years of transition, preparing for this moment. As we start to live out ACU’s standing as a national university, the stakes have never been higher, but the goals outlined in this strategic plan position us for success. May we remember that every blessing we enjoy is direct evidence of God’s provision for the work advanced by the dedicated service of our Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff. Under this leadership, ACU will remain steadfast in honoring God in all that we do. Together, we will take advantage of our increased visibility as an emerging national university to secure our standing as a premier, faith-based institution of higher education that educates students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.
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• Construct the Science and Engineering Research Center and the Advanced Research Center to support the university’s emerging research enterprise.
• Complete the renovation of Moody Coliseum to support the university’s aspiration for championship basketball programs and a vibrant student experience.
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