c knowledge.”

External stakeholders emphasized growth, the environment and sustainability, as well as research, technology, and science. One community member said, “We need to focus on sustainability and resilience in the region (and) building communities back.”

Conversations within the Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee suggested that “workforce” become a pillar, which would have both external and internal components. Preparing students to be career-ready was a recurring theme, and respondents discussed opportunities for students to complete internships, job shadowing experiences, and co-op programs while learning specialized skills through quality credentialing programs. FGCU has established strong community partnerships that ensure the workforce readiness of graduates. One comment from the Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce Focus Group specifically emphasized that FGCU is becoming a talent town square for the region.

Across all stakeholders, the importance of good health and well-being for FGCU students was emphasized. Employees stressed that “first-year students can’t learn study strategies and effective test-taking strategies if they aren’t taking care of themselves.” Students stressed the importance of financial literacy, while trustees underscored the importance of “student enrichment,” building a “student culture,” and pairing alumni mentors with current students.

Respondents frequently mentioned opportunities to focus on: u Themes around the topics of health, environment and sustainability, student success, business, and science. u Service-learning hours are important for student success, and the university having a positive impact on the community.

Further Considerations

The themes “sustainability and community resiliency” and “environment” were prominent responses in Question 6, which asked about strategic areas or pillars. Sustainability and environment are frequently associated with FGCU’s mission.

Question 7. Please tell us any areas/initiatives that should NOT be included in FGCU’s next strategic plan.

Question 7 – All stakeholder feedback

Question 7 – External feedback

Question 7 – Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Entrepreneurship, creating a medical school, and launching a football program were the three most frequently cited topics to avoid as pillars in the next strategic plan, according to feedback from town hall, focus group, and online survey audiences. Collegiate athletics – football in particular – are of great interest within the state, and the aversion to having football stems from the associated costs of the program. It is the same for medical, law, pharmacy, or dental schools. With respect to entrepreneurship, there was no indication that anyone believed the program should not exist at FGCU, only that it does not need special reference or focus in strategic planning. The word “none” was one of the most prominent responses in the online survey, which suggests most people do not see any active programs that should be discontinued.

Other responses were diverse and varied, depending on the audience. Generally, students, faculty, and staff focused on university operations (size of administration, culture, enrollment), while external constituencies were concerned with politically charged issues and would like the university to remain focused on the local community instead of pursuing an excessive number of directions.

Additional opportunities recommended by internal audiences: u Faculty and staff commented about a need for a more supportive work environment with more frequent, transparent communication from administration, slowing enrollment growth, and making the campus more active on the weekends. u There were only 11 comments from students, which included removing the service-learning hours requirement, teaching Colloquium differently, renovating North Lake Village, and allowing students more control over fee expenditures.

Further Considerations

Responses generally indicated a desire to be thoughtful in planning initiatives and not spreading the campus too thin. This is consistent with the title and theme of the former strategic plan, Focus 2017-2022.