Question 8. What undergraduate or graduate programs should FGCU consider as Southwest Florida grows and develops?

Question 8 -All stakeholder feedback

Question 8 - External feedback

Question 8 -Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

A relatively large number of programs were cited in this question, with some noted differences between internal and external audiences. A general theme of growing graduate programs emerged, along with specific foci on engineering, management, and healthcare. Those areas are all extremely broad, and some of the comments made specific reference to areas such as architecture, data analytics, cyber security, homeland security, behavioral sciences, healthy aging, sustainability, electrical and mechanical engineering, and interdisciplinary tracks.

u Regarding healthcare, specific reference was made to nursing and an expansion of FGCU’s physician assistant and other health sciences programs. While the term “medical” appeared prominently in feedback from internal audience groups, there was no specific encouragement for a medical school.

u Sports management and education were also frequently mentioned by internal groups, and “forensic investigations” was one of the most frequently mentioned programs overall.

u Agriculture, a major industry in Southwest Florida, was minimally mentioned by external audiences Expansion of construction management was also referenced as Southwest Florida grows.

Further Considerations

Mental health and counseling do not appear on the word maps, but are referenced as part of the topic of “healthcare” and emerged in discussions of other questions. “Management” was frequently mentioned in live and online audiences, but comments did not specify programs within this broad area except business sustainability, risk, and resource management. Offering doctoral programs in business administration, water, and health-related sciences were mentioned in reference to graduate program growth.

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

Recurring themes for both internal and external constituents were fairly consistent. Overall, there is a desire for FGCU to grow in capability and stature. Complex issues concerning access to the university, such as financial, age and cultural backgrounds, need to be further explored. The rising cost of higher education was mentioned frequently by both internal and external audiences as well as in the online survey, and a concern was raised about the return on investment for the debt students must incur to complete their education. Additionally, the cost of living in Southwest Florida may be a serious limiting factor for hiring faculty and staff.

Alignment of FGCU’s offerings with societal need was also an overarching theme, as was adapting current learning styles to reflect changes in technology. Also, feedback about content relevance and workforce preparedness was mentioned in many of the comments.

To address these concerns, FGCU has an opportunity to: u Increase access to virtual learning opportunities through more online classes as well as onlinebased interdisciplinary, non-traditional, and certificate programs. The priority is to maintain a focus on offering a high-quality education experience, whether instruction is online or in person. u Ensure that the education students receive is aligned with the job market. FGCU should offer relevant degree programs for the region, address the needs of non-traditional students, and provide access to an education outside of the academic classroom.

Further Considerations

Responses indicated a need for more conversations about academic freedom, free speech, political interference in higher education, and what these issues mean to FGCU. Fundraising and messaging should be focused around the value proposition and return on investment of higher education. FGCU’s innovation in teaching and learning as well as its academic programming that showcases how the university is staying at the forefront of industry trends need to be highlighted to external audiences. Messaging should distinguish the university so the Southwest Florida community understands where FGCU stands out against its peers.

Question 10. What words or phrases should describe FGCU in 2030?

Question 10-All stakeholder feedback

Question 10- External feedback

Question 10-Internal feedback

Most Significant Themes and Opportunities

“Innovative” is the most prominent word mentioned by stakeholders, although what it means for FGCU to be innovative in 2030 is open to interpretation. Some comments defined innovative as “thinking completely outside of the box” and the concept that FGCU is doing something “that other schools are not doing.”

Both internal and external participants see the university as a community-driven institution, with words like “leader” and “community” appearing prominently in online survey responses. Faculty, staff, students, and graduates use their skills, largely in the Southwest Florida workforce, to promote economic growth by meeting the needs of the community. FGCU should keep thinking about its impact beyond the campus borders and consider its placement as a vital pillar of the community. FGCU offers education beyond the classroom, as the university enhances the overall quality of life in Southwest Florida with access to the arts and athletics while providing knowledge to the region that contributes to enhanced public health and safety. Campus priorities of protecting the environment carry over into the community as well.

Feedback suggests that stakeholders expect FGCU to take action now to plan ahead for the future. For example: u Words such as “diverse/diversity,” “sustainability,” “excellence,” “top,” “better,” “best,” “affordable,” and “competitive” were stated throughout the feedback. Collectively, these terms indicate that FGCU should become a more diverse, nationally recognized university, known for its commitments to affordability and core values such as sustainability and academic excellence. u Comments also suggested that FGCU should build traditions for tomorrow, consider the cost of housing and its effects on recruiting quality people, and to think globally about natural disasters, like hurricanes, and infrastructure resilience.

Further Considerations

External respondents did not mention growth as often as internal stakeholders. It may be worth a deeper look at FGCU’s presence in the fivecounty region, as there were frequent comments about balancing the institution’s efforts and presence beyond Fort Myers.

Finally, it is important to note that all town halls were concluded before Hurricane Ian, a highend Category 4 storm that made direct impact with the greater Fort Myers region in September 2022. We wonder how that experience might have impacted answers. Another crisis not addressed was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which precipitated considerable changes in teaching, learning, and working in higher education and may continue to influence operations through the year 2030.